Oh wow is the top of my mind. Went to have tires installed paid for the whole works, tires, mount, balance etc. After walking aimlessly around in the store for almost two hours because I was number 5 in line. I hear my name called they are done; Yah. Left thinking it's all good I have my new tires, well not so much. I then went to my mechanic to have wheel bearing's installed, he lives 10 minutes from WalMart. He said you almost lost your hub cap it was just hanging there. Ok next as soon as he takes off the newly installed tire he sees a bulge on the tire, says take it back the belt is broke. He finishes the jab on my wheel hubs and I go back to Wal-Mart thinking hay it's been an hour and a half and maybe 15 miles round trip since I left Walmart, right.
When I go to the counter and explain that I just left my mechanic and he said the tire is defective because of a broken belt I see the look (you all know the look) the attendant says well if there is a problem we should be able to fix it. I said if there is a problem, look there is a bulge and ripples on the tire it is plain as day. Ok so I again begin my aimless wondering around WalMart, now this is at 3:00 pm. In a half an hour I go back to the counter to see how we are progressing and he says "well it will be a while there is many before you in line". Gerr now I already spent all morning there in the over crowed by bus loads of Canadians store that day. This gets me in "I have rights mode" and I ask to see a manager, thinking I already did my time put the car in the stall and replace the tire next. Wrong she said they have to do them in the order of arrival and it will be at least an hour and a half. Ok go to Subway get a bite to eat wonder around, hear my name. I go back to tire and lube and the tire worker guy (cause he aint no mechanic) tells me he wants me to see something. I go out and he has the bulge marked with green chalk and begins telling me that it is a blemish and is expectable to their standards, takes me in to look at a chart on the wall that reads about sidewall undulations. Sidewall indentations are purely a visual characteristic and will not affect the performance of the tire. There was nothing he could do. Well I found this completely unexcitable but the man was not going to help me so I asked for a manager once again. After sitting there announcing to all customers to be cautious of the work they were having done, I finely see the tire worker come back and say ok the manager said change my tire. Finley at about 6:00 pm I finely make it out of walmart. Never again will I go back.
I did a little research when I got home and it clearly states "If bulges, rather than indentations, appear on the sidewall or if there is any question concerning the sidewall appearance, the tire should be removed from service. A knowledgeable tire dealer or the manufacturer's representative should be contacted." Thank goodness I did not except there explanation and fallowed my mechanics advise. If protruding bulges rather than indentations appear on the sidewall of a recently installed tire, it reveals that there is an undesirable gap between some of the body ply cords inside the tire. The tire should be removed from service and replaced under the tire manufacturer's defects in materials and workmanship warranty. read more
