Auto parts stores and their employees often get a bad rap. People complain about high prices, inconsistent service, and unknowledgeable staff. One man recently had an experience that is giving people faith in one popular chain. A Discount Tire customer was floored by the generosity of workers at one of the chain’s locations after bringing in a leaking tire. Kansas-based metal fabricator, @atkfabworksllc, recently posted a TikTok explaining what happened. "You know I’ve seen my fair share of videos dogging on Discount Tires. I just don’t understand it. I have never had a problem," he says. While he notes that there are always exceptions, he has generally had nothing but positive experiences at the tire service chain. He highlights a recent visit to a Discount Tire. The metal fabricator says that he brought in his wife’s 1999 Subaru Legacy wagon into the shop. One tire was rapidly losing air. It would go from 35 psi to 16 psi after just a couple of days. To find the leak, he removed the tire and sprayed it down, at which point he discovered air coming out between the tire and the rim. He marked the spot with a black marker and brought the entire tire, including the rim, to Discount Tire. Discount Tire Employee Looks Closer He asked one of the store’s employees to remove the tire from the rim to inspect it more closely to determine if they could repair it. @atkfabworksllc says he told the tech there that he wasn’t in a rush and would come pick it up later during his lunch break. The employee refused, saying instead they'd get it fixed right away. Tell us what you think! View Comments "This kid dismounts the tire. We start chatting about cars, super cool kid. And as soon as we pull the wheel off, we can see the oxidation where I marked it. Plus oxidation on other spots around the barrel. I ask him, 'hey can you wire wheel that off?'" he recalls. The tech pulled out a tool with a bristle to clean every part of the barrel. "Went around the entire barrel. Cleaned every oxidation spot on it. Blew everything off, wiped it down, remounted the tire, filled it up with air, and checked the spot for a leak again," @atkfabworksllc continues. Tire Keeps Leaking After this, the tire kept leaking. This prompted the worker to dismount it a second time, clean it again, and add bead sealer as a temporary solution. Then the tech remounted the tire, balanced it, and told @atkfabworksllc to "have a nice day." Then he went inside to pay. Upon seeing him enter the shop, the worker gave him a confused look. When @atkfabworksllc explained that he wanted to pay, the employee said, "You’re good, you’re all set. Just remember us when you want new tires and you want to come back and get some service." Stunned, the TikToker said that he wanted to pay, but the tech still refused. "Now, any other shop that isn’t Discount Tire would more than likely charge you for that work … to expect that work for free, don’t. You shouldn’t expect that work for free. It shouldn’t be free. You should have to pay for that level of work. But they didn’t charge you because they want you to have a good experience and remember them the next time you have a tire situation," he says. Moreover, @atkfabworksllc called the decision to work on his spouse’s tire and rim for free "a great business model." Discount Tire Has A Loyal Following He isn’t the only one to extol the brand’s commitment to helping customers with tire woes. Motor1 previously reported on a woman who was surprised to receive a set of tires for her Jeep Wrangler at no cost. She initially headed to a service center for a tire rotation, but was upset to learn that the tech wouldn’t do it. That’s because the tires simply weren’t in good enough shape. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the funds to purchase a new set of tires because she was in the process of buying a home. She insisted on leaving the tires on her car, but the worker said he didn’t feel right about putting her on the road with such worn-down rubber. So he gave her a new set for free. We also reported on a Discount Tire customer's money-saving hack. She said that after informing employees she has a Costco membership, a Discount Tire tech waived the cost of installation for her tires, as the bulk retailer does the same for others who purchase tires at their locations. Motor1 has reached out to Discount Tire via email and @atkfabworksllc via TikTok direct message for further information. We'll update this if either responds. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
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