jcorenman

It's easy-- all you need is a rattle-gun set to "kill", push the socket only partway over the nut and hit the trigger.

It's a small town, things work differently. I'm with the OP, if they didn't offer to make it right then move on and do something different next time.

89FrontPorsche

*sigh* Would'a, could'a, should'a.

Speedtoys

Im of the mind that Yelp is gamed, and cant trust it.

M. Requin

There is a really good tire and alignment shop where I live, but like you, I NEVER EVER EVER let them touch the car. I take the wheels off and take them to the shop. I don't trust them to take them off, and I don't trust them to put them back on. It only takes one bozo, and my attitude is NO BOZO's...

Nicole

I've heard that before. Tell me more. What makes you think that's the case?

dr bob

I'll bring up the related-but-not-yet-asked question-- How far have you driven on the new tires so far? If it hasn't been enough miles to get the car settled to normal ride height, plan on taking the long way to Sears in the morning for the alignment. If the car is sitting at all high when they roll it on the rack, or if they even thinbk about lifting it to calibrate the mirrors and/or inspect stuff for wear, your new tires will quickly look amazingly like your old tires did.

Just an FYI.

-----

On the original issue. They won't learn any lesson on the imnpact and the lugnuts unless you teach them. Beyond the issue with the locking lugs that they trashed, impact guns on any of the lugnuts are a serious no-no. The impact action risks fracturing the alumium lugs, while any higher-speed friction contact between the lug and the aluminum rim risks galling. That's functionally the same as friction-welding the lug to the rim, and no amount of imnpacting later will get it loose. Take their money for your expenses at least for yopur teaching fee and their lesson cost, and admonish them that it could have been at least a $thousand more if it had been a new rim from Porsche. they should thank you for the money you saved them.

RKD in OKC

What kind of flu meds you on dude. I would have freaked. I had a tire shop scratch a chrome look wheel (then $800 each and you can't get them re-finished). Not only did he refuse to pay for it, he told me right out that he didn't need me or any of my Porsche buddies business. It has been several years and he is still in business, but he did move to the other side of the city.

89FrontPorsche

Wrote a nice long comprehensive reply....Rennlist bumped me out of being logged in.

Short version: Cooter wouldn't listen to me explain anything about the 928. He's been changin' tars since he was a keeyid.

Be a big waste of my time. Cut my losses and run.

I have driven 15 miles on the new tires. 40 more to Sears tomorrow. Good advice and Landseer also had the idea to get it re-checked some time after it gets aligned.

You guys are all great and helpful!

Thanks

(dr bob, will do on the ixnay on the acking j prior to the alignment. Would be a monumental waste of time woudn't it?)

89FrontPorsche

Again, it's kind of the "cost of doing business" and I just have to be smarter. In other words, be very specific about how I want it done and if they don't listen, tell them to take it down and leave. Kinda hard when they have your tires off though.

I went to the place knowing full well they might jack it up wrong, mount the directional tires on backwards (been nare, dun nat) and other things. I did not expect them to destroy the lug nut. I also did not expect them to go apes**t drilling for oil via my wheel. But, in hindsight...20 something year olds with no knowledge of ----well----anything really, I'm not surprised. See previous post about my conversation with Tom at 928 Int'l about same.

I lost...just want to clue some in about how not to lose..and possibly how to avoid getting a wheel destroyed. Least I can do since everyone here is incredibly helpful and supportive. It was a case of me being unprepared for things I didn't know about. So...like dr bob said, learn from it, move on. But there's no hope for a tire jobber that figures all cars are the same. That's wrong even with "run-of-the-mill" cars. I'll bet he's twisted off his share of Honda lug nuts while ruining the splines on the studs, too.

Some people do things the wrong way for years...and call it experience.

Bill Ball

Exactly. One shop managed to smash the metal bellpan section trying to lift the car.

BUT taking the wheels off doesn't prevent all mishaps. I got one set back with the rear tires on the front wheels and vice versa.

M. Requin

HA- true dat, and BTDT, but R vs L was the prob...

Donald

Your money. But my $.02 is- why do you keep explaining that it is your fault?
They screwed the pooch and you're saying it shouldn't have dressed like a ****.

Mark SF

Am I the only one thinking, who gets their Porsche tires installed by a guy called Cooter at a "Tire and appliance" store? It's pretty scary when Sears are a step UP!

89FrontPorsche

Good point and I agree. But you'd have to live here to understand. Not saying it is my fault, per se. But doing bidness here is an adventure, to say the least. When the first thing out of their mouth is "You ain't from aroun heer, air ya?", then you know there's going to be a challenge.

Where I'm responsible is the fact that I should have known better than to take my pride and joy to any of a known selection of idiots in the local region. But choices are limited. The average education level here is quite low and you run the risk of not getting anything done at all if you're seen as being "uppity". I'm not kidding....I deal with it every day, not just at the local DMV that almost cost me $1,000 in insurance fines (all she had to do was scroll to the next page) but every store I go to where things happen that the clerk/counter person/store help should know.

As in, any person who does tires for a living should know that taking an impact wrench to aluminum lug nuts is a no-no. I did mention it but they did it their way anyhow. I'm just not interested in getting into a pissing contest with them....they ruined my wheel and yes it bugs me but the ensuing argument would fail...not because I'm wrong...but because the car is parked outside, locally and I genuinely suspect I'd find it one morning with four flat tires and otherwise vandalized. It's happened here before with my truck. The police can do nothing except take a report and if I follow my suspicions and ask questions to who I think did it, I get threats.

I also have a dog that I leave tied up outside to "do the necessary" and many people here have no compunction against harming an animal.

No, it's not my fault. But experience here has taught me that I'd be going down a very ugly path if I asserted myself. Even so much as asking for compensation could cause all the aforementioned to happen.

The only thing that remotely makes it "my fault" is that I should have known better and used a chain, like Discount Tire that's 40 miles away in Rock Hill instead.

I can see your point and honestly, if I was a few years younger and so on, I'd probably go for it. But I've been all through this before, several times. From bad landscaping to inferior home repairs....back when I owned....with lazy being the operative term.

So for me, being wise to choose carefully is my responsibility. You don't get what you pay for here...you get a crap shoot and it's very hard to find someone you can trust. Like I said, I had used them in the past with no apparent trouble and they did the rear tires just fine, no damage, but....here I am.

In 90% of the country, your argument is correct. But dealing with these people is like walking in a thunderstorm with a large brass pole. I deal with it when I order a meal at a restaurant...I tell them I don't want the grits. My breakfast comes with grits anyhow. Repeatedly. I get my meds at the pharmacy and I have to check every single time because of the three that I get every month, 30% of the time they are filled wrong or not at all (IOW one missing)

It's a step back in time, it would seem and sure, everyone is as nice as you please but it's a wonder that places stay in business here. I went to the small Ford dealer here to get a factory-only part for my truck...for the front brakes. The parts guy and I both looked at the picture and I pointed to what I needed with the bad one in my hand....he ordered it. Not only did he only order one (I asked for two) but it was the wrong part completley when I went to pick it up. He had been the parts guy there for over 25 years. But you learn to just take it in stride.

I've mentioned it to friends who grew up here and they understand and simply say they don't know why it is, but they have dealt with it all their lives. On the other hand, if you mention or point out someone's mistake, you are now considered "rude" and it's "shields up, red alert" and they won't be receptive to anything.

So they ruined my wheel and if I lived back in Phoenix, I'd tell them about it and demand a new wheel. But much as I want to here, I know how this will end...with me not getting a new wheel and possibly my car getting vandalized. I'm not kidding.

89FrontPorsche

I was being illustrative. Name's not really Cooter. But there are many here who are. And yes, Sears is a step up but see previous post for some local "flavor". But choices for good service here are extremely limited.

Nice people but no pride, no desire to learn anything. It's the old story. I hate being prejudicial against generally nice folks but, as an example...take driving here. 80% have the habit of driving 5mph under the speed limit. I asked a local why they do that and the answer was, "So I don't git a ticket." and it's that kind of warped logic that makes my head spin. If you can watch your speed enough to stay five under, then why is it so hard to just drive the actual number?

Many here use their turn signal....BUT....they turn it on when they have already started their turn. How is that helpful? And, given the conditions of a lot of the roads here, they drive in the middle, well across the double-yellow line so as to avoid all the bumps in the shoulder side of the pavement. I often come into a turn to find Cooter or Gomer well-stanced in my lane, taking their half of the road out of the middle.

The local law enforcement is no better. When I was used to cops in the city at least understanding the law, the depitties here are known to "make it up as they go along" and it goes right up into the state troopers. One trooper here has his cases heard very often by.....his mother...who's a magistrate.

I shake my head all the time at local behavior. I'm not a city slicker per se but I put myself through college and served in the military for a long time. I dealt with some ignorant young troops from time to time but this is beyond reason. In fact, you can't reason with them.

I had a kid run into me in wlamart prior to Christmas...*BAM*..and then his guardian (not his dad, so he said) wanted to kick my a$$ because "You ain't got no right to look at him like that". I laughed at him and walked away. Checking to make sure he didn't follow me.

Morons, I'm telling you. So experience has taught me to never again use this place to get tires changed. But living here is like banging my head against the wall. And...if I try to economize, I had better know what I'm getting into. The bar is set so incredibly low here that "Funniest Home Videos" is considered high drama. Nice folks.....though.......Stupid nice.