S/O to Discount Tire

"Jayhawk Jake" (jayhawkjake)
09/12/2020 at 10:40 • Filed to: None

Maybe we’re just blessed, but I have to say: Discount Tire, at least at my location, has amazing customer service.

I was rotating my tires and found this huge nail (bolt? screw?) in the tread. Put my stock wheel on as a spare, tossed it in the trunk, and ran down to Discount Tire for a patch.

For those that don’t know, Discount Tire patches tires for free. That’s great and probably 80% of why I like them. But if they did free patches and were jerks about it then it wouldn’t matter.

Each time I’ve gone they’ve been very nice, worked quickly but not to the detriment of quality, and taken great care of myself and my car.

I wonder what the metrics say on how much of their first exposure to a customer is a tire patch, and how often that leads to a future tire purchase? It’s a simple gesture that likely doesn’t cost them much in the grand scheme, but it definitely makes me look to them first when I need tires.

DISCUSSION (20)

Just Jeepin' > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 11:03

I’ve always been happy working with them, except last time they managed to lose the center cap on my spare, so now they’re on probation.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 11:07

Since they opened discount tire here I’ve been a huge fan. I even got my wheels and tires for my Datsun from them. They can order anything and have very competitive prices. When I told them what jack points To use on my car they actually listened and were very gentle with my car.

Kinja'd!!!

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 11:10

There is a local tire shop here called Action Tire that is similar. They simply will not take your money for little stuff like flat repairs, valve stem replacement, or rebalancing. Won’t even accept a tip. They have earned my business 100x over.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 11:32

I used to work near a discount tire and I heard some horror stories from my coworkers about them, but I always had great experiences with them mounting and balancing tires. I just never let them zip gun them onto any of my cars.

(I’ll bring them home and torque them to spec myself thankyouverymuch)

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 11:35

I had my last set of tires put on by a local chain after I bought em on ebay. Then I picked up a nail the next week, took it to discount for a patch, since it was free. I intend to get all future tires mounted at discount, since it’s about the same price but the local chain wanted like $20 for a patch.

Jayhawk Jake > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
09/12/2020 at 11:53

Yeah, when they offered to put it on the car I was a little hesitant that they’d just ugga dugga it to death but I watched the guy carefully put the lug on, tighten it, then properly use a torque wrench to torque them.

QCGoose > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 12:01

Big praise for Discount Tire in my location as well (Davenport, IA).

I was hesitant to use them at first, just because of the name, but after reading a few reviews I took a chance and couldn’t have been happier with the end results. Competitive prices, clean facility, and EXCELLENT customer service. I’m a fan.

MonkeePuzzle > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 12:04

I suspect the varying success of satisfaction with DT is due to some franchising. I’ve certainly had great experiences in one location, such as a tyre patch that would indeed make me willing to return for a full new tyre set purchase; and bad experiences as others that makes me frustrated.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 12:12

Dang. Sounds like you have a good one on your hands!

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 12:19

I generally like them, however certain branches are known to try to upsell or tell you that new tires are needed when they’re not. I went into one once for a patch; he “read” the tread depth a 3 /32nds and recommended all new tires. I had him check it again, this time holding the gauge without his fingers on the measurement marks - and it was 7/ 32nds.

That being said, I’ve even purchased tires that after a few hundred miles I’ve hated, and they take them back no problem.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 12:27

I've had the same experience! Had a nice screw in the tire of my subaru. They got it out easily and me back on the road in no time. No annoying upsells, no pitch, no nothing. I'm assuming the business angle for them is to market you tires if your tread is low enough. Since most people drive tires to death and often a hole is not fixable if it's too close to the sidewall. So it's a minimal cost to them with the potential to make good money on tires. But I agree, they are friendly and made the experience worthwhile. Now if only they sold every tire that I want to buy! Tends to be hard to find specific snow tires and 200tw options, even with using discount tire direct online.

Thisismydisplayname > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 12:51

I’ve purchased over a dozen, and probably closer to 20 sets of tires from them. I’ve only been disappointed with the service a couple times. Most of the time they are excellent. I’m definitely a fan.

facw > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 13:44

My (limited) experience with them has been long waits (with low-quality cover music playing) , new tires that were two years old, and added charges for road hazard warranty without my consent. I know a lot of people recommend them, but I wouldn’t deal with them again.

His Stigness > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja:
09/12/2020 at 15:28

I think it’s pretty shitty when a company has a policy that disallows tips. It’s not fair to the employees , or really to the customer.

I worked at America’s Tire for six months and had worked at PepBoys previously who didn’t allow tips. The first time a customer at America’s Tire (Discount Tire) offered me a tip, my manager was standing by me, I had to ask him if it was okay and he gave me a look like, “Yeah, no shit it’s fine.” I told him after why I hesitated.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > His Stigness
09/12/2020 at 15:33

They don’t disallow them, they just won’t accept them . They’re a small local owner- operated shop and do it because they know it builds a good relationship with their customers. They take care of you, you’ll remember it, and when you need to spend actual money on tires new or used they’ll be the first people you’ll want to give your business to. It works too, I've been buying tires there for years.

VincentMalamute-Kim > Jayhawk Jake
09/12/2020 at 16:13

I watched them mount wheels on another customer’s car. One guy went around and partially tightened the lug nuts with air gun followed by a second guy with a torque wrench. That impressed me.

VincentMalamute-Kim > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
09/12/2020 at 16:14

I watched them mount wheels on another customer’s car. One guy went around and partially tightened the lug nuts with air gun followed by a second guy with a torque wrench. That impressed me.

VincentMalamute-Kim > MonkeePuzzle
09/12/2020 at 16:15

They’re franchises? I did not know that. So work quality may really vary with individual stores then.

Urambo Tauro > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
09/12/2020 at 21:16

Yeah, s ince I do most of my own work anyway, I’m n ot familiar e nough with the local shops to know which ones use torque wrenches ( or at least torque sticks ) . I’m sure there are techs out there who are familiar enough with t heir rattle guns to get close to the spec range , but I don’t know who they are. Since I have a spare vehicle to transport the other’s wheels , that’s all I’m gonna let them touch.

stuckMTB > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
09/13/2020 at 10:28

I’ve had a bad experience with that at Belle Tire (scratched the living hell out of one of my wheels and refused to admit responsibility) but never had a bad experience at Discount. Plus, their tire warranties are the shit.