New Tire Buying Adventure

It was time for a new pair of FireHawk Wide Ovals for the front, so I called the Firestone shop last Monday to order them in (they're never in stock). We agreed on Wed evening for installation.

I called them Wed before going in, and found out they did not have the tires, so we rescheduled for Sat at 1pm. No harm, no foul, but I wish they would have called me to let me know.

Saturday I just went in at 1pm, did not call. Guess what? No tires again! So I pulled the inconvenience card and got a deal. The original price was $106/tire. When we were done, I paid about $86/tire with no installation/mount/balance charges + a free rotation.

If you're ever in a similar situation, might try using some strategy to help your case. Not saying it'll work, but I think it can help to turn the table in your favor:

• Try to deal with the same sales rep through the entire deal. If something goes wrong, he's going to remember everything that happened, and is more apt to sympathize with you. You can also act the VIP role by asking to speak with your person.

• Show them you're OCD regarding your car. I made a point to arrive 15 mins early, and parked my freshly washed Riv right in front of the showroom window. I removed all of my center caps, then polished all four rims with a clean rag before walking in. Everyone behind the counter knew that I was anal about my wheels and have high expectations from the get-go. I approached the counter and said, "Hi, I have an appointment with Bob for 1pm, to install the FireHawk Wide Ovals."

• Wear your "mechanic hat"... let them know you're a car guy who knows what he wants, that you expect good service, and that you won't be pushed around. I literally wore a Summit Racing hat (I usually never wear this) that I received free with my last parts order. It said loud and clear than I'm a performance nut. I also mentioned that I needed static balancing, and a rotation... two things that say I know and care about my tires/wheels. I also mentioned the tires were bald from racing, that I'd purchased the same tires a year ago, and that I'd probably back again next year for a new set.

• If things aren't going your way, act irritated, but not irrate. My rep was willing to "take care of me" partly because I was easy to work with, yet I was firm in my expectations. I explained the reason this was such a big deal was because the tires were not delivered and no call was made... twice. Also, the weather was cold and snowy, and there's a risk driving with bare tires on snow, which I wouldn't have taken had I known the tires were not there. I mentioned that I didn't want to go somewhere else... remember you've got the upper hand, but don't let them think you're abusing that fact.

• Don't fall for free service compensation. The sales guy tried to give me a free oil change for my inconvenience (they're taught to do this). I immediately declined the offer, saying I had my oil changed elsewhere, and that it had been done 3 days prior anyways (I could have said I changed my own oil). I reminded him this was about tires, not oil, and that a discount was to be expected. I made sure to walk towards the door while we had this discussion. When he started saying what I wanted to hear, we began to move back in the direction of the counter. It's a subtle hint that I think works.

So on Sunday the Hawks were on (they called to let me know the tires arrived!), and I'm quite happy with them. In the end I didn't really mind waiting a week because of the discounted price.

Nice move! The consumer is always right!

I'm fortunate to have a good friend who's an experienced part time tire tech at a local NTB. I go in, talk to him, he sets up my order with the manager and I get a discount and the best installation ever. I cringe when I have to go anywhere else for tires, the mechanics can be real hacks. You have to double-check your lug nut torque when you leave any tire shop.

He works in IT like me, but he's been 'slinging tires' since the late 80s. Now he does it part time just because he enjoys it. We pretty much grew up together. He's as crazy as me about our cars, and he knows what he's doing, so I don't have the issues you described above. I think your tactics mentioned above are excellent, as long as you don't run into the overcrowded tire salesroom where they just don't have the time or interest in taking good care of you (which happens from time to time).

nicely done! i just went to have my DP installed and the guy quoted me $175 to do one weld and one cut!! rediculus. i still remained calm and said i wasnt expecting it to be that much and that i couldnt afford such a high rate for such a simple operation. he tried to negtiate the price and i got him down to ~100 but that was still more than i think i should have cost, so i walked away. ill get a friend to do it, and take out the cat
back when i was a mech, we would always offer free oil changes or car washes if we screwed something up. and after seeing what the "free" offer entaied, dont fall for it! we would use the cheapest oil and filter. besides i dont truse 90% of the mechanics places hire.
btw i always let them know that im a car guy and know my way around an engine. i can usually get them to let me pull the car into and out of the bay. (i would hate to have to kill someone b/c they didnt lift it right)
having a clean car ensure that you can find anything wrong with it after they are done and that they are extra careful when working on it. the mech is always like WOW you have the cleanest wheel wells i've see in awhile
(FWIW i hated when i had to work on a really dirty car, or a truck that had just been mudding getting crap all over making my job twice as hard. (and having to clean the bay after.)

quote: "...as long as you don't run into the overcrowded
tire salesroom where they just don't have the time or interest in
taking good care of you.."

Sat/Sun are busy days at the Firestone shop. There were 4 other parties waiting when I went in. There was the crying baby... the whole 9 yards. Still, I managed to get waited on quickly because I had set up an appointment.

If you make yourself out to be easy to work with, they'll ignore the others to help you. I let them know up-front that I was there to drop a couple hundred on a pair of tires (more $$$ for them, less time to install). At most it would take an hour of their time. I was inconvenienced, but they knew how to solve my problem, and they knew I was a return customer.

Everybody else was there to get the best deal on an entire set of tires (they were runnning a sale on bread-and-butter tires), or they were troubleshooting some unidentified engine problem. I kind felt sorry for them because they got to watch as I walked in, had my tires put on, and then left.

quote: "i just went to have my DP installed and the guy quoted me $175 to do one weld and one cut!! rediculus."

Ridiculous is right. I had my headers, race pipe, adaptor, and exhaust welded together with TIG welder for $20 at a smaller country muffler shop. No cutting, but they did 4 solid welds in about 15 mins.

i told them I could weld it up faster than the 2 hrs labor they quoted me...and im a newbie at welding. the place i took it to was a hole in the wall place in a shady part of town, i figurd it would be cheap. its the same place i took it when i had the guy bend up some pipes for a 6 pack of corona
i could see where midas or a pro shop would be high priced, but damn, i must of looked like a frail old lady to them.

ALWAYS, remove those center caps. You would think I person who works are cars would know to respect chrome. Last time I had some tires mounted the tire-tech laid the center caps face down on the concrete. I walked into the garage and picked them off the ground.

The last thing I need is a forked up center cap after he kicks it across the concrete, or snaps off a plastic tab.

urbsnspices wrote:

ALWAYS, remove those center caps. You would think I person who works are cars would know to respect chrome. Last time I had some tires mounted the tire-tech laid the center caps face down on the concrete. I walked into the garage and picked them off the ground.

The last thing I need is a forked up center cap after he kicks it across the concrete, or snaps off a plastic tab.

OMFG wow i cant believe someone brought this up i got my tires put on at fleet farm and i have 16" chrome rims with the 7 inch chrome center cap well i got 2 out of 4 back on and they said that the other 2 kept on falling off for them ((((they broke the inner clips)))))))and i said "AHH NO U GUYS BROKE THEM I JUST BOUGHT THESE!!!!!!!!!" and they wouldnt do anything about it so i contacted the general manager of the autostore part of fleet farm and he told me to go buy me another set and he would pick up the tab i was only happy because now i have two spare ones left that brand spankin new

Same thing happened to me last summer. I forgot and left two caps on and the mechanic broke one. He was backing out and it actually came off and rolled next to the car. I bought a new one for $70 and they reimbursed me.

I'll never leave the caps on again when taking the car in..

AA wrote:

Same thing happened to me last summer. I forgot and left two caps on and the mechanic broke one. He was backing out and it actually came off and rolled next to the car. I bought a new one for $70 and they reimbursed me.

I'll never leave the caps on again when taking the car in..

wow u paid 70$ for a new one!!!!!!!! i got four for 40$ free shipping and they are hardcore durable!!!

then you got a deal b/c they run about 70-90 depending on if they are chrome and with or without the R logo.
where did you get them new at $10 each?

Yet another reason the silver painted > chrome.

I got them off of ebay they are actually for a Ultra or something but they're EXACTLY if not better than my other ones and i got them off of Ebay u just have to look for a while

Quote: "wow u paid 70$ for a new one!!!!!!!!"

I didn't pay anything for it, the tire shop did.


Quote: "they're EXACTLY if not better than my other ones"

Do they have the "R" on them?

No therre is NO R on it because my year riv didnt come stock with a R on it !!!!! its all chrome no buick badge or enything!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1997-00-BUICK-PARK-AVE-02-LeSabre-AM-Center-Cap-NEW-SET_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ43961QQihZ010QQitemZ200080778862QQrdZ1

if u need them get them now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i promise they'll fit

i'm pretty sure all stock wheels had an R logo on it. the 12 spoke wheels were the "signature" 95-99 wheels (made standard in 98 and the 7 spokes were the optional chrome ones. there is also a 15 spoke that was standard on the early years(pre 97 iirc) all of them seem to have the R emblem engraved (not raised) in the caps.
i think the chrome 12 spoke wheels were a dealer option b/c i dont see anything about them on the ROA site.

check out ebay, theres a chrome 12 spoke center cap for sale. BUY IT

quote: "No therre is NO R on it because my year riv didnt come stock with a R on it !!!!!"

It appears the previous owner(s) of your car bought $10 center caps, too. My '98 came with "R"s. The reason the plain ones are cheap is because they make a gazillion of them and sell to fit lots of GM chrome wheels.

hmmm the $10 ones work fine for me

Yeah, I'm sure the quality is just as good. We're just paying extra for the design (additional tooling cost for "R" manufacture).

hmmm but is that extra $60 really worth it ????

60, maybe not, but i'd pay more for the R. when your at a car show, the little things make all the difference. if i could afford 70 for the real thing, new...i'd buy 4 of them, but collage is financialy draining
my plan is to get new wheels some day anyways. (ASA JH3 in 17" chrome look-em-up

u have the 12 spoke though RITE??? i really like those over my 7 spoke !!!!

quote: "hmmm but is that extra $60 really worth it ????"

When the tire shop is paying, it is. I lost one on the road once, so had to replace it. Found a salvage yard on www.car-part.com that had a show quality chrome "R" cap from Alabama for $30 shipped. No, I would never pay $70 of my own money for a cap.

i kno i probably should have of gotten ones with R on them since fleet farm bought me new ones but my dad found some for cheap just incase they backed out