Got a mount balance and alignment a few weeks back, more than half the lugnuts are ****ed up and won't fit a 21mm socket, needed to be taken off by standing on a crossbar and now i have some shimmy while braking. Fortunately the guy at the shop was very accommodating and is replacing all the lugnuts, will buy me a set of OEM rotors if the runout is out of spec and replace the studs if they're stretched.

Sometimes all you have to do is drive up in a nice car and say the magic word ("attorney")

Wish i had a second set of wheels or a second ride so i could just drop off the wheels and never have them touch the car in the first place. I'd say this was an expensive mistake for them, but i'm sure they'll make it up selling women unnecessary brake flushes or something.

 

x2^^^^Discount tire has lost my business due to their addiction to air impact guns, even though I ALWAYS specifically state a hand torque. I had to run to the shop door and scream, took my car out of there and needless to say will never go back.
Hopefully you'll get all that's due.

 

Probably prudent to just bring the wheels. If this is not possible, stand there and watch. I'm ok with taking the lugs off with an impact, but installation is always by hand.

 

I usually put my car on jacks and carry the wheels in the back of the truck and bring them that way. I don't trust other people working on my car.

 

^ i do this..

 

Yeah, I needed to get tires on my Konig Rennforms and the entire online process was a breeze (Tire Rack + BBWheels), when I showed up to Wheel Works they seemed to have lost my tires (how common are 19" tires that you would not be able to find them...).

Anyways I eventually got them put on to the wheels which I brought in the back of my SUV. The tech was a nice guy, then the cashier rings me up for 35 aspect ratio tires which are a nice extra bit of cash for balancing instead of the 40's I got. I pointed it out and was on my way but definitely my least favorite part of the process..

 

Funny just how different perspective can be.

I've been using Discount (America's Tire) for more then twenty-years, with God only knows how many dozens of sets of tires for ten-different cars. Not to mention, the countless trips to their various locations for free tire-repair, etc.

Not once have I ever had anything but stellar work and attitude from their people, and this is at any of the countless locations I've patronized all over California.

That business is one of the very few in the automotive world, that which I'm entirely loyal, and I always recommend their services when quarried.

P.S. I suppose if I were adamant that they use only a certain kind of tool on my wheels, and they didn't, my tune might change. But seeing as how I've never once experienced a scratched wheel, stripped or cross threaded nut, etc - I guess it's moot for me.

 

If I took the wheels off the car first, I'd have to carry them in a backpack

 

That'd be a pretty big backpack

 

My experience with a couple of Discount Tire's here in the Atlanta area are the same as olive's. Sorry that you have had bad experiences blnewt.

I've been going to the same Discount Tire here for a few years now (two sets of wheels and tires as well as just tires), and the reason I go back to them time after time is because of the care I see them work with. They've only used torque wrenches when putting everything back on, and I do watch them every time.

I love the ones near me, and I recommend them to friends all the time.

 

^^^I know, I've heard a lot of good feedback from Discount, I went to the local one here for my Maxima which I'm not concerned if they use impacts as long as they don't overtorque. I checked the torque when I got home and they were correct.

On my G I had to leave as I couldn't trust them to follow my instructions. I also went to a Discount tire in Las Vegas since they were the only shop that had 285/35/20s in the whole city at that time (I couldn't wait extra days for other shops to get them in).
Their balancing machine left swirls on two of my wheels that I couldn't remove and they dinged the inside lug area w/ an impact gun (this again was after I insisted that only hand tools be used, and they said they would). My wife picked me up and had to run a couple errands, came back and saw them removing one of the tires w/ an impact. Just a bad series of events.

I have since only hauled my wheels as per HoldMyMouse has posted. Got a great shop that does flawless mount & balance work w/ the wheels in the same exact condition as I dropped them off.

And I do use Discount for my truck as that's another vehicle that a few dings in the wheels are no biggie since they are convenient

 

When ever I get my wheels worked on I hand them my Nylon covered socket and I tell them to drive the nuts on but not to tighten. I torque them down.

 

Well I had a bad experience at tire kingdom with an alignment being performed. The tech clearly didnt give 2 ****s and scratched both my front wheels. It was raining that day and a couple days after as well, so once I went to wash the car and noticed the wheels it was clearly to late.

I will be looking for a new shop regardless once I refinish these Volks. One thing that could help if you have aftermarket wheels is to purchase the Formula Style lugs nuts as the design of them you can only put them on using the inside of the lug. May ease your paranoia a little while at a shop.

 

I had new front PSS put on at Firestone Auto Care yesterday. When I got home, I checked the lugs, and miraculously, they were torqued to spec

I got there right as they were finishing up, and got to witness the tech stall my car twice backing out

 

Look at this nonsense