Would you let a major chain change your tires?
03-30-2016, 10:28 AM
#16
I would actually say it is the operator and his technique that is the key.
I have a friend that does it for me at Pep Boys. Yes you heard right but he's really meticulous and has all the right techniques to mount tires on any machines. He also happens to be a financial advisor as his FT job and drives a Porsche too but he likes to keep busy with misc side jobs, lol.
A so so person can always operate a touchless but only a skilled person can mount 25 series sidewall tires on a 22" rim on a regular machine.
03-30-2016, 10:52 AM
#17
Rennlist Member
03-30-2016, 11:01 AM
#18
Race Director
No. My luck using indy/chain tire stores has been lousy, with one exception.
My first experience with using a Firestone tire store to replace tires on my Boxster proved to be a nightmare as the lift it wanted to use wasn't the right kind and the car wouldn't fit. I had to wait hours until the right lift opened up. The shop had no clue the Boxster wouldn't fit on the other lift. So much for the assurance it had plenty of experience with "exotic" cars.
Another place the owner/manager assured me his guys were very experienced with Porsches. I then watched as the very "experienced" tech tried to lift my car with the jack under the front trunk tub. I had to run out and stop him. I had to settle for him lifting the car using a floor jack at the car's lift pads without any protection from the jack pad and the lift point.
Another time, at another store, I had my 2006 GTO in to have the alignment checked. This after hitting rock and busting a tire's sidewall.
Afterwards the front tires wore unevenly on the inside edges. The alignment was crap.
So I never use -- with one exception -- indy tire shops for anything for my Porsches.
The one exception is a local tire store that has shown it does know how to perform tire service on my cars. But I still take the wheels off and run them over and drop them off to have new tires mounted and balanced. I then install the wheels here and torque the lugs myself with my torque wrench.
My first experience with using a Firestone tire store to replace tires on my Boxster proved to be a nightmare as the lift it wanted to use wasn't the right kind and the car wouldn't fit. I had to wait hours until the right lift opened up. The shop had no clue the Boxster wouldn't fit on the other lift. So much for the assurance it had plenty of experience with "exotic" cars.
Another place the owner/manager assured me his guys were very experienced with Porsches. I then watched as the very "experienced" tech tried to lift my car with the jack under the front trunk tub. I had to run out and stop him. I had to settle for him lifting the car using a floor jack at the car's lift pads without any protection from the jack pad and the lift point.
Another time, at another store, I had my 2006 GTO in to have the alignment checked. This after hitting rock and busting a tire's sidewall.
Afterwards the front tires wore unevenly on the inside edges. The alignment was crap.
So I never use -- with one exception -- indy tire shops for anything for my Porsches.
The one exception is a local tire store that has shown it does know how to perform tire service on my cars. But I still take the wheels off and run them over and drop them off to have new tires mounted and balanced. I then install the wheels here and torque the lugs myself with my torque wrench.
03-30-2016, 11:02 AM
#19
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I've never had anyone BUT a tire chain install tires on my car.
No issues yet...
Think about it, most SUVs now have 20" and even some up to 26" rims. Our little 18" are nothing these days.
For the past 3 years I've been using a local Firestone as I've got a good working relationship with the shop manager there. But before then I've used Discount Tire, Tire Kingdom, and Goodyear before.
No issues yet...
Think about it, most SUVs now have 20" and even some up to 26" rims. Our little 18" are nothing these days.
For the past 3 years I've been using a local Firestone as I've got a good working relationship with the shop manager there. But before then I've used Discount Tire, Tire Kingdom, and Goodyear before.
03-30-2016, 11:10 AM
#20
Rat Balls
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Scottsdale AZ, USA
Posts: 3,636
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes
on
13 Posts
Agree on Discount Tire. The shop I use is next door to their corporate office. You could eat off their floor. Of course, you have to make sure to tell them to point the Porsche crests at the valve stems. Once they hear that, they KNOW you are going to be a PITA. So you can just relax and enjoy their coffee...
03-30-2016, 11:32 AM
#21
Rennlist Member
The one exception is a local tire store that has shown it does know how to perform tire service on my cars. But I still take the wheels off and run them over and drop them off to have new tires mounted and balanced. I then install the wheels here and torque the lugs myself with my torque wrench.
03-30-2016, 11:49 AM
#23
Intermediate
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I regularly use various Firestone's in the San Diego area. I even have a Lifetime Alignment with Firestone, which works out great for the auto-x and track people. I have never had an issue. I do have some small curb rash on one of my wheels, and they always point it out to me before removing the tire just so I do not blame them - which is smart on their part. Plus, they give me a great deal on my favorite tire - Bridgestone RE-11's.
As an added note for peace of mind - the major chains (Firestone, Discount Tire, etc) have very, very deep pockets. If they were to screw something up, you could be certain they will correct it - at no additional cost to you. This is not always a guarantee at the smaller mom n' pop shops.
As an added note for peace of mind - the major chains (Firestone, Discount Tire, etc) have very, very deep pockets. If they were to screw something up, you could be certain they will correct it - at no additional cost to you. This is not always a guarantee at the smaller mom n' pop shops.
03-30-2016, 11:53 AM
#24
Intermediate
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm not sure what threads you're referring to - but mechanical repair is a whole different playing field then simply swapping tires and performing an alignment.
03-30-2016, 02:55 PM
#26
Race Director
There is going to be a vast array of opinions here.
My three useful data points:
* Discount has been awesome
* Tirerack's preferred installer was awful
* At of San Diego's biggest BMW dealerships, the tech blatantly lied on the paperwork, claiming he had done work that hadn't been done.
What I came away with: Just because you're in a high-dollar dealership where everyone has neato corporate coveralls doesn't necessarily mean the guy working on your car cares about what he's doing. Find a shop you're comfortable with and stick with them unless something happens to undermine your trust.
As Rel pointed out, torquing your own bolts again later - especially before any kind of event - is common sense. If you read the fine print on the back of your paperwork from most places, you are SUPPOSED to re-torque after some amount of driving.
If I needed a suspension tune-up, I'd take the car to Black Forest. For simply mounting tires, it's cheaper for me to use Discount, and I'm pretty sure the techs at Black Forest would rather be doing something more interesting than mounting tires anyway.
My three useful data points:
* Discount has been awesome
* Tirerack's preferred installer was awful
* At of San Diego's biggest BMW dealerships, the tech blatantly lied on the paperwork, claiming he had done work that hadn't been done.
What I came away with: Just because you're in a high-dollar dealership where everyone has neato corporate coveralls doesn't necessarily mean the guy working on your car cares about what he's doing. Find a shop you're comfortable with and stick with them unless something happens to undermine your trust.
As Rel pointed out, torquing your own bolts again later - especially before any kind of event - is common sense. If you read the fine print on the back of your paperwork from most places, you are SUPPOSED to re-torque after some amount of driving.
If I needed a suspension tune-up, I'd take the car to Black Forest. For simply mounting tires, it's cheaper for me to use Discount, and I'm pretty sure the techs at Black Forest would rather be doing something more interesting than mounting tires anyway.
03-30-2016, 04:33 PM
#27
03-30-2016, 10:30 PM
#28
Rennlist Member
Up here in Seattle we have a large major chain tire company called Les Schwab - They are the best shop for anything related to tire purchase & install.
Friendly service, the warranty for a year and have free flat repair.
I've only been using them for 30 years
Friendly service, the warranty for a year and have free flat repair.
I've only been using them for 30 years
03-30-2016, 11:47 PM
#29
Instructor
I have a Big-O right around the corner that I have used for years. The owner is a friend of mine and a motorcycle rider to boot. They have at least one VERY good tech that I always insist upon using. Good prices, lifetime flay repair and rotations when needed. He has even done brakes on my ex BMW and knows what is going on. I would suppose any chain is as good as the people working there.
07-13-2017, 01:57 AM
#30
Rennlist Member
We've got a good discount tire shop near my house too. They once boogered a TPMS sensor on my M3 but owned it, ordered the replacement, and quickly swapped it out two days later. But that's one out of 20 trips there.
I will say though, on non-performance cars, it annoys the hell out of me that the major chains won't patch sidewalk leaks. They claim it's because they won't last but I always take it to the local guy tire shop down the road, pay my $5, and never have any issues. I believe it's a scam to sell more tires.
I will say though, on non-performance cars, it annoys the hell out of me that the major chains won't patch sidewalk leaks. They claim it's because they won't last but I always take it to the local guy tire shop down the road, pay my $5, and never have any issues. I believe it's a scam to sell more tires.
