TheBlueWookie

I finally got my Falken 512's mounted and balanced tonight at my local Pepboys. Sears refused to install my tires unless I purchased the tires through them, some garbage about not wanting to be responsible for damage to the rims. So anyway, I went to Pepboys to get it done.

It was about 8:00 pm EST when they were finally finished. Obviously here on the east coast it is quite dark at that time, so I didn't notice any problems. Anyway, when I get home in my garage I notice that each and every one of my rims (stock 17" 2001 SE) is either scratched, gouged, or both. I'm totally bummed now, and ddn't really know what to do, or if I can even do anything.

Obviously I plan on calling there tomorrow and speaking to the manager, but I don't really think that'll get me anywhere.

Any advice?

defsquad222

Go back tomorrow and tell the manager that you had your tires mounted yesterday, but since it was dark when they were done you didnt see anything on your rims until you pulled into the driveway. By then, Pepboys had closed so you couldnt do anything about it until today. Tell him firmly that these rims dont need replacing but to be refinished and that you would appreciate if pepboys would pay for it. (This should actually cost about $400-500 to do all four) Stand your ground and explain your point respectfully and I think you will be reimbursed.

TheBlueWookie

I hope your right about that.

Right now I feel like gouging someones eyes out. I've had this car for close to 3 years now, and there wasn't a single scratch, nick, or gouge on those rims. Now every one of them is damaged.

I don't understand how they could've damaged them that badly. Some of the scratches are nearly 1/8 inch deep. I cleaned them off to see how bad the damage was, and I'm still stomach sick about it.

TheBlueWookie

I know these pictures kinda suck, but maybe it will give an idea of how bad the damage is.

Edward Lee

iTrader: (3)

I just had two tires patched at America's tire company and they too scratched two of my BBS wheels. They are sending them back to BBS for repair to the stainless steel rim protectors. You can get your's fixed also. Have them pay for new powdercoating.

TheBlueWookie

What do you do in the meantime though? I personally don't have a spare car, or a spare set of wheels to put on my car while they send my rims to be repaired.

My only option then would be to rent a car, but it sounds like sending them in for repair can be a lengthy process.

TheBlueWookie

I went back to Pepboys this morning. There was no store manager available. I spoke with the person that was working the service counter when I was there last night. I showed him and someone else (a dept. manager I think) the damage, got their names, etc. They told me the store manager will take care of it. The store manager won't be in until Friday though.

I'm thinking I'll probably wait until Friday, and try to resolve it with the store manager, and then if that doesn't work I'll try calling the HQ number.

Anyway, I was thinking if they do the right thing and pay for these rims to be fixed, where would I get something like that done.

BTW, they are the stock 17x7, 6 spoke rims on the 2001 SE Max.

defsquad222

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2448222867
Is that what your rims look like?
I think the price of those ebay rims would be similar to how much it would cost to fix your rims....just a suggestion

TheBlueWookie

thanks, those look like the rims I have. Now I just have to see if I can succeed in getting Pepboys to pay for me to get my rims fixed or replaced.

Edward Lee

iTrader: (3)

Check it out, the easiest way for you to do it is to go the the Bureau of Automotive Repair and have them mediate it out.

TheBlueWookie

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind if the store manager tries to give me the run around when I go back on Friday.


edit: After searching for that on Google, it seems like thats a California thing. I couldn't find any Connecticut related info about it.

Edward Lee

iTrader: (3)

Just to let you know, I just got back from America's Tire Company and dropped off two of my wheels for repair. They wanted to let Tru-Wheel fix it. I refused and made them sign a letter stating that: per the customers request, the rims must be shipped to BBS for repair to preserve the integrity and warranty of the wheels. They signed it and didn't even flinch. Can you dig that? They wrenched a tire iron over the lip and placed several dimples and a few scratches. When I took the wheel off I noticed that the rear of the wheels had deep divots @ 3,6,9 & 12, where their touchless machine marred my wheels. I brought in the third wheel which they never touched to prove that it was them indeed that did the damage. These wheels cost $695.00 each and they still have the plastic on the center caps, thats how clean they are.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR ISSUE. By the way, maybe you can go for a monetary settlement with them.

TheBlueWookie

Thanks man, I hope they can arrange a monetary settlement. Otherwise I'm gonna have real problems, as I don't have another set of rims/tires to put on my car while the stock rims are being fixed.

Anyway, I'm not really big on aftermarket rims, I like the simplicity of the stock rims, so I f I have to replace them I'm going to try to get another set of stock 17x7's.

Edward Lee

iTrader: (3)

Powdercoat the ones that you have now. It only takes 1 day and should cost about $200.00 for four of them. They are so many colors to choose from. A nice satin silver or something easy one the eyes.

TheBlueWookie

Where would I get something like that done though? The only place I have been able to find so far that will fix damaged rims is http://www.wheeltechnologies.com/ and they charge $125 per wheel.

Edward Lee

iTrader: (3)

I checked Fusecote but their only in California. Your best bet is to open the yellow pages and start calling powdercoaters. I'm sure that you can find one that will do it for cheap. Fuseocte did my subframe connectors, stage 1 and 2, for $75.00. Good Luck. Your rims don't look damaged enough to send them to wheel technologies.

007max

iTrader: (3)

i had this happen a few months back at the local firestone... those a$$es wouldnt do anythin about it though... they only f'ed up 1 wheel but it ****ed me off cause the were brand new 2k1 SE wheels i just got for my '95! they also broke 2 of the centercaps and then spent a month getting me new ones... which werent even painted! F**K FIRESTONE!!!

FloydMax

My sympathy regarding your alloys being gouged and scratched. That was really sloppy handling by what was probably a disgruntled, tired and unsupervised employee.

When I had a set of tires installed recently, I went to Sam's Club where they will install for members even if you did not buy them there.They charged $9 for mounting, balancing, new stems, another $1 for disposal. They use a machine that balances laterally as well as rotationally. Each tire usually takes 4-6 weights (small ones), generally some on each side and then it balances perfectly. When they saw the 17" alloys, the installer said "uh-oh, these can be tough". I discreetly said to him that if he could handle all four without a scratch, he would get a $20 tip for the job. Needless to say, I got a first rate job and he got his $20. I felt it was money well spent. I got the tires from Tire Rack and local installers were quoting $25 per tire "because they were 17" alloys and required 'special tools'....more like, duh, careful skills and supervision. Just thought I would relate how the promise of a tip made a huge difference on the outcome...and Sam's was backed up with 20 cars waiting too! Certain times of the year, tire installers are way overworked and underpaid for their effort.

PepBoys is required to do their work "with a professional, workmanlike result". Handled politely but firmly, I think they will take care of your rims or give you an outstanding price on four new ones. You could wind up with two sets...cool.

TheBlueWookie

Well the saga continues.

I went back there tonight to speak with the manager, who turned out to be the 'service manager' not the store manager. I politely tell him the situation, he looks at the rims and sees the damage for himself.

He then proceeds to tell me that he can't see how the damage could have happened at his shop, because they use some sort of plastic gaurd when they are mounting tires...

Anyway he tells me to get a repair or replacement estimate, and to come back in when I have that.

In the meantime he wants to talk to the service tech who worked on my car, but he won't be in until tomorrow. The service manager was very non-commital that they would even do anything, at least thats the perception that I got. I have a feeling the service tech is going to tell him some BS to protect his own @ss, and that I'm going to end up getting screwed here.

I didn't exactly take pictures of my wheels before I went in for service, so I get the impression that it's going to be my word against theirs.

Anyone have anymore suggestions?

Bman

Sorry, no more suggestions, but I think you are handling this very well and wish you good luck. I hate it when things like this happen to people.

For what it's worth, from the pictures it doesn't seem that that kind of damage looks like the typical "curb rash" damage that people sometimes cause. Usually the wheel lip gets damaged a lot too (because it sticks out just as much or more), but the lip doesn't look very bad to me. Also it is unlikely that identical damage has occured to all four of your wheels like that. Hey I just had an idea - if it's possible ask the wheel repair place to write a comment on the estimate of if it could have been caused by a mounting machine or not. You never know, a really experienced guy might be able to take one look at it and say "yep, that's caused by someone doing xxxxx wrong when mounting them.".


I think I'll be taking dated "before" pictures (maybe holding a newspaper) and take a camera with me to the tire shop when I get my tires mounted in the spring....

TheBlueWookie

well, actually I think I may have been proved wrong.

I went back yesterday to follow up with the service manager and they agreed to repair or replace the rims. The store will replace the rims themselves as long as the replacement cost doesn't exceed a certain amount (which he wasn't sure what that amount was), otherwise if it exceeds that amount the corporate office will have to get involved and handle the replacement cost.

To make a long story short, he talked to the tech that did the work, and the tech said he didn't notice any damage when the car came in, so they're cool with replacing or repairing them. If I get them replaced they want to keep my original rims, but I can live with that.

I haven't been able to find a repair shop, so I'm looking for replacements. The only place that I can find so far that sells the stock Nissan 17x7's is www.wheeltechnologies.com They are $225 each there, but the site has been unavailable all weekend.

If I can't get the stock Nissan Rims, then I'm going to have to go with aftermarket rims.

I've found a few on discounttiredirect.com.

MB Desing - Gear
Rage - Vigor
5zigen - Fighter (Titanuim)
5zigen - Fighter (Silver) Nakayama - X7 (Hyper Black)
Nakayama -Vador (Hyper Black)
Nakayama - RSX 5 (Hyper Black)
TSW - Sting


I have to meet with the store manager tomorrow morning to let him know what I want to do, so we can get them ordered right away.

If anyone has any other suggestions I'm all ears.

Bman

I don't know how big New Haven is, but you mean there aren't any wheel refinishing shops in town? I assume you've already phoned around and looked under "Wheels" in the phone book...

Anyway, that's good to hear that they're receptive and willing to fix your problem.

Do a Google search for "OEM nissan wheels" or something and you should come up with a few sites (or maybe all the same site with different domains) that sell them. There are also wheel refinishing sites online and I think they might do them on an exchange basis too.

TheBlueWookie

I did find a few shops that said they could fix them, but none of them would guarantee me that they could turn them around in less than 1 week...

So there's my dilemma with getting them fixed, as I don't have another car, or another set of wheels to run while these would be repaired.

1 week without a car is not a possibility for me. And the cost of a rental car for a week, in addition to the repairs would bring the price at or above replacing the rims.