MG CAR OWNERS FORUM

New tires were sold to my wife by Discount Tire. Ok. After informing them that she planned to sell the car soon and didn't require pricey tires, she proceeded to purchase Yokohamas. Ok. Nevertheless, for $185—pretty much the same as one tire—they sold her a road hazard/replacement warranty. It wasn't until she got home and looked at the bill that she realised they hadn't informed her. They informed her that it was mandatory to buy it with every set of tires they sold when she contacted them. They attacked her, and I call BS. They eventually agreed to refund the charge after some back and forth. For forty years, Discount Tire has been my go-to for tires. Was it reasonable for them to insist on this warranty?

That is always up for grabs.
It seems like they exploited her in some way.

To a certain extent, I concur. The tire store salespeople have always given me the creeps.

That coverage is not mandatory. Get in touch with corporate and inform them. Throughout our fifteen years of dealings with three separate Discount Tire locations, they have consistently enquired as to whether or not we would like coverage.

Like you, I also thought this. Until she paid and reviewed the invoice, they never enquired or informed her. The charge was reversed after she complained by calling the store. "We charge every customer this item" was something she heard on the phone, which was unsettling.

Accordingly, your shop is not adhering to company policy. A gentle nudge from corporate would do them good.

An extra fee is not necessary to get tires with a road hazard warranty. The majority of tires bought through the Mazda program in the United States come with a road hazard warranty, and the price of the warranty is already built into the tire price.

The retailer's program, in this example Discount Tire's, will apply to tires purchased from sources other than Mazda. The replacement or repair policy at Discount Tire comes at an extra cost. Since they are selling the vehicle, the OP didn't require that level of service.

Talk to Discount Tire Corporate about what happened if I were in your shoes. Throughout my nearly 40 years of business with Discount Tire, I have never encountered any unethical behaviour on their part. I have the impression that the corporate office will intervene if any particular store or salesperson is acting in the way you described.

Indeed, that warranty is optional.

One positive aspect of Discount Tire is that they offer tire warranties for new cars. The dealer wanted more than $1,000.00 for the tyre warranty when we bought my wife her Honda CRV. We walked over to discount and enquired about a warranty, and they offered us a nearly identical one for around $170. Plus, the dealer earns $39.00 for just the rotations, and it comes with lifetime balancing as well.