Hi guys I haven't been here in awhile, been working like crazy! Anyway, I ordered a set of kumho stp's from tirerack and got them in Monday morning. Tires look great and couldn't wait to get them on to replace my worn out toyo's. BTW, i'm running 19" diamond black GT-7's. Well I had an appointment (at 1:00pm) to get them mounted yesterday by a reputable shop in my area and they said it would take about an hour. So I arrive about 10 til 1 and the guy behind the desk ask me if I could wait until 2pm because they were backed up and were short handed. I said that's fine, I'll go get a bite to eat and be back at 2. So I come back at 2 and they take my Z to the back to mount my new tires. Well about 15 min later, the service guy, shaking his head back and forth, comes into the waiting room and tells me there mounting machine will not work with my wheels So I ask, why? He said that the GT-7's are rear mounted wheels and there machine will not work with my wheels. and in the process of trying to get my old tire off, they scratched my lip of the wheel. About a 4" gash! So at this point I'm fuming inside, don't know what to do next. He said that they will get the lip fixed and re-clear coated by some company they use to refinish wheels. Which I have heard of some people getting their lips re-cleared and not looking as good as what it was originally, but I guess we'll see what happens. They are now pointing me to a "ricer" shop where I see civics out the wazoo, to get my tires mounted and I just don't know if I should trust these guy's, but they said they could do it and have done it before. What should I do?

 

You should draft a contractual agreement with the guys who scratched your wheels, stating that they bear full responsibility for the scratch and subsequent repairs. Otherwise, it's too easy for them to deny responsibility.

As for where to go to get your tires mounted, where do other Z's go?

 

That sucks. Sorry to hear that. I'm fortunate enought to live a few miles from the Tire Rack headquarters. They have "touchless" equipment and what a difference it makes.

I'd insist they replace your wheel. This other place may be ricer heaven but if they can do it I'd grin and bear it for a while.

 

getting it documented that it was their fault is a good idea. maybe you can find out what kind of equipment they use at the ricer shop.

 

Sorry, AND thanks! I'm sticking to my OEM 17"s thanks to your experience. Again, sorry, dude.
____________________________________________________________ _____
'O4 Touring Coupe/13k!!!/$2O,5OO!!!/ NO FEATHERING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Dam, they should have known that from the beginning before they took your car in. That's a ******** tire shop if they dont know the difference. They need a different machine just for 19's and 20's so it doesnt scratch. Dumb *** shop should have known that. **** I know that.

Anyhow sorry to hear this. Get it in writing and have them buy you a new rim.

 

New rim New rim New rim. Have the manager get out a credit
card, call up andy or rick and get a new wheel PRONTO. A fix
will take time. This is clearly their fault. Let this be a lesson to
all. check and recheck before anyone touches the GOODIES.

 

Damn they should buy you a new wheel. They are a professional shop and they decided to take your business. They should bear the full blow and not just a fix-a-rim

 

Going to talk to them in the morning to see what we can work out. and hopefully they will agree to a new wheel, at least a new lip. Anyway, I just hope this other shop can mount the other tires without scratching another wheel. We'll see what happens. The ride continues...

 

The magic word is Reverse Mount. I had to go to a few shops before they could do it. Some shops have a machine where they put like a plastic cover on top of your lip so that as the tire is put on, it does not scratch the lip.

--Sam

 

Just a little update, I STILL have not received my wheel back! I got a call 2 1/2 weeks ago saying that they got the damaged wheel back and it looked horrible, and they sent it off to another wheel repair shop. I am getting tired of the run around and don't know what to do. I'm afraid that when they get the wheel back this time, they won't do anything else, like get me a new wheel since this is the second time they sent it off. I already asked if we could just order a new wheel, but they said this new repair shop has a good rep and should look like new. My other 3 wheels and brand new tires are still at their place. just venting, any ideas?

 

This thread needs some photos.

 

Step 1: Get the good wheels and tires the hell out of that place.

Step 2: Do everything you can to get them to buy you a new wheel. The wheel can not be repaired back to it's original condition. A wheel repair shop would have to strip the clear coat off and polish your wheel out. There are very few places that can do a good annodized clear coat in this country and it would cost more than what your wheel is worth to do. A wheel repair shop may be able to make it look good, but you will need to perform a significant amount of up keep on that wheel as it would be straight polished with no clear coat. It may also look dfferent from your other wheels, which sounds like what is happening, or a shop attempted to put a standard clear coat on that looked like crap.

 

Finally, finally got my wheels back yesterday and had them mounted and balance at another shop, they look great. I really like the kuhmo stp's they have a great ride to them. But I have another problem, I'm rubbing the rear fender lip when I hit a bump in the road. I never rubbed with the toyo's but that's what I get for trying to go cheap, I guess. They are the same size also 275/35/19. I talked today to a bodyshop in town that says they can roll the fender, but when I asked if they used the eastwood roller and heated the paint he had a confused look on his face. He said, he has another tool that he built and has done a bunch of car's. So should I let this guy do it for $75 both sides or order the roller myself and give it a try?