# Sheer anger



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Decided to use a company local to my hometown for new tyres. 

Clarified before they started they could fit new tyres safely to my 19 inch rims as I know they can be difficult. 

Watched the young guy jack up the car to find leaving the car in gear doesn't lock the front wheels on a BMW meaning he couldn't slacken the bolts. 

Watched in horror at the struggle to remove the previous tyres with levers slipping and bloody knuckles. 

They did one front first and had the other rear tyre off. 

I looked at the front and there was a huge level mark through to the bare aluminium. Inspected the rear on the tyre removal machine and it had 3 sizeable marks. 

Furious doesn't cover it as my wheels are one of my favourite parts of the car. 

The guy said that he knew painters who could tidy it up but don't work Saturdays. I refused this anyways as the wheels were perfect beforehand and blending in isn't a fair repair. 

He said to get a quote and send him it so I phoned the wheel specialist there and then and allowed him to speak to the guy. 

He wouldn't give me the cash up front and won't pay the company directly either. I've to get it done and he will give me the money. 

I suggested leaving the tyres on and I would pay minus the damage costs to which he refused and put the old ones back on. 

I thought that was a fair offer to help cover his loses but he didn't want to. 

So I'm back to square one and have a bill to pay to have my wheels refurbished again then hopefully have no difficulty in recovering my money. 

Sick and tired of trusting people to work on my car when 99% of them always fail to do a satisfactory job. 

I won't mention the company name and allow them the opportunity to recfify the damage first.


----------



## millns84 (Jul 5, 2009)

Gutted for you mate.

The lack of care and amount of damage these knuckle draggers can cause is sickening. What's wrong with just doing your job and leaving the car/wheels in the same condition they arrived in? :wall:


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

A few of the obvious marks without moving the car and getting the ones at the bottom.


----------



## herbiedacious (Sep 27, 2010)

l feel your pain. have you checked the inner rims? They quite often leave clamp marks there too. 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

herbiedacious said:


> l feel your pain. have you checked the inner rims? They quite often leave clamp marks there too.
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


Not looked yet.

They will be getting refurbished now anyways.


----------



## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

I'm very lucky to live close to Lepsons and for the obvious reason they are always my first and only choice for tyres.


----------



## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

I had this the last time not as bad but was gutted as busy and forgot to check before removed car the guy was very fast and the machine had dirt all over the guide that scraped the rim , maybe if they bought and paid for the wheels they may care, hope you get your money as it makes you sick when this happens


----------



## Obsessed Merc (Apr 10, 2011)

The problem is that a lot of places "get away" with shoddy work as the majority of Joe Public wouldn't notice, or if they did would find it too awkward to complain.

Hence, when they are picked up on the rare occasion, they have no real complaints process or the faintest idea of how to treat a customer fairly.

In most cases they make it as difficult as they can, hoping you will **** orf and drop the issue.

Put a formal letter of complaint in, confirm who you spoke to and that they have seen the damage, accepted liability and will pay for the damage. 

I would have paid them, reluctantly with a c/card and then issued recharge proceedings soon as I got in. Your back in the driving seat then..

Good luck.


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Obsessed Merc said:


> The problem is that a lot of places "get away" with shoddy work as the majority of Joe Public wouldn't notice, or if they did would find it too awkward to complain.
> 
> Hence, when they are picked up on the rare occasion, they have no real complaints process or the faintest idea of how to treat a customer fairly.
> 
> ...


I would have paid by credit card in the circumstances but I had nothing to pay for. He took the tyres back off.


----------



## _Chris.T_ (Dec 28, 2012)

Kerr said:


> Sick and tired of trusting people to work on my car when 99% of them always fail to do a satisfactory job.


Absolutely 100% this


----------



## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

hmm. So he fitted new tyres, damaged your rims and then changed back to the old tyres?

Thats illogical. Surely if you get them refurbed and go back for your new tyres he risks damaging them again? When you get them refurbed and go back to him for the money whats to stop him saying "you didn't get tyres off me so how could I have damaged them?"


----------



## tmitch45 (Jul 29, 2006)

Sorry to hear this its a bl**dy discrace if you ask me! More people need to complain when they receive poor and incompetant service like this. I'm suprised you let him near the car to put the old ones back on. As far as I would be concerned you own him for the tyres and he owes you for the wheel damage so what you suggested was fair. At the moment he owes you and whos to say that after he sleeps on it he won't now change his mind? I would be wanting a full refub as well, i've seen too many friends who have had spot repairs blended in and they look terrible.

If you took it to one of those highstreet places I'll tell you my horror story. I had a tyre changed at S**t Fit and they gave me the car back with only 2 of the 4 wheel nuts on and they were only just more than finger tight. You cannot imagine how I felt when I noticed a vibration, stopped, took the hub cap off to find 2 nuts on and 2 rolling around between the wheel and hubcap!!

Needless to say I've been using a local guy for a few years now and would only trust my cars to him.


----------



## sfstu (Aug 3, 2010)

at this point, i would buy the tyres you need and get them fitted by the company that does the wheel refurb.
i did this and they obviously change the tyres very carefully as you're getting them back re-furbed and like new condition...:thumb:

very annoying for you OP though...i'd be proper hacked off but lesson learnt, find a decent fitter then just use them in future...:thumb: hope you get your money back from him ok...:thumb:
myself, i can't go near kwikfit or merit these days...:doublesho there's one near me and i often sit at the traffic lights and watch the lads on the forecourt practicing their bmx tricks and chain-chugging energy drinks...:doublesho:lol: i watched one young lad last week, slam the trolly jack under the car, whilst watching his mate do wheelies (pretty well tbh) and the neck of the jack actually slammed into the lower sill of the car and bounced back...:doublesho quality....
get my tyres online generally and only go to a couple of places for fitting, one for the cars and one for my bike...costs a little more but you get more piece of mind...
rgds stu


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

I visited a local powder coat company to here and he said exactly what the guy from Aberdeen said and I know. 

A spot repair will never be good and once the powder coat has been breached water will get under and the wheel will deteriorate around that point. 

I text that to his mobile number which he gave me at the time for contacting him directly. That was over 4 hours ago and no response. 

I do actually wonder how much will be saved by doing a smart repair. I've seen guys paying £50-60 for a smart repaired wheel and the wheel specialist in Aberdeen said he would do them for £80 each. 

The smart repair guys I've seen usually break the beading to get proper access to the lip of the wheel and those runflat tyres are ultra stiff making ithard to do that with a tyre machine. 

At for him backing out I do worry he might try to do this. 

Sadly I made a video prior to taking the wheels to the garage. Yes that is how untrusting of anyone I am. 

I took videos of the wheel with damage with a continental tyre on it fitted back on my car. 

I took a video of the other damaged wheel sitting on the tyre removing machine and the discussion with him admitting guilt was recorded and very clear. 

There isn't much way he could argue against what I've recorded today.


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

I bought the car in 2010 and the rims were in very good condition. The car is an 08 plate.

The condition was the dealer had to replace the tyres as the front tyres were brand new but a poor brand and the rears on their last legs.

They replaced the fronts ok and allowed me to use another dealer in there franchise to fit the rear tyres when they arrived at a later date which was closer to my home.

They gouged the rear wheels and were forced to admit guilt.

They paid for a repair which was agreed had to be powder coating but went behind my back and against my wishes and spray painted them very poorly.

I had to get trading standards and the finance company to force the dealer to do it right which they eventually did after much fighting.

I see to be spending my life fighting with dealers, damage due to the condition of the roads and people who do work on my cars.

It really is an endless cycle of battling with a bunch of useless gits. If I behaved this way at my work and was so poor at it, I wouldn't have a job.


----------



## gaz_vxr (Dec 29, 2012)

Not good mate. Hopefully you get this resolved to your satisfaction. Needing to get new tyres soon so hopefully I don't end up at the same place!!!


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Lone_Par said:


> Not good mate. Hopefully you get this resolved to your satisfaction. Needing to get new tyres soon so hopefully I don't end up at the same place!!!


It wasn't Aberdeen.

I'm currently in West Lothian.


----------



## President Swirl (Oct 23, 2011)

It's infuriating mate. If he's the ' apprentice ' then he is probably only part way through the big book of arses and elbows. He may not have been aware of how to deal with the situation, and was hoping you'd go home and forget about it. Your offer was fair, and you should get some Faradays lining your wallet.


----------



## Kev_p_91 (Dec 29, 2012)

I know how you feel, I had the same done to my 19'' black alloy wheel but not as bad and the guys attitude was he couldn't give a sh*t. Different if it was his wheel but its just 'another wheel' to them. I was far from happy, hope u get it sorted and get compensated fully plus some!


----------



## sfstu (Aug 3, 2010)

try shopping around maybe for powder coating/wheel specialists...?

i had all 4 of mine done for £160 (just outside london)...
they took the tyres off, blasted, dipped, powdercoated, put new tyres on, balanced, washed (with bilberry!) and then delivered them back to me (about 40miles and after they picked them up from me too)...:doublesho:thumb:

as you have videos and conversation with him regarding damage, i think you should be ok with him paying up, as he'll know it could be pretty embarrassing for him otherwise...


----------



## rapala (Jan 18, 2007)

I am REALLY dreading when i need new tyres on my car as it has white alloys.Can just imagine what they will look like after they have been clamped in the machine and they use those bars to get the tyres off


----------



## AaronGTi (Nov 2, 2010)

The guy sounds like an utter pr1ck take them all the way to get it sorted


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

sfstu said:


> try shopping around maybe for powder coating/wheel specialists...?
> 
> i had all 4 of mine done for £160 (just outside london)...
> they took the tyres off, blasted, dipped, powdercoated, put new tyres on, balanced, washed (with bilberry!) and then delivered them back to me (about 40miles and after they picked them up from me too)...:doublesho:thumb:
> ...


I've heard some people getting wheels done for an amazing price but I've never found anyone up here in Scotland that do it cheaply unless the job is poor.

Also to be fair I'm already likely to have to take time off work, either have to take a days holiday or start late and leave early to get the car in and out. The wheel specialists are at the other side of the Aberdeen and I will be left without a car for the day too.

I might manage to save £20 a wheel travelling 50 miles but will waste the same in fuel and not to mention even more of my time taken up. I would have to wait about for a full day.

I've never seen anyone offering collection but I'm stuck for doing that too. I don't have spare wheels or axle stands to leave the car on.

It shouldn't be me having to lose out further.

£80 per wheel isn't a bad price compared to what all the other companies charge as long as they do a very good job.


----------



## Banksy40 (Sep 5, 2012)

Ask for details of his insurance company as you want to make a claim, might get him moving quicker on paying up.

Yup his premium will probably go up next year and his excess on it will probably still leave him out of pocket but tough luck he caused damage to your car.

Either that or go to trading standards.


----------



## sfstu (Aug 3, 2010)

Kerr said:


> I've heard some people getting wheels done for an amazing price but I've never found anyone up here in Scotland that do it cheaply unless the job is poor.
> 
> Also to be fair I'm already likely to have to take time off work, either have to take a days holiday or start late and leave early to get the car in and out. The wheel specialists are at the other side of the Aberdeen and I will be left without a car for the day too.
> 
> ...


when i got my wheels done, i did have my car on axle stands for a week, which wasn't a problem at the time...

when i got the wife's wheels done i managed to borrow some steel rims with tyres from a mate...

same day service or car left on site will usually cost more...


----------



## rf860 (Jul 24, 2011)

Kerr, i know exactly how you feel. Sick and bloody tired of garages (and companies in general) not taking care and making a complete ar$e of everything they do.

Every time i get something done on the car, there is always a problem to sort out due to some monkey who's hashed and bashed their way around the car. 

For example, i recently purchased a new to me car, on collection was advised that it had 'been through the workshop' for a service and new tyres. 

Front wheels weren't balanced, cambelt wasn't done. Had to arrange to go back and get this sorted along with a sensor to be replaced in the heating system. 

Turned up on the day, told i'd have to pay for courtesy car - AYE RIGHT!! Spoke to the manager, he will refund the cost to me.

Went to pick up my car three days later (soon found out my car had to go to an auto electrician and sat for TWO days doing nothing) only to discover a kerbed alloy, broken engine cover, scratch on bonnet, interior trim piece not fitted correctly and the service book had been marked 'no' under cambelt replacement instead of 'yes'.

All this carelessness has only cost me time and them money as they've had to compensate me and replace the broken bits.

It's honestly depressing and i loose heart even trying to keep my car nice with all the hassle that's involved these days. 

Getting new alloys soon and i dread to think what will go wrong when getting them fitted!!

Rant over, and good luck with getting it all sorted out


----------



## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

Gutted for the OP, that is very disheartening and seeing how a lot of these tyre fitters treat wheels it's no wonder they end up marked. As said the average member of the public probably doesn't even notice. 

That said I recall going to pick up an ex girlfriends car who had the wheels refurbished and found the wheels damaged from where they'd re-fitted the tyres. Told them as the finish wasn't good either and they re-did them but even goes to show that somewhere that repairs wheels doesn't always take the car they should. 

Hope it's not too much of a pain to get fixed.


----------



## wish wash (Aug 25, 2011)

I had a mate with a similar issue, 20 inch nissan gtr wheels, they marked them and the lad said its only a slight mark, whats the issue. 

Well the issue is there £6000 a set nismo alloys, thats the issue.


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Went to the wheel specialist in Aberdeen on Monday to get an in person opinion and writen quote. 

Phoned the tyre place and told him the findings before forwarding the quote. That was first thing Monday morning. Bank details were given for a transfer. 

Not arrived yet. 

The feeling he isn't going to stump up is getting greater.


----------



## cleancar (Sep 21, 2006)

I'd defo take them to small claims unless they cough up , just for the satisfaction alone


----------



## bigup (Jun 4, 2009)

Also dreading the day I need new tyres. 

Got 18" black alloys on my octy vRS blackline

Not too sure who to trust with them!


----------



## possul (Nov 14, 2008)

When ever you have tyres fitted ask them to move the machine 5mm above the wheel.
By doing this the bars used shouldnt touch the rim at all, as that's what normally happened with the pressure of the tyre pushing it back down
Also lube the tyre on removal as I have seen the tyre take paint of a rim.
I take all precautions on the basis of thinking everyone has taken pictures of there rims just for this sort of thing.
Touch wood I never have one come back


----------



## sfstu (Aug 3, 2010)

possul said:


> When ever you have tyres fitted ask them to move the machine 5mm above the wheel.
> By doing this the bars used shouldnt touch the rim at all, as that's what normally happened with the pressure of the tyre pushing it back down
> Also lube the tyre on removal as I have seen the tyre take paint of a rim.
> I take all precautions on the basis of thinking everyone has taken pictures of there rims just for this sort of thing.
> Touch wood I never have one come back


wish you were nearer to me, i'd definately come to you for all wheel/tyre concerns...:thumb:

thats the trick, to find someone like the above poster who takes care and pride in his work...:thumb:


----------



## possul (Nov 14, 2008)

bigup said:


> Also dreading the day I need new tyres.
> 
> Got 18" black alloys on my octy vRS blackline
> 
> Not too sure who to trust with them!


wouldnt hurt to goto garages and ask tbh.
Speak to the lads who change them, ask them to put rags on metal parts which clamp the rim to machine. explain its your pride and joy.
If they don't understand then its not the place to having your tyres changed at


----------



## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Kerr said:


> Went to the wheel specialist in Aberdeen on Monday to get an in person opinion and writen quote.
> 
> Phoned the tyre place and told him the findings before forwarding the quote. That was first thing Monday morning. Bank details were given for a transfer.
> 
> ...


Just stand out side his place on Saturday morning if he won't pay and tell all the people with the nice cars what has happened i'm sure he will pay up then, or just say he has a week or you will go to small claims court


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

The never ending saga continues........

I did manage to get the £160 of the tyre man and went ahead and booked my car in to have the wheels done.

Simple instructions were to have the wheels done the exact same silver as the wheels were previously and the last refurbishment should have been a measure of the work I expected.

Here is what I got.










The wheels are miles darker in colour but that is far from the worst of it.

Look closer










Various parts on three of the wheels I can see dust trapped under the lacquer.

Here is the horrendous orange peel. This just isn't excusable.


























There has been no money changed hands but the company want another shot at getting them right.

How can you trust a company to go from so bad to doing a good job?

I'm sick fed up at the moment.

Just mess up after mess up by supposedly trained people.


----------



## Spoony (May 28, 2007)

You've got to give them another go anyways, they need a fair chance to rectify their errors


----------



## Will_G (Jan 23, 2012)

Who done the repair works? TWS Aberdeen?


----------



## cmillsjoe (Jun 20, 2012)

that orange peel is a disgrace


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Spoony said:


> You've got to give them another go anyways, they need a fair chance to rectify their errors


I was aware I had to.

It was the receptionist and not the guy who done the wheels that asked for another attempt after she inspected the wheels.

Curious if they will or if they know their standards won't meet a reasonable standard or my standards.

Would be a waste of both of our time to churn out a similar standard again.


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Will_G said:


> Who done the repair works? TWS Aberdeen?


Sadly so.

I so hoped they'd do a good job as a lot of people were interested.


----------



## gaz_vxr (Dec 29, 2012)

Nightmare. I couldn't fault them when they did mine as well. Hope you get it sorted.


----------



## Will_G (Jan 23, 2012)

Who did you deal with there? Ash? I'd give them a second go to fix it


----------



## should_do_more (Apr 30, 2008)

I thought it was just me that had to plan to get every job done twice. Good example is today. Chip in the screen. Said to the bloke its bad, in line of site, will fail the mot. Need a new screen.

Have to arrange time off work, wait in, he turns up late, with no screen.

I come back to find a bodge job with filler all squeezed in the chip. he says he thought he'd have a go because he didn't have the spare screen on order and reckoned I was exaggerating when I called it in.

So now I have a see through massive chip, mot in a couple of weeks, and down a day of holiday.....and need to book another one.

Aaaaand breathe.....

You have my utmost sympathy at the unbelievable moronic way that no one cares about anyone else's stuff or quality of a job the first time out. I don't know if it was ever the case if anyone gave a monkeys or whether we just think they did and are just getting less tolerant.


----------



## xJay1337 (Jul 20, 2012)

Wait so sorry I'm confused who repsrayed the wheels?
was it all the wheels or just one?
Was it wet spray or powdercoat?

If they are powdercoat they would all be the same colour?

I'd just ask for a refund and then take it to a proper place..


----------



## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

Feel for you mate,i hope it gets sorted.


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Will_G said:


> Who did you deal with there? Ash? I'd give them a second go to fix it


It was the female receptionist.

The guy who did the job was wearing glasses with green flashes. Think they were Armani.

When I went back they were both in the office. I pointed out they were far too dark, he didn't seem bothered and just said it was the lightest colour they had.

I pointed out I asked for the same colour they were before.

When I pointed out the orange peel he didn't seem bothered and it was the receptionist that came out to look at them.

He just didn't seem either bothered or interested to be honest.


----------



## Will_G (Jan 23, 2012)

Not so good! I wasn't overly happy with a couple of things after a few months condition of them seemed to have changed but I went back and they sorted them straight away no questions asked. Been perfect since, I just put it down to the older guy who was in charge the day I dropped it off


----------

