am i getting screwed?

I had a tire leak so i took it to "big O" and they took it off and found that a nail had gone through the bottom of the tire then bent around and started rubbing against the inside bottom of the tire through to the innermost steel layer. does that make sense? then they woudn't fix it nor give me my tire. whats the deal? they said that it could "blow out" I think they were feeding me horse poo. what do you guys think?

Bottom line is yes. They have no right to keep you from taking the tire which is your personal property. They have the right not to remount it for you but they can not take something which is yours. Go in there and demand to have your tire back, if they refuse tell them that it is yours and if they dont give it to you then you will call the cops. The cop will back you on this.
Take the tire for a second opinion. It may or may not be fixable.

yeah. thats a load of crap. I used to work at pep boys as a service manager. If we couldnt fix it, we could advise them that its shot, but never could we keep it... thats some crap. sue them damn it..jk if they refuse call the cops, and hes right, they will get it back for ya

madcrazy_lp said:

I had a tire leak so i took it to "big O" and they took it off and found that a nail had gone through the bottom of the tire then bent around and started rubbing against the inside bottom of the tire through to the innermost steel layer. does that make sense?

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It's possible... But rather far-fetched. Think of it this way: you pick up a nail. It goes into your tire - what's inside the tire that could bend it? Granted, it could've been bent when you ran it over - but it would've had to have been at a seriously acute angle to make its way down to the belt.

Out of curiosity, is this a Big O tire or another brand?

madcrazy_lp said:

then they woudn't fix it nor give me my tire. whats the deal? they said that it could "blow out" I think they were feeding me horse poo. what do you guys think?

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They're feeding you a line of crap.

Ask to inspect the tire yourself. If the nail's really bent down into the belts, the only way that they'd be able to tell that is if they've completely dismounted the tire - i.e., let all the air out and taken it off the rim. If it's still at the same pressure and mounted as when you brought it in, they're very likely lying to you in hopes that you'll buy a new tire. It's also pretty easy to spot a nail in a belt: it's the skinny metal thing stuck into the only other metal thing in the tire.

If this is the case (or they don't let you inspect the tire yourself), ask for the number to their district manager. Hold your ground on this, and tell them you're not leaving until they either a) give it to you or b) fix the tire for free for trying to screw you into buying a new one (and yes, you should phrase it like that). If they really get pissy about it, call a cop in. Don't even bother with threatening them; just do it.

madcrazy_lp said:

I had a tire leak so i took it to "big O" and they took it off and found that a nail had gone through the bottom of the tire then bent around and started rubbing against the inside bottom of the tire through to the innermost steel layer. does that make sense? then they woudn't fix it nor give me my tire. whats the deal? they said that it could "blow out" I think they were feeding me horse poo. what do you guys think?

Click to expand...

It's a bit late for this reply but something you all should know, some states require tire shops to withhold dangerous tires (side wall damage is dangerous). You probably already resolved this but in the future make them show you the damage even if they keep the tire they have to prove that it is unservicable. Anyways crappy deal, hope the tire wasnt too expensive.

virginxj said:

It's a bit late for this reply but something you all should know, some states require tire shops to withhold dangerous tires (side wall damage is dangerous). You probably already resolved this but in the future make them show you the damage even if they keep the tire they have to prove that it is unservicable. Anyways crappy deal, hope the tire wasnt too expensive.

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I think even they may be required to withhold dangerous tires, you should be allowed to take it to another shop for a second opinion....especially if it's off the rim.

I'm really curious about this too since I was a tire shop monkey while in college.

casm said:

If this is the case (or they don't let you inspect the tire yourself), ask for the number to their district manager. Hold your ground on this, and tell them you're not leaving until they either a) give it to you or b) fix the tire for free for trying to screw you into buying a new one (and yes, you should phrase it like that). If they really get pissy about it, call a cop in. Don't even bother with threatening them; just do it.

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I'd be a little leary at this point of making them fix the tire for free. After you've gotten angry with them, and this sounds like the type of company that will get angry right back at ya, who's to say that they fixed that tire correctly? They could have thrown something back together out of anger towards you and just to get you out of their store to avoid other customers knowing about this incident.

IMO, I would skip the demanding they fix it for free part. I'd demand it back, and if they refuse, just pull out the cell phone (or borrow one from somebody) and call the cops. But again, this is just my opinion.