More tales from the autoshop

[KeresM]

Contrary to what you seem to believe, not all tires are the same. They come in different widths, radius, treads, etc...

When I tell you we do not have any used tires in the right size for your vehicle, and will not be getting anymore until our shipment on Friday, the correct response is not to point at a stack of random tires and say 'just use those'.

I mean, if you insist, I can, but since that particular stack is a bunch of tires taken off cars due to being unrepairable, this probably won't make you happy. If you keep interrupting me before I can tell you that the reason I'm not checking sizes on those is because they all have holes in their sidewalls, I may stop caring about your happiness.

Yes, I know I was able to give four tires to the lady who came in after you. She drives a standard car that takes the most common tire size. I have these tires coming out my ears. You have oversized tires for your lifted oversized replacement penis. The price you pay for that whopping 10 feet a gallon gas mileage is your tires will not always be in stock. And your axle is coming off because whoever installed your lift kit was a moron, but you claim we (the professional, licensed, certified mechanics) don't know anything, your neighbor's son is good at these kits.

So, you think we are idiots and we've established that we do not have the items you are looking for. Why are you still here? The shipment is on Friday. Today is Saturday. Surely you aren't intending to wait? Did you just push a customer out of your way to ask me yet another stupid question about why you can't use the ruined tires? Yeah, you need to leave now. See this phone? The cops are on speed dial, and I have your name and license plate number. Not to mention your driver's license number, phone number, address, and mechanic that has no real problem with scrawling all that information in the restroom of the truck stop next door. Oh, you are leaving now? So sorry to see you go, no, you can't have a coupon for next time.

[friendofjimmyk]

You have oversized tires for your lifted oversized replacement penis.

And your axle is coming off because whoever installed your lift kit was a moron, but you claim we (the professional, licensed, certified mechanics) don't know anything, your neighbor's son is good at these kits.

No, of course not....trained professionals could not POSSIBLY know anything about the vehicles they are fixing!

When I was driving a tow truck...it's amazing how many people though they knew my job better than me. I mean, I probably got that more often then my cowokers cause I'm a girl...so I can't POSSIBLY know what I'm doing with that big Tonka truck I'm driving!

[mandaliz8704]

Honey, is that you?

You sound just like my husband. He runs a truck accessory shop. His favorite are the guys that want to put big ol tires on their itty bitty trucks but object to the lift that will allow the big ol tires to fit. There are more of them than you'd think.

[Broomjockey]

Man, I don't have a car, and I know that there's different sized tires with different purposes, etc. How it is that I randomly acquired this knowledge, but this wanker hasn't managed to figure it out, I dunno.

[protege]

His favorite are the guys that want to put big ol tires on their itty bitty trucks but object to the lift that will allow the big ol tires to fit.

Even better are the idiots with the riced-out Hondas. They want to put huge rims on their vehicles, and get upset when the necessary low-profile tires aren't cheap. Even more fun when you tell them that the wheel can't go on from the side...but has to go on from underneath... Truly a spectacle to behold!

[Bosch]

No, of course not....trained professionals could not POSSIBLY know anything about the vehicles they are fixing!

When I was driving a tow truck...it's amazing how many people though they knew my job better than me. I mean, I probably got that more often then my cowokers cause I'm a girl...so I can't POSSIBLY know what I'm doing with that big Tonka truck I'm driving!

No its possible to know more than the tow truck driver, I got one not long ago that didn't know how to get my lowered car up on the flat bed or get it back down.. You need some wood 4x4's so you don't rip the front bumper off you jerk! Jebus I miss LA where those guys just know those kind of things. Up here in Seattle if its not a subie or a prius they have no fucking clue what to do.

And people are stupid when it comes tires. People want the cheapest ones they can find even though your LIFE depends on them.

Its a very double edge sword, but I walk into a tire shop either with the tires I need mounted bought with all the paperwork from your on-line store or from TireRack who recommended you so my tires are sitting there waiting for me. Since I do run odd size for my car or a specific tire like a Drag Radial which not common to most tire shops.

Though my gripe about most tire shops is that since I'm a girl I wouldn't have a clue what the torque spec for my car with custom rims should be, and dudes 120ft pounds is way over the stock spec. And 35ft lbs over for my racing wheels. And I don't give me that shit that you say you don't have warranty you work if you don't overtorque my wheels to inifinity. Cause your cheat sheet says to torque too 120ft pounds for stock rims, umm i don't have stock wheels

[DesignFox]

My Dad's a mechanic and owns his own shop. He has stories like this all the time.

love it.

I love what he used to do with the used tires. His original shop was in an area known for cheapskate customers. He couldn't legitimately sell used tires because the haggling etc. would be out of control. The cheap-asses literally would steal tires out of the garbage bin before buying a legit used tire.

So, my Dad came up with a solution. He would put repairable holes in the good tires and throw them out. The "customers" would steal them and hire him to mount them on the car. He would notice the holes (since he put them there), charge them to remove, repair, and then remount the stolen tire.

Thankfully, his new shop is in a good area and he doesn't have to play games with his customers anymore (also, now he's been in business for so long that most of them are regulars, anyway).

[joe hx]

And people are stupid when it comes tires. People want the cheapest ones they can find even though your LIFE depends on them.

or the people who have the high-end mustang, or the chrysler 300, or mercedes, or some other expensive car, and want cheep tires. if you drive an old beater and can barely afford tires, sure, get the cheap ones. better a cheap generic tire than one with an old high-end one with a broken belt.

[Bosch]

So, my Dad came up with a solution. He would put repairable holes in the good tires and throw them out. The "customers" would steal them and hire him to mount them on the car. He would notice the holes (since he put them there), charge them to remove, repair, and then remount the stolen tire.

That is just being damn smart and saving yourself frustration.

[friendofjimmyk]

His favorite are the guys that want to put big ol tires on their itty bitty trucks but object to the lift that will allow the big ol tires to fit. :

I once towed an older Camaro...it needed some work, but it wasn't too bad. This kid put wider tires on it - the nice wide rims with skinny tires but failed to lift the body. So, his brand new tires were sliced up by the body of the car.

No its possible to know more than the tow truck driver, I got one not long ago that didn't know how to get my lowered car up on the flat bed or get it back down.. You need some wood 4x4's so you don't rip the front bumper off you jerk! :

Yeah. I knew that trick.

[wagegoth]

One of the funniest things I ever saw was a mini-truck that had been jacked up and monster tires mounted with a flat tire. It was nearly impossible for the guy to even get it over to the shoulder. It literally looked like it was limping. Yes, I laughed. A lot.

[QASlave]

And people are stupid when it comes tires. People want the cheapest ones they can find even though your LIFE depends on them.

I'm doing my part for the economy. I just bought a set of 5 Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revos (30x9.5 R15) for my jeep and 4 Goodyear Assurance triple-treds (215/65 R16) for the wife's van.

Maybe I should have put the 215/65's on the Jeep and the 30x9.5's on the van.

[Bosch]

I'm doing my part for the economy. I just bought a set of 5 Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revos (30x9.5 R15) for my jeep and 4 Goodyear Assurance triple-treds (215/65 R16) for the wife's van.

Maybe I should have put the 215/65's on the Jeep and the 30x9.5's on the van.

Me I am buying new tires at the moment, have two ContiExtreme Contacts sitting the garage and this payday will be buying the other two for my PT. Replacing the Bridgestone Potenza G009s also going bigger from a 205/60/16 to a 215/55/16 little wider for more stability and it just looks cooler I need more snow performance than just a good rain tire, which the G009 was.


friendofjimmyk - thank you that made me feel better. Cause that day I tell ya I was about to murder that driver cause he made me feel that I was "just a dumb girl who couldn't know anything about cars" When I was raised in a shop and have built just about everything from little 4-bangers to full 18-wheel disel motors and drive lines..

[mandaliz8704]

Oh, I love it when mechanics try to pull shit with me.

Some dude tried to tell me my water pump was bad in my old pontiac. Problem was, my "water pump" was actually an alternator that he was trying to pass off as my water pump because I have boobs and I wouldnt know the difference anyway, right? (His boobs were bigger than mine, BTW)

I just nodded and played along with him until he was done blowing smoke up my ass, and I asked him what that had to do with an alternator that wouldnt fit my car.

[joe hx]

Oh, I love it when mechanics try to pull shit with me.

Some dude tried to tell me my water pump was bad in my old pontiac. Problem was, my "water pump" was actually an alternator that he was trying to pass off as my water pump because I have boobs and I wouldnt know the difference anyway, right? (His boobs were bigger than mine, BTW)

I just nodded and played along with him until he was done blowing smoke up my ass, and I asked him what that had to do with an alternator that wouldnt fit my car.

why didn't he just say your alternator was bad? honestly it's shops like those that make it so hard for the few honest shops out there