The tire guy at Walmart told me my tires would probably blow tonight AFTER I paid and was walking out the door

Question

I was in Walmart for 2 hours getting my front tire fixed (it had a leak). After I paid and started walking out the door, the tire guy told me my back tires were so bad that they'd probably blow out on my way home. Why didn't he tell me that WHILE he was working on my car so maybe I could have bought some new tires? Instead, I had to drive home afraid that my tires would blow. My fiance called and complained to the manager. Shouldn't they let customers know things like that and give them a chance to fix them? I'm not a tire expert so I had no idea they were that bad (they really don't look that bad). Isn't that their job?

Answer 1

Seriously... call 1-800-wal-mart and go through the prompts to TLE (tire and lube express) and tell the customer service rep what happened, and ask if TLE normally lets customers out of their service dept on unsafe tires without advising the customer(you).

Be angry when you call and see what happens....

Also use the "rate"  on yahoo yellow pages and be honest about your local walmart.

Answer 2

This is why you don't go to Wal-Mart and trust your life to some pimply faced teenager to know what he is talking about when it comes to cars- let alone tires lol. If you do get hurt as a result of that technician allowing your vehicle to leave their service bay, you can sue!

Answer 3

Well, that is why I don't use Wal-Mart to get my tires or many other things.  I'm not a fan of Wal-Mart.  The employee that recognized the tire problem should have informed you of the tire problem so you could have taken action to have it fixed.

There are plenty of other places in my city to go and purchase tires with respectable and commendable employees that would tell me about any problem they saw (that I couldn't see).

Remember, Wal-Mart is just another store wanting your business.  You don't have to give it to them again when purchasing tires. . .

Answer 4

when it comes to cars do not go to walmart theyre not real mechanics

Answer 5

he was defiantly trying to scam you into buying more tires. make you feel the fear you did and just buy tires on the spot instead of thinking about it.  a lot of mechanics pray on people that they think don't know about cars it happens a lot he was tryin to squeeze afew more $$ out of you

Answer 6

Yes they should have but at the same time remember that you are at Walmart so don't expect much.

Answer 7

Yes, you'd think they would have said something.  Where was the supervisor when this work was being done?  Most people would be more than a bit irritated in your predicament.  Repair shops can get so busy sometimes that you have to tell them what you want done/checked.  Walmart does not offer automotive services in my state (in fact, your question was a surprise), but you have to consider where you are.  At a tire dealership or a full-service gas station, you would probably find more knowledgeable personnel.  Some places are so busy that you have to ask for certain items to be checked.  Leaving a large, written list of "to do" items on the steering wheel might help in the future.  You could also give the list to the service manager.  You can buy a tire gauge very cheaply & check your tires yourself, or have your fiance do it.  When you go in for your routine oil changes why not ask them to do a check of all your tires, belts, hoses, wipers and any other concerns you may have?

Answer 8

Yea it is kinda their job because, they are putting you in danger by being in your car. And if they knew that the tires were that bad  they should have told you that you needed new tires in the beginning. h**l it's Wal-Marts loss because if it were me I would go to a totally different place to purchase some new tires

Answer 9

yeah but you also have to put yourself in their shoes. if they told you that info before you paid for your tires you would be tihnking it was some kind of scam to get you to buy more tires and probably complain about him too. now if he told you that fact after you paid then you know he told you that without any motive.

Answer 10

That's called a scare tactic, which is actually illegal in most states. Most shops inspect every car that comes in, even if its just for an oil change. We look for anything that could be a hazard in an effort to inform the customer and hopefully, fix it. Its how we make money. I honestly don't understand why he would wait until after you've paid, it makes no sense. Not only did he let a (possibly) faulty vehicle leave, but he also lost money. Your husband did the right thing, though it probably would have been better if you had voiced the complaint. I would recommend that you not go to Walmart, or any of those other "Quick lubes" for service. We make a lot of money from them. They know nothing about proper service. Take your vehicle to a qualified  shop or dealer for repairs, they actually know what they're talking about!

Now, to your tires.

They're only an immediate danger if you see protrusions that look much like bubbles on the side walls of your tires. Those bubbles are caused by the bands of tire material separating. When this happens, your sidewalls loose integrity which can, and often does cause a blow out. It would also be good to check your tread depth. One easy way to do so is to take a Lincoln penny and stick it up side down in the groove that runs lengthwise in the center of the tire. If you see his head, you have too little tread and need a new tire. This, however, is not something that would cause an instant blow out, it just means your tire is getting bald.

Answer 11

people that work at Walmart aren't the brightest.  So just blame them for being dumb, and you should be smarter than them and check your own tires.