‘I would never get tires anywhere else.’
A woman says a simple act of kindness by Discount Tire employees left her emotional after she learned her damaged tire could not be repaired.
User @lokells shared her experience after she says workers at Discount Tire helped her out during an unexpected car problem.
“These men at Discount Tire genuinely don’t understand how much faith they restored in me this afternoon,” she wrote in the text overlay of her clip.
In the video, @lokells recorded herself wiping away tears before showing viewers what appeared to be a new tire on the front passenger side of her car.
In the caption, she explained what happened and why the moment meant so much to her.
“I’ve been dealing with a bum tire for a while, and upon taking it to get repaired, I find out it is not able to be fixed. New tires = $$$. I told them to just slap it back on,” she wrote. “When I came to pick up my car, there was a new tire on it, free of cost. I am just so grateful, may the universe/karma/God cover those men.”
As of this writing, her video has more than 394,000 views.
Unfortunately, not every damaged tire can be safely patched up and put back on the road.
Discount Tire offers free flat-tire repairs when a tire can be safely repaired. However, the company says that whether a repair is possible depends on several factors, including the extent of the damage and the location of the damage.
According to the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association, a proper repair requires both filling the puncture injury and patching the inside of the tire. The organization says tires should not be repaired if the damage is outside the tread area, such as the sidewall.
Other issues can also make a tire unsafe to repair. For example, severe wear or driving too long after losing air pressure can impact whether the tire is still usable.
In @lokells’s case, she seemingly went to Discount Tire hoping to repair what she described as a “bum” or damaged tire, but said employees told her they could not fix it—at least not easily or at a low cost. To her surprise, though, the workers had replaced it for her at no cost.
While customers should not expect a free replacement every time a tire cannot be repaired, those dealing with tire issues can ask a technician to explain why a repair is or is not recommended.
Commenters who watched @lokells’ video said they were not surprised by the employees’ gesture, with many sharing their own positive experiences with Discount Tire.
“I love that Discount Tire has the same reputation, no matter the location. They’ve been so good to me, too. I’m glad you didn’t have to stress,” one person wrote.
“Discount Tire is a truly good company,” another added.
Several viewers said they had been in similar situations when they couldn’t afford unexpected tire expenses.
“Dude, Discount Tire asked me why I didn’t want the better tires, and I had to tell them I was a broke college student,” one person shared. “They gave me all four new tires for the same price as the cheaper ones and also replaced my tire gauge sensors for free. I had to go somewhere and just break down because my grandpa just passed away.”
“They noticed I was going through a financial hardship & just charged me for the tires themselves, not the service fee,” another wrote. “They really look out for their customers.”
Others who said they had connections to the company said helping customers is something employees take seriously.
“As a ‘Discount Tire Wife,’ my husband absolutely loves to do this for people,” one person commented. “He had a lady come in with her van, which she used for her disabled son…. It needed all new tires. My husband told her, he’ll fix what he can. He slapped a brand set on there and sent her on her way. I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
“As a discount tire employee and seeing all the negativity people throw at us, even though we want you to genuinely leave safer than when you came in, that’s our goal, love to see the positive side as well,” another added.
Another person who appeared to work at the location where @lokells went responded directly.
“That was my store:) Hope we earned your satisfaction,” they wrote.
Motor1 has reached out to @lokells via direct message on TikTok and Discount Tire via email. We’ll update this story if we hear back.
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