'Very Simple Right?:' Houston Woman Takes Her Work Truck to Discount Tire for a Rebalancing. She Regrets It

Ask any of the millions of vehicle owners in the U.S. if they need their car for work, and most would answer “yes.” Whether you’re Door Dashing, or just dashing to the office, unless you live in an area with fantastic public transportation, you’re probably spending at least 26 minutes commuting each way. 

For business owners like @jasminebuyshouses, the work vehicle, in this case a work truck, isn’t optional–it’s integral. As a Texas real estate investor and remodeling expert, she and her husband rely on it for everything from dropping off crews to hauling away demolition debris. 

So when the truck wouldn’t start after a routine tire rebalancing at Discount Tire, she knew something was wrong. What she didn’t know was that her troubles were just beginning. “The Discount Tire tech lifted our heavy-duty truck up by the catalytic converters, not on the truck frame,” she says. The converter was “completely smushed,” according to Jasmine.

Fast forward to October: three months since she says Discount Tire legally accepted liability for the crushed converters, and the ensuing engine failure. Since then communication has been sparse, Jasmine says—sometimes weeks go by between emails, and there’s been no compensation. Discount Tire’s insurance company has said that they’re confused about what’s happening with the truck, she says, so it’s been dragging its feet. 

The result? Jasmine claims she and her husband have been paying for a heavy-duty rental for months. 

Now she’s turned to social media for answers and accountability. As she asks in the caption, “What’s the hold up?”

Insurance Showdown?

Catalytic converters are an essential part of a car’s system as they help remove “toxic pollutants from the exhaust.” They’re also expensive to repair/replace—about $3,500 for a Ford F-250 Super Duty truck according to RepairPal.

And in the Houston area, Jasmine says, “Catalytic converters are so valuable and expensive that people steal them every day.”

The comments section is full of sympathetic incredulity and logistical questions.

Dr.DickTracy wanted to know “How do you **EVER** lift a truck by the cats?” Jasmine posted an update showing how she says it was lifted.

“Lemme guess, they said they didn’t do it,” offered Jimmy.

But perhaps most importantly, there are headache-saving tips like Scott Clark’s. 

“Call your insurance company, and tell them the situation and [they] will fix the truck and go after the tire shop. Let the insurance companies deal with each other. It’s costing too much for the rental and your truck sitting,” he says.

Multiple folks suggest a one word solution: "lawyer."

Texas-based law firm Keith & Lorfing says it can take between three and 18 months to settle an auto accident claim. “Without proper legal guidance [...] you risk accepting a low settlement offer or missing critical deadlines,” the firm advises.

Motor1 reached out to Jasmine via TikTok direct message and to Discount Tire via email. We’ll update this if either responds.