Club Cobra - Discout Tire Fiasco

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Discout Tire Fiasco

Hey guys
It seems that customer service today isn't anywhere close to what it used to be. A while back I went to my local Discount Tire center to get new tires for the FIA. Having 15 inch wheels limited my choice of tires. Seems that BF Goodrich and Cooper were my only choices. I had Goodrich but the store didn't have any my size. It did have some in Cooper. Tried a set and they ran great but once mounted were smaller than the Goodrich. The store ordered the next size up and when they came in they were too big. Grrrrrrrrr. To keep the Cooper's I would have to change the sizes all the way around. Turns out that Austin had two of the sizes I needed. So I had the local store call Austin to see if they were still in stock. Yes. I talked to one of the managers and said that I needed them and that I would be there to make an exchange that weekend. I stopped by the store on the way into Austin. They looked at my tires and I set an appt. for the next day. Got there with car on trailer 15 minutes early. Checked in and they told me to park around corner and would come get me to unload. 30 minutes later no one has shown up. Get this "manager" who says he got tied up but says unload the Cobra and park in front of the store for the tire change. Another 30 minutes or so go by and nothing. I ask about my appt. and get the comment that they need to finish with one car and will then get to mine. A few minutes later I see the "manager" meeting with 2 or 3 other guys and then they want to question the exchange. I told him to call my store in CC. After another 15 minutes or so they finally start on my Cobra. Two hours after I arrive they finally finish with the FIA. My wife left with the truck and trailer so I take of on the expressway and can't even get over 30 without the car vibrating something terrible. I go back to Discount and pull up and tell them something is wrong with the balance. They don't seem real concerned and I stand there for 30 minutes with nothing happening. Fed up I go to who I think is the guy in charge and tell him what is going on. Says they will get to it after one more car. Then the 'manager' tells me that he thought I would have a problem with one of the tires. I couldn't believe what he said. I jumped on him for not saying anything before they orginally sent me on my way. I went back and watched as they "balanced" the tires and saw nothing wrong with the rotation. Finally, after almost 4 hours at this shop I leave. And the vibration is just as bad. Long, long story shorter. I get back to CC and have the Discount store balance the tires. I watch and can't believe when all total for 4 wheels the balance is off almost 28 ounces! Apparently Austin used the wrong adapter for my wheels. The CC store was able to balance them out just fine. Not being abel to cruise around the hill country was a real bummer. But worse yet is when I complained to various managers and regional managers about my ordeal no one did anything. One guy did call saying that the Austin store would get back to me. Nothing. Not even a refund for the overcharge on the bigger tires. I've bought thousands and thousands of dollars of tires from Discount. I've had little problems in the past but most times things worked out. Wish there was another company to compete against these guys. Maybe I should have stayed with Goodrich, can't say that I'm that happy with the Coopers. :CRY:
Paul

That is a bit ridiculous. Discount works very much in an order of arrival with no regard to appointments. They are a first come first serve company. I learned that the hard way when I used to be a parts runner for a local Porsche dealer. I would get there and park my truck backed in against the garage and the would still take 20 min to get to me. To show me where 4 already paid for tires were and be on my way. Literally took 30 secs to show me where they were and I'd be gone.
I've never had any problems with their other than the time it takes them to do it.

I quit going to discount tire a long time ago over a couple issues. I found Big Brand Tires and have been going there for years. It's not that things don't happen or need to be fixed, but the way the store managers treat you and takes care of the problem is what is important. Customer service. After bringing the Cobra in for a tire change a much stronger relationship developed between the manager and me and the service became much more personalized. Unfortunately for me that manager was promoted to regional and now I have to start all over with the new one. Good luck with your new tires.

John

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul cass (Post 1268135)

Maybe I should have stayed with Goodrich, can't say that I'm that happy with the Coopers. :CRY:
Paul

Just curious to know which Coopers you have and what you don't like about them?

Paul,
Sorry to hear that. I have had very good service from the San Marcos Discount Tire store just up the street from where we have the Cobra Meet. Glad to hear your local guy was able to get it right.

The discount tires shops around northwest houston absolutely suck any more. They had a long time manager at the store I usually frequent that they promoted to a store near his house and ever since it's been a cluster.

I watched one of their employees slide their plastic work order packet across the hood of my truck and I came unglued, this was after several other mishaps on the same visit.

The final straw was the latest manager dude just being an absolute ass and I called him on it. Complained to corporate but no response either. I'll go elsewhere from now on. Darn sure not taking my cobra there.

When I need to replace tires on any of my cars, I get the work done at a local repair shop that I have been going to for almost 20 years for oil changes, state inspections and other repairs. There are only 2 guys working at the shop and they both know me.

You may be thinking, a local shop may limit your choice of tires, but I just go to www.tirerack.com and pick whatever I want and have the tires shipped directly to my local shop.

And if you went to tirerack.com, you could have probably gotten yourself a set of Avons. ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1ntCobra (Post 1268431)

And if you went to tirerack.com, you could have probably gotten yourself a set of Avons. ;)

Tire rack does not carry Avon CRZZs. Roger Krauss on the West Coast. Sasco Motorsports on the East Coast.

I use Discount Tire in Plano TX, just a little different. On my 911 as well now on my Cobra I take the rims off and bring them to the store in my Suburban. On the work order I let the store manager make a note the rims have no scratches and no dents.
No problems at all...

http://photos.imageevent.com/germanp...ebsize/911.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/germanp...m_DSC02357.jpg

Looks like I'm not the only one that has issues with Discount. My next step is to email their home office. Think I might mention the comments on this sight. Don't have the FIA here at the house so I'm not sure which brand of Cooper I have. The first set that looked just like the ones I now have for whatever reason had a much smoother ride. These feel harder if that makes sense. Anyway, I'll report back on what if anything comes of this. The sad thing is that two of the Discount stores here have state of the art equipment, but like in Austin they have idiots as workers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaSnaka (Post 1268148)

...the way the store managers treat you and takes care of the problem is what is important. Customer service. After bringing the Cobra in for a tire change a much stronger relationship developed between the manager and me and the service became much more personalized.
John

You are SO RIGHT, John!

I bought a tire for my trailer from DC in Houston, drove the trailer to Kansas and proceeded to run over a piece of angle iron and slash the sidewall. Of course, it was not repairable. I called the DC store in Huntsville, where I live currently, and explained the dilema...no DC stores in KS at that time. The manager shipped me a replacement tire via FedEx and all he asked was that I bring in the old tire when I got back so he could get credit for the replacement (I always buy their warranty and lifetime balance/rotate service). I did that and he did not ask me for a red cent to cover the shipping, just fixed the paperwork and sent me on my way. I didn't realize how much it costs to ship tires...later I sent two via FedEx to Kansas and it was $90 for the two tires.

I'll never buy tires from anyone but Scott at the HV DC...he gained a lifetime customer with his "service first" policy. Another example...my SO needed her tires balanced...they were not bought at DC, but I took them there to get them balanced. When they told me the vehicle was ready, I bellied up to the counter to pay. No charge. I explained to the clerk that they were not purchased from DC and therefore I expected to pay. They refused to accept my $$.

It's all about customer service....

Cheers!

Dugly :cool:

Quote:

Originally Posted by YerDugliness (Post 1271134)

When they told me the vehicle was ready, I bellied up to the counter to pay. No charge. I explained to the clerk that they were not purchased from DC and therefore I expected to pay. They refused to accept my $$.

It's all about customer service....

Cheers!

Dugly :cool:

That was my first experience with DC in stafford years ago. I've bought all my tires from the DC at 18th and T.C. Jester where Scotty used to be the manager until he got promoted :(

The current leadership is anything but customer friendly and I'm looking elsewhere for my cobra tires. HQ won't even follow up a customer complaint when they say they will.

Won't happen a third time.......

Discount has repeatedly pissed me off too. Various stores. I now have tire rack ship tires to Skeeters in Cypress and let them install. Great price, no guff and headache free.

Well, it is called Discount Tire, not We're The Best Tire.

Discount Tire has earned my business over and over.

I took them new tires and wheels for my Cobra. The technician dropped the T nut that holds wheels to the balancer and very slightly nicked one of my wheels. The manager came out and showed me and asked if they could send it out for repair. A few days when the wheel came back we discovered the repair shop made a mess of it. The manager then ordered me a new wheel.

My only complaint with them is something very simple. Nearly every time I take my wifes 07 Yukon in they loose half of my valve stem caps. The caps are different then the standard black ones and the truck comes out with 2 old style caps and two OEM caps.

The last two times in I specifically told them to keep all of the OEM caps on the truck. I assume it is young techs missing the small stuff.

John

I had a incident with Bob Jane Tyres. I took a customers car over to replace the tyres and wheel align the car. Customer almost had an accident as the tie rods were left loose , and unwound themselves, to the point of scrubbing out a new set of tyres within 100 k's. I took it back to Bob Jane. They denied even having done the wheel alignment as their mechanic was away that day. I said I saw your apprentice drive it on the ramps. He said no way and tried to charge me for new tyres. I talked to the mechanic and told him I worked for the RAA [emergency road service]. He then talked to the boss, and it was all crawl crawl from then on. Bloody icehole.
JD