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I'm an a-hole and PAX tires (long and language)

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  • I'm an a-hole and PAX tires (long and language)

    Today was one of those short shifts for me where I work the last 4 hours till closing at the autocenter. The shift started pretty well, my first customer was a 4 tire Michelin sale (yay money and commission) but that bubble was soon to burst.

    PAX tires


    Afterwards I answer the phone and the sc (already sounding sucky) is asking if we sold a particular type of tire by Michelin (I'm thinking, 'woot another good sale is to come') He asks if we sold PAX tires (then my heart sank lol)

    A little brief story behind PAX tires. It's a type of run-flat tire which is manufactured by Michelin. What it is basically is in between the rim and tire is a hard plastic tube essentially which is designed where when your tire gets flat and is out of air it can be still be driven at about 55mph cause the hard plastic is what is what keeping the tire inflated.
    And they are a bitch! When it comes to dismounting them for replacement, soo much that we don't even touch them. They are such a pain that only 6-7 places in the entire bay area is certified and licensed in the dismounting and installation of the tire and most of them are dealers. But even then the dealer would much rather sell a customer new rims with the PAX tire already installed from the factory since from what I was told from my commercial accounts manager that it can take 1-2 hours to replace just one PAX tire The PAX tire came standard on a couple of 2006-2009 Honda Odyssey's, Acura RL's and another type of mini-van.

    Lets just say while the technology is good idea the PAX is a aggravation waiting to happen. And lets just say this SC was aggravated. I tell him that we don't do those tires and that he would have to go to the dealer. He then asks if we could at least order them. I tell him we could try but where he would be able to go to have them installed is beyond me. Well again he's not happy and decides to go on a rant about how we are 'insert company name' and we used to offer great customer service and now we don't do sh*t! He hangs up and it was on to the next guy.


    Supposedly I'm an Assh***

    After the phone call with PAX tire guy a customer comes in and asks if we could rotate the tires that he bought with us for his truck (which is complimentary when ya buy a set of tires with us). Now we are currently short handed on technicians and while the 4 guys I had working at that time in the shop are great guys, work hard and fast. They can't keep up with the work load from the amount of people and customers who walk in at a single time needing service. So I let the customer know that while yes I could do the tire rotation for him today it would take a few hours and would be done by the time we closed.

    Course thats inconvenient for him and after a moment of thought agrees as long as we called on his cell letting him know it was done it was fine, he would go grab a bite to eat at the mall's food court.

    He returns after 2 hours and his truck is still sitting out in the parking lot. While helping another customer purchasing a portable power unit I see him and let him know that his truck was next in the line-up and as soon as a tech was free he would be out in 30 mins. Even though I forewarned him that it was going to take time for his truck to be serviced and did advise if he wanted to come in on convenient time on a less busier moment for us prior to writing up his truck for service. This of course was not enough (figures)

    He gets pissy about the reason why it is taking forever cause it was a free service? (which it ain't I and the tech get paid for it, even if it a couple cents) to which I let him know that no it's not the reason it's cause of the work load. He then stands there for a moment trying to have a stare contest and I break by asking him if he wanted to continue to wait. All while the guy whos purchasing the power unit patiently stands by the counter.

    His response "Your an asshole" Which kinda caught me off guard cause typically when someone is a "A" word it's typically cause they have done you wrong, and I didn't feel I had done anything wrong except offer him the choice of waiting longer or to return on a later date. I don't like being cursed at all, and my dignity has always came first before a job where in I despised SC's. I tell the SC to calm down and not to use profanity in front of other customers and that there is no reason to try and degrade me, and if he would like to we could speak outside the shop and not in front other customers.

    The SC asks for his keys and goes outside, to add some insult I tell him that I would be out there in a moment and he could wait for me, while I finished up with the customer I was helping at the counter I cash the customer out and he says before leaving "good luck with that guy"

    I go outside, I have no intention in getting into fisticuffs with this guy. For one I don't want to get fired for beating up a customer, also I'm bigger than this guy (I'm 6'3") and he's older (so I have respect for my elders) I just want to calm this Sc down and also in hopes of having an apology (doubtful) We 'talk' and lay out my entire story to him bout why I apologize for the wait if wants to calm down I would expedite his vehicle for service he just keeps going about how I'm an ahole and adds f'in moron to which I respond theres no need for it but he is welcomed to leave but not to return for 'harassment' (which is baloney and could care less if he came back) and take his truck to another autocenter for service.

    All while this is happening the district trainer coach for new technician hires pulls up in his vehicle and witnesses the ordeal. In the end the guy gets in his truck and yells more profanity when driving off. I go up to the district trainer and explain what transpired. He totally had my back and even complimented me on handling the situation which was taking the SC outside and talking to him and not yelling back and using profanity back. Even the trainer was like "Some people can't be helped"
    "This job would be great if it wasn't for the f***** customers." - Randell 'Clerks'

  • #2
    Ahhh, PAX tires. I hate those things. They're overpriced, a PITA and not any better than any other run flat out there. Nissan stopped using them and I *think* there was a class action lawsuit against Honda for not disclosing that the PAX system was so expensive.

    Letsee. When I was at Big Automotive Retailer managing all of the sublet cars, replacing PAX tires on an Odyssey would cost us $1400 in parts. US. Not a consumer. And that's just the tires. You have to buy the whole wheel/ tire assy if you aren't near a dealership that's certified and has the right equipment. It's just DUMB.

    They're also an uncommon metric size in addition to being a totally different mounting system, so you can't even swap the tires with another run flat.

    Oh, and the fun thing? If you have a Honda, you HAVE to go the dealership because there's an exclusivity agreement with Michelin; no one else can sell the Odyssey tires. Not so with Acura and Nissan, but you can't just go anywhere to get them, either because of the nature of the tires.

    I felt bad for the Honda service writers having to inform all the Odyssey Touring (the model that they're standard on) owners that they needed $3k in tires 3 years in.
    Last edited by Betweenshades; 04-15-2011, 12:35 PM.
    "You are beginning to damage my calm."

    Comment


    • #3
      Spring

      It's spring, winter tires are coming off. Are any tire changers out there not busy at this time of the year? If he keeps acting this way it will take over a week before anyone will have enough free time to change his.

      Comment


      • #4
        Winter tires? What are those?

        I'm from sou Cali. My tires only come off in the case of rotation a flat, or brake work.

        ^-.-^
        Faith is about what you do. It's about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It's about making sacrifices for the good of others. - Dresden

        Comment


        • #5
          Quoth earl colby pottinger View Post
          It's spring, winter tires are coming off. Are any tire changers out there not busy at this time of the year? If he keeps acting this way it will take over a week before anyone will have enough free time to change his.
          I do not miss this. When I lived in Nevada, the semi-annual changing of the tires was a pain, and my uncle even did it for me for free at his tire shop. Not how I wanted to spend an afternoon.
          Labor boards have info on local laws for free
          HR believes the first person in the door
          Learn how to go over whackamole bosses' heads safely
          Document everything
          CS proves Dunning-Kruger effect

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          • #6
            Quoth Andara Bledin View Post
            Winter tires? What are those?

            I'm from sou Cali. My tires only come off in the case of rotation a flat, or brake work.

            ^-.-^
            Most people have all season tires. All season tires don't need to be changed with the seasons.

            People who live in part of the country with severe winter weather often upgrade to winter tires that grip the road better in slick or icy conditions, but reduce gas mileage.
            They say that God only gives us what we can handle. Apparently, God thinks I'm a bad ass.

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            • #7
              If by 'part of the country' you mean 'Every inch of that big country a ways to the north'.

              There's a reason one of our largest store chains is called Canadian Tire.

              Comment


              • #8
                Quoth earl colby pottinger View Post
                It's spring, winter tires are coming off. Are any tire changers out there not busy at this time of the year? If he keeps acting this way it will take over a week before anyone will have enough free time to change his.
                Not mention with taxes due here in the states and some people going to be getting their tax refunds, they are going to be using that money towards neccesities like tires and what not for their vehicles.
                "This job would be great if it wasn't for the f***** customers." - Randell 'Clerks'

                Comment


                • #9
                  Quoth Andara Bledin View Post
                  Winter tires? What are those?

                  I'm from sou Cali. My tires only come off in the case of rotation a flat, or brake work.

                  ^-.-^
                  I will ask the same question ---- WINTER TIRES????? I am deep in the hearta Wisconsin and my job involves driving A LOT. Winter tires???? not happening. I bearly have enough $$$s for the all season tires I get now.
                  I'm lost without a paddle and headed up SH*T creek.
                  -- Life Sucks Then You Die.


                  "I'll believe corp. are people when Texas executes one."

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I'm amazed after this winter, when I got my oil changed and my free inspection, my shocks and struts are still in the "green" area. AMAZING.
                    You really need to see a neurologist. - Wagegoth

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