Tire balancing and don't go to Discount Tire Centers (El Monte)
08-19-2003, 04:08 PM
#1
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Tire balancing and don't go to Discount Tire Centers (El Monte)
Guys,
Well I learned my lesson. You get what you pay for.
Remember those Revos I bought? Well the tires are good, but the installation was shoddy and rude to boot. I hate those bastids at DISCOUNT TIRE CENTERS in EL MONTE.
Well after enduring about a month of the vibration in the steering wheel, I guessed that I had a balancing issue and I was right. I took it to Longo Toyota for 4 wheel balancing and they said that it was "not good" and that "there were weights missing" on the tires.
They used a Hunter wheel balancing machine but they also said that the Haweka thing is good too. In anycase, I drove it around on the freeway for a little bit (b/f it got too traffick-y) and surprise, surprise, no balancing issues or vibrating steering wheel.
So my total outlay for tires jumped up $40 to $660.
Lesson learned. You reading this, Tom?
Bob
Well I learned my lesson. You get what you pay for.
Remember those Revos I bought? Well the tires are good, but the installation was shoddy and rude to boot. I hate those bastids at DISCOUNT TIRE CENTERS in EL MONTE.
Well after enduring about a month of the vibration in the steering wheel, I guessed that I had a balancing issue and I was right. I took it to Longo Toyota for 4 wheel balancing and they said that it was "not good" and that "there were weights missing" on the tires.
They used a Hunter wheel balancing machine but they also said that the Haweka thing is good too. In anycase, I drove it around on the freeway for a little bit (b/f it got too traffick-y) and surprise, surprise, no balancing issues or vibrating steering wheel.
So my total outlay for tires jumped up $40 to $660.
Lesson learned. You reading this, Tom?
Bob
08-19-2003, 04:58 PM
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yeah same thing goes for costco in kirkland. i got a flat repaired they because when i bought my 4runner about 4 months ago it came with Kirkland signature tires (costco brand) so i take it in to get a flat fixed after having an alignment done about 2 weeks before. when i get it back i feel fibration and pull in the steering wheel (the driver's side front was the flat) anyways after a few days i look at it and see there aren't any wheights on it at all. so i take it in with my brother in law who used to work at Les Schwab and the guy tries to tell me that you don't always need a wheight on the tire and that sometimes they put them on the inside of the wheel (i had looked on the inside, no wheights) so anyways once i get it back again there are 2 huge wheights on it. the fibration is gone but now it pulls to the right again like before i had the alignment done. now i need to take it back to costco and try and get them to do if for free. 
but my mommy is going to come with me so she'll do al the yelling and stuff 
anyways yeah. i just had to tell my littls story.
but my mommy is going to come with me so she'll do al the yelling and stuff anyways yeah. i just had to tell my littls story.
08-19-2003, 11:53 PM
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I got tires at Discount Tires Pasadena on my last truck. They were nice enough and prices are good but it took 4 times before they got the balancing right.
I had free rotations so I had them re-balance every time and they were hit-n-miss. But look at who is doing it- all teenagers. They don't give a crap if it's balanced or not. Not blaming them, orders come from the top so it's just poor management.
If you do get tires from them, I would say have them balance it twice before they mount them!
I had free rotations so I had them re-balance every time and they were hit-n-miss. But look at who is doing it- all teenagers. They don't give a crap if it's balanced or not. Not blaming them, orders come from the top so it's just poor management.
If you do get tires from them, I would say have them balance it twice before they mount them!
08-20-2003, 08:42 AM
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HAHA
Bob, I guessed you missed these two threads:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...threadid=12331
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...&threadid=6755
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...threadid=12331
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...&threadid=6755
08-20-2003, 09:09 AM
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That's crazy, I bought my tires at Discount Tire in North Salt Lake and they were very nice. They are the only place that can balance my tires correctly. I guess I lucked out got a good store!
08-20-2003, 12:26 PM
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Guys,
There's definitely some name confusion here. Discount Tires is totally different from Discount Tire Centers. DST is California chain of tire centers owned by a very prominent Armenian family, according to my Armenian friend here in Glendale. When I called my friend and told him about how I got the balancing fixed at Toyota---and where I bought the tires, he said "Dude, I'm Armenian and I don't even go there!" Go figure.
Bob
There's definitely some name confusion here. Discount Tires is totally different from Discount Tire Centers. DST is California chain of tire centers owned by a very prominent Armenian family, according to my Armenian friend here in Glendale. When I called my friend and told him about how I got the balancing fixed at Toyota---and where I bought the tires, he said "Dude, I'm Armenian and I don't even go there!" Go figure.
Bob
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08-20-2003, 02:22 PM
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That's strange...
I had a weight fly off my wheel when I first came home from new tires there. I went back and they fixed it right up no problem!
I haven't had any problems since.
Sorry to hear about your troubles, Bob.
I had a weight fly off my wheel when I first came home from new tires there. I went back and they fixed it right up no problem!
I haven't had any problems since.
Sorry to hear about your troubles, Bob.
08-20-2003, 03:20 PM
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Christian,
Nope, I'm talking about this company: http://www.discounttirecenters.com
Peter: all is well after Toyota fixed it. Hunter machine w/ Haweka adapter, they said.
Bob
Nope, I'm talking about this company: http://www.discounttirecenters.com
Peter: all is well after Toyota fixed it. Hunter machine w/ Haweka adapter, they said.
Bob
08-20-2003, 03:31 PM
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Cool thanks, I'll have to look into that when I go in for my next rotation.
Incidentally - if you haven't seen the other thread, PM me your address so I can mail out your horns to ya!
Incidentally - if you haven't seen the other thread, PM me your address so I can mail out your horns to ya!
08-20-2003, 03:39 PM
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Peter,
Yeah, I saw htat you picked me up some horns---thank you very much! I just PM'd my info to you.
My guess is that DTC didnt have the right machine. I'd rather they just say that upfront so i can just tell them, 'put the tires on and i'll go have longo balance them'. Saves everyone the time and aggravation. instead, i spent probably a total of 3-4 hours of their time adjusting it the three times i came in. in essence, they lost money.
Bob
Yeah, I saw htat you picked me up some horns---thank you very much! I just PM'd my info to you.
My guess is that DTC didnt have the right machine. I'd rather they just say that upfront so i can just tell them, 'put the tires on and i'll go have longo balance them'. Saves everyone the time and aggravation. instead, i spent probably a total of 3-4 hours of their time adjusting it the three times i came in. in essence, they lost money.
Bob
08-21-2003, 05:49 AM
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Man, every time I need tires for any vehicle anymore I start to get stressed out. The quality and knowledge of the tire techs is so hit and miss. I guess that work does just not pay anymore. With all the stuff you hear about the bad economy, you would think it would thin the herd of the less-qualified techs. The biggest suprise recently was I had to go to Sears for some Bridgestones, (still un-employed here-needed to use gift card) I go in the store, the counter person is a smart-ass, tries to sell me all sorts of stuff extra, the techs are all stoned and smoking cigs in a little room off the side etc. As soon as I ask if he has the Haweka adapter, he says, "got a 4runner?" They did a fine job. It has been almost 8 months and no probs. And the rims had to be cleaned up as the old Michelins had bead leaks. It was kind of like getting your car serviced at a non-supervised Juvenile Detention Center.
In a loosely related story, a financial professional in the family just told me Sears is looking at taking over Kmart. Just for the buildings and locations. That means Martha Stewart and Bob Villa will have to fight it out.
In a loosely related story, a financial professional in the family just told me Sears is looking at taking over Kmart. Just for the buildings and locations. That means Martha Stewart and Bob Villa will have to fight it out.
08-21-2003, 10:17 AM
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Originally posted by Bob_98SR5
Guys,
There's definitely some name confusion here. Discount Tires is totally different from Discount Tire Centers. DST is California chain of tire centers owned by a very prominent Armenian family, according to my Armenian friend here in Glendale. When I called my friend and told him about how I got the balancing fixed at Toyota---and where I bought the tires, he said "Dude, I'm Armenian and I don't even go there!" Go figure.
Bob
Guys,
There's definitely some name confusion here. Discount Tires is totally different from Discount Tire Centers. DST is California chain of tire centers owned by a very prominent Armenian family, according to my Armenian friend here in Glendale. When I called my friend and told him about how I got the balancing fixed at Toyota---and where I bought the tires, he said "Dude, I'm Armenian and I don't even go there!" Go figure.
Bob
08-21-2003, 10:30 AM
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Originally posted by Reldnew
In a loosely related story, a financial professional in the family just told me Sears is looking at taking over Kmart. Just for the buildings and locations. That means Martha Stewart and Bob Villa will have to fight it out.
In a loosely related story, a financial professional in the family just told me Sears is looking at taking over Kmart. Just for the buildings and locations. That means Martha Stewart and Bob Villa will have to fight it out.
On a response to the thread, I am taking my tires to Discount Tire Co. here in aurora to get a rebalance, they were really cool yesterday, so I hope they can get it squared away today.
08-13-2004, 05:50 PM
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Bob....
Bob,
I'm heading to Longo tommorrow morning to get an alignment and balance done. I've been using discount tire centers like yourself, specifically the one in pasadena and burbank. I've been suffering the "steering wheel shimmy" for the last 15k miles, and both Symes (pasadena) and Wondries (alhambra) can't get it fixed. I sincerely hope longo will fix what 4 other places cannot. we'll see....
BTW, how are they in regards to maintinence, like oil changes and tune-ups? Let me know...
craig
I'm heading to Longo tommorrow morning to get an alignment and balance done. I've been using discount tire centers like yourself, specifically the one in pasadena and burbank. I've been suffering the "steering wheel shimmy" for the last 15k miles, and both Symes (pasadena) and Wondries (alhambra) can't get it fixed. I sincerely hope longo will fix what 4 other places cannot. we'll see....
BTW, how are they in regards to maintinence, like oil changes and tune-ups? Let me know...
craig
08-14-2004, 02:52 AM
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I've been buyiing tires from Discount Tire Company for the last 13 years and their service has been great (granted I've only dealt with two locations) and I did have a couple problems here and there but they were always remedied quickly and of course free of charge.
08-14-2004, 07:17 AM
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Wow, talk about a blast from the past
For clarification, its not "Discount Tire Co" with the red signs. Its called "Discount Tire Centers" and they're a local chain. They have purple signs. Curiously I noticed that they no longer have their purple themed websites anymore. Also, i noticed that the one I went to has a different website w/ a name that doesnt even come close to Discount Tire Centers.
anyways...
Buddha: I'll say that Longo has always treated me right b/c I am nice to them. Theres a few service writers that I like over there. Rob Mcguire is good, Danny (i forget his last name) is good too, and there's another guy w/ the last name "Ellingsworth" or Ellingswood. He's very cool too.
Like any dealership, make sure you call around first to other dealers and then call a few guys in the same dealership to make sure the pricing is comparable. I've called for quotes on some work in the SAME dealership and have it vary by a few hundred dollars
But anyways, Longo did it right the first time re balancing. Their service dept to me, is the heart of their operation there. Never once have I had to ever take anything back.
Bob
For clarification, its not "Discount Tire Co" with the red signs. Its called "Discount Tire Centers" and they're a local chain. They have purple signs. Curiously I noticed that they no longer have their purple themed websites anymore. Also, i noticed that the one I went to has a different website w/ a name that doesnt even come close to Discount Tire Centers.
anyways...
Buddha: I'll say that Longo has always treated me right b/c I am nice to them. Theres a few service writers that I like over there. Rob Mcguire is good, Danny (i forget his last name) is good too, and there's another guy w/ the last name "Ellingsworth" or Ellingswood. He's very cool too.
Like any dealership, make sure you call around first to other dealers and then call a few guys in the same dealership to make sure the pricing is comparable. I've called for quotes on some work in the SAME dealership and have it vary by a few hundred dollars
But anyways, Longo did it right the first time re balancing. Their service dept to me, is the heart of their operation there. Never once have I had to ever take anything back.
Bob
