Sponsored by The Tire Rack

[FIRST1]

I had a new tire put on at Sears auto center, and they had to take the wheel off of the initial tire to put it on the new one. They scratched up my (painted) satin black 264.

I flipped a shit and they showed me their machinery that removes the wheel from the tire makes contact with the wheel as it spins, and it's impossible to take the rim off with this machine without scratching up the paint. They said if my rims were NOT painted, this wouldn't be an issue. They also said every shop uses this machine, and it would have the same outcome.

True or False?

[flinchy]

along the outer edge of the lip?

yeah you pretty much can't avoid some scratches, the plsti-dip on mine was pretty wrecked around there.

[dorkdog]

I have to keep telling myself 'it's just a car' because I know that's what it is to them. Removing old tires from rims is brutal, especially when chemistry has been seeping into the interface between tire and rim as both have been cleaned, waxed, glossed, etc.

Cosmetics are of little or no concern to Sears. Offer to grease the guy's palm a little if the wheels are perfect when the car is returned to you?

[c_ozanich]

I used to work at a Sears (not the auto center but the lawn & garden dept.) during college. We had several issues with our auto center and I wouldn't take a car there. One associate from my department had his lug nuts fall off after getting new tires put on--you'd think they would take care of an employees car better than a random customers. Came to find out that their "tire professionals" were 18 yr old kids directly out of the local vacational school. Not saying its an age things as I'm only 25; but as for experience it was only what they had received in the high school level trade school; some were part time and hadn't graduated yet. Good for them in getting experience but it was a noticeable lesson for me that it might not be the place to take a car if its anything more to you than "just a car"

Sears also could not mount the wheels I had on my tiburon because it needed a reverse mount--the machine there was not capapble of handling it (nor pep boys for that matter) I ended up going to a local shop that had a specialized machine. mounted them great no issues.

also speaking from experience and watching managers undercut me for years--bring the issue to a manager and they'll fix it or at minimum give you money off. They bent over backwards away from the policies I had to tell people that Sears upheld when the customer was irate or irrational. It sucked having a manager come out and tell/give the customer whatever they wanted just to keep their business. If I were in your shoes; I'd talk to the manager and explain the cost of a new BMW wheel, explain that while some nicks may occur the shape of your wheel is inexcusable and the thought that a few mils of paint would affect whether it would be scratched or not was a pretty far fetched notion. Tell them that you entrusted them to do quality work and it was not met with customer satisfaction and they'll do something to rectify it.

[LAZ]

Yea, most likely the equipment they use rubs up right against the rim while removing the tire...but with careful work it most likely could have been avoided...they should have rejected to do your tires or at the least warn you about the possibility of messing up the rims paint before they even thought about beginning the work...i used to work TLE at walmart and we wouldnt touch after market rims or rims with lips due to the likely damage we would cause...you may be able to talk to a manager and complain about your 'now scratched' rims...perhaps they can compensate you/make a settlement. Its worth a shot.

[FIRST1]

But does anyone know if every shop's machine to take off rims makes contact like this? That's what they told me

[Dackelone]

I've had a few tires put on my factory wheels and have never had a scratch. But my wheels are silver and not black. But my car always goes to an uber German shop where they know how to take care of alloy wheels.

I call BS on your Sears guys. This is why its always a good idea to go to a pro for work on your car. And "build up" a trusting relationship with your shop.

When you "Pay peanuts you get Monkeys". IMHO.

[Elwood74]

I know snap-on changers have a nylon(?) puck for protection. The guy that does my track wheels wouldn't touch my dress wheels until he replaced it. He's done my black track wheels with no scratches.

[1911A145]

Total BS and lack of care. I have never had a single rim/wheel scratched on any car i have ever owned. I always tell the shops that if they scratch a rim, they are buying a new one.

[geared]

TOTAL BS....go to a real shop - A Hunter TC3500 tire machine mounts most wheels upside down so the face of the wheel never comes in contact with any mounting equipment.

[1speedbike]

I have some VERY minor nicks on the INSIDE of my wheels from the mounting process. There is no reason that the wheel should be scratched while mounting a tire. My friend is a BMW tech and I watch him every time he uses the machine. It only comes in contact with the inside of the rim (the part you don't see), and even then, while there is contact it is minimal. No reason to ruin the face of a rim to mount and dismount a tire. Tell the shop you want a refund for the service and for the rim. Sears is absolute garbage. I used them once to mount some tires, and they mounted the clearly labeled directional tires backwards, and unevenly filled the tires (a range from 25 to 40 PSI...). Fuck sears. Ever since Kmart bought them, all 3 locations near me have been nothing but garbage.

[FIRST1]

I may have forgot to add that they mentioned that this had only happened because my wheels are painted. Does this make a difference?

[uberschnell]

I don't know what's harder to believe, that you let sears touch your car or that you believe what the high-school drop out "service technician" told you.

Dozens and dozens of tires mounted and dismounted and I've never had a scratch. Find and support your local shops, that's where you'll find the true craftsmen.

[Satalite]

Ive always experienced some minor wear and tear from those darn machines. You have to know the guys there to know who does it the best instead of the 20 year old noobie...

[pkimM3r]

Might as well go to pepboys. Why sears out of all the places you could go?!

[FIRST1]

I was switching to non-RFTs and since it was 4 tires to be mounted/balanced + alignment, I researched on TireRack for the cheapest rate for this. Sears had the lowest rate; I wonder why........ Last time I go there for servicing

Not that I want to defend Sears whatsoever, but... I don't think this would be noticeable if your wheels are not painted. Please specify if your wheels are painted and you went through this process with no damage whatsoever.

[John_01]

From what I've seen, the machine normally should only contact the tire, but never make contact with the wheel.

Anyway.. if I'm dealing with less than 100% trustworthy and professional people, I will ask them FIRST if they can do the job without putting any marks/scratches on the rim.

[aerobod]

To prevent wheel scratches, use a tyre specialist that only uses back-mounting machines (such as the Hunter machine mentioned by an earlier poster). Most major chains only have conventional machines that touch the face of the wheel, as they are easier to use and quicker for low skilled labour.

The tyre specialist I use (Urban-X in Calgary) never scratch the wheels, use the right equipment and are generally cheaper than the major chain tyre places.

[FIRST1]

Originally Posted by aerobod

To prevent wheel scratches, use a tyre specialist that only uses back-mounting machines (such as the Hunter machine mentioned by an earlier poster). Most major chains only have conventional machines that touch the face of the wheel, as they are easier to use and quicker for low skilled labour.

The tyre specialist I use (Urban-X in Calgary) never scratch the wheels, use the right equipment and are generally cheaper than the major chain tyre places.

Is this for mounting only? The scratches occurred when they were taking the rims off.

[Venom]

Check if you have a discounttire near you. Not only did they beat the price of tirerack but installation cost was free if I remember correctly. (Suggesting this cause I assume you only went to Sears cause they are "cheap")

[BBursey]

Originally Posted by aerobod

To prevent wheel scratches, use a tyre specialist that only uses back-mounting machines (such as the Hunter machine mentioned by an earlier poster). Most major chains only have conventional machines that touch the face of the wheel, as they are easier to use and quicker for low skilled labour.

The tyre specialist I use (Urban-X in Calgary) never scratch the wheels, use the right equipment and are generally cheaper than the major chain tyre places.

Sorry for the OT, but did you use Urban-X North or South? Need to get PSS's mounted to my APEX EC-7s shortly.

Cheers,
Bryan

[aerobod]

Originally Posted by Canucker

Sorry for the OT, but did you use Urban-X North or South? Need to get PSS's mounted to my APEX EC-7s shortly.

Cheers,
Bryan

They are both good, but I use North, Kenny normally does the tyre fitting, Bob (TireBob on Beyond) is the owner.