Horrible Experience with Firestone
 

Sorry for the long story, but I need feedback on if I'm going about this the right way, or if anyone has been in this situation before.

So a few weeks ago, I ordered a set of Rays 57CRs from 86Speed, and 4 tires from Tire Rack. I had the tires shipped to the Firestone closest to me, which I haven't had any issues with before today. I set an appointment for 8am today to have the tires mounted on the wheels, and I brought just the wheels so I could still use my car today. I left at 8:30am, after the tech told me Rays wheels go on ricers and how he works on his friends 350z. I was told I would get a call when they were done (last time I had them do this, it took just a couple hours)

Fast forward to 2pm, I need to run a couple errands, and give them a call to see if they are close to being done because I could pick them up while I'm out. Tech said they haven't gotten to them yet, but he'd personally make sure they were done before they closed, and I'd get a call. At this point I wasn't going to call again because I was told twice they'd call me, and I didn't want to seem too impatient.

Then at 5 the tech calls me, asks why I'm not there yet, and says we need to talk when I get there. At this point I'm extremely flustered, but figure getting mad over the phone isn't going to help the situation. I get there, and the tech shows me where the machine to mount the tires "messed up and almost took his finger off", and marred the inside of the barrel of one of the wheels in 4 spots, and how "these things unfortunately happen in the industry". He tells me to come by tomorrow and speak to the manager Jeremy about getting a replacement, and that he almost fainted when he saw how much they were. The receptionist took a few photos of the wheels, didn't charge me anything, and I left with the wheels.

My plan is to not mount the wheels, speak to Jeremy tomorrow about a replacement, and verify where they are ordering it from. They said they will take the tire off of the bad wheel and put it on the new wheel when it comes in, and I can run the wheels until then. Anything else I should make sure to do to cover my ass?

Your situation is so similar to what happened to me that I had to double check the username to make sure I wasn't the one who posted it.

They had the exact same issue, I dropped it off at the exact same time, and I got the same shit service.

Wow.

Did they damage and replace a wheel for you? or just gave awful service?

I'm worried the manager is going to try and backtrack on what the tech said about replacing my wheel and just try to repair it. I had the wheels 3 days before today so I think it'd be ridiculous if they try to get me to settle with a botched install and repair and take the hit for it if and when I sell these wheels down the line

I understand things happen, but it wasn't just one part of the process that was unprofessional, it's been the whole experience so far. At my job, first we don't talk to customers like that, but we would also take the hit on it if we made a mistake. I'm hoping they can at least do the latter

Doesn't sound all that horrible to me. They messed up, they are fixing it. Annoying, but it happens.

Mostly the service, the fact that they took 10hrs to put them on, and they tried to overcharge me because my wheels apparently "broke their machine" so they had to take it elsewhere to mount them, and they had a massive ding in the middle of one of them. Fortunately it wasn't as messed up as yours, but their manager just said "oh well" and removed the overcharge.

I would suggest you get it in writing that they messed up.
Otherwise sounds like you'll be fine if they hold up their promise to replace it.

Firestone & Pepboys = Please avoid these places at all cost, no matter how "good" of an experience you've had there before.
Unless you know the guy personally who is going to work on your wheels, eventually your luck will run out with them.

Tire changing machines have advance to the point where any competent worker can use them to take on/off any size tire without messing up your rims. The good machines are practically automated these days, and every part of that machine that touches your rim should be covered in plastic or rubber. The shops that actually want your business will make sure of this.

Point being, it takes a real incompetent worker or out-of-date machine to mess up your wheels.
Both of whom I wouldn't be surprise to find at any Firestone.
Good luck, hope everything turns out ok.

Yeah I think I'm going to request a different tech to swap the tire over. Now that you mention the plastic or rubber that should cover the part that touches the rim, I'm pretty sure he said he loaded it with extra paper towels to protect it best he could...

IMO, definitely get it in writing - and clarify whether their willingness extends to refinishing versus replacing as the employee may have told you replacing, but the manager may come back and tell you refinishing. I'm guessing you have already checked the others closely for any marks that look like this (but are not as pronounced).

https://dsalni.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/img_6962.jpg

The manager was nice and put it in writing that he would reimburse me for a replacement wheel when I get it. He said they normally don't do wheels like the Rays because of the finishes

I had the exact same thing happen to me at my local NTB, except the wheels the shop mangled are no longer being produced, so basically sucks to be me.

As soon as the tech said, "Rays wheels go on ricers" I would've packed my shit and left.

Valuable lesson learned here: Do NOT go to chain stores for performance related automotive work, ever. And yes, aftermarket wheels/tires do fall into this category.

I used to work for Wheel Works (SF Bay Area tire chain owned by Bridgestone/Firestone) and they would hire people with zero automotive experience to install tires all day. 80% of cars come in with stock size wheels/tires so those jobs are easy. News flash: no one takes special care of your OEM wheels when doing tire jobs, because 90% of the owners are not going to check for damage on their stock wheels.

Sometimes you get lucky and you have a tech who will treat your car and your wheels right, but this is the exception, NOT the rule.

I'm glad they are replacing the damaged wheel, but next time, go elsewhere for this kind of work.

Same here. The local Firestone locations are the worst, and Discount Tire isn't much better. Our local Subaru club has a tire guy, thankfully, because there's no way I'd take my wheels in to any of the chain places here after spending 4 months waiting for them to be made and arrive from Japan. I sure hope things go well for me, I'll know in a few weeks (my Rays ETA is the 16th). I don't have a head about it, but any tire/wheel shop that doesn't recognize and respect the cost of imported forged wheels is a place to instantly avoid forever, otherwise you're playing with fire.

@BFIFE22, I read your OP and cringed. I hope this all works out okay for you, I feel for you man.

I've personally have only used America's Tire Stores to mount my tires and wheels. I first went to Les Schwab but obviously they charged me way too much and broke 2 wheel studs therefore the wait time of 1hr extended to 4hrs because they needed to buy and replace the stud.

Ive only had one issue with Americas Tire Store and it was when their machine scratched my paint off but manager was quick to resolve it by offering me money to have it re-painted(i had just gotten a color change on my rpf1). Other than that, their service is good especially since they generally take about 30min for everything.

only bad part is they dont have alignment.