Hmmmmm...
It would seem that the moral of the story is more like deal with and
support locally owned businesses.
On a new note, let's start a poll.
What is everyone using for tires out there and why?
Jay Fishbein, CT
AN-5
HAN-6
Innocenti-S
On 02/18/99 07:09:38 you wrote:
>
>Adrian:
>
>>This could very easily cause problems with the manufacturer
>>warranty because they couldn't write down the starting mileage...
>
>I had a similar problem with a set of tires and a chain tire store. I
>bought the tires and had them mounted, but didn't install them for
about
>six months (no road hazard warranty, BTW). I only brought the wheels
in,
>and when they asked about the mileage, I told the store that I wouldn't
>be installing them right away. I was told that it wasn't a problem.
>
>You guessed it: three months after the warranty expired (from time of
>purchase), a belt separated on one of the tires. I thought I was still
>within the warranty period, because I didn't put the tires on the car
>until six months after purchase. The tire store refused to replace the
>tire.
>
>My cynical nature makes me keep receipts and make notes on lots of
>otherwise mundane things (job hazard, I think). I had annotated my
>receipt with the date I put the tires on the car.
>
>I called the regional manager for the store, and when he wasn't in,
>called his supervisor, who was also gone, and eventually talked to the
>national supervisor. I explained nicely that I was told that it wasn't
a
>problem when I bought the tires, that it lead me to believe that the
>warranty began when the tires went on the car, and that I was otherwise
>very happy with the tires, although I didn't think a whole lot of their
>local store. He promised to look into it. Thirty minutes later, the
>store manager called, apologized profusely, had an employee come to my
>place of work, remove the wheel from the car, take it to the shop,
mount
>and balance a new one, and return and reinstall it.
>
>I still don't do business with that store, although I do use another
>store owned by the same chain.
>
>Since then I confirm almost everything in writing to avoid future
>problems ('nother job hazard). For instance, I think that if I had
sent
>the store a letter thanking them for the help with the tires and saying
>something like "I was pleased that your store employees took such an
>interest in my car, even though I only brought in the wheels to be
>mounted. As they will recall, the car is my pet project and the wheels
>and tires won't even be put on the car for some time. It was nice to
>learn that this wouldn't affect the warranties on the tires. Joe (or
Bob
>or Fred or Nancy or whoever) was very helpful." Had I done this, I
would
>have had something to fall back on.
>
>I have used this in a similar situation (home electronics) where the
item
>wasn't going to be put into use for several months. The department
>supervisor pitched a fit, but the store manager agreed with me that it
>should be covered under warranty. The letter, I think, lent some
>legitimacy to my claim (besides being fairly good proof in small claims
>court, which I was quite willing to file an action in). YMMV.
>
>The moral of the story: CYA
>
>Rich
>
>
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