Took my wheels to the local tire shop

[TurboToys]

It is unfortunate people almost have to do this, but that is what I did.

I also have already taken after photos of each rim as a whole like you stated and the damage is very visible, unlike the before's

im talking about photos from the same distance and perspective as the before. they claimed that your before photos were not good enough to determine any prior damage that could have been present, but taking photos from the same angle and distance will help prove your point and get the wheels repaired.




although i wouldn't get so into this trying to make them literally buy new wheels. the only reason anybody would buy a new wheel would be if the damage was too great to repair to oem quality.

the same thing in terms of bodywork, you can't tell an insurance company that you want your entire hood replaced because somebody put a dent in it, if it can be repaired for cheaper then that will probably be the route gone.

for wheels like those, it would be fairly cheap compared to new wheels to just have them refinished to oem spec. the people who are saying they should buy you new wheels probably don't know too much about wheel or body repair, and having them do that just wont happen.

the best bet would be the pictures from the proper distance and angle, speak to the owner of the shop, and explain in detail why you are so upset about it. and tell them that you are allowing them to handle the situation before you take it to small claims court.

if you appear before a judge they will most likely rule in your favor if you have all your ducks in a row, ie, pictures of before and after like stated, previous pictures and/or articles from the forum from previous weeks or months showing how meticulous the care for the wheels and car was. and some quotes from different wheel repair shops stating the price to bring them back to oem quality.

the best the shop would be able to do would be to deny what was happening. but it would probably difficult for them to take that route and wouldn't benefit them with all the evidence.


just have to be firm. i had to literally come back to the place that ruined my wheels finish 5 different times to get them to get it right. and each time they either said they didn't do it, or that the wheels were already junk, etc etc, until you trap them in a corner with their own words.

 

[BradsDetailing]

im talking about photos from the same distance and perspective as the before. they claimed that your before photos were not good enough to determine any prior damage that could have been present, but taking photos from the same angle and distance will help prove your point and get the wheels repaired.




although i wouldn't get so into this trying to make them literally buy new wheels. the only reason anybody would buy a new wheel would be if the damage was too great to repair to oem quality.

the same thing in terms of bodywork, you can't tell an insurance company that you want your entire hood replaced because somebody put a dent in it, if it can be repaired for cheaper then that will probably be the route gone.

for wheels like those, it would be fairly cheap compared to new wheels to just have them refinished to oem spec. the people who are saying they should buy you new wheels probably don't know too much about wheel or body repair, and having them do that just wont happen.

the best bet would be the pictures from the proper distance and angle, speak to the owner of the shop, and explain in detail why you are so upset about it. and tell them that you are allowing them to handle the situation before you take it to small claims court.

if you appear before a judge they will most likely rule in your favor if you have all your ducks in a row, ie, pictures of before and after like stated, previous pictures and/or articles from the forum from previous weeks or months showing how meticulous the care for the wheels and car was. and some quotes from different wheel repair shops stating the price to bring them back to oem quality.

the best the shop would be able to do would be to deny what was happening. but it would probably difficult for them to take that route and wouldn't benefit them with all the evidence.


just have to be firm. i had to literally come back to the place that ruined my wheels finish 5 different times to get them to get it right. and each time they either said they didn't do it, or that the wheels were already junk, etc etc, until you trap them in a corner with their own words.

Here are the after shots I was referring to.

A dent from someone is different. They damaged my wheels and having filled in wheels is not what I had before nor do I want him to have his wheel guy touch my wheels after this and how long would I be out of a car?

I actually just got back from their shop after meeting with the owner stated all he could offer was to have his wheel guy come out and see if they are repairable. I denied that offer as I am never home r ling to wait around for someone especially due to their fault. And again, are they going to pay for my ride to work each day I am out a car? What about when I have to go to class, emergencies?

So I left the shop and went straight to the courthouse and filed small claims.

 

[BradsDetailing]

The owner also stated that the scratches on the inside of the lug nut holes are unrepairable and that is normal for that to happen when taking off a wheel. I simply told hi I have taken off many wheels and, if you do it properly, the socket should only touch the lug nuts.

 

[swanicyouth]

What type of idiot ran business tells its customers its normal to instill damage (scratches) when servicing anything???

This is really making me mad. I almost feel like its my car. I worked as a mechanic for many years and have removed many sets of wheels before and after working in that field. Scratching wheels in anyway is just lazy shoddy work.

They even make wheel sockets with plastic around them to not damage the lug nut holes if someone is completely inept.

At this point, I would take 4 new wheels or nothing. I would make a humongous picket sign and walk back and forth in front of this place reading "This Place Scratches Wheels"

Then make flyers with before and after pics and stick them in everyone's mailbox. It's not slander if its true.

 

[2.ooohhh]

What type of idiot ran business tells its customers its normal to instill damage (scratches) when servicing anything???

Probably the same type of shop that stocks used tires.

This is really making me mad. I almost feel like its my car. I worked as a mechanic for many years and have removed many sets of wheels before and after working in that field. Scratching wheels in anyway is just lazy shoddy work.

It's certainly lazy shoddy work, though I wonder what the OP paid to have 4 tires mounted and balanced at this shop. I have a feeling the price is likely commensurate with the level of service(or lack thereof) he received.

 

[JVD]

My younger cousin(first car) recently had his wheels damaged by the tire shop when they swapped his tires. The owner came out to have a look at them and agreed it was unacceptable. He sent the wheels away and had them refinished no questions asked.

 

[allenk4]

I have always had a great experience with Discount Tire

They lost a valve cap and replaced all four with some that were actually nicer.

They cracked a center cap on some older BBS wheels. They ordered two new caps, had them FedEx'd and sent someone to my office the next day to put it on. They told me to keep the spare, in case it happens again. all no charge

If you have center caps...many have suggested removing them yourself before having service done. It eliminates an opportunity for damage and lets the service tech know that you are very picky. Make sure you tell the Service Coordinator that you pulled them

 

[BradsDetailing]

The owner said that since the rims are used that he would not purchase me new ones.

Used car or not, those rims were in perfect condition.

I paid about $62 for all four tires to be mounted and balanced.

 

[Angus]

I left the shop and went straight to the courthouse and filed small claims.

Good for you, man! My fingers are crossed you end up with a brand new set of rims. rops:

 

[Angus]

It looks like part of it is just aluminum, part of it is primer, and part of it is just base coat - all 3 are silver. Either way - they owe you new wheels.

One can easily see the outline where the cone from the tire mounting or balancing machine was put on backwards. Yes BACKWARDS.

Do you see those circular imprints around the hub - they are from a tire mounting cone being installed BACKWARDS on the wheel to secure it on the mounting or balancing machine.

Look at this Coats Machine:

Do you see that big red cone hanging from the tire mounting lever? That cone is supposed to go in the hub tapered side first. That way, the taper secures the wheel by the hub centered. Balancing machines use a similar cone - or even sometimes a plastic one. Installing the cone CORRECTLY also insures the wheels are centered on the pole that holds the wheel - this is super critical for a correct balance (balancing machine).

On a mounting machine, if the wheel is not 100% centered - the rim lip will be damaged. As the mounting lever spins in a perfect circle - so, the wheel must be centered.

Bottom line, they installed that cone backwards, and the twisting forces from mounting the tire cause it to shift under the BIG side of the cone causing your damage. If they did it on the balancing machine - they just ground the cone into the wheel.

By the way, if you see a shop using a mounting machine with a cone set up like this - run.

Those machine were old school designed for metal rims. Better style machines like these are "aluminum wheel machines" and use expanding claws like this that self center the wheel:

I'm starting to understand why driving all the way up to Bath in order to get new tires mounted makes sense... If only I had a good enough reason/ $$$$ to swap out my current Bridgestone Potenza's.

 

[TurboToys]

Here are the after shots I was referring to.





A dent from someone is different. They damaged my wheels and having filled in wheels is not what I had before nor do I want him to have his wheel guy touch my wheels after this and how long would I be out of a car?

I actually just got back from their shop after meeting with the owner stated all he could offer was to have his wheel guy come out and see if they are repairable. I denied that offer as I am never home r ling to wait around for someone especially due to their fault. And again, are they going to pay for my ride to work each day I am out a car? What about when I have to go to class, emergencies?

So I left the shop and went straight to the courthouse and filed small claims.

You still arent understanding what im saying. They wony just "fill in" your painy or something, you should do more research on how wheels are refinished before you go to court after turning down a good offer to fix them and end up with the judge siding with the shop because of how unreasonable you sound

Refinished wheels by a reputable shop look brand new, not "filled in"

 

[Setec Astronomy]

...you should do more research on how wheels are refinished before you go to court after turning down a good offer to fix them and end up with the judge siding with the shop because of how unreasonable you sound

Refinished wheels by a reputable shop look brand new, not "filled in"

Hey Brad, what do you do for winter? Do you have another set of wheels for winter tires? If so, perhaps think about putting them on for a week (or waiting until it's time to put them on) and shipping your wheels off to the place we have been talking about (Wheel Collision Center) to have them refinished. They do come out pretty much "like new", and the tire shop (or their insurance) may pay for that (I think it's about $140/wheel).

If you don't have a set of winter wheels, maybe you should consider it, winter is brutal on nice aluminum wheels, around here, anyway.

 

[BradsDetailing]

Hey Brad, what do you do for winter? Do you have another set of wheels for winter tires? If so, perhaps think about putting them on for a week (or waiting until it's time to put them on) and shipping your wheels off to the place we have been talking about (Wheel Collision Center) to have them refinished. They do come out pretty much "like new", and the tire shop (or their insurance) may pay for that (I think it's about $140/wheel).

If you don't have a set of winter wheels, maybe you should consider it, winter is brutal on nice aluminum wheels, around here, anyway.

I usually clean my wheels and coat them with a the klasse twins.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I know none of this is making you feel any better.

 

[BradsDetailing]

You still arent understanding what im saying. They wony just "fill in" your painy or something, you should do more research on how wheels are refinished before you go to court after turning down a good offer to fix them and end up with the judge siding with the shop because of how unreasonable you sound

Refinished wheels by a reputable shop look brand new, not "filled in"

Hey Brad, what do you do for winter? Do you have another set of wheels for winter tires? If so, perhaps think about putting them on for a week (or waiting until it's time to put them on) and shipping your wheels off to the place we have been talking about (Wheel Collision Center) to have them refinished. They do come out pretty much "like new", and the tire shop (or their insurance) may pay for that (I think it's about $140/wheel).

If you don't have a set of winter wheels, maybe you should consider it, winter is brutal on nice aluminum wheels, around here, anyway.

What bother me most is having to buy new valve caps, center caps and I will still have the scratches on the inside of my lug nut holes. If this were to be fixed and he would purchase new center caps and valve caps I would consider it. But he said those scratches would remain.

I would refer to have something that is oem because of the process and testing they use for winter driving. I have no idea what his wheel guy does. Why should I trust them?

 

[hernandez.art13]

The owner also stated that the scratches on the inside of the lug nut holes are unrepairable and that is normal for that to happen when taking off a wheel. I simply told hi I have taken off many wheels and, if you do it properly, the socket should only touch the lug nuts.

That's kind of like us detailers doing a customer's car. Starting swirl free and returning it to them after it was "detailed" full of swirls.

And us saying, oh that's normal when you get detail maintenance wash.

 

[BradsDetailing]

I know none of this is making you feel any better.

I do not own a set of winter wheels.

I get what you are saying, but it's not fair for me to spend my time on someone else's problem they took out on my wheels.

I don;t want to sit at home looking for rides and inconveniencing other's because of something that is someone else's fault. What if I have to run to the hospital, get groceries, are you giving me a ride? We are also talking about someone who did this as their job.

I need the oem, the original that I had. If the mechanics are used to working like this, that is their issue, not mine.

 

[BradsDetailing]

That's kind of like us detailers doing a customer's car. Starting swirl free and returning it to them after it was "detailed" full of swirls.

And us saying, oh that's normal when you get detail maintenance wash.

Yep. I'm no mechanic, but I know how easy it is to take a wheel off an not damage it

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I have no idea what his wheel guy does. Why should I trust them?

Oh, I absolutely wouldn't trust his wheel guy. Like Swanic, I have used WCC for a long time. I had a wheel crack this winter from a pothole (yeah, I couldn't believe it either, OEM wheel) and WCC didn't have a recon in stock, so I let my tire place get me a wheel. I was appalled at how crappy it was. My tire place referred to WCC as "the Cadillac of wheel refinishers". Or maybe for you younger guys "the Lexus of wheel refinishers" lol.

 

[JHL88]

You still arent understanding what im saying. They wony just "fill in" your painy or something, you should do more research on how wheels are refinished before you go to court after turning down a good offer to fix them and end up with the judge siding with the shop because of how unreasonable you sound

Refinished wheels by a reputable shop look brand new, not "filled in"

I don't think the judge will "side with the shop" because they were still in the wrong. I don't think the OP is sounding unreasonable, BUT it sounds to me that its not a reputable shop IMO so there repair could be sub-par as well. I wouldn't want them touching anything else.