All Mid-tn People, Need Help!
 

Will post my novel-length, two-day-long tail of woe in another thread, but had a horrible experience trying to get winter tires installed on my wife's and my roadsters, and have a vibration in wife's car fixed, and to make that very long story short, after two trips with each car over two days, they screwed up about as much as they accomplished, and I now am looking for yet another installer/alignment place. BTW, I am posting this thread here b/c I wanted to reach more eyes than just the wheel/tire forum.

In the MID-TN area, which tire installers do you use/know of who meet the following criteria:

1. Do BOTH install and alignment on large, performance-size rims (most places around here can't do over 17").

2. Own (& know how to use) a Hunter balance machine.

3. Know that "stagger," in the wheel/tire context, has nothing to do with what a drunk does after three hours in a bar.

4. Are positively anal retentive about not damaging your rims.

While I think that all of the above are very reasonable requests, I am nonetheless having a great deal of difficulty finding a tire installer in the MID-TN area who meets all of the above criteria.

Any help from my area brethren appreciated, preferably Nashville area and east. Thanks.

I've had my Z serviced at Firestone next to Rivergate mall twice and was treated well and the work was good. I had my stock 17's switched for the Touring 18's and the work was done very quickly and perfectly. About the Hunter balance machine, I have no idea. Hope that helps.

Do you alll have Gateway Tire services on your Area? Try them!

just moved into the area two weeks ago so i really can't help you there. but i would be interested in finding out as well

Precision Motoring @ 615.837.3990. Talk to John Dix, owner or Ryan Dix, lead technician. visit their web site @ www.precision-motoring.com. These guys are great and they take pride in what they are doing. They have a balancer that adjusts for road force variance. One of only a few in the area, to be sure. You won't be disappointed. Go visit them and decide for yourself, but I'm certain you will be as satisfied as I have been!

Scott

Thanks for the info., all. zmann, the balancer which adjusts for road force variance IS the Hunter machine which I referenced above, which is sometimes referred to as the "Hunter Roadforce" machine. Got sold on the machine when I had a problem with my previous car (G35 6MT coupe).

This is kinda weird, but I found the "precision" guys when I was looking for an installer before my nightmare occurred, because I did a google on the word, assuming someone who put "precision" in their name might be at least a little more careful, and, well, precise. Also, I found them on the Hunter website list of area folks w/machines, but b/c they were listed at a "suite #" address and were called "Precision Motoring Design," I just assumed they were a bunch of car design/engineer types and didn't install tires or do align. Once again, I am reminded of what happens when we assume.

I am suitably impressed and am working on trying to get them to become an approved installer for Tirerack.

Oh yes, they do it all. And they are more than happy for you to be back there with them because the guys love talking to you about your car, project cars they've worked on and are working on, etc. They are just a great group of guys and it is refreshing to have found them because finding these types that do take pride in what they do seems to be harder and harder to do. I'm sure they aren't perfect, but in my experiences, particularly with respect to the tire and wheel issues, they are pretty darn close. I will tell you that as far as alignment work goes, they have one fellow at NTB there in Hickory Hollow that they use, Christian. I've actually known him for quite some time since all my balancing and alignment work historically has gone to them. So, when you ask precision for an alignment, they sub it out to NTB and get the service at NTB cost and pass on to you. And they make sure Christian is the one that does the work. So, these are the guys I'll be using going forward. And I've already had my sons car in there for them to do work on his. Be sure and let them know Scott Mann sent you. Not that they'll treat you any different, but that will just give you a connection from the get go. Good luck, and let me know how it goes.

Scott

Doug, Chris, and I use Ultimate Car Care on 12th and McGavock downtown behind McDonald’s. Talk to Bobby Armstrong or Jerry.