More NTW stories

[EKellock@aol.com]

Hey Paul,

I must have benefitted from that policy!  When I lived in Dallas,
I took the Coupe to NTW in Addison and among other things, they stripped a
lug nut.  Of course, I didn't know it at the time, but I found out the next
time I removed that particular (rear) wheel (can't remember why).
Fortunately this wasn't too long after NTW touched it so I was able to be
pretty definitive when I took it back to them.  They replaced the hub
without too much (if any) static.

My other story about NTW supports Al Powell's observation about the tire
"professionals" not reading the work order.  I bought the car in LA shortly
before moving to Dallas.  Before the trip east, I bought two new Dunlops.
After living in the Big D for a while I decided to round out the set and went
to NTW.  I told them I wanted two more of what's on the front and put the new
one on the front.  When I walked out to my car later, from across the parking
lot I could see that the tread pattern was totally different.  They put on a
different model of Dunlop!  Well they took it back in and corrected it, so I
was only out  some extra time.  So I thought.  From that point forward, I had
a very noticeable pull to the right and a balancing problem.  The alignment
was checked and looked good and the tires were rebalanced several times but
to no avail.  One day after the first rotation (new tires now on back), I was
walking out to my car after work coming across the parking lot directly at
the rear of the car and got a good look at the rear tires.  What the hell?
One tire has more longitudinal cuts than the other!  I looked and looked
again and the tread pattern was definitely different.  Yup, both are
Dunlop, both the same model of tire.  Finally I looked at the size.  One of
the new tires they put on was one size larger than the other.  Yes, I had
three 185-60-14's and one 195-60-14.  Unbelievable!  No wonder it doesn't
want
to go straight and who knows what part this played in my front end vibration.
Well I went straight to NTW on the way home and had a long conversation with
the sales person (who by now was very familiar with me).  To my surprise I
got no static from her.  To my amazement, she offered me a brand new set of
4 Pirelli P500's (all the same size) which I gracioulsy accepted after
jacking my jaw off the floor.  Fortunately these were installed without any
further consequence.

So it seems the only way to get ahead at NTW is to get screwed first.
Though not overwhelmed at their initial performance, I certainly can't
complain about follow through.

YMMV

Ed Kellock
Lansing, IA
87 5kcstq
87 gt coupe

If you're ever at NTW in Addison (north Dallas) ask for Patsy and see if she
remembers me and my Alpine White Coupe.