Wheel Damage

[Duane <drcollie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 08:19:45 -0700
>From: "Lew Becker" <subecker@domain.elided>
>Subject: Recommendations To Mount Tires w/o Wheel Damage

>A few months ago, there was a thread regarding this issue on the Digest;
>and, several members posted that any quality shop will replace wheels they
>damage. 

Hiya Lew!

Hey - remember the shop that damaged my new Fiskes when mounting up my
S-02's?  I had given them fair warning that they MUST not damage the wheels
(new - outta the box) and they said they could do the job. I even told them
NOT to attempt the install if they thought they may damage them. Their tire
machine was a bit old and I was skeptical. You know the rest, 3 of 4 new
FM10's were damaged. I was peeved.

I sent them a bill for repair/replacement of 3 of the 4 outer rim halves ($
800.00), but offered to settle for half of that (needed a new set of R1's -
what's some marks on the rim when you can have new stickies?!?). They
refused to pay anything at all - the owner said they did their best not to
damage them. 

HA!!! Who did they think they were dealing with??!!!

So I filed suit on their negligible arses via Small Claims Court in Fairfax
County and subpoenaed half the shop as witnesses (it took 4 of them to get
the S-02's on the rims + the asst. manager)....so in effect I was gonna
drag their collective butts halfway accross the county for the better part
of a day so they could suffer some embarassment in front of a public forum
(I was gonna invite most of the National Capital Chapter to the trial -
have the guys all give 'em hairy eyeballs and the like).  They would've had
to shut down the shop for the day as 2/3's of their tire installers were
gonna have to take the stand! Do you get the sense I was going to get some
rather morbid enjoyment outta this? I've done Small Claims many times and
knew I would win....

Anyways...when the serve papers arrived at their shop and it dawned on them
that I was gonna put the screws to 'em BIG TIME, the owner of the shop
DROVE over to my business and handed me a check for the whole amount of the
repair, apologized, and said he never wanted to see a set of custom wheels
like that come into his shop again.  Pretty cool, eh? 

So anyways...I'm rambling here...back to your original concern.  I think
that ANY shop you take your wheels to should stand behind the install.  I
know here in town that Merchant's Tire, National Tire and Battery, and
Curry's Automotive will.  They tear 'em up - they pay.  Obviously Dinan
doesn't want that aspect of the business - so you'll have to go elsewhere.
No way I'd let someone do my rims that wants a damage waiver. 

 I think Steve C. and Gary B. have the ultimate solutions - buy your own
Hunter TC 350:
 
"Hon....dear....I really NEED this tire changer...it's not much (lying
now)...and it will really come in handy....Oh yeah...the wheel balancer is
different, but they're not too expensive either (nose is growing), besides
all the Car Club guys will come by and PAY me to use it so I'll get the
money back (REALLY lying now...car club guys MOOCH, never pay!)"

Duane Collie
SVR / UUC /RM3DR1
N.C.C.

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