I just got my rear tires changed and the hacks that were working on my car bent one of my rims!! :mad111: I stood there watching them through the window having a biatch of a time getting the old tire off my contour. They ended up bending the lip of the rim.

After brooding in my anger for a while I just chilled and realized that I am going to get a new wheel.

BTW the tire store was Les Schwab in Rohnert Park, for those in the North Bay area. I knew I should have went to Americas Tire since I have always had good luck with them. But I needed an alignment too.

Did they offer to pay for it instantly, or did they try and piss it off claiming it was not their fault?

I have my BMW dealer install my tires. They have the latest equipment and know how to use it. They are constantly changing low-profile tires on wide-rimmed expensive wheels.

The agreement is this. I bring my car in with clean wheels and we inspect my wheels for any damage. If they damage my wheels while they change the tires they give me brand new wheels! Also, if I want to watch them, I can.

The way I figure it is my BMW dealership changes more tires on BMW wheels (and high-end aftermarket wheels) than these tire shops do so they are my best choice to reduce the chances of damage. I'd rather pay a few dollars extra to my dealership and be assured they aren't damaged...and if they are damaged they will replace them with new ones. Most of these tires shops are used to changing tires on steel wheels from Chrysler Mini-Vans and salesman's Ford Taurus wagons!

Bob ///M3

Thanks for the input Bob. I'll remember that next time I get my tires changed :)

I feel for you. when I had my Racing Hart Type C2s, and the people who were mounting some new rubber for me really screwed up one of my wheels, I was pissed. They ended up fixing the wheel, but it was never the same. About 2 weeks after I got my "repaired" wheel back, the chrome lip tarnished. I went back there and demanded a new wheel and I got it. I did have to talk to the regional VP of Discount Tire for Southern California, but I had my brand new wheel the next day. I went straight to the top and got what I wanted.

Hype, they asked me what I wanted to do about the rim and I said that I want a new wheel. What did they expect me to say. So they are supposed to call me today with their details. If I dont hear from them by 2pm, I will be calling them.

Bob, do you bring the tires into the dealer? What do they charge you to mount and balance a set? I stood there and watched these guys change my tires. That was how I noticed that the guy bent the rim. Otherwise they would have probably blew me off. They did have a hard time with removing the old tires.

I can either buy my tires from the dealer or buy them elsewhere. My dealer is usually within $10 or $15 per tire so I let them furnish them just to save me the hassle. Also, if one of the tires happens to be bad for any reason, I don't have to deal with it...they do. They are performing a service and I don't mind paying a little extra for that service.

To be honest with you I don't recall how much they charged for mounting and balancing.

If you have BMW wheels my dealer gives you new center caps at no charge too!

Bob ///M3

That's good info, Bob, thanks! I wonder if they'd do it for aftermarket wheels, especially large wheels like 18-19" ers, etc...

goto tirerack.com
look at the list of installers in your area

usually they will list that they deal with low profile/large wheels etc.

I dont trust the dealer as far as i can throw them.. and i cant throw them

I went to the dealer today during lunch to ask them if they do tires. Although they said yes, they said that it takes them a long time (to set up)and they charge like $95 to mount and balance four tires. Tires are extra of course. The said they usually contract out that sort of work and gave me the names of a tire store and another place for alignments.