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Firestone in the Red Light District
We know that this site is supposed to be a lighthearted forum with content of a not-so-serious manner but recently we received a letter from a reader whose story moved us and inspired us so much that we’d like to share it with the rest of you. We hope her story, one of hope and survival, serves as a beacon of truth and inspiration. To protect her privacy we’ll simply refer to her as “Grace” and this is her story.
It was sort of my fault for even walking in there. My father had told me never to go to places like that. Yet there I was walking right into the Firestone at the end of our local mall. I mean my tires only had about 60% wear on them so maybe I didn’t really even need tires. Maybe I shouldn’t have even gone in there. Oh god! Why did I walk into that Firestone? Why? I knew from the moment I was in there that I should leave…but I didn’t. I was paralyzed with fear.
When I walked in, the place was filled with people. Some were at the counter, others drinking coffee and watching golf on this shoddy 13inch television set. “Maybe I could just look at some prices and leave without anyone noticing?” I thought. That’s when Alex, a firestone employee, came out from behind his counter and asked me what I was doing there and if he could help me. “I think I need new tires I’m just shopping around for prices,” I said. His eyes lit up and he said, “Lets take a look at them,” as he grabbed my arm and led me outside. Before I could even manage to say anything else he had already taken me to my 2003 Corolla. I didn’t want to go with him but I didn’t exactly fight him either. Before I knew it, he had his head in my wheel wells. I guess I should have yelled for help but I was scared. It was like a dream, an awful dream with high-pressure tire salesmen in it.
I told him how I thought they were about 60% worn and he said “Well that’s ok if you want only 40% of you on the road at all times.” I didn’t really understand what he meant. I was only trying to say that about 60% of the tread was worn through but anytime I spoke it just seem to make him more and more mad. “Isn’t there about half the tire left?” I asked. Then he took his glasses off and sternly stared at me and said, “Isn’t there about half the tire…GONE?” He persisted and I felt powerless to argue. I mean he had the power. He had the clipboard and the patch with his name on it. What could I do? What could I say? I was afraid for my life.
Then he stuck a penny in my tread and said, “You see this? It’s an easy way to determine if you need new tires. If you can see Lincoln’s eyes then you need new tires.” He poked around at my tires for a while and said, “Oh boy. That's not good. These could blow at any minute!” I didn't understand this at all. “See Lincoln’s eyes?” I protested “But if I did that to one of those new tires in the show room it would still barely cover Lincoln’s eyes. And those are new.” I was sure he wasn’t being honest with me. “Look! If you want to drive on unsafe tires that’s your business but these tires are dangerous! They could blow at any time!” I felt his grip tighten on my arm. I tried to reason with him and started to say “I just don’t think that using Lincoln’s eyes as a tire gauge is…" “I said they could blow at any Minute!” He said, cutting me off. He just stared at me for a moment and I thought for sure he wasn't going to let me go until he forced his tires on me. Then instead of loosening his grip, he dragged me back into the store. Back to his….Oh god…. His desk.
“Let’s see what work you had done the last time you were in here,” he said. He seemed to get a lot nicer once he got behind his computer. I foolishly lowered my guard again. “Maybe he will help me after all,” I thought now that he was behind his desk and seemed a lot calmer. That is until I told him that I wasn’t interested in having my transmission fluid changed. “Well Toyota Recommends a transmission fluid change every 60,000 miles. You really shouldn’t put that off!” He grumbled his tone getting a little agitated. I wasn’t feeling safe anymore. That’s when I felt like it wasn’t just the two of us anymore either.
Here Stands the Accused
“He’s right you know.” A deep voice bellowed right behind me. I turned immediately to face him. He was wearing blue coveralls covered in grease. He had a patch on it that simply said “Joe” on it. He began berating me for several minutes about how Transmission fluid doesn’t need to be changed as much as oil but it should be changed after 60 thousand miles. I told him that I was going to leave. “But what about your tires? They could blow at any minute!” Alex said! Then a third man, who was allegedly the manager came over and said “Look if you don’t want the work you don’t have to have it done. We’re just concerned about your safety.” There was three of them surrounding me and I didn't know what to do. I knew what it was that they wanted. There was no escaping them. I felt so scared. So alone.
I should have run. I should have screamed. But I was so scared I didn’t. I should have just said “No” and ran outta there. Or gone to a mechanic that I knew. Someone that I trusted… Instead I got raped. Raped with a set of $400 tires, $70 alignment, $90 transmission fluid flush, and $30 brake adjustment. Plus…. Labor…Oh god the labor made it almost double.
When they were all finished with me and I had signed, what they jokingly called an “Estimate” while crying, they told me it would be ready in a couple hours. Alex even offered me coffee as if that was going to take away the sting of what they had just done to me. To add insult to injury they had me sign up for one of their credit cards. They said it would save me 10% off the bill. 10% off of what THEY did to me??? Not to mention that this would give them access to my address…to my kids. With these monsters running around who knows what kind of sales letters they might mail me. My heart was filled with the most dreadful anticipation.
I curled up on the couch on in front of the TV with the other victims. We all seemed to have the same beleaguered looks on our faces. How could this have happened? I thought. I cried myself to sleep watching “The Andy Griffith Show”. About two hours later they told me my car was done and threw the keys at me. I turned and slowly walked out when someone said “Hey make sure you come back for an oil Change in 2000 miles” I think he I heard laughter afterwards but I didn’t even want to look at them. I was shaken and I just wanted to go home and take a shower.
You never think it’s going to happen to you. I just walked in there because I was worried about my tires. Now I feel so humiliated about the whole thing. I don’t go to firestone anymore. Some of my friends do and they don’t seem to mind. Not me. I’m never going to go to a mechanic at the mall again. Not since I met Ray. He owns his own garage and hasn’t once done anything like that since I’ve been seeing him. He is always nice to me and only recommends things that he truly thinks I need. It’s starting to get serious with Ray and my car. This weekend Ray might even flush out my radiator. He said it was up to me. If I was ready to have it done. And I think I might be.
Composite Sketch of another Notorious Rapist
Stay with mechanics that you know and trust. Or at least try to find one. You and your car are special. Don’t let anyone take that away from you.
~Grace
Update:About two weeks after we received this e-mail Grace sent us an update. She is happy to report that She and Ray have a moped together. They are all doing “Just fine”.
I had the EXTREME misfortune of having a busted water pump on my crappy foreign SUV last week. Happened about 1/2 mile from Firestone shop, so that's where I went. Let's just say it doesn't help when you are a 6 ft. tall blonde with a German car spewing smoke and anti-freeze. $997.39 later, and I have a beautiful new water pump. Thanks a-holes.
ME
Welcome to the club
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Posted: 7/26/2005 2:45:30 PM
These companies should be burnt to the ground. I've had similar problems. Once paid 500 for 4 tires and 200 for an alignment only to find out later that the warrentee was no good because the alignment was no good. Guess which company credit card I never paid.
Wondering
Curious by stander
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Posted: 7/26/2005 4:20:18 PM
Did any of you bother to check prices any place else? Also on the alignment issue from Me, how often did you get it done? Even the car maker recommends once a year. I felt I got ripped off once, so I did some research and checked out prices and found most nation wide shops were competitive and offered a warranty even when I broke dowm when I was out of state. just wondering????
Donny
Garage it!
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Posted: 7/26/2005 4:26:30 PM
Avoid Chain Garages for automotive work.(Firestone, Goodyear, SEARS, National Tire and Battery, ProCare Etc) They all use high pressure sales. A mechanic will tell you what you really need. I had gotten tires at Good Year one time and they recommended a bunch of work. I declined and took the car to a reliable mechanic who said more then half of what they were recommending was bullshit.
A few years back Sears was even ordered to refund millions of dollars to customers they had serviced because they were found to have been misleading customers. Anyone who had gone there in the prior two years was sent a small check for like $20 or something. All those chains are the same.
Driver
Firestone did more than rape me!
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Posted: 7/26/2005 4:59:30 PM
During this past winter, I had the good luck of slipping in the snow and running straight into a curb. Having heard the notoriety of these chain places, I still went to Firestone because it was the closest as my car was barely drivable and like hell I was going to pay for a tow truck. After a week and my parts replaced, I added on a tire rotation since it had been forever. It had been so long that you could easily see the difference beterrn the front and back tire treads with your naked eyes. Upon picking my car up, i paid and drove away. Something in me told me to look at the tires and lo and behold, they were NOT rotated, though I had paid the $50 for it. I went right back and they gave me some bullshit like, "We didn't have your wheel lock key." So instead of asking me for my wheel lock key, they sent me off with work undone anf charged me for it. They ended up doing the rotation and refunding my money just for the rotation, but I will never go back there again. Coincidentally, during that time, my co-worker had a botched oil change from Firestone that seized her engine and cost thousands to repair. Mazda6's require special filter cartridges and they put a cracked one on hers. Firestone ended up paying for the repairs but there have to be after-effects of a fuck-up like that further down the car's life, right? FINAL LESSON: FUCK FIRESTONE!!!
matt
because I can
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Posted: 7/26/2005 7:35:20 PM
Jim,
you suck and you are no-talent hack that is too afraid fo mommy and daddy seeing negative criticism about your story, for that I say boo- fucking-hoo.
Charlie
Deleted Comments...
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Posted: 7/26/2005 9:49:09 PM
I don't know what exactly happened today, but I want to apologize to anyone who had their comments removed. It was NOT me, and I do not think it was Jim. There are only some people who have access to comment administration.
Let me just say, that deleting negative comments is not how we operate. If I just wanted the writers to get their dicks stroked everyday, I would send them to STEVE's mother. We want honest feedback, and if you think the article sucks then by all means let us know. Our policy is to only edit or delete comments that are outrageously racist, personal, or misogynist, threatening, or unfounded accusations of plagiarism, or comments posted under someone else's real name. It is not, and has never been our policy to remove negative feedback.
Aside from those things mentioned above, feel free to bash all you want.
I will take steps to assure that it doesn't happen again. My apologies.
improv this
no more fath
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Posted: 7/27/2005 12:03:44 AM
Is there a way we can petition to never have this ass clown write again.... like impose a virgins rule were if you are a virgin you can;t right for the site... that would elimante him,
improv this
typo
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Posted: 7/27/2005 12:04:40 AM
let me premptivle strike the comment of its write not right... my bad
Jim Fath
WTF?
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Posted: 7/27/2005 12:30:59 PM
Seriously guys. WTF is going on? I get back from NYC today and I read all these belligerent e-mails and then I see these bad posts and I'm not sure what's going on. If you have some personal beef with me let me know. Sounds like there might be some serious sour grapes back in Cleveland as the person (or persons) e-mailing me made specific references like they know me and my friends personally. And it’s a bit disheartening to say the least mostly because of the lengths in which people (or this person) are going to send me their ill will. Posting is one thing but sending me rambling e-mail after rambling e-mail for the last couple of weeks is kinda sad and scary at the same time. I don’t know if it’s one person or several. I honestly don’t get what you’re after either. Is it a world without having to read my writing? Ok. Then don’t. No one has a gun to your head and says “Read this”. Although someone did ask me if I’d put one to mine. (That was a nice e-mail)
For what reason they (you) are angry I don't know. I don't see how anyone of you fine folks that have been e-mailing me directly for the past couple of weeks could be this upset over any articles I’ve written. Apparently I'm a “Severe Hack” and a “Dickless Wonder” so I don't see why I deserve all this attention from you to begin with. And if there are games being played with posts you’ve made have all the fun you want yelling at each other and at me but you can count me out. I’m not interested in virtual shouting matches with nameless faceless people on the boards or via e-mail, deleted posts or otherwise. I’m rather busy as of late writing horrible sketches and performing horrible shows and working a Day job that I shant quit anytime soon.
I mean really, were talking about few blurbs on the internet here. Wishing to go back in time and kill my parents might be a little “Overboard”. This is the sort of hatred traditionally reserved for Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, and Jimmy Falon. I'm not Hitler. I'm really not. At my worst I might be Jimmy Falon. I guess can be annoying sure but please don't go back in time to kill my parents.
I'm sorry for pissing you off. Genuinely I am.
I only wanted to make you laugh. I didn't realize that my attempt was so ineffective that it became utterly offensive to you and indeed warranted this much hate. It is too bad that things I wrote aimed at humor turned people into hate mongers.
I realize that "Hate Monger" is a strong term. And I don’t apply this to all negative posters. My articles can be long and aimless at points or so heady that people wanna punch me and probably a few other valid critiques (Spelling and punctuation anyone?). And you are certainly entitled to your opinions. I guess I am just taken back by the myriad of violent requests for self harm that I received. Is anything really THAT bad? Wouldn’t Pauly Shore have offed himself by now under the same circumstances? Ok that was a lame joke and since you hate when I try to be funny I’ll just say “Sorry man” lemme buy you a beer” or something. I’m left with little recourse.
Sorry for the utter disappointment. Feel free to e-mail me. I’m not an asshole and I’m certainly not worthy of e-stalking and the like. Put away the death threats and tell me what you want. You can always say what you didn’t like and tell me what you did (if there is anything outside of the piece being over with). That might help make things I submit better. I was hoping to become a better writer and make people laugh in contributing to this site. Instead I’ve been besieged by angry masses literally offering to chop my balls off. I hope to turn in something that you enjoy in the future. Until then I’ll just say “Sorry man I’ll try harder!! Please don't chop off my balls or kill my parents.”
I’m serious about the beer. ~Jim
PS: I will say to who ever wrote “I’d rather drink a gallon of George Wendt’s taint sweat then read one of your articles again” that was pretty funny. If I can ge
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