Used car salesman, wonder how some earn their reputation?

[AngryRooster]

Well clearly you drove them on things they should not have been driven on.

(kidding). Sounds like something the tire dealer told me.

well wtf..?! I have has 2 different sizes now, and both have been excellent.

Currently about 50k in on the 90k-rated Defender LTX-MS, and every measurement points to the tires making it past their warranty with more than 2/32 left. I was kinda hoping for a warranty set...but that's not looking possible, and I've measured every 10k for trend.

The tires were great for the first half their life. It just wasn't worth it to put them back on. We went with Goodyear Wrangler ATS for $110 each this time, less than 1/2 what the MS/2 costs. I figured if we get 35-40k out of these 50k tires then were much better off than getting the same mileage out of a 'superior' tire that costs twice as much.

 

[wcd]

You didn't have a phone bc it was Sunday?

Did I read that right?

Partially, it was Saturday so no neither my wife nor I had a phone. I only use mine to send and receive emails for work. My wife left her phone at home when we do things as a family we tend to leave the electronics at home.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Me too. We had several Saturns, before they folded back into the mothership. Bought one on the phone after my wife totaled the one we bought just before we moved up to Indy back in 94.

You'd think during the great recession, looking at the brands they could have consolidated one of the many dupes instead of folding the one unique nameplate. After all the following are pretty much all the same, just with different features. They could have easily done away with GMC since its just a Chevy with all the bells and whistles already installed.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Partially, it was Saturday so no neither my wife nor I had a phone. I only use mine to send and receive emails for work. My wife left her phone at home when we do things as a family we tend to leave the electronics at home.

That's really sweet. I couldn't do that, but good on you for unplugging.

 

[two70]

Well, what did you end up with?

Toyota Venza

 

[churchmouse]

You'd think during the great recession, looking at the brands they could have consolidated one of the many dupes instead of folding the one unique nameplate. After all the following are pretty much all the same, just with different features. They could have easily done away with GMC since its just a Chevy with all the bells and whistles already installed.

You leave my GMC's alone.......

 

[DoggyDaddy]

You'd think during the great recession, looking at the brands they could have consolidated one of the many dupes instead of folding the one unique nameplate. After all the following are pretty much all the same, just with different features. They could have easily done away with GMC since its just a Chevy with all the bells and whistles already installed.

When I went to General Motors Institute (briefly) back in 1978-79, the joke among the guys that were working at one of the GM truck plants used to joke that GMCs were just Chevys that had the bolts tightened down. (since they came off the same assembly line)

 

[drillsgt]

How real is that though? I’ve heard the story of a phone salesman wearing a cowboy outfit with similar lesson.

https://www.chickensoup.com/book-story/35205/the-cowboy-s-story

I'm not sure about the veracity of that particular story but I can certainly understand the behavior, I have seen it a lot. When I worked at a large successful gun store, the original owner was a great guy but with many family owned businesses the son was an entitled dbag. I remember one time a couple guys came in with dirty coveralls etc. and asked the son for some help but he blew them off and passed them on but those guys ended up buying a couple Weatherby rifles and Swarovski scopes, it was a good lesson in not judging a book by it's cover (especially when you got a monthly bonus check based on sales).

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Hint: if a man walks in with dirty pants, (or bibs), he's probably been working.

 

[drillsgt]

Hint: if a man walks in with dirty pants, (or bibs), he's probably been working.

Yep, true, but to salesmen that equates to being poor/no money. They want to help the ones coming in with suits and ties.

 

[femurphy77]

The tires were great for the first half their life. It just wasn't worth it to put them back on. We went with Goodyear Wrangler ATS for $110 each this time, less than 1/2 what the MS/2 costs. I figured if we get 35-40k out of these 50k tires then were much better off than getting the same mileage out of a 'superior' tire that costs twice as much.

Having worked in Goodyear's newest plant at the time for 11 years in all areas from R&D to production and shipping I'll tell you that you'll be lucky to get 30k out of any Goodyear. They aren't built that way. Michelin IS the gold standard by which all other brands are judged. We would routinely purchase off the shelf competitors tires and run them through our OE test regimens and the Michelin replacement market tires always came out on top even when compared to.our OE tires. I got counseled several times for having Michelins on my vehicles while working there. When asked why I wasn't buying the tires we built I told them that after hearing how much better michelins were and seeing it for myself I knew where the best value was.

My new '17 GMC Sierra came with goodyears, a 60k tire according to them; they are currently at 25k and I'm probably going to have to replace them before the snow flys.

No, my money always ends up in the Michelin till as the only ones I've had to replace prematurely has been due to old age, not worn out but after 6 or y years I'm no longer comfortable with them. That comes from working in the industry though.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Having worked in Goodyear's newest plant at the time for 11 years in all areas from R&D to production and shipping I'll tell you that you'll be lucky to get 30k out of any Goodyear. They aren't built that way. Michelin IS the gold standard by which all other brands are judged. We would routinely purchase off the shelf competitors tires and run them through our OE test regimens and the Michelin replacement market tires always came out on top even when compared to.our OE tires. I got counseled several times for having Michelins on my vehicles while working there. When asked why I wasn't buying the tires we built I told them that after hearing how much better michelins were and seeing it for myself I knew where the best value was.

My new '17 GMC Sierra came with goodyears, a 60k tire according to them; they are currently at 25k and I'm probably going to have to replace them before the snow flys.

No, my money always ends up in the Michelin till as the only ones I've had to replace prematurely has been due to old age, not worn out but after 6 or y years I'm no longer comfortable with them. That comes from working in the industry though.

That kind of BS always irritated me. Hearing stories of auto plants only allowing their brand in the employee parking lot and forcing anyone not drinking the company Kool Aid to park across the street in a far off remote lot and other similar crap just rubbed me the wrong way. Sure, you probably should buy what you produce for the good of the company, pride, etc. But to force/shame workers? Thats bull.

Now if they would like to GIVE workers the product to use, by all means! But to try to force them to consume the product is an overreach.

 

[spec4]

Should tires be replaced by age regardless of mileage?

 

[JettaKnight]

Having worked in Goodyear's newest plant at the time for 11 years in all areas from R&D to production and shipping I'll tell you that you'll be lucky to get 30k out of any Goodyear. They aren't built that way. Michelin IS the gold standard by which all other brands are judged. We would routinely purchase off the shelf competitors tires and run them through our OE test regimens and the Michelin replacement market tires always came out on top even when compared to.our OE tires. I got counseled several times for having Michelins on my vehicles while working there. When asked why I wasn't buying the tires we built I told them that after hearing how much better michelins were and seeing it for myself I knew where the best value was.

My new '17 GMC Sierra came with goodyears, a 60k tire according to them; they are currently at 25k and I'm probably going to have to replace them before the snow flys.

No, my money always ends up in the Michelin till as the only ones I've had to replace prematurely has been due to old age, not worn out but after 6 or y years I'm no longer comfortable with them. That comes from working in the industry though.

Can confirm.

Michelin has had some problems with their Pilots. I have a friend who's a quality engineer at the local plant. He just sort of shrugged about those. Discount Tire was offering a really good price to "buy them back" when we replaced them. Despite that, I'll stick with Michelin.

 

[eldirector]

Should tires be replaced by age regardless of mileage?

Essentially, yes. There is a date code on the tire. There are various opinions on the replacement age. Ranges from 6 to 10 years. The tire compound will lose elasticity with age, and be more prone to fail.

 

[femurphy77]

Should tires be replaced by age regardless of mileage?

Essentially, yes. There is a date code on the tire. There are various opinions on the replacement age. Ranges from 6 to 10 years. The tire compound will lose elasticity with age, and be more prone to fail.

Part.two of that equation is that even though you think you bought new tires it's quite possible for them to have been sitting in some warehouse for YEARS. Meaning that " new" tire could start weather (age) checking within a few short years of installing them. Learn how to read the date codes on tires and have your dealer show you the codes.before they are installed.

Funny side note, I bought a set of cheaper tires to put on a vehicle I was selling soon and those tires were so fresh the release agent was still quite apparent. Made for an interesting first 75 or so miles! I took the first couple of turns on the way home and promptly slid out sideways big time. That's when I finally believed the clerk that sold him to me when he said they were a brand new design!!

 

[russc2542]

Hint: if a man walks in with dirty pants, (or bibs), he's probably been working.

I agree but getting dirty working doesn't bring in new-car money most places anymore.

 

[BillD]

I agree but getting dirty working doesn't bring in new-car money most places anymore.

I heard this story for the first time when I was 15. I'm 64.

 

[Jeepfanatic]

How real is that though? I’ve heard the story of a phone salesman wearing a cowboy outfit with similar lesson.

https://www.chickensoup.com/book-story/35205/the-cowboy-s-story

How about this story... A former colleague of mine was a Sales Manager at another Dodge store. This guy walks in dressed almost exactly the same as the first story.

He tells a salesman that he wants to buy a Viper. The salesman passes him off to John as a joke. However, John notices the necklace the guy is wearing. It was a solid gold pendant cigarette boat on a platinum chain. It was heavy enough that it was digging into the guy's skin.

John goes to run his credit and tells him that there's no way he can get him financed. The guy asks how much he would need to put down, excused himself and came back in with a duffel bag of cash.

He owned a welding company in D.C. and had a ton of very lucrative government contracts...