In regards to your comment that Apollo is "a little expensive", I assume it's still a fraction of what similar work would cost in the States. I guess everything is relative. I don't need to find the cheapest place in town. I simply want honest people and competent repairs. I'm a firm believer in the old adage that you get what you pay for.I've used David tire shop for years, never a problem and always quick, efficient and helpful. I also bought my car from Apollo and they are also fine but a little expensive. Maybe just a bad day, happens to all of us
- Thread starter rhanson1
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David's Tire
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The guy that I refer to in my original post as "the boss man" identified himself as Joe. I called him the boss man because he seemed to in charge of things. And I know that David's Tire enjoys a generally good reputation. That's why I've gone there in the past. And that's also why I decided to post my experience on DR1 - because it was so different than what one expects at a reputable place. If this was just your run-of-mill gringo scam place, I would not have bothered to mention it. I was clearly given the stupid gringo treatment at a place where I had let my guard down. But as each event unfolded, there could be no denying that I was being scammed. Perhaps the final straw was when the manager of a tire shop tell me that it's never necessary to balance rear wheels on a car - only front ones. That's when I knew that something had changed in this place.
I do not know the owner. But if he is an honest guy who cares about his reputation, then he needs to know about this. And I'm sure he will - DR1 is widely read. But if this is his new business model, then he will respond with a shrug. I realize before I posted this that I risked incurring the wrath of loyal David's Tire customers - some of who may be friends with the owner. So thank you all for your kind and helpful comments. They are appreciated.
Thanks for the recommendation. I received recommendations from others for Konstantine as well. Do you know if he does tire work - specifically road force wheel balancing and wheel alignments?
Sorry to here your troubles..been dealing with David’s 8 yrs no inclination of a problem..hopefully one off..
Have many Dominican relatives...most have the same stories..one in particular was a brother in law ... he bought a set of new tires for his jeepeta, what he got was a set of new snow tires, of course they told him no returns...now how did they get snow tires here? and snow tires on DR roads will knock the fillings out of your teeth....
If that is of any help, I believe Torfilco in POP has a balancing machine, not sure of the alignment part...
Like others here, David's is the place I usually buy tyres. They have also done brakes for me. Furthermore, a local European repair guy recommended that I should use them for simple oil changes. As others have said, hopefully this event was a one-off and the owner will somehow hear about it and put matters right.
If I was
If the OP chooses not bring the issue to the attention of the owner, then it's unlikely that a non-affected disinterested third party will. Apathy and the sometimes difficult nature of reporting problems when comes to service issues such as this allows them to continue unchecked allowing others to be victimized. DR1 people know now to be vigilant but so many other customers are not on DR1. Getting away with something is a sure way to ensure the practice continues.
The problem with Loty is that they have two prices. One for Dominicans and the other of Gringos. His wife usually does the till and I'm sure she just plucks a price out of the sky. No inventory check, no bar code, no price tag or sticker, just the price that she reckons you will pay!
Having said that, their mechanic Ivan is a master at alignment. Although David's has a state of the art alignment machine, their technicians don't really know how to use it. Ivan will do his alignment and take it for a test drive before he returns your vehviel and makes sure it drives how it should.
English
Greetings, it is David the owner who speaks to you, with all the respect he deserves, I respect his opinion and I apologize for what two of my employees have done, I am informing myself and I am dealing with the matter.
Before making that comment, he should have come to the superior of the establishment and complain why all companies and places of service can have their bad days, but he apologized to me as the owner and anything we are at his command and when he returns ask for David or his son and we are going to reward you for your bad experience that day, thank you very much.
Español
Saludos, es David el dueño quien les habla, con todo el respeto que se merece.
respeto su opinión y pido disculpas por lo que han hecho dos de mis empleados, tan rápido me informó me estoy ocupando del asunto.
Antes de hacer ese comentario, debió haber acudido al superior del establecimiento y quejarse, por qué todas las empresas y lugares de servicio pueden tener sus días malos, pero pido disculpas como propietario y estamos a sus órdenes y cuando regrese pregunte. Por David o su hijo y te vamos a recompensar por tu mala experiencia ese día, muchas gracias.
Greetings, it is David the owner who speaks to you, with all the respect he deserves, I respect his opinion and I apologize for what two of my employees have done, I am informing myself and I am dealing with the matter.
Before making that comment, he should have come to the superior of the establishment and complain why all companies and places of service can have their bad days, but he apologized to me as the owner and anything we are at his command and when he returns ask for David or his son and we are going to reward you for your bad experience that day, thank you very much.
Español
Saludos, es David el dueño quien les habla, con todo el respeto que se merece.
respeto su opinión y pido disculpas por lo que han hecho dos de mis empleados, tan rápido me informó me estoy ocupando del asunto.
Antes de hacer ese comentario, debió haber acudido al superior del establecimiento y quejarse, por qué todas las empresas y lugares de servicio pueden tener sus días malos, pero pido disculpas como propietario y estamos a sus órdenes y cuando regrese pregunte. Por David o su hijo y te vamos a recompensar por tu mala experiencia ese día, muchas gracias.
Spotting a tire with an embedment would not worry me as much as that is something that should be taken under advisement, but I would have requested to see the inner core once the metal was removed. Then I might replace a tire (or two - to match) if there was an actual gash inside.
As for rags inside the air intakes - there is no reason that should have happened and would be cause for me to never return there, if those two employees are still working there.
David has responded so I assume he knows who the scammers in his shop are and they are either fired or reprimanded ASAP and put on notice, and everyone in the shop is given the no-scam rules. Without foreigner's business his shop's income would be cut drastically.
He could offer you a free oil change or discount to try to make it up to you ?
It is a lie to say they never balance rear tires - ever tire and wheel must be balanced.
However simply removing a tire to check for puncture should not affect balance if the same tire is returned to the rim.
I have always changed oil and bought other products there and have not had an issue - except last time they did not attached the diesel fuel filter line securely and there was a diesel leak which I was able to correct myself
As for rags inside the air intakes - there is no reason that should have happened and would be cause for me to never return there, if those two employees are still working there.
David has responded so I assume he knows who the scammers in his shop are and they are either fired or reprimanded ASAP and put on notice, and everyone in the shop is given the no-scam rules. Without foreigner's business his shop's income would be cut drastically.
He could offer you a free oil change or discount to try to make it up to you ?
It is a lie to say they never balance rear tires - ever tire and wheel must be balanced.
However simply removing a tire to check for puncture should not affect balance if the same tire is returned to the rim.
I have always changed oil and bought other products there and have not had an issue - except last time they did not attached the diesel fuel filter line securely and there was a diesel leak which I was able to correct myself
Hello David, thank you for responding to this thread, and for making things right.
Welcome to DR1.
Thread is now closed.
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