I am not a car person. The most I know about cars is how to check my oil and put air in my tires, so when I have issues, I trust experts. I needed a new set of tires for my Honda and found myself at Smart Buy. Money was tight so I was really hoping to find a good deal, and figured it couldn't be all THAT much since just a few months prior, I'd purchased a used tire for this same car for only about $30.
I was told here that my car requires a special, hard-to-find tire size. I drive a Honda Fit, not exactly a rare, fancy vehicle. I specifically asked if it was possible to put a different, more readily available size tire on my car and was told no, that was not an option. Over $500 and several hours later, I went home with a brand new set of Hancock tires.
Three months later, one of the tires kept going flat. My husband and I both looked it over and neither of us saw any holes, nails, etc. The vast majority of my driving is done in town, on decently maintained, paved roads. I took my car back to Smart Buy, figuring there would be some kind of warranty considering the tires were just three months old. I was told that a nail had pierced it and they'd need to get me a whole new tire; it was not fixable.
They put a loaner tire on my car and since my tires are oh-so-rare, said it would take a day or two to get my tire in. A week later, I had not heard from them. I finally called them and was told that my tire was there, they just hadn't bothered to contact me. Ugh.
Took my car back in to get the new tire put on and got charged $60 for it. Because apparently they measured the rubber and what I'd managed to use in three months' time was a certain percentage... blah blah blah. Honestly kinda sounded like a rip-off, but a car needs tires, no options there.
Incidentally, I was told on this visit by a different employee that there ARE other options for tire sizes for my car, cheaper ones that I might consider next time I need a new set of tires.
Anyway, here it is, less than three more months later, and I am having another issue with a flat tire. I dread having to take it back there!
I most certainly DO NOT recommend this place. They lied to me and the tires are junk - I will definitely be looking elsewhere for new tires next time I need to replace them.
ETA: It's been less than a year and a half since I got this set of tires brand new. I have had to go back to Smart Buy no less than five times for tire issues in that time - that is more than I have ever had combined in almost twenty years of driving. Every time, I have been given a different excuse as to why my tires aren't holding air. Really frustrating. On one of those visits, there was another customer there who was screaming at the staff because he had apparently brought his vehicle in for a simple repair, and while fixing that issue, they caused another problem by not fixing it correctly, and when he brought his car back to get it corrected, they gave him excuses and just kept making things worse. Yikes. Glad I have a reliable mechanic for my car repairs - too bad my good mechanic doesn't do tires! I will never, ever return to this place once my warranty runs out. read more