hodag17
07-23-2007, 02:57 PM
So, I ordered some General Exclaim UHPs from Tirerack...
I took them to the local tire shop (best one in town) - they won't install tires that were not purchased from them...
On one hand, I understand where they are coming from, they are getting beat by the internet discounters, so they won't install tirerack or discount tire purchases... but then I thought about it more, and came to two conclusions -
1. They'd still be making the money on installation... I didn't ask for a discount, or special price, I would have paid their standard rate.
2. They are a tire shop - isn't it their job to mount tires? Granted, they are a business and can refuse to sell to whomever they feel (as long as it is isnt discriminatory) - but still, whats the big deal?
They didn't sell any of the brands of tires I was looking at, they did have Cooper, but the price for their comparable tire was $70 more per tire than the Generals...
So, I called the local Honda Dealership ( I know the owner) - the service manager was out to lunch, so he'd have to call me back. While discussing this with my wife, one of her coworkers knows a service tech at the Honda Dealership.... he said he'd do them after hours for $25 cash - great!
Then- -the service manager at Honda called me back, and said they can do 'em, I said I already had it taken care of, he asked who was doing it (because not many places can mount 18"+rims where I live) - so I was in a pickle, I didnt know if the service tech would get in trouble for his offer... I told the service manager that the dealership would be doing them, when I got there, he told me to talk to the guy who was going to do it off the books, and he let him do it... interesting I thought, must be because it's a small town :)
I took them to the local tire shop (best one in town) - they won't install tires that were not purchased from them...
On one hand, I understand where they are coming from, they are getting beat by the internet discounters, so they won't install tirerack or discount tire purchases... but then I thought about it more, and came to two conclusions -
1. They'd still be making the money on installation... I didn't ask for a discount, or special price, I would have paid their standard rate.
2. They are a tire shop - isn't it their job to mount tires? Granted, they are a business and can refuse to sell to whomever they feel (as long as it is isnt discriminatory) - but still, whats the big deal?
They didn't sell any of the brands of tires I was looking at, they did have Cooper, but the price for their comparable tire was $70 more per tire than the Generals...
So, I called the local Honda Dealership ( I know the owner) - the service manager was out to lunch, so he'd have to call me back. While discussing this with my wife, one of her coworkers knows a service tech at the Honda Dealership.... he said he'd do them after hours for $25 cash - great!
Then- -the service manager at Honda called me back, and said they can do 'em, I said I already had it taken care of, he asked who was doing it (because not many places can mount 18"+rims where I live) - so I was in a pickle, I didnt know if the service tech would get in trouble for his offer... I told the service manager that the dealership would be doing them, when I got there, he told me to talk to the guy who was going to do it off the books, and he let him do it... interesting I thought, must be because it's a small town :)