Tangentlin,
Sir, I am sorry to hear you had an unpleasant experience at our dealership. After speaking with multiple employees at Jim McKay Chevrolet that were involved in the situation, I can begin to paint a picture of how your experience with us went wrong. From what I understand you are a Chevrolet Volt owner. You had your vehicle towed in and approached the service department about getting your Volt repaired for what seemed to be a collision involving an isolated wheel making contact with a with a fixed object or large pothole. When faced with an issue like this there are 3 different routes that are traditionally the most common depending on the severity of damage. In your case you stated you received a quote for $900.00 for a flat tire. This statement would lead one to believe it was the worst of the three possible scenarios.
Scenario#1: Just your traditional flat tire repair. Assuming the wheel was not damaged and the location of the puncture is not or near the sidewall: $25.00
Scenario#2: Your tire is damaged beyond repair. Strict rules and regulations are adhered to when considering tire repair. If after inspection of the tire, the GM Technician finds that it would be unsafe to make a repair, a new tire will be recommended. A replacement OE tire for your vehicle is the 215/55/R17 Goodyear Assurance which runs exactly $190.59. Mounting and balancing is an additional $17.50. This brings your total to $218.50 out the door after tax.
Scenario#3: Your wheel and tire is damaged beyond repair. A damaged wheel can not only prevent the bead from setting correctly, which can cause leaks. It can also cause the wheel to fail to maintain the structural integrity of the tire which can lead to future violent blowouts under load. A new wheel for your Volt depending on the year is $467.80. I chose the more expensive of the two because it was the only way to get close to your $900.00 quote. Here?s your breakdown for Scenario#3:
-New Volt Wheel (Machined face 17x7) $467.80
-New Tire 215/55/R17 Goodyear Assurance $190.59
-Mount and balance one wheel & tire $17.50
-Alignment for the Volt $90.00
When anything makes contact with a vehicle hard enough to damage not only the tire but the wheel as well, an alignment is always HIGHLY recommended. Failing to repair an alignment issue could not only decrease MPG (or in your case the miles per charge). It can also cause very unpleasant pushing and pulling in the steering as well as unnecessary tire wear. With a brand new $190.59 tire the last thing one would want to do is involuntarily amplify tire wear and find yourself in the market for yet another new tire in a matter of months.
The total of the above parts & service listed under Scenario#3 is $765.89 out the door after tax $804.19
What you are actually inquiring about is indeed Scenario#3 a wheel & tire replacement. Not a $25.00 flat tire repair.
We apologize for any possible confusion this may have caused
Regards,
Jim McKay Chevrolet
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