"Have my Max Back" Kinda long, but worth reading if you ever have warranty problems.
08-15-2002, 07:16 AM
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"Have my Max Back" Kinda long, but worth reading if you ever have warranty problems.
I really never lost it, but I had a problem a few weeks ago when 2 of my BRAND new tires were flatspotted in a near-miss accident. They were Sumitomo HTR+, their top-of-the-line Ultra-High Performance All-Season tire, and I was pi$$ed that they were effectively ruined by 1 single event. After weeks of bickering with the store (Sears/NTB) and the manufacturer, they were replaced last night.
Previously, it felt like I was riding in roads in PA (you PA guys will know what I mean there) or on railroad ties. Also, I had a horrible shake at all speeds over 67 MPH. It was so annoying and depressing that I HATED driving my Max.
Well, I am happy to report that it is all fixed, now. It goes to show that persistence pays off. I heard every excuse in the book. Some of my favorites:
"It is not a warrantable condition" (Sears). Not true,m the written warranty lists exclusions to the replacement warranty. This was NOT one of them, according to Sumitomo, who told me Sears should cover it.
"It was a road hazard, and not covered by the warranty" (Sumitomo) This was after Sears told me they would not cover it. They told me to call Sumitomo, who reversed their earlier position.
"It was not a road hazard, under our terms and conditions" (Sears) This after I told them that Sumitomo said it was not under the standard warranty because a near-miss accident amounts to a road hazard. Sure enough, this WAS excluded from the Sears Road Hazard Warranty.
"Okay, so it is not a road hazard, BUT we still think that the tire is 'servicable' under the terms of the warranty" (Sumitomo) After reading 5 different road hazard policies, a Sumitomo rep admitted that it was NOT a road hazard (by this point I was making them give me EVERYTHING in writing), but then they said that the tire was still "serviceable." This was significant because the warranty only covers "non-serviceable products."
"That tire is not at risk of failing, but that flat spot will wear down at 10 times the normal rate of wear for that tire, because the brakes will want to stop at the point of least resistance." (Sumitomo Performance tires expert) How is that "servicable?"
"You can have the whole tire shaved (at your own expense) down to the lowest tread depth of the flat spot" (Sumitomo) No explaination needed...but who wants to WASTE 1/3-1/2 of their usable tread in the first 1000 miles?!?!?
"We cannot return that tire without a 'Sumitomo Warranty Claim Form,' which we cannot find." (Sears and NTB, on 5 seperate occasions) I call "Bull$h!+..."
"They should have the form. We cannot find one here at the corporate headquartes, either. They come directly from the (marketing/distribution/sales/insert ANY deaprtment here) department." (Sumitomo)
"One thing I've learned in my 32 years in the tire industry: It's easy to make a lot of promises if you don't intend to live up to your commitments. At Treadways Corp., when we make a commitment, we keep it. It's that simple. Honesty and integrity are not buzzwords at Treadways. As any of our customers will tell you, those two words punctuate the way we do business. [W]e remain loyal to both our customers and our suppliers - through good times and bad - because that's what commitments are all about." (Sumitomo President & CEO, Dan G. Wire) Uh huh..yeah. That was his personal statement on the website for Sumitomo's parent company, Treadways. I only had to quote this ONCE to the Customer Service Director for my regoin, and to threatem to call the VP and Presidant's offices to file the complaint, before getting a fax authorizing Sears to make the replacement.
"Oh, yeah, that should NOT have done that. Not for that tire, or any tire in that performance category" (Sears) Last words as I dropped the car off last night to have the tires replaced.
"Yeaaaaaaaahhhhhh" (Me) Upon, hitting 80 w/o vibrations in EVERY part of my ride, for the first time in almost a month as I drove home last night!
Persistence pays off...
Previously, it felt like I was riding in roads in PA (you PA guys will know what I mean there) or on railroad ties. Also, I had a horrible shake at all speeds over 67 MPH. It was so annoying and depressing that I HATED driving my Max.
Well, I am happy to report that it is all fixed, now. It goes to show that persistence pays off. I heard every excuse in the book. Some of my favorites:
"It is not a warrantable condition" (Sears). Not true,m the written warranty lists exclusions to the replacement warranty. This was NOT one of them, according to Sumitomo, who told me Sears should cover it.
"It was a road hazard, and not covered by the warranty" (Sumitomo) This was after Sears told me they would not cover it. They told me to call Sumitomo, who reversed their earlier position.
"It was not a road hazard, under our terms and conditions" (Sears) This after I told them that Sumitomo said it was not under the standard warranty because a near-miss accident amounts to a road hazard. Sure enough, this WAS excluded from the Sears Road Hazard Warranty.
"Okay, so it is not a road hazard, BUT we still think that the tire is 'servicable' under the terms of the warranty" (Sumitomo) After reading 5 different road hazard policies, a Sumitomo rep admitted that it was NOT a road hazard (by this point I was making them give me EVERYTHING in writing), but then they said that the tire was still "serviceable." This was significant because the warranty only covers "non-serviceable products."
"That tire is not at risk of failing, but that flat spot will wear down at 10 times the normal rate of wear for that tire, because the brakes will want to stop at the point of least resistance." (Sumitomo Performance tires expert) How is that "servicable?"
"You can have the whole tire shaved (at your own expense) down to the lowest tread depth of the flat spot" (Sumitomo) No explaination needed...but who wants to WASTE 1/3-1/2 of their usable tread in the first 1000 miles?!?!?
"We cannot return that tire without a 'Sumitomo Warranty Claim Form,' which we cannot find." (Sears and NTB, on 5 seperate occasions) I call "Bull$h!+..."
"They should have the form. We cannot find one here at the corporate headquartes, either. They come directly from the (marketing/distribution/sales/insert ANY deaprtment here) department." (Sumitomo)
"One thing I've learned in my 32 years in the tire industry: It's easy to make a lot of promises if you don't intend to live up to your commitments. At Treadways Corp., when we make a commitment, we keep it. It's that simple. Honesty and integrity are not buzzwords at Treadways. As any of our customers will tell you, those two words punctuate the way we do business. [W]e remain loyal to both our customers and our suppliers - through good times and bad - because that's what commitments are all about." (Sumitomo President & CEO, Dan G. Wire) Uh huh..yeah. That was his personal statement on the website for Sumitomo's parent company, Treadways. I only had to quote this ONCE to the Customer Service Director for my regoin, and to threatem to call the VP and Presidant's offices to file the complaint, before getting a fax authorizing Sears to make the replacement.
"Oh, yeah, that should NOT have done that. Not for that tire, or any tire in that performance category" (Sears) Last words as I dropped the car off last night to have the tires replaced.
"Yeaaaaaaaahhhhhh" (Me) Upon, hitting 80 w/o vibrations in EVERY part of my ride, for the first time in almost a month as I drove home last night!
Persistence pays off...
08-15-2002, 09:05 AM
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Originally posted by blizz20oma
Good persistance. I think I woulda given up about halfway through...maybe next time in such a situation I won't though, after reading this
Good persistance. I think I woulda given up about halfway through...maybe next time in such a situation I won't though, after reading this
01-02-2003, 12:08 PM
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Originally posted by Kevin
so how exactly does a tire get flatspotted? is it equivalent to having the car sit in the same spot foor too long and hte tires kinda get flat?
so how exactly does a tire get flatspotted? is it equivalent to having the car sit in the same spot foor too long and hte tires kinda get flat?
01-02-2003, 12:48 PM
#6
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Posts: 2,529
Originally posted by phenryiv1
No. Emergengy manuver to avoid an accident. Brakes locked as the car started to go a bit sideways. This resulted in accellerated wearing at one spot on each of the 2 affected tires. At first it was chalked up to "abuse," but when I made the arguement that the tire was being used as designed (to put the car in contact with the road), and successful execution of its use resulted in damage, they finally folded on the issue. Basically, they tried to tell me that it is possible to ruin the tire even when used as intended. They made it sound like the tires were disposible with one hard use.
No. Emergengy manuver to avoid an accident. Brakes locked as the car started to go a bit sideways. This resulted in accellerated wearing at one spot on each of the 2 affected tires. At first it was chalked up to "abuse," but when I made the arguement that the tire was being used as designed (to put the car in contact with the road), and successful execution of its use resulted in damage, they finally folded on the issue. Basically, they tried to tell me that it is possible to ruin the tire even when used as intended. They made it sound like the tires were disposible with one hard use.
01-02-2003, 12:54 PM
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Originally posted by Kevin
Good deal getting your Warrantary coverage. other then that warranty issues the tire are pretty good right?
Good deal getting your Warrantary coverage. other then that warranty issues the tire are pretty good right?
If i had more money, i would have grabbed some Dunlop SP Sport A2s, but I don't, so the HTR+s are a great tire for my budget!
01-02-2003, 01:08 PM
#8
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Posts: 65
Originally posted by phenryiv1
Also, I had a horrible shake at all speeds over 67 MPH. It was so annoying and depressing that I HATED driving my Max.
Also, I had a horrible shake at all speeds over 67 MPH. It was so annoying and depressing that I HATED driving my Max.
01-02-2003, 01:13 PM
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Originally posted by BlackSE5spd
I have also been experiencing this shake at all speeds over about 60-65 mph lately...I was checking out the conditions of my tires, which only have about 4k miles on them, and realized that my front driver- side tire is showing signs of dry-rot. My whole point of this is to inquire if this is most likely the reason for the shaking,(as my car is only slightly out of alignment), or could it be something worse?
I have also been experiencing this shake at all speeds over about 60-65 mph lately...I was checking out the conditions of my tires, which only have about 4k miles on them, and realized that my front driver- side tire is showing signs of dry-rot. My whole point of this is to inquire if this is most likely the reason for the shaking,(as my car is only slightly out of alignment), or could it be something worse?
If the condition persists after the rotation, look into a free alignment check. A lot of shops will do them in hopes of getting your business...
Lastly, if you bought new tires and they have dryrot @ 4K, I would look into returning them.
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