Zero Stars. I wanted to rate this zero stars, but it wouldn't let me.
Worst experience I have ever had with a tire shop.
A tech and the shop manager were both rude. Both techs involved were either very bad at their job or just did not care.
I went in with one special need as a customer - I have lug nuts that are made of lightweight aluminum and have to be tightened with a torque wrench, no air tools.
As a courtesy I let them know that one of the tires had fix a flat in it. One of my rims had a crack and I was at Elgin's to swap the tires to another set of wheels.
As they were putting the second wheel on the car, I noticed that the tech was putting the driver's side front tire on and that it and the rear wheel were turning in opposite directions. I went into the shop and asked him about it. He made mention that he had to put it there because the tire was directional and had to be on that side. As I walked away to look for the manager I heard him call out to the other tech and say that there was a problem - the wheels were directional. I didn't see the manager right away so I went up to the other tech to ask if the guy was just putting the wheel on the wrong side or if the wheel had been mounted backwards. He did not answer me, walked away and looked at the wheels they had already mounted, then headed to the office, all without a word to me.
The manager came back out and looked at it. I said that they had mounted two of the tires backwards and he got angry. He began to curse and talk about all of my special needs (directional tires, low profile tires, directional wheels, special lug nuts) and how they were trying to be accommodating. When I asked him to have them fix it he refused and said they were going to put the tires on so I could leave and that was that.
I said, "So I have to pay someone else to fix this?"
He cursed at me some more and reiterated that they would not fix it and then told me it was my fault for not noticing it sooner.
He made no offer to refund any of my money. After I told him I was from out of town he told me I could come back during the week (this was on a Saturday) and he would "look at it then." Still no offer of any kind to actually make it right or refund any of my money.
When I left I had two wheels mounted backwards on the rim, they kept my polished valve stem caps and replaced them with the cheap black ones, and one of those was missing. Some of the lug nuts were not tightened all the way down and the manager not once made any form of apology for his techs and how inept they were or his poor attitude.
Directional wheels, directional tires and low profile tires are all stock on a great many vehicles. If they can not accommodate stock options such as those, they should get out of the tire business.
The techs were inept, the manager was rude, dismissive and equally lacking in knowledge about simple tire and wheel concepts.
I would never pull into their parking lot again. Not even if I had four flat tires. I would ride the rims until I could make it ANYWHERE else. read more
