Local Place - Refused to install tires...

SabrToothSqrl · Apr 29, 2015

Anyone else having a 'fun' time finding local places to work on your car?
I own nearly every car tool known to man, but still haven't had the desire to justify being able to mount and balance my own tires... Although with 3 cars and now 4 trailers... it would be nice to balance trailer tires... time to hit craigslist!

My 2013 CPO car came with two pretty much worn out front tires. I'm guessing they were the rear, and before I got it Tesla 'rotated' them.
**Should a CPO come with such worn out tires**?

So I ordered some new tires on Tire Rack, Tuesday at noon, and they will be at my house Wednesday! LOVE Tire Rack.

However, here is where the fun begins... The Service Center is 90 miles one way for me... so not really ideal.

Called a higher end dealer in PA, got the receptionist who had obviously never had anyone who doesn't own [this make of car] ask for tires to be installed before.

Hey, this isn't a Bentley, but it's not a geo metro... so I'm not really thinking I'll just take these wheels to SEARS... but I am thinking of that now.

Anyway, my buddy works at another high end shop, and I have an appointment there.

The receptionist got back to me... 2 hours later, with a "very busy" service manager, and went on about how if any lights came on, or special tools, etc. etc. and $125/hr labor and stuff goes wrong.

THEY ARE TIRES. IT'S A CAR. It even has a OBDII Port! Not asking you to replace the drive unit... just some tires here. I even suggested I could bring just the wheels OFF the car.

Anyone else running into these issues? I had it inspected there as well... but looks like I won't be going back for that either.
I'm not going to fault them for not wanting liability issues, but they are just tires... (Which is why they are not mentioned by name here).

SW2Fiddler · Apr 29, 2015

SabrToothSqrl said:
Not asking you to replace the drive unit... just some tires here. I even suggested I could bring just the wheels OFF the car.

That should have been your slam-dunk, end of discussion, get-er-done moment right there.
Tires on loose wheels are about as brand-agnostic as you can get.

lphe · Apr 29, 2015

Would the tire shop know hot to get the car to recognise the TPMS sensors?

green1 · Apr 29, 2015

Sounds like your mistake was taking any vehicle not from a specific brand to a dealership of that brand. Find an independent place instead, or a shop that specializes in tires.

I'm quite familiar with shops being afraid to touch anything "different", but generally someone will, and, as you said, a tire is a tire.

tga · Apr 29, 2015

SabrToothSqrl said:
My 2013 CPO car came with two pretty much worn out front tires. I'm guessing they were the rear, and before I got it Tesla 'rotated' them.
**Should a CPO come with such worn out tires**?

Probably not - I'd see if Tesla will replace them for free before spending more $

SabrToothSqrl said:
So I ordered some new tires on Tire Rack, Tuesday at noon, and they will be at my house Wednesday! LOVE Tire Rack.

Go on Tire Rack's site and find local recommended installers. Call them and ask if you can bring the car with tires. Most are independent shops and won't care. They may even be psyched to see a Tesla in person. Or call Tire Rack and see if they know any Tesla-friendly local shops.

I know a guy who runs a local independent Porsche/BMW/Mercedes shop and is one of the local Tire Rack recommended installers. I was over there when a Tesla owner called to ask if the shop would mount his tires. After hanging up the phone, the owner and his crew were talking about the car, and were all excited to get to check out their first Tesla.

SabrToothSqrl said:
Anyone else having a 'fun' time finding local places to work on your car?
I own nearly every car tool known to man, but still haven't had the desire to justify being able to mount and balance my own tires... Although with 3 cars and now 4 trailers... it would be nice to balance trailer tires... time to hit craigslist!

A good friend of mine did this. He found a Hunter setup on Craigslist cheap. It's pretty sweet to get tires mounted for the cost of a six pack.:biggrin:

Tampaukfan · Apr 29, 2015

I always bring my wheels OFF the car when I have new tires installed.
Unless Telsa is installing the tires, I think thats the safest route.
Find dealer that sells HRE or ADV wheels, shops that carry high end wheels tend to be more careful and have better equipment.

LetsGoFast · Apr 29, 2015

My little muffler shop was a bit put out when I asked them to do a state inspection, but they dealt with it eventually. I can't imagine a tire dealer having any issues.

SabrToothSqrl · Apr 29, 2015

Oh wow

http://www.tirerack.com/installer/Installer.jsp?zipCode=17339&x=5&y=16

lots of places, and prices listed!

- - - Updated - - -

Well, I found a place that looked good online, from the google streets photos, their website, and when I called the guy was like.. WOW I've never seen one of those, bring it by and we can see what we can do! So, because he sounded enthusiastic and hopeful, I'm gonna stop by the shop... looks like I may have found the place for all future work.

Wow, winning a customer really is that easy, isn't it?!

efusco · Apr 29, 2015

I've had no issues. Sam's club, while a bit uncertain about using their lift on the car did fine.
I have a local private shop that loves when I come in and they've gotten very familiar and comfortable with the Tesla.
And I live in the land of very few Teslas, neither place had seen one before.
It's just not complicated.

SabrToothSqrl · Apr 29, 2015

Good to know. thanks

EdA · Apr 29, 2015

I had a *nail* in a tire and the shop refused to work on the car.
I ended up driving it 40 miles to my local tire shop!
Fortunately it held out...

I was in the boonies...

I think I was in the tire equivalent of the "trans-meeesh-ion" shop...

glhs272 · Apr 29, 2015

I have been going to a local tire shop, Performance Tire in Burlington, WI for many years now. They have always done a good job with my cars and trucks of any brand. The Tesla is no exception. I had them put tires on my Tesla earlier this month no problem. They usually will match Tire Rack prices and without the shipping from tire rack, they are cheaper.

Rockster · Apr 29, 2015

I had a nail in my front tire last year and took it to my local NTB. Not only were they happy to take care of it, they mentioned that they had recently lost a technician because she left to work for Tesla at the Dallas Service Center!

jhs_7645 · Apr 29, 2015

I've had America's Tires (Vancouver, WA) fix a flat for me (21") with zero drama, I've also had them fix a loose TPMS (they even pointed out how Tesla did not tighten the TPMS properly and predicted *correctly* that another one would probably fall of as well). If they can do that, they can put new tires on. I see no need to take my car to anything 'fancier'.

- - - Updated - - -

Quick follow up. You can always have the Tesla Service Center nearest you call the tire place and talk them through any questions they might have. My service center has done that.

skboston · Apr 29, 2015

Are people that narrow minded? A tire is a tire, it's no rocket science, regardless of car.
I had a fun a my local tire shop when my tire went out couple of months ago, I drove the car to them, they said they'll take a look and really the only question with them was how to start the car and I had to tell them to put it in "Jack Mode", but other than that no issues with working on the car at all, after they fixed the flat, they just told me to drive it out of the garage on my own, they weren't so confident doing so at that time and it was their first Tesla.

AmpedRealtor · Apr 29, 2015

I love Discount Tire, do you have any of those in PA?

ThosEM · Apr 29, 2015

Be thankful it's not a Bugatti Veyron: Bugatti Veyron: 2011 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport Review - Car and Driver

markb1 · Apr 29, 2015

Wherever you take it, I suggest watching carefully as they prepare to jack up the car. I had to stop the guy at Discount Tire as he placed the lifting block so that it overlapped the battery pack!

You probably also need to tell them about jack mode (if you have air suspension). Actually, I'm not really sure what can go wrong if you don't use jack mode, but the manual says to use it.

Riprazor · Apr 29, 2015

I had to go to three different tire shops to find someone who was willing to install my Vossen rims. The first two were very polite but were very uncomfortable putting the car up on their lifts. The third also did not want to use a lift and used a hand jack after I had raised the car and put it into jack mode. They let me watch the entire process and used a small piece of 2x4 in between the jack point and jack.

Captain Ducman · Apr 29, 2015

I've experienced exactly what you described... some places are simply afraid of the car. I got a nail in a tire that had less than 1000 miles on it (tesla doesnt repair tires). A shop I've gone to since I was a kid said no problem. I showed them "Jack Mode" and where to jack it up, the removed the tire repaired it from the inside, re-mounted/balanced... $21.00.

About to pull the trigger on a set of 4 tires from TireRack with 2 mounted/balanced/TPMS for spares.

As others have mentioned: JACK POINTS and JACK MODE

Local Place - Refused to install tires...

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