///ADMAN

Took my Corvette in after last track event to replace front tires and get DD alignment. As I feared, they gouged the front rim changing tires.
I knew I should have taken my car to Elite Auto instead to get the tires mounted on their "touchless" rack and then gone to the dealership to get it aligned.
Well, I have requested a quote from their parts department on getting a new Z51 rim in black. I do not want them to install it, though.



They also damaged my front splitter. But, I can't prove that. It a poorman OEM that needs sanded and repainted, so I'm not too concerned. But, still.

village idiot

If it makes you feel better, my car sat on the dealership lot for 2 weeks waiting for an alignment, then mysteriously a 2" crack formed in the wheel not allowing it to hold air for more than about 40 seconds and they told me I brought it to the dealership with cracked wheel. And they just happened to miss the completely flat tire when aligning it. And taking the car from me.

and onstar didn't send a flat tire notice until 5 min after they test drove it.

Then they said it was an aftermarket wheel (false, factory oem GM stamped, GS wheel) and they weren't responsible.

Then, when it's all said and done, they told me they'd change my oil for free and just lied about an oil change happening (I checked the dipstick- looked like 6500 mile oil, not 0.1 mile oil).

PatternDayTrader

Is this really the best way to handle this situation? I mean what do you think is going to happen now ? Do you think they will be more, or less likley to take care of this ? You already basically admitted you track this car, what will you do when the tech just says it was like that when you brought it to them. Have you really thougjt this through ? Stop punching yourself in the ***** and delete your post and your video.

///ADMAN

That is why I take pictures/video while walking around the vehicle with the service tech in the service bay. And, I purchased a Z51 because I track my vehicles. What does using my Corvette for it's intended purpose have anything to do with it?

joemessman

A wheel repair shop should be able to repair that. Check for a mobile wheel repair company in your area. Worst case is that they would have to take it back to their facilities to do the job, but it can be repaired.

VETTE-NV

Idiots. I’ve heard nothing but bad things about that dealership. In the future you might try the Discount tire on West flamingo. They have always done flawless work on my Corvettes. They just mounted some new forged wheels and tires for me. Perfectly balanced, perfectly mounted.

///ADMAN

I have used Discount Tire for years. But after they trashed the rims on my XTerra, I wrote them off too. Ed Bozarth is supposed to have a zero-touch system for painted wheels. That's the only reason I let them do it. And, they did a good job for the most part. On the one section, you can clearly see where someone jammed a prybar between the bead and the rim trying to get it to "pop" for some reason.

Like I said, I knew I should have just taken them to Superior Tire on Cheyenne or Elite Automotive on Decatur. The later is a "bling bling" shop that usually deals with Forgiatos and 24+ inch custom wheels. They do ONLY touchless installs. I should have done alignment only at the dealership. Live and learn.

As for the wheel repair: I'm not repairing the rim. The dealership is replacing it with a new one.

PatternDayTrader

People beat the ever loving crap out of track cars. You included yourself in this group by admitting you were at the track, in fact you said the entire reason for the alignment was to return the car to daily driver specs.
It is virtually certain if your video gets back the to person that allegedly damaged the wheel, he is just going to say it was like that when you brought it to him, and, there is a good chance the people that matter will believe him. Making this worse is your post. You are promoting Elite Auto while the video is disparaging the dealer. This sounds awfully close to defamation to me.
I realize your last line in post 7, says they are replacing the wheel, so if that's the case and they are making things right, then why drag them through the dirt now ?

JerryU

Yep, the large Chevy/BMW/Mercedes Dealer in town (~18 service bays) brings their low profile, wide run flats to the same place where I have mine done- Firestone! That 12 bay shop has 20 techs and only 2 or 3 that do wide, low profile run flats! Takes more than their touchless tire machine! That is what they use but I have watched as they fix a flat or change tires on my Vette(s.) That machine is near their large air compressor so they can get max flow when trying to seat the tires as well. There other tire machines are in the shop but the air comes though a pipeline. Fine for normal tires but you need very high flow to seat wide run flats!

As with most things, it takes experience and learned skilled. Recall one of the last flats I had fixed, I was standing behind the open service bay door (my usual MO) and chatting with the Tech. He apologized for taking so long! Told him take all the time you need to do it right without scratching my wheels! Also told him as I usually do, there will be a tip!

IMO even with the latest touchless tire machine can't expect the best C7 Tech at a dealer to do it properly when he does very few!

billh1963

Methinks you doth protest too much....

PatternDayTrader

Lol … now that is funny.
In the real world, figuratively speaking, I'm probably the second biggest loudmouth I've ever met, and I know exactly how to press an advantage in an effort to get what I want. This is how I know the OP is sabotaging himself with his wrongheaded tactics.

BlueDevilZ51

He is allowed to track his car, that doesn't give the dealer the right to damage his rim. If they damaged it they should be called out for it. If anyone sabotaged anything it was the dealer sabotaging his rim.

PatternDayTrader

Of course he's allowed to track his car, and of course a rim should not get damaged because a new tire is mounted on it. But, motivating someone to be uncooperative while simultaneously giving them a good reason for doing so, is just plain bad competitive strategy. Worse than that, because of the way this is presented, he may find himself in a metaphorical fist fight with Godzilla over this, and his only weapon will be a spoon.

BlueDevilZ51

Or the dealer might see this acknowledge their mistake and quickly remedy it. Then the OP will tell us if they did the right thing. I'd be very unhappy if I was the OP.

PatternDayTrader

Well one would certainly hope that would be the outcome, but, just for fun. lets look at how quickly this could go very bad for the OP.
I did a quick search of the key words Ed Bozarth on YouTube. I did so from two different workstations and one cell phone. I found the video in question is the fourth video on the first page. Its titled "Ed Bozarth trashes Corvette rim" So, my first question is when did old man Ed start changing tires ?

The op isn't just playing with fire here. He is playing with a fusion bomb. He just doesn't realize it.

LimeRay

Don't be so dramatic.

PatternDayTrader

You can call it drama if you want but the op is taking a risk here that has no reward. He could get a new wheel out of these people without much trouble anyway, so pissing everyone off serves no legit purpose.

Deweyox

I believe it's because if you take the car on the track, it voids the warranty, no? Still, just another example of the dealership working for you!!!!

BlueDevilZ51

No.

m3incorp

Hey PDay, I probably wouldn't have posted the video either.....since it appears that Ed Bozarth (Don't know if it's the old man or not has agreed to replace the wheel. Having said that, his tracking the vehicle has nothing to do with the wheel being damaged by the dealership. Seems like all is good, so no need to get too worked up about it. Happy Hump Day.