Tire Kingdom Went for an oil change, left with a deformed and scratched bumper. Columbia South Carolina
I had a coupon from a recent flier. My vehicle was checked in under order number 89257738 @ 14:33:30. I own a 1998 Isuzu Rodeo and sought to capitalize on a $16.99 oil change plus $3.00 oil disposal fee. I checked in the vehicle and walked to a nearby restaurant, where I ate lunch. I later returned and went into the reception area, where I waited for someone to greet me from the service area in back. A man named Erskine tallied the amount due for services rendered. The total came to $21.52, and I paid with a Visa. The invoice id was 26583033 @ 15:36, which also appeared on the check out time of my bill of sale.
They sent a mechanic from the back out to my vehicle to return my keys so that I could leave. Whereupon, I discovered the rear bumper, deformed and gouged deeply with a highly conspicuous scratch. I noticed quickly and asked the mechanic "what did you guys run into?" He stammered, and said, "Uh nothing." Again, he proceeded to deny anything had happened. Infuriated, I got into my car and left. I pulled the bill of sale out and called 803-731-0050 from my cellphone at exactly 15:44. This number is annotated with "If you have a question or concern please talk to our store manager, John T. Jones at...." I asked the manager what exactly their policy was on damage inflicted to vehicles while under their stewardship. I described to him the situation, and he completely blew me off saying that there no accidents of any kind that day and that maybe they could look at it. I informed him that my father is an attorney and there could potentially be legal ramifications.
I have since created this report to the better business bureau. I will be contacting the Tire Kingdom corporate office consumer affairs department, and I am currently building a website to chronicle the damage done to my car to serve as a caveat emptor to anyone else considering transacting business of any form with this location. The gross professional negligence, the outright prevarication of the mechanic, and the haughty dismissal of my grievance by management serve as great motivation on my behalf to prevent any such encounter by additional, unsuspecting consumers from ever happening again.
Mutilated bumper
Columbia, South Carolina
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Mistertoo
Irmo,South Carolina,
U.S.A.
they will lie
#4Author of original report
Mon, March 30, 2009
I used to work at a Tire Kingdom in that area (not the st. andrews store though) and i've seen employees do similar things , and ended up damaging a car and disputed any accusations of any incident involving a customers car. And John T. Jones (aka Tim) , if you complain and complain enough with him , he'll eventually give in and give you what you want. he once gave 4 tires away to a customer ($1200 worth) b/c Tire Kingdom scratched two of his rims.
Joe
Atco,New Jersey,
U.S.A.
How do you know?
#4Consumer Suggestion
Sun, February 15, 2009
How do you know that another customer in their parking lot didnt hit your car? Exactly like the previous person stated about cameras. My car was brought into a dealer for warrenty work and was returned to me with a very big dent in the 1/4 panel. I immediatly went to the service writer and informed him. He in turn went to the mechanic, the tech denied hitting anything. Bottom line was, a customer hit it in the parking lot and took off. It was all on camera. Dont be so fast to judge.
Flynrider
Phoeix,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Just out of curiosity
#4Consumer Comment
Wed, February 04, 2009
How do you know that it happened when you got your oil changed? The reason I'm posting this is because a friend recently went through the exact same thing. She took her car to get the oil changed (not at Tire Kingdom) and noticed that the rear bumper was scratched and dented when she got the car back. She insisted it hadn't been like that when she gave it to them and raised a huge stink. Fortunately for the shop, they had security cameras all over the place and were able to show her that her car never hit anything while under their control. She was convinced that they had doctored the video (yeah, like they have video editors in the back room for this purpose).
When I was looking at the damage, I noticed that the paint smear was the same color as her mother's car (who usually parks behind her). When her mother got home it was child's play to match up where her mother's bumper had hit her bumper and they had traded paint. It probably happened the morning that she went to get her oil changed (Momma refused to 'fess up). Of course, she hadn't had any reason to be looking at her rear bumper until she went to pick the car up at the shop, so she ASSUMED that they had caused the damage.
Bottom line, you really don't have any proof that Tire Kingdom caused the damage. You don't mention inspecting the rear of the car when you handed it over to them. Only when you got it back. For all you know it happened in a parking lot you visited recently. Bumpers get dinged all the time. Unless you thoroughly inspect your vehicle every time you get into it, it's unlikely you can know for certain where a particular dent came from.