My car, sitting unused for a couple months, had developed three flats, two in front and one in back. The two in front wouldn't even hold air from my little air compressor so I got a tow (courtesy AAA) down to the nearest Les Schwab tire center.
The diagnosis wasn't good. They claimed the front tires couldn't be fixed and would have to be replaced. One had a sidewall puncture and the other, they claimed, was too cracked to even try to fix. OK, I said, how about used tires. They said, if we have them, that'll be about $15 each. On checking their back room, however, they said they had no used ones and offered me new tires at $70 for the pair. I said I couldn't do that and that I would try to find some used tires myself.
I called around and found a used tire place. I also called Les Schwab back and asked if they would tube the front tires as a temporary fix. They said they would not, and that the best they could do on the front tires was just fill them up and let me drive it off the lot. So I planned to do that and drive the car to the used tire place.
A couple days later I came back to Les Schwab. Once I was there, I was told, yes we can fix the back tire, but no, we won't fill the front ones and let you leave. I asked the woman at the counter to check for used tires again. She did, and again they came up with nothing. And again, they offered me new tires, only this time it was $80 for the pair. I told her I couldn't do that.
The woman then called a mechanic over to double check on filling the tires and letting me drive off. He said no, we can't do that, you'll have to get it towed if you want to leave with those tires.
Ha! The trap was set. That's the point where most people panic and, thinking of towing costs, give in and just get the new tires. I sighed and said, oh well, I guess I can do that, I have AAA.
Then he said, oh, let me check back in "the trailer" for used tires. Sure enough, he came back in a minute with a pair that will work, $20 installed. So we sealed the deal for $30 total, two used tires and $10 additional to fix the back tire.
Beware the tire tactics! They gave in in the end and "found" those two used tires ONLY because they saw they could make either $20 or $0. I know they seem like nice people, but it's the corporate policies that you're really up against, so don't be afraid to play hard with them.
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