voiceofreason
North Carolina,#2Consumer Comment
Tue, December 13, 2011
To the business, obviously your staff had no business placing a trailer tire on a customer's van even if the customer requested it. Doing so created a dangerous situation that you're expected to understand, even if the customer doesn't and I should think your business's regulations would prohibit such an installation.
To the OP, if the business indeed offered to put an appropriate replacement on your van for the $30 difference, basically agreeing to eat the wasted tire, then they did all that any business can be expected to do and you were in the wrong expecting more. Therefore, in the end, you were not ripped off money wise. What danger you all were in is beside the point, since no actual damages were incurred.
You also have less than 100% credibility, not much less, but not total 100% either. Why? Because you keep stressing how much danger your family were in. Well, you did do a lot of driving on that tire and apparently never bothered to even glance at it in all that time. Most people at least look at or press a finger on their tires on a regular basis to make sure they're ok. Some do it every trip out.
And in the same breath that you stress commitment to your kids' safety, you evidently only wish to put the cheapest, ergo the crappiest, tires on your vehicle. There's something not quite right with the way the picture's hanging. For someone who puts 5000 miles plus on a car in 2 months, who treasures his family's safety above all else, it would seem you would want at least middling quality brand name tires, with the front and the rear pairs matching as well.
Dihrdeglfan
Clayton,#3Author of original report
Tue, December 13, 2011
The Owner of Lube Depot would have you believe that I willing went into his business and asked for an unsafe tire to be put on my vehicle. I drive with my 16 yr daughter, my 14 yr son and my 5 yr daughter in that van as well as other individuals, so according to him I willing put my family at risk with a tire that is unsafe and not rated for my vehicle. I went into his establishment and asked his technician for the cheapest tire for my vehicle..I did NOT INSIST he put on a tire that is unsafe/unrated for my vehicle. The technician NEVER at any time stated that it was a trailer tire nor did he inform me that it was not rated for a motor vehicle. If he had I would have questioned whether or not that was safe. The OWNER is trying to cover himself so that he is not labile for what his employee did. I work in the medical field and when a patient wants to do something that is advised against, they have to sign a waiver, as in most business when a "customer" is going in an unsafe direction. If I owned a business and someone asked me to do something that would not only put them but countless others driving on the road with them at risk, I would explain to them, that what they are asking me to do is not proper and I won't do it.
His position is that upon my insisting and against his better judgement. His technician installed the TRAILER TIRE anyway.
The tire that was placed on my MOTOR VEHICLE is NOT RATED FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE >>> IT IS RATED FOR A TRAILER!!!
Lube Depot did remove the trailer tire and rotate one of the back tires to the front of the vehicle were the trailer tire was installed originally, FREE of charge. I did drive 5000 miles on the tire and I know the miles because they did an oil change at the same time so I looked at the sticker that was put on the window..and just by chance, I looked at, and noticed that something was wrong with it. Who expects a tire to wear out after that amount of miles??? They did offer to sell me a tire that was $30.00 more than the original tire and and that I would be responsible for the difference...whether or not free mount and balance was included, I do not recall, is it entirely possible. I did tell him that I wanted the tire for free or to give me back my money $89.99 that I paid for the tire. I wanted it for free due to the fact that his technician put many lives at risk but putting even putting that trailer tire on my vehicle..He said "No, if you bought a $60 pair of sneakers and than took them back 'cause you did like them and wanted a $90 pair you would have to pay the difference"...That is true, but if that same pair of $60 sneakers fell apart then they would give me back what I paid for them. I told him I planned on making sure that people in Smyrna knew what kind of business he ran.. He told me "I have 4200 customers and he's not worried about what I can do to that number... Make what you will of that statement. I told him that I would see him in court and the response was "Your going to sue me over $30..I doubt it". I said "See you in court".
As far as defaming his business on the internet...The information that is in this RIPOFF REPORT is the only information that has been placed on the internet..that exact same statement was placed on Facebook ,both my account and Lube Depots account. I currently have written on the windows of my van that,
"Lube Depot of Smyrna placed an unsafe/unrated trailer tire on this van and could have KILLED my family and they don't care"
Which I believe is in my right to spread the word of the unsafe practices that this establishment practices. I pulled into a business that is next to Lube Depot and when the owner of Lube depot informed me that he owned it and that it was private property too please leave..I did and parked across the street.
The Smyrna police came and the situation was discussed with both him and I. I was told by the police that I was ENTIRELY in my rights to put that on my vehicle as long as it wasn't vulgar. I was also told that I cant circle his business or park in his parking lot..I said fair enough...I'll just make sure that I inform as many of his 4200 customers about his Questionable Business practices.
Too anyone reading this...I do not nor have I ever had any intention of harassing any of Lube Depot and Repair LLC, customers...Just to inform them of the type of business that they are dealing with and to beware of the Safety Issues that might arise once you have work done at this establishment.
As far as me being unhappy...I believed that the tire that was put on my vehicle was defective thats why it looked like it did. I went in there to bring it to their attention. At no point did I think that I was Being INTENTIONALLY mislead when I purchased the tire. These people would have you believe that I knowingly put myself and my family at risk. Since they wouldn't replace the tire with a proper one...which I think would have been the Morally correct decision...Then give me back my money because the one you sold me is defective, so I can replace it
Lube Depot And Repair
smyrna,#4REBUTTAL Owner of company
Tue, December 13, 2011
On september 16, 2011 Mr.Ciavarelli visited our shop. He requested one tire and oil change. He inquired about the price on the cheapest tire we sold in a size that would fit his vehicle. The technician informed him that the cheapest tire we sold in that size was a trailer tire and that it was not rated for normal driving conditions. Mr.Ciavarelli insisted that we sell him the tire as he did not want to spend the extra $30 on the proper tire for his vehicle. Mr.Ciavarelli returned to our shop over 80 days later and demanded his money back for the tire that he had driven on for 5,000 miles. Mr.Ciavarelli decided to purchase a trailer tire for his vehicle, it was not covered. In an effort to satisfy Mr.Ciavarelli we offered to replace the tire with the same, proper rated tire as the one we originally advised him to purchase at a cost of $30 which was the difference between the trailer tire and the proper tire. Mr.Ciavarelli then insisted that he would not pay the difference and that he wanted us to replace the tire immediately for free. We did our best to satisfy him and even offered him free mounting and balancing, but there was nothing we could do to please him other than giving him the tire and labor for free which we were not willing to do because of his poor decision. We then rotated the tires out with the spare tire that he already owned to get him through Sunday and Monday so we could talk it over on Tuesday without leaving him in an unsafe condition. Mr. Ciavarelli finally agreed to have us install the spare and rotate his tires so that his 2 good tires were on the front of the vehicle. This was all done at no charge to Mr.Ciavarelli. We assigned three technicians to ensure that Mr. Ciavarelli did not have a long wait time. We regularly offer financing options to customers who are in need of service work and cant afford it. While discussing all the options with Mr. Ciavarelli our owners and technicians were all friendly, approachable, honest and knowledgeable. Mr.Ciavarelli then proceeded to defame our shop over the internet. If that is not enough, he spent a couple of days driving up and down the street and honking his horn for four blocks in front of our place of business which is located in a residential neighborhood while he drove his vehicle with defaming statements painted all over it. Mr.Ciavarelli then parked his vehicle in our parking lot with the defaming comments on it with the intention of harassing our employees/customers and when asked to leave he barked out a few curse words and proceeded to park across the street until we had to contact the local police department who then informed him of the right and wrong ways to protest. Our Company has an 80% rate of return from our customers meaning our customer service is very important to us. We are sorry that this customer is unhappy..