Tires Plus- A long rant Options

[KOU In3]

I tossed on a spare set of 17” wheels and tires I had lying around today but noticed they were low on air. Went to the gas station to air them up. One was no problem but the other three wouldn't hold air. Bead was blown (I could hear it leaking back out around the rim).

I could see Tire Barn across the street. Called over about limping the car over. "Sorry we're locking up now". Begged and pleaded, told them I was literally 30 feet from them but no dice. "Head to Tires Plus" they tell me "they're open till 8pm".

Now, having remembered Twin Turbo's old thread about them, they are dead last on my list. Options flash through my mind, go pick up another set of wheels, call a flatbed, walk... fine, I'll drive at 5mph for the 6 blocks. There was my first mistake.

Now do I begin with the fact that I told them flat out I just needed them rebeaded, would not under any circumstances buy tires and would flatbed it back through AAA and throw on one of the three full sets of spare wheels I had sitting at home before I sprung for a new set?

First they want to replace the valve stems.

"It's not leaking from them"

"How do you know?"

"I filled it with compressed air at the gas station and could feel it leaking out along the juncture of the tire and rim. I added fix a flat to see if it would seal the bead. It didn't. Rebead 'em, charge me and I'll be on my way."

They give me the rigamarole about how the tires are probably ruined.

"They're not. If they are, I've got a full set at home. I'm not buying a set. Rebead them, I'll pay and drive it home."

They then 'inspect'. Of the three that don't hold air, two look fine and one has separated from the rim.

"Oh that ones going to need to be replaced"
"I'm NOT BUYING TIRES. Get it to seal, I'll drive it home and put on the set I have there."

They can't figure out how they can get it into the bay with the tire separated. Probably need new tires.

"I'm NOT buying tires. I'll buy a jack next door if I have to. Pull the wheels myself and hand them to you. Just rebead them and I'll pay and be on my way."

They decide they might be able to rebead the tires then. But one 'might not be ok, if the sidewall bubbles then you'll need a new tire.'

"I'm NOT buying tires. It won't bubble. If it does I'll deal with it when it does.”

At this point they start the paperwork. I ask the guy how they plan to deal with the one that’s separated from the wheel.

“Do you want me to pull the wheel in the parking lot or do you guys want to do it?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll work my magic”

30 minutes later I look up to see my car rounding the corner of the parking lot driving into the bay. Now I’m pissed. Then the desk guy comes back to tell me that I’ve got the wrong size tires mounted on the wheels.

“You’re wrong, they’re fine. They’re 222/45/R17”

“Well they’re way too small for those rims.”

“Oh really? How wide do you think they should be? Did you measure the wheel width? 225 series are considered to be just about perfect for an 8 inch wheel. How wide are you trying to tell me they are??

This is when the guy tells me that he races “that car outside for a living”. Funny I thought he was working at Tires Plus. “Yeah that white Eclipse out there,” he sneers. Now this is the 2G FWD convertible with the 4 foot bleacher bench that landed on the trunk I’ve seen around town for some time. Talked to him about it once before although he seems not to remember (I actually wrote down the web addresses of this and another board for him last year for help on his car).

“See I KNOW these cars” he tells me. “And they come stock with a 7.5 inch rim.”

“Oh really? Where do you race? What were your times, ever autocross, where, drag it, where, rally it, where, build it yourself? What did you do to limit body flex on that convertible when you’re racing?” Now I’m mad. “And they come stock with a 6-6.5 inch rim. You might get ricers in here, but no racer in central IL will go to this Tires Plus because we’ve all heard about you. You were my LAST choice and I’m already regretting it.”

Suddenly he doesn’t race anymore and is on the T25 and stock 7bolt. Wants to know why I seem to have walked in the door with an attitude.

I mention that I’ve read posts on a few forums. He looks shocked and talks about their stellar reputation. I mention “the Mustang incident”. They get real quite then play stupid. I mention specifics. Now they tell me how a few incidents out of thousands of customers is a stellar record. That the Mustang situation was resolved with the owner and every is happy. Every shop has complaints… yada yada yada.

I explain that this is the only tire shop I’ve seen negative posts on and low and behold, how have things played out?

In the mean time, they’ve ‘worked’ on my tires without ever removing them from the car, but have written a work order for a mount and dismount of the tires from the wheels.

Things get ugly, my car comes down off the lift with enough air in them to make it home and here we are.

The moral of the story: Same as I knew going into it. DON’T GO TO TIRES PLUS!