Tire Shop Employee Shares Pics Of The Things He Has Seen On The Job, And Here Are 28 Of The Craziest Ones
Just because something looks normal to us regular folk doesn't mean it actually is. For example, a bolt sticking out of your car tire may not raise your eyebrows but it will definitely send shivers down any gearhead's spine.
A dude who goes online by the nickname BonusSatis has been witnessing so many crazy things while on the job at a tire shop, he started taking pictures and sharing them on Imgur. It didn't take long before people noticed and the images went viral.
2020 isn't a Goodyear but these people could've ended up even worse if they kept driving like this.
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BonusSatis told Bored Panda that most tire shops are a rough and tumble environment. "When you are getting yelled at, that means they love you. So when you are not getting yelled at or corrected, that means that no one likes you and does not want to help," he explained the industry culture.
When it comes to people's perception of their metal horse's shoes, BonusSatis said a common misunderstanding is that not all tires are made equal. "People ask about a Walmart tire that is $80 and want to know why the tires we sell [at Costco] are so much more. You get what you pay for in a car tire."
There can be many differences between cheap and expensive tires, including durability, handling, braking distance, comfort, and noise."
If people are learning about tires and want to know more, they should not go to a dealership," BonusSatis said. "Those places will pump up the price every time. Instead, bring the car by two different shops and have the tire mechanic explain what they see about the tire, [and don't be afraid] to ask for details."
According to BonusSatis, car owners should check (or have someone do it for them) tire pressure at least about every 2-3 months. "You can save yourself a lot of trouble by having your pressure set correctly. The tire mechanic should be doing a visual inspection during the air check and can spot any incorrect wear or problem areas."
sorry if this is a stupid question....I'm still a learner driver so I dont quite understand what happened to the tire >< can someone please explain what happened?
A run flat tire that was used way too long. The alignment was also out which is why the edge is so worn down
This is why you should rinse your wheels really good after putting your boat in salt water
This is where the wheel weight goes -> This is NOT where the wheel weight goes
Wow. I know sweet f** all about cars and tires... and even I can tell "You probably don't put metal object thingie in the middle of the inflatable surface"
It was worn down to the very last belt package and went flat
The rim was not correctly attached and was rattling while he was driving it
The lug nuts were not properly torqued down, and the WHEEL rattled.. to cause this kind of damage it was driven for a LONG time like this.. leads me to think it was a back yard mechanic.. and probably used just an impact wrench and not a torque wrench
Steel belt seperated causing the tire to tear open
it aint stupid if it works.. It is called a Snorkel, and it is designed to protect your cars engine from seizing when you do a water crossing.. Being that the car is a 4dr Sedan I am going to assume it is a "Gambler 500" car https://www.gambler500.com/
Feel Good Story - Pay it forward... Two years ago, I was in a very bad place financially. Of course, that's when someone decided to slash all four of my tires. I had the car towed to a Discount Tires. I'd heard their customer service was top notch and I really needed someone to NOT take advantage of my relative ignorance about tires. I was in a fragile state. I got there and talked to a nice guy who, while symathetic, could only do so much. We decided on four, unmatched, used tires. But honestly, it was too much money for me. I got a little weepy, but kept it quiet. Eventually I smiled and muttered something about being glad I like PB&J because that's what I was going to live on for awhile. And I sat down to wait. (to be continued in comments... who knew there was a limit? LOL!)
About an hour later, they called my name and I went to pay the bill and go home. The same young man was absolutely BEAMING when I walked up to the register. And my initial reaction (interally) was totally grumpy. How can he be so happy when I feel so wretched? I took out my debit card to pay and he said, "There's no charge. Someone overheard our conversation and not only did he pay your bill, he paid for four matching, brand-new, high quality tires. He said he's been down, and had someone kick him (like the tire slasher) and someone did something kind for him that turned things around. He hoped he did the same for me." I absolutely shrieked, and asked where he was. The store guy told me he had sworn not to tell me until the man had left the store. He didn't want credit. He didn't want a thank you. He just wanted to help. It's been two years and I still cry about this moment. It was life altering, to be sure. The money helped. Yes. But the sheer generosity and goodness of a total
stranger helping out a girl having a terrible day... THAT was life changing for me. Luckily, my life has improved drastically, and while I still couldn't afford to buy four new tires for myself or anyone else, I've found ways to pay it forward little bu little. So, I write this as a shout-out and a thank you. Who know who will see this? If you're in a position to help, please do. You will make a difference. If you just need to know there are good people out there, there are. I'm having a pretty awful day today. But this thread reminded me of this day in 2018. And writing it out made me feel better. It reminds me that things can and will get better. And there are angels walking among us who will help. Have a good weekend, dear Pandas!
Okay, who is peeling onions in here?
someone sitting near me, apparently! 😢
IrishGirl love
IrishGirl love
Are there no laws on car safety in the US?
There are, but they vary from state to state. A car that's fully road legal in one state could be sent to a scrapyard in the next state. Because every state has it's own regulations there are a lot of differences when it comes to road safety or even how polluting a car can be. Just read https://www.motorbiscuit.com/a-surprising-number-of-u-s-states-dont-require-vehicle-inspections/ and you'll understand how the American system works.
You'd figure with all the claiming and suing they do, you'd at least keep some level of safety to your car so you can't be blamed if something happens that you didn't do but the other party still sues..
Tires are date stamped. They age whether or not they're being used. Always look at the year of the tires that are being sold to you, and ask for the current year!
The resiliency of modern tire designs is pretty amazing. Before corded tires they were just an inner tube and thin, primitive rubber. The cars of the day came with tire patch kits and a trip over 100km might involve 2 or 3 stops for repair. Now, with tubeless steel & composite radial tires they can take a puncture and go at least that far without completely failing.
I was walking through the parking lot at Canadian Tire one day when I spotted a new-ish sporty car with two flat tires on the passenger side... then I kept walking and realized all four were flat. I'd love to know the story behind that.
My dad once got part of a railroad track stuck in his trucks tire. Pretty bizarre.
If I were them I would reTire. :)
This year, I've had to repair one tyre due to a roofing screw, then the same tyre was replaced because my then learner driver turned a corner too early and ran along the kerb. We didn't realise at the time (it felt fine to drive), she had sliced a bit off the tyre and you could see the tread. Not that old a tyre.
I bought my very first car from a friend who was moving abroad for the exact amount of money I happened to have in my wallet. It was an old SAAB with a lot of kilometers on it, and the first thing I did was to change the tires. New ones were out of the question but reasonably good used ones were put on in the tire shop. When the semester ended about a month later, I packed the car full and driving to my parents, I had a flat tire going 110 km an hour on the motorway but managed to stop safely, found the lug wrench, and tried to loosen the lug nuts. Impossible. I kicked as hard as I could but it did not budge. A police car stopped after a few minutes to give me a ticket for stopping on the motorway ... but when they realized that the reason was a flat tire, one of them looked me over and with a sarcastic sneer he said "Yeah, you haven't changed a tire in your life, of course." With my most innocent-stupid-girl-smile all I could say was "No. Please, can you help me?" (continued below)
Now, I was pretty strong but I was skinny and did not look it. The policeman had to work hard to loosen the lug nuts. He was sweating heavily and swearing under his breath over the blasted idiot who put the tire on. I was delighted, it was really very satisfying! He kind of walked himself into a trap by being so sexist, and he couldn't very well get out of it either, for the same reason. By the way, there was a screw lodged in the tire and I had it fixed in the next town.
Oh, wow. How do people drive with tires like these??
Very poorly
My sister can drive but knows next to nothing about the technical side of cars. One day she took her car to the mechanic and they asked her what the odometer said, and she shrugged her shoulders and said “I don’t know, I think it has a 3 in it.”
What’s an odometer and why should people need to know
An odometer measures the total number of kilometers or miles that you've driven. I once had to get one of the internal computers replaced in a vehicle and when I got it back the odometer reading was lower than when I took it in. I'm guessing the factory set the computer for whatever reading it had back when the part was ordered weeks earlier.
To be fair, some modern cars have selectable displays where certain options hide the odo. My Acura has that so when I need to look at mileage I have to scroll through the selector to find it.
sounds like me :)
Glad to see other people having unfortunate tire+object collisions. My mom ran over scissors once. Lots of odd nails. Somehow our tired got a screw in it while parked at Disney World.
Feel Good Story - Pay it forward... Two years ago, I was in a very bad place financially. Of course, that's when someone decided to slash all four of my tires. I had the car towed to a Discount Tires. I'd heard their customer service was top notch and I really needed someone to NOT take advantage of my relative ignorance about tires. I was in a fragile state. I got there and talked to a nice guy who, while symathetic, could only do so much. We decided on four, unmatched, used tires. But honestly, it was too much money for me. I got a little weepy, but kept it quiet. Eventually I smiled and muttered something about being glad I like PB&J because that's what I was going to live on for awhile. And I sat down to wait. (to be continued in comments... who knew there was a limit? LOL!)
About an hour later, they called my name and I went to pay the bill and go home. The same young man was absolutely BEAMING when I walked up to the register. And my initial reaction (interally) was totally grumpy. How can he be so happy when I feel so wretched? I took out my debit card to pay and he said, "There's no charge. Someone overheard our conversation and not only did he pay your bill, he paid for four matching, brand-new, high quality tires. He said he's been down, and had someone kick him (like the tire slasher) and someone did something kind for him that turned things around. He hoped he did the same for me." I absolutely shrieked, and asked where he was. The store guy told me he had sworn not to tell me until the man had left the store. He didn't want credit. He didn't want a thank you. He just wanted to help. It's been two years and I still cry about this moment. It was life altering, to be sure. The money helped. Yes. But the sheer generosity and goodness of a total
stranger helping out a girl having a terrible day... THAT was life changing for me. Luckily, my life has improved drastically, and while I still couldn't afford to buy four new tires for myself or anyone else, I've found ways to pay it forward little bu little. So, I write this as a shout-out and a thank you. Who know who will see this? If you're in a position to help, please do. You will make a difference. If you just need to know there are good people out there, there are. I'm having a pretty awful day today. But this thread reminded me of this day in 2018. And writing it out made me feel better. It reminds me that things can and will get better. And there are angels walking among us who will help. Have a good weekend, dear Pandas!
Okay, who is peeling onions in here?
someone sitting near me, apparently! 😢
IrishGirl love
IrishGirl love
Are there no laws on car safety in the US?
There are, but they vary from state to state. A car that's fully road legal in one state could be sent to a scrapyard in the next state. Because every state has it's own regulations there are a lot of differences when it comes to road safety or even how polluting a car can be. Just read https://www.motorbiscuit.com/a-surprising-number-of-u-s-states-dont-require-vehicle-inspections/ and you'll understand how the American system works.
You'd figure with all the claiming and suing they do, you'd at least keep some level of safety to your car so you can't be blamed if something happens that you didn't do but the other party still sues..
Tires are date stamped. They age whether or not they're being used. Always look at the year of the tires that are being sold to you, and ask for the current year!
The resiliency of modern tire designs is pretty amazing. Before corded tires they were just an inner tube and thin, primitive rubber. The cars of the day came with tire patch kits and a trip over 100km might involve 2 or 3 stops for repair. Now, with tubeless steel & composite radial tires they can take a puncture and go at least that far without completely failing.
I was walking through the parking lot at Canadian Tire one day when I spotted a new-ish sporty car with two flat tires on the passenger side... then I kept walking and realized all four were flat. I'd love to know the story behind that.
My dad once got part of a railroad track stuck in his trucks tire. Pretty bizarre.
If I were them I would reTire. :)
This year, I've had to repair one tyre due to a roofing screw, then the same tyre was replaced because my then learner driver turned a corner too early and ran along the kerb. We didn't realise at the time (it felt fine to drive), she had sliced a bit off the tyre and you could see the tread. Not that old a tyre.
I bought my very first car from a friend who was moving abroad for the exact amount of money I happened to have in my wallet. It was an old SAAB with a lot of kilometers on it, and the first thing I did was to change the tires. New ones were out of the question but reasonably good used ones were put on in the tire shop. When the semester ended about a month later, I packed the car full and driving to my parents, I had a flat tire going 110 km an hour on the motorway but managed to stop safely, found the lug wrench, and tried to loosen the lug nuts. Impossible. I kicked as hard as I could but it did not budge. A police car stopped after a few minutes to give me a ticket for stopping on the motorway ... but when they realized that the reason was a flat tire, one of them looked me over and with a sarcastic sneer he said "Yeah, you haven't changed a tire in your life, of course." With my most innocent-stupid-girl-smile all I could say was "No. Please, can you help me?" (continued below)
Now, I was pretty strong but I was skinny and did not look it. The policeman had to work hard to loosen the lug nuts. He was sweating heavily and swearing under his breath over the blasted idiot who put the tire on. I was delighted, it was really very satisfying! He kind of walked himself into a trap by being so sexist, and he couldn't very well get out of it either, for the same reason. By the way, there was a screw lodged in the tire and I had it fixed in the next town.
Oh, wow. How do people drive with tires like these??
Very poorly
My sister can drive but knows next to nothing about the technical side of cars. One day she took her car to the mechanic and they asked her what the odometer said, and she shrugged her shoulders and said “I don’t know, I think it has a 3 in it.”
What’s an odometer and why should people need to know
An odometer measures the total number of kilometers or miles that you've driven. I once had to get one of the internal computers replaced in a vehicle and when I got it back the odometer reading was lower than when I took it in. I'm guessing the factory set the computer for whatever reading it had back when the part was ordered weeks earlier.
To be fair, some modern cars have selectable displays where certain options hide the odo. My Acura has that so when I need to look at mileage I have to scroll through the selector to find it.
sounds like me :)
Glad to see other people having unfortunate tire+object collisions. My mom ran over scissors once. Lots of odd nails. Somehow our tired got a screw in it while parked at Disney World.