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Review #1[SB], 25 Apr 1999Some of you may remember my experiences with National Tire and Battery (NTB) and damages my pristine OEM 98 wheels suffered during a dismount. Now that it has finally been resolved, I would like to post the facts of my case and allow you to draw your own conclusions. I think some may find it important to know of my experiences when tire shopping. As to whether it would be satisfactory to you if the same should happen, only you can decide. Wheels were clearly damaged during dismount of the OEM tires. Clearcoat was gouged off
the rims in several places, with jaw marks on the interior of the wheel. I got attitude
from the store manager but he finally reluctantly offered to have them refinished. We had
a significant disagreement when I tried to get it writing. I asked to deal with the
regional manager. He was very pleasant, but would not even entertain the notion of new
wheels. He offered to refinish them, At this point, I discussed with him their high cost and associated high value on the used market - in a pristine as new condition (such as what I brought in). As I had already purchased a spare set of 94+ rims for my winter tires (oddly enough so I could avoid mount/dismount damages from repeatedly switching summer and winter tires), I had considered selling the new rims and financing tires with the difference. Refinished rims, although "as good as new" are NOT new and thus fetch about $500 less on the open market. I explained this to the regional manager whose response was an offer of only $200 off new tires and refinishing the rims. In a subsequent conversation, I then explained very clearly to him what would be satisfactory to me and that I would be posting what he decided to the national NSX Club of America. In case he didn't know, NSX owners buy alot of tires (he knew). What I wanted was new OEM rims, but if I couldn't have new rims, I wanted refinished rims and $500 towards the purchase of tires to compensate me for the loss in value of my rims. He stuck to his previous $200 figure. $200 is likely their margin on the set of tires, so he wasn't giving me anything, really. Also, the store invoiced me for full retail until I pointed out that I could get the tires in question from the Discount Tire store down the street for at least $300 less. So apparently he was trying to make up some of the wheel refinishing cost as well. They couldn't find three separate choices in tires (Toyo Proxes, Dunlop 8050, Dunlop 9000), so I finally bought a set at a local Discount Tire store (Pirelli P7000 Summer), and made NTB send me a check for the $200. In case you're interested, I inquired at the Discount Tire. I presented them my scenario and asked what their policy would be. What they told me was that if I wanted new wheels, I'd GET new wheels. That is corporate policy handed down from the owner. Company is still privately owned and run by the man who feels that a satisfied customer is a customer for life so whatever the cost in the short term is outweighed by the long term. Seems to me that for $300 in the short term, NTB lost MUCH more than that in the long term.
Review #2Becky Halkard, Fri, 10 Nov 2000I just read your commentary about NTB. I had exactly the same problem with them, only being a girl, they really ripped me off! I brought my new Mustang Cobra in for a tire upgrade. They ruined every one of my rims in the same manner as yours. I was pretty meek about the whole thing, but did manage to get them to replace my ruined rims, not with new rims, but with some not-so-ruined rims. There was no discount on the tires, about $1,500 worth, and no apology. Needless to say, I now go to the discount store down the street and have been for the past 3 years since the incident. Thanks for posting your note, hope it helps others before they get carelessly marred, scuffed and gouged.
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