I have the lifetime rotate and balance from Discount Tire. I take it in every 5,000 for this service. I took my truck in last week to have them perform the service. When I went to pick my truck up the guy at the desk said that two of the lugs were damaged and broke off when they tried to get the lugs off. It was closing time and the manager had already left for the day. They broke two lugs, one on each of the front rotors. I went and got an estimate of about $150 to get them replaced. I know my father-and-law and I could do it as well. Does Discount Tire to be held responsible for the two broken lugs since they were the last to put them on or am I SOL?

TIA

 

these days you can go to court for anything and win. i'd say they were responsible, not like it was you taking off a tire and broke em.

 

broke as in cap came off and left the inside (threaded) part on the stud?? these two piece lugs have a tendency to do that, in this case, you can stick them with the bill, but it might have happened regardless of who put it on.

 

Oh yeah they are definitely responsible! There is no reason for those to break. and if they break them they should be responsible to fix them. You tell the manager to fix it or lose your business, it sounds like you are a regular customer, and they are the only ones to touch the lugs. so they either over tightened the last time, or tightened instead of loosened this time! Either way its on them!!

Stand your ground and make them fix it!! Just my opinion!!

 

I've had Discount break them on my truck before, talked to the manager and he called one of his repair shops he does business with for this kind of thing and it was replaced free of charge. I'd go back down to the discount tire and talk to the manager, be polite about it, and just explain to him what happened. Dont go in with the mind set of "Im going to take your *** to court if you dont fix it", just be honest and tell them that you never mess with the rotations and always bring it in to them to so they were the only ones who have ever worked on it and they broke it this last time.

 

Had that issue when I took my step dad's car in to Firestone for their lifetime rotate and balance deal. They broke one, and were the only shop to ever touch his tires for the life of the damn car. I fought like hell with them, but ultimately had to pony up $90 for them to replace the stud.
Might have won in small claims, but who has the time to fight it for $90, and they know that...

 

How much can the studs cost, really? If they will replace them, fine. If they want to put up a fight just go buy them yourself and press them in yourself. Its not that hard and could be less hassle. Chances are that if you had caught a flat and needed to remove the tire yourself they would have broke anyway.

 

I would have to say it's their fault. I have never ever had any problem breaking a stud. Why? Because i never use air tools for the wheels!! They muscle the studs all the time and over torque the crap out of wheels nuts. Way more than they should. If they broke it using an air tool than they should pay. An air tool is a luxury, not a necessity.
The guy that I had mount/balance my Coopers even used a torque wrench because of the aluminum wheels. My kinda guy!!!

Air tools shouldn't ever be used wheels even though they do it all the time. If they don't start the lug with their hands first, the air gun will strip the threads and then they will use the trigger and try to muscle it on anyways. That's prob. how they broke the studs. Did you ask for the pieces that broke? That would have prob helped you win the situation over.

Any shop is going to deny absolutely everything they can these days. Not enough profit marginbuilt in the the expenses to cover all the silly costs that happen on a daily basis. that is why I do everything I possibly can so no idiots can touch my cars.

 

Just got off the phone with the manager at Discount Tire. He said the guy behind the counter that day is a moron (basically) and they have a deal setup with a local shop nearby that will replace both studs for free. I am tking it down there at lunchtime! Thanks everyone for you help!

 

Glad it worked out