Big O Tires

Big O • Tire quality • Sales practices • Damage, errors • Auto service ---- • Sears Sells NTB to Big O Parent

Big O, with about 450 stores in 19 states, is part of TBC Corp., which calls itself the "industry's premier private brand tire marketer." We're not sure what that means but it sounds like Big O sells private-label tires at what are supposedly bargain prices.

TBC's latest acquisition is National Tire and Battery, which Sears unloaded after running it into the ground. Other brands include Carroll Tire Co., with a network of 5,000 retailers in the Southeast; Tire Kingdom, with 150 stores in the Southeast; Northern States Tire, a wholesaler in the Northeast; TBC de Mexico; and Superior Tire, a Las Vegas-area retailer.

Some recent complaints ...

Rosalind of Sacramento, CA June 8, 2009

9/9/09 - I came in with a slow leak in one of my rear tires. After checking the tread on my tires it was determined I needed to replace the rear tires. I agreed to replace the tires. 6/6/09 - I went to Sears and had my brakes serviced, my tires were rotated. All was well I thought.

One of my neighbors was checking my car for me and noticed something was not right with my tires. He checked the notice on the inside driver wall and the label stated my rear tires required P255/45R17, what is on my car are 235/50ZR17. According to specifications my rear tires should be P255/45R17. There is a caution note in the drivers manual stating that: mixing tires could cause you to lose control while driving. Also mixing tires the vehicle could cause damage to my car.

I went back to Sears and told them they did not rotate the tires properly and found the size difference. I am going back to Big O tires this morning attempting to straighten this out.

Gregory Johnson of Salida, CA April 21, 2009

Gregory of Salida CA (04/21/09)
I brought a newer tire in to be serviced that had a nail and was losing air pressure. I had the tire off of my car and brought it in by hand. The tire I brought in was a Big O Tire brand. After showing it to the manager, he immediately told me that the tire could not be fixed. The manager then proceeded to tell me it would cost 105.00 dollars for a new tire. I asked the manager why the tire could not be fixed and he told me to read the sign posted on the wall. The manage also told me that no other store would fix the tire as well. I left the store and went to Costco's tire service. I walked into Costco and was immediately told the tire was fixable and would cost me 14.00 dollars. After waiting approximately 45 minutes, I was given my tire and left.

I went back to Big O Tire's and showed the manager my receipt, telling him that I was able to procure another service department to fix my tire for only 14.00 dollars. The manager told me that if I didn't like his service that I could call corporate headquarters. I asked the manager why the tire couldn't be fixed at his store and againg he told me to read the sign posted on the wall. I advised the manager that on numerous occassions I had brought my vehicle's in to have the tires serviced only to be told that I needed new tires, my rotors were bad and not up to specs(even though I'd just replaced them at another store and they did not know this) and I also at times needed break pads (even after replacing them myself one time prior to having my tires looked at. The manager simply told me, If you don't like it here, then don't come back.

The only consequences of this incident was I informed the manager that I would no longer be coming back to ANY Big O Tire store to have my tires serviced. It cost me my time to go back and fourth from one store to another. I usually am told by this particular store during any time I need tire service that something else is wrong with my vehicle. When telling the manager that I had just replaced whatever the problem was (brake pads/rotors) his only response was to laugh at me.

Gleen of Los Angeles, CA March 1, 2009

Gleen of Los Angeles CA (03/01/09)
the tow truck driver was seen smoking a joint while he was suppose to be working. the name on the tow truck a Big O tires was AIRWAY TOWING and not only that he was very rude for no reason at all.

Rong of Louisville, CO January 13, 2009

Rong of Louisville CO (01/13/09)
I used to have Big O Tire for oil change. Last Sept, I had them to do 90k mile service on my Honda Civic, paid 300 and was told everything was fine. Two months later, there was oil leak. I went to Big O again, and was told the oil pan and gasketing was leaky. They replaced them and I paid 300. It was still leaky after I got home. They rechecked it and told me the part they put on had a tiny crack. So they replaced with a new one again. But I found it was still leaky. So I went back 3rd time for the leak. They put dye to track, and weeks later found the problem was from timing belt and water pump. It costs me 500 to replace timing belt and water pump. Two weeks later, smoke came out of the front trunk when I was driving, the radiator was messed up.

They said they never touched the radiator so they won't take responsibility for this. I went to another mechanic to replace the radiator because I decided never used Big O Tire again. The mechanic also found there was leak around the new water pump. So I went back to Big O. They told me they were fully booked and would not be able to fix it in 2 days.

That's Big O service! Did full service found nothing but things started to fall apart after. Took 4 times to fix oil leak then I had overheat issue 1 week later. Weeks later the new water pump started to leak but they were reluctantly to fix it!

I will never go back to Big O again and will tell all my friends my story.

Stephen of Mesquite, NV January 5, 2009

Stephen of Mesquite NV (01/05/09)
I took my 1986 Toyota motor home into Big O Nov. 4th 2008 to have the tires replaced, aligned , oil change and the transmission flushed. Nov. 8th on my way home the transmission blew up on the highway. I called Big O who came to see if they were the cause. They left and I had my rig towed to their shop in Mesquite. After a week of checking it out they had it towed to Mesquite Transmission And Performance to have it repaired. The owner, Allen,transmission shop said it was done and that I had to sign a release at Big O to get it. I signed the release Big O proffered and went back to pick up my motor home.

The overdrive unit no longer worked so I took it back. Allen said he forgot to check a solenoid and it needed replacing. The shop charged me 230.00 dollars for a new solenoid. I turned the receipt in to Big O even though I had signed the release because the transmission was not repaired as promised. They had not paid me for the towing expenses either and I figured they would soon settle up. Finally the transmission man's solution was to bypass all the electronics and rig the overdrive unit directly to the battery and engage it with a toggle switch which he would put on the dash board. I said that was not acceptable and I wanted my motor home just like it was before I took it to Big O.

He said then it was my problem and that he washed his hands of it, and I should take it to Toyota to get it fixed because he could not. I went back to Big O and spoke with the manager, Tom, about what the transmission man had said and he said my problem was with the transmission shop that Big O had finished things when I signed the release form even though the transmission wasn't fixed and I never took possession of my motor home, it was still at the transmission shop and it was now January 2nd two, months later. It was at this time he supplied me with the invoice the transmission shop presented him about the work being done. Had I been presented with that when I signed the release I would have noted that it said the transmission was complete all parts included and not paid him an additional 230.00 out of pocket.

I then got the name of the district manager in St. George , Utah (Terry) and he said not to take it to the Toyota dealership that he would get back to me with the names of other transmission shops that would be better in his estimation. I awaited his return call and even called his cell phone twice to inquire about the transmission shops he mentioned. That was over a week ago and he won't answer my calls or respond at all.

My out of pocket expenses for a new relay, solenoid and towing are over 400.00 and the transmission isn't yet fixed. I have an appointment to take it into Toyota in St George and have them fix it in two days. They charge eighty dollars an hour and I can see this is going to hurt.

Wester of Salt Lake City, UT January 4, 2009

Wester of Salt Lake City UT (01/04/09)
I bought an Audi A6 off lease with 67,000 miles on it. There was documentation in the glove box from this Big O store where the tires on the car had been installed less than a year before I bought the car. There was a noise in the cover on the center of a rear wheel but I just assumed it was a faulty cover. I took the car in to have snow tires installed at Discount Tire two months after the purchase. I have been satisfied with their prices and work on two other cars in the past.

They did the installation but told me the noise was from TWO lug bolts that were stripped in the hub. I had to have a new hub and bearing replaced at a cost of 430 at a repair shop where I have real confidence in their work. I contacted the previous owner and he verified the information and the fact that Big O had been the last place where that wheel was off the car. He is an attorney and offered to approach Big O at no charge to me because they had damaged the hub when he owned the car. I'm deciding whether I want to go that far but decidedly I will NEVER recommend Big O to anyone and intend to pass on my story whenever I can..

Cost me 430. With 3 lug bolts holding the wheel on I'm lucky I didn't have other problems

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