Shared Knowledge
"TireRack.com - User Review"
17 March 2010
Summary: When it works, it works and when it doesn't, it doesn't
Background:
Think I stumbled upon an advertisement for TireRack.com in a car magazine I was reading in a doctor's office.
Checked out website and then called around to local suppliers and for sure, TireRack.com cheapest place to get tires and they ship right to installer. What could be easier?
So over the years, I have bought 10 tires from TireRack.com and in every case, up to the most recent, no problem. Tires are what I ordered, tires were delivered quickly and installer did a good job.
AND THEN.............
Last Thursday, had 2 new Pirelli tires installed on the front of my BMW X5. As before, price was good, quick ship and installer had them on in 30 minutes BUT
the next day, the passenger side tire was low in air. Think nothing of it as installer rarely inflate to the correct pressure, pumped it up to the BMW prescribed 32 pounds per square inch (PSI).
Next morning, tire is flat.
Maybe a nail, somehow?
Pump up tire again to 32PSI and begin washing it down using a paint brush and water. Can not find anything. Run hands all around tire and do not feel a nail or any air leaking. OK, must be leaking around the wheel or perhaps the new valve stem?
Take BMW X5 back to installer and tell him tire is not holding air.
Few minutes later he calls me into shop bay and shows me this air leak where the sidewall ends and tire tread begins. Asks what I hit? What? Did not hit anything!
Ok, so what to do?
Leave tire on car and call TireRack.com. Nice lady answers my call and I explain. She says, "Sounds like installer may have damaged the tire installing it. She is going to call the installer and see what he has to say. OK and what is he going to say? NOT ME. I did not damage tire.
Get a phone call from TireRack.com. They need pictures of where tire is leaking. OK. I shoot multiple digital single lens reflex (SLR) images with my Canon D40. Not a point-in-shoot but a real camera. Of course what sort of detail is going to show on a black tire?
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Point out specifically were tire is leaking and interesting that it leaking air at the end of a line that extends from the side wall almost to where the tread begins.
NOW I ASK YOU. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ODDS ARE THAT I COULD HAVE HIT SOME SORT OF KNIFE EDGE EXACTLY WHERE THAT MANUFACTURING LINE ENDS? AND UPON EXAMINATION, THERE ARE MULTIPLE SUCH LINES ALL AROUND THE OUTER EDGE OF THE TIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Think my case for a defective tire is pretty strong and so I wait for TireRack to call after they review my digital images.
Well, today, I got a call. "They can not determine cause of air leak from my digital images and my choices are: (a) remove tire from wheel and UPS back to them so they can determine probable cause or (b) take to a local Pirelli tire dealer and have him examine and deal with Pirelli if need be.
What is wrong with this picture???????????????????
Either way, I ship to TireRack.com and have no front tire for however long or take to dealer that did not sell me the tire and he is going to deal with Pirelli on my behalf?
NOPE AND NOPE. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
I save some money but when there is a problem, the buyer is going to be at fault cause "you hit something."
SO BOTTOM LINE: I am done with TireRack. Going to ship both new tires to National Highway Transportation Safety Board (NHTSB) and have them determine if defect or not (I 100% convinced it is a defect in the tire). At least I stand a chance of getting a fair evaluation from them.
So when TireRack works, it works great but have a problem and you will learn how you saved a few bucks by buying tires over the Internet.