Today I had to get tires on my O/T daily driver. I have been researching this for a month due to my new truck only going 18,000 miles on the OEM tires. I settled on getting tires from NTB. What a giant mistake. They didn’t listen when I asked for the old type clamp on weights and the “stick on weights” didn’t even make it home before parting company. Next, they didn’t replace the valve stems, even though they charged me for the TPMS repair kit. I realize that some of this is off topic, but I hate to see anyone get taken like I did today. Thanks for letting me vent! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I'd definitely go back and have a conversation with the boss , I gotta ask. What do you do with the truck to get only 18k miles ??
Now see, they have always done right by me. They mounted and balanced tires I bought elsewhere and didn't want to charge me. ( I always give the money to the guy that did the work) I buy all my OT cars tires from them also! I have a great working relationship with the manager! Every store is different, and so are the managers and employees, I guess I hit a good one! KK
I had the same issue with a large retailer that sells tires. I always thought new valves were part of the deal with getting new tires, but not so. After having issues with my new tires holding pressure and going back in several times, I find out that they don't put new valves in because they don't have all the different tpms valve types. But the offered to put regular valves so it would hold air. They then told me I should go to a tire shop to get new valves!? Which I did ,and I now go there for all my tire needs. Seriously, if you're not going to do the job right, why bother.
I use the bolt in type of valve stems. the Rubber ones we get today are poor quality and prone to leak,
They changed the oil in a car I got from a old girlfriend,changed the filter and added 5 quarts to what was in the pan. There was about 9 quarts in it.
I've been going to the small locally owned tire store for the past 10-20 years, tired of the chain store crap.... sorry to hear about your misadventure
Took my wife’s DD in for tires years ago, that was enough for me. Shop guy told manager car needs RF wheel bearing but car was fine when I drove it in there. OK, show me- the little dick had loosened up the spindle nut, I guess he thought I was an average Rube that didn’t know better. I made sure he tightened it properly and I left, but not before we had words in front of everybody in the store. Manager said he’d call the cops to which I said go ahead. No surprise, the f’n weasel backed down.
I’m not the only one that has had low mileage problems with Firestone Transforce AT tires. I was very concerned about it until I started researching on the internet. It’s not just a diesel problem either. The Hemi trucks have the same issue. Most people are lucky to get 25,000 miles out of the OEM Firestones. It’s my guess that Firestone made a really cheapshit tire for Dodge. Sorry, it will always be a Dodge to me, Ram is the model. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The problem is, there is no way that I would trust them to do any better this time around. I also work in the industry, but I have no way to dynamically balance tires. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Ever since the debacle with the Firestone 500s back in the 70's I've been leery of any and all Firestone tires. They screwed me over then and I'm reluctant to let them do it again!
My 2012 Ram came with Michelin's . got 50,000 miles from them. Replaced them with exactly the same tires and got 27,000 miles out of them. Had the free alignment and rotation on the replacements did not help.
I have been driving a Dodge/Cummins 2500 4x4 quad cab since 2004. My first one came with BFG All Terrain tires. At least 50% of my driving was pulling a car hauling trailer. At about 6 years and 50,000 miles the tires still had at least 50% tread and were evenly worn. But between their age and the small cracking and checking I found on close inspection, I replaced with exactly the same tire. At 97,000 miles in late 2016, same deal.....half tread remaining, but some evidence of surface deterioration. This truck is always outdoors, so no surprise nor complaint about rubber issues after that amount of time (6 yrs). I ordered another set of BFGs but before I installed them I fell victim to my son who said “I have a new truck in stock that you should see.”. I told him i didn’t need a new truck, but I would come look at it. You can figure out how that ended. But to my dismay, the new truck came with Firestone Transforce tires. Like others comments above, I do not like Firestone brand tires. However the new truck wheels were 20” and the 2004 were 17” or 18”, so the new BFGs would not fit. I sold my 2004 truck myself and the new tires were a deal ‘sweetener”. At that time BFG did not yet offer a 20” All Terrain. So, I decided to run the Firestone’s. I now have about 19,000 on them and, so far, no problems. Thread wear has been minimal and even. However, when they do need replacement, I will be buying the BFG All Terrains. As an aside, over the course of a year, I change quite a few tires and do have the good fortune to own my own mounting and spin balancing equipment. I use clamp on weights whenever the wheel will accept them, and adhesive weighs when necessary. I ALWAYS thoroughly clean the wheel surface with solvent (lacquer thinner, usually) and do not have any trouble with adhesion. Ray
As a 35 year veteran of the tire industry, I hear you loud and clear. Sounds like that the dealer needs some remedial employee training. We ran into those kinds of issues regularly, being a corporate owned location, where independent franchised dealers regularly did half-ass work, wouldn't handle issues such as yours, screwed over customers with warranty claims, and charged for stuff not received. It was all about the sale, not building a positive customer relationship. If the store manager won't either redo to your satisfaction, or refund the charges for the balance and stems, call their regional or the corporate office. Then you will see what the corporate culture is. Can't help you with the mileage shortfall, that's terrible! Lots of unanswered questions.
Had an NTB open near me about five years ago. They recently closed. Apparently, nobody was going there.
Companies primarily dealing with the general public, probably yes. Companies primarily doing B2B, no. With the general public, there's another sucker right behind you, so step aside. B2B is harder to establish, so suppliers generally don't screw their customers. Customers on the other hand, often screw their suppliers.
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