Discount Tire Embarrassment
 

So as a review this is my story, I worked for Discount Tire Co for quite a while right out of USMC 1988 till 2003. This will probably the last time I associate myself with them due to a personal experience.
I called up the tire manufacture of the stellar tires on my car, I was having some issues and I conveyed them to them as eloquently as possible. Having been in the industry I know you get more bees with honey than bullshit. So they decided to offer me a 75% credit on my tires toward a Michelin product so I figure I will get the Michelin® Pilot® Sport A/S Plus. We get rain so until I get custom wheels these would suit my current needs.
Michelin tells me to go into a Local DTC store so I go into NMS02, NMS01 is closer but my son works there and whenever they have to do a warranty they are fickle and might ride him like a nickle pony in front of K-Mart.
The one thing I learned all these years on adjustments is when you send the tires back to the manufacture if the King of the Deads (the adjustment manager) does his job, not only do they get credit correctly, they get a labour credit which I learned DTC never passes on to the customer. Usually it's 50-75 dollars depending on if the car has TPMS.
So I show up at NMS02 and I get this feeling I should have brought KY jelly. Just the body language they conveyed should have been the clear indicator. I get the manager Kris, I tell him the story and instruct him Michelin would like him to call and reference the claim number for further instruction on the claim.
You would think I started performing a root canal on Kris right there, his face became contorted when he got on the phone with Matt, the person handling my claim. So he writes down 25% on a pad in front of him. I wait patiently, it's my virtue after all I was trained for it as a 8541 MOS.
He starts typing fervently on the keyboard and then hangs up. I think this MoFo is going to turn the screen around and tell me he's only going to put the head in, I try not to get pissed. I remember managing low lifes like this when I was with DTC. As a company I was always proud they kept growing even after I left, They got into motorsports with Dai, and Keselowski, Pastrana & the two Chads.
I appreciate every thing I learned and earned to this point.
Kris tells me they will only be able to give me a 25% credit, when he swings the screen he isn't even adjusting the tires, he is trading them in. In my mind he is going to sell the 9/32 tires as used and make a windfall profit. So being the snake he is he offers me a trade a little higher than 25% and shows me other tires I can choose from, I just had to buy a Fridge on Saturday so I tried to swallow this Front Door horse pill and chose some Hankook Ventus V-12. I had them on my 2006 WRX wagon last year and they were OK.
381.90 it came out to. I gave him my credit card kind of pissed that he was screwing me, but my tires were unsafe in my mind so I settled.
He didn't have the tires said it would be Friday , so I set up an appointment for Saturday @ 8:00
So I got in Emma which always brightens my spirits, as I got out on Cerrillos rd , Matt called and I answered it on the BT. He asked me how I liked the new tires and I told him what had transpired at the store, I think I heard him say "that's BS" He told be the warranty does not cover putting on different brand tires, I told him they didn't have the tires I was re-directed to. He said that was good news.
Matt told me he would call the store, and I should also and have them void the deal. He told me that he told Kris 75% plus a installation credit.
So I called Kris, I asked him why he short changed me, he said the Michelin guy just called back and upped the credit to 75%. I told him to void my purchase and asked him for the regional office phone number. So I decided to enjoy the rest of my ride back to work.
With all the BS that has happened owning Emma, sliding in her seats and driving her erases BS cleaner than a new whiteboard. For this I am thankful, grateful and just plain happy.
The tires I want were shipped to NMS01 and I am waiting on DTC to try to resolve this issue. I worked in the same building with the founder of DTC for 5 years before transferring back into the store system. I will always respect Bruce cause like me he is a Marine and I never expect that he lacks the integrity Kris is deffecient in.
When I worked for DTC I gave away at least a trailer load of tires in my career, I also made a trailer load of money while I was there, either way I made sure clients always had a positive experience. When I did step on someones toes, cause it's bound to happen, I made it right.

What problems were you having? The only problem I have with them is they are associated with the Prius! :lol:

Delamination not to the point of being out of round but tread package, it could be a molding issue but I don't feel like finding out, lack of wet traction, Loud as hell and yes the fact they put Prius tires on my car. A tire exclusively constructed for a FWD Front engine car. So All of the above works for me. There is another user on here having the same issue where his tires tossed the tread on two tires, not sure if he had body damage but I would rather address it now.

Cool story bro, tell it again.


I-Tapatalk

My eyes are bleeding.

Sorry to hear that mess. What I got out of this story is that the car is doing her job, and doing it well.

Glad you're getting some tires you're comfortable with, let us know how they work out for her given the difference between the two.

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I thanked the guys at NMS01 and wanted to let everyone here know that this Discount Tire store NMS01 is by far the crew of better attitude, integrity and moral. granted the store is always busy, it's been open since 83 and may not have the sparkle of a brand new DTC store. The inhabitants that comprise the crew are exceptional, if anything the are empathetic and honest if that counts for much in your life. I feel safe that my mother, father or friends would be treated fair and not treated as a number or as fleece to the wolves. So Michelin gave me a 75% goodwill adjustment for ride quality and wet weather safety. I bought the DTC road hazard paid the difference in the adjustment to the New tires also lifetime balancing and a TPMS rebuild kit per wheel. I went with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S I will review the tire as I get some mileage on them. And by the way as forums go this one seems to have an adequate number of trolls who's opinions are like arse holes. My advise is take a second wipe cause it smells.
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I gotta ask, Pig or Hog?

A tire exclusively constructed for FWD? Seriously?

In your case a hog, a pig is less than 120 #

These tires are not designed to be as harsh-riding as the purely performance-oriented extreme performance summer tires, but they do not offer the same levels of overall grip. Nor are these tires as quiet and comfortable. Then again you probably think a shoe is a shoe.

I can't speak just on these tires.. But tire manufactures do make tires for specific cars.. In the motorcycle world the tires that come on the bike are not to the same as the model you buy off the aftermarket.. They have the same model and tread and all but different compounds and build construction..

I can see the same in the auto world.. I have bought the same brand and model tires and the car just handle a lot different.. I realize new tires will be different then old used tires.. But the car never handled like it did.. In that case I preferred the stock tires.. But yes as far as I know some... Not all.. Tires that come on new cars are designed and built to the specs of the car manufacture...

That is true. Too bad the OEM tire is mostly used on RWD cars and some AWD cars (MB, BMW X1, Audi A3, etc) in additional to being an OPTIONAL performance tire for the JDM Prius.

The tires aren't that great IMO, but they aren't designed for a FWD car exclusively either.

They are at least Summer tires and not All Seasons.

So I've driven around in what seems to be a mild winter here at 7.500 feet. I took Emma up to the Mountain @ 10,500 for a snow run to familiarize myself with the Pilot Sport A/S. The are still very predictable, they have a little less propensity to slide out and when they do they do so gradually and are very managble. I would say I am happy with the Michelin replacement.
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