*********** customers

Long gone are the days about excellent service and a desire to help a customer. The trusted name of Tiger Wheel and Tyre is no more after my experience this week at the Centurion branch.

After managing to get to a garage to check my tyre pressure I was advised that the tyre was done. It couldn’t be pumped and immediately needed to be replaced. Due to having run flats I decided to go to TWT due to the trusted brand. I dealt with a sales consultant, where I pleaded with him for some honest advice re the replacement.

I was aware that with a BMW, if one tyre is gone , unfortunately both tyres on the axle needed to be replaced. I was advised by the consultant that with BMW that is only the case if you use the same brand of tyres (in my case pirelli which is apparently an expensive brand). He didn’t have any in stock and and as such quoted me on 4 tyres of a different brand as all 4 would need to be replaced if I decided to go with a different brand in the front. The discounted quote was for R20k. He advised that he would check with pirelli directly tomorrow to see if they have stock and hence I would possibly only have to replace the front 2.

The following day he called advising that pirelli themselves don’t have stock of my tyres and as such can he go ahead with all 4. In the interim I contacted BMW directly to seek guidance from the source as to whether the advice from TWT re different brands in the front vs back was indeed true. BMW advised that this is not the case . As long as the same brand is used on the same axle it is perfectly safe. As such when Ian called I advised him of said conversation to which he immediately advised that he would have to put disclaimers on my invoice as he would not accept responsibility if something happened if I chose to listen to BMW. The quote for 2 front tyres in the good year brand amounted to R 10 500. Still feeling that this was steep , I tried my luck asking if that was the best price . He advised he couldn’t go any lower . That price is with a discount as well. I thanked him for his help and advised that I would keep in touch as I am busy getting other quotes from other tyre companies . He immediately advised that he will re-look at the price . Dropping it to R 8 500 in 5 seconds . How does one’s “best “ price of R 10 500 suddenly drop by R 2 000. After contacting various companies HiQ came in at R 7 500 My car was parked at TWT overnight as I was advised I couldn’t drive home . That afternoon I arrived there to pick up the car with the consultant asking if he could go ahead . I advised him that I got a better quote so I will be taking the car there . He wanted to know where and how much. He advised that there is no way he wants to lose me as a client so he wants to see if he can do any better . And shockingly enough ... R 7 500 was now miraculously possible.

Unfortunately if he didn’t want to lose a customer he should have been forthright upfront and offered me the R 7 500 instead of overcharging me by R 3 000. I was an easy target and he tried to rip me off because I’m a lady and he thought desperate.

I am disgusted with TWT in Centurion.