National Tyres incompetent staff and ignore complaint

paulmcfadyen

Needless to say, I too will never go anywhere near National Tyres, ever again.

eschaton

tahrey wrote: »

Are these the same guys who run the service centres attached to the larger halfords stores, or at least used to? (I haven't checked in a while)

The service I used to get from them when going to a standalone branch by choice was pretty dire, so I resolved to only use them in emergencies. Then, after said emergency visit, that's been escalated to "never" - I'd prefer to call out my breakdown service or a mobile fitter/mechanic and pay whatever they ask.

The final one was when needing to go away somewhere (Cornwall I think, a 600+ mile round trip) and knowing my tracking was a bit out from various symptoms and wanting it fixed quick smart so it didn't knacker my tyres or get so bad it may potentially cause an accident. They couldn't get the booking right to save their life in the first instance, and when they finally did have my car in at the last possible moment (in my sparing defence, no-where else even had any slots as it was coming up to bank holiday), they cocked it all up. Four new tyres at a cost of £300, which they didn't even ask me about, and - I later found - the tracking was still !!!!!!ed, just it was less evident because of the fresh rubber with a different tread pattern (erm?). Didn't have the free time to hassle with it back then, but they haven't had any of my business since at least and I recommend people away from them. Got my money's worth out of the £300 at least - if nothing else I don't think they overcharged me for the rubber, because three years and a different car later (put barely-legal scrapyard ones on the other one when it got class-C'd), I'm still working my way through the same tyres and they have damn good grip. But, I didn't need them - just a fifty quid tracking correction that never got done.

(other things they've made a hash of before includes a cambelt change... if there's something you need to go RIGHT, it's that)

Have since discovered a decent local indie garage and am much better off and happier for it. Heck, my current ride's there right now, as their superior diagnostic skills and fair prices have correctly traced a fault I had totally misdiagnosed myself (and would have wasted a weekend and £50+ "correcting") and kept my otherwise near-worthless (also class C, but, older and wiser, I held onto it this time) vehicle from the scrapyard, as it would cost more overall to get hold of a minimum-price ebay/autotrader runabout and make it road legal than it has done to have this work done.

No .

tahrey

Right you are then.

azza87

I bought a new tyre from one of their branches on 17/09/2011 and when I got it home I could hear a hissing noise so thinking it was leaking I took it straight back.

They took it inside and less than a minute later it was brought back out with the chap saying it was fine, nothing wrong with it at all.

I took it back home and fitted it to my car and when I woke the following morning the tyre was completely flat!

I removed it and took it back on 18/09/2011 and was told there was nothing wrong with the tyre, it was my alloy wheel that was to blame, they pointed to the edge of the rim saying that's your problem right there, your alloy is too worn so wont hold the tyre tight enough which has caused it to leak.

They told me the rim would need filing and possibly respraying and that that wasn't something they do so take it to kwik-fit! I asked for a refund as if I needed work doing to the alloy I would just buy a new tyre from kwik-fit while there only to be told they can't do refunds on sundays as their head office is closed, come back on monday.

The following day I took it back again and stood waiting for 10-15 minutes while this guy spoke to someone at his head office and was finally told the refund would go back on to the card I had used to pay with and would take a few working days to appear back in my account. He then removed the wheel and put the alloy in my boot and I drove off to kwik-fit.

The guy at kwik-fit (well, two of them actually) looked at my alloy and said there was absolutely nothing wrong with it, put a new tyre on it and I was on my way, so far the tyre hasn't gone flat.

Two weeks later I still haven't received my refund from National and have sent two emails to their main customer service email address and have so far received no response from them whatsoever.

Shockingly poor company that wont be seeing any more of my money in the future.

paulmcfadyen

Sorry to hear that my experience at Natonal Tyres is certainly not unique!

I hope you paid with a credit card and would suggest that you have them initiate your refund.

Nearly three months later, I've still not had any response from National Tyres and would suggest that nobody should go anywhere near them!

azza87

paulmcfadyen wrote: »

Sorry to hear that my experience at Natonal Tyres is certainly not unique!

I hope you paid with a credit card and would suggest that you have them initiate your refund.

Nearly three months later, I've still not had any response from National Tyres and would suggest that nobody should go anywhere near them!

I paid by debit card so not sure where I stand on getting my money back without them initiating the refund, AFAIK chargebacks are only possible on credit cards aren't they?

paulmcfadyen

Your bank MAY still be willing to help, although they're not obliged to like with a credit card. I believe that they're most likely to assist you if it was a Visa debit card.

arcon5

azza87 wrote: »

I paid by debit card so not sure where I stand on getting my money back without them initiating the refund, AFAIK chargebacks are only possible on credit cards aren't they?

Chargeback = debit card and CC under £100

Section 75 claim = CC over £100

Difference is the latter is a legal requirement that the CC company are equally liable for purchases.

Chargeback is a scheme offered by some card providers, carries different rules and not something they are required to offer by law as part of the service. It's usually for goods not received ect.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/section75-protect-your-purchases

fallen121

{The wetness in the road is the brake fluid leaking from the pipes}

My husband had new brakes fitted to his truck by National Tyres in 2009. 24 hours later the brakes fell off, on a hill by a cemetery just outside Leven. Luckily my husband was able to stop the stuck using a combination of careful steering and the handbrake, but we ended up just short of a busy roundabout - luckily it was late and we didn't hit anything. My daughter was in the car. It took us two years to get a settlement for the cost of having the truck fixed and for two days loss of earnings for my husband. They called us every name under the sun.

In order to prove loss of earnings, he produced letters from clients confirming appoinments for days when he had to break appointments to get the truck fixed in Penicuik and previous invoices showing what his hourly rate was. He also produced invoices for the repairs. The demands for financial information just kept coming and coming. Eventually they asked to see Bank statements because they wanted to see every incoming and outgoing transaction from his business. We thought this was going too far, so told them to get stuffed.

We were awarded money for the brake repair by a dealership, money for a new tyre, a refund of the cost of the failed brake replacement, and loss of two days earnings. Luckily we already had coverage for the towing costs, which for a truck can be substantial. But never so much as an apology and nothing for the sheer terror of careering down a steep hill in a large truck [which is hard to stop at the best of times] knowing you have no brakes and thinking you are going to die.

azza87

I had an email this morning from head of their customer service saying my complaint had been passed onto the regional manager and that they would give me a call to sort it out.

I had a call around an hour ago saying they had received my complaint and that they had actioned the refund on friday afternoon (30/09/2011) and that it will take a few days to appear back in my account.

So in all it took them nearly 3 weeks to process my refund that they said would take only a few days. No apology or explanation for the delay from either the head of their customer service or the regional manager over the phone.

They wont be seeing any of my money again.