Man Buys New Tires. Then He Gets A Nail In His Tire. Then He Demands The Dealership Cover It

Most of know the sinking feeling of buying something then having it get damaged, stolen, or destroyed in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, often we just have to take the L in those situations, fix it, and move on.

One man tried to buck that trend. He thought it was the seller's responsibility to cover damage to his new tires. The seller's response: tough luck.

Now people are torn about who is in the right.

Should The Dealership Pay?

In a video with more than 28,000 views, mechanic @mymechanicsaid shares a recent interaction he had with a customer that left him confused.

The mechanic said a customer had purchased tires from the dealership three weeks earlier, but he got a nail in one and it went flat.

“You have the audacity to call the dealer and say, ‘Hey I came in and bought these tires three weeks ago, and I picked up a nail and I need a new tire. What are you gonna do about it?’” @mymechanicsaid recounted. 

The mechanic’s response was blunt: "I'm gonna sell you a new tire. It's $380."

The customer pushed back, "What do you mean you're not gonna cover it?" and the mechanic answered, "Why would I cover it? You picked up a nail."

"Don't they normally come with a road hazard plan?" the customer asked.

Turns out this dealership doesn’t offer that and the customer said they should have disclosed that upfront.

"I should've told you that I didn't sell you something I didn't offer?" @mymechanicsaid says in the video.

"The audacity,” he adds in the caption.

What Is A Road Hazard Warranty?

A road hazard warranty covers the cost of tire puncture repairs or replacements caused by everyday debris like nails, broken glass, potholes, and sharp metal, as long as the tire still has at least 2/32" of tread remaining, AutoInsurance.com explains.

What it doesn't cover is collisions, vandalism, theft, off-road use, underinflation, or normal wear and tear. Buying it after damage has already occurred won't help either, as coverage is not retroactive, so it only applies to future incidents from the date of purchase.

This warranty usually costs 10–15% of the tire price, so on a $200 tire, that's about $20–$30. Whether it's worth it depends on where you drive. If you commute on well-maintained highways you may never use it, but if you regularly drive through construction zones or rural roads you might.

How Much Do New Tires Cost?

According to Discount Tire, pricing varies significantly based on wheel size and tire type.

For the average sedan on smaller 12”–15" wheels, all-season tires run $80–$150 per tire. Step up to a crossover, SUV, or small truck on 16–20" wheels and all-season tires land between $100–$250 per tire, with winter tires running $200–$400 and all-terrain between $150–$250. 

For larger trucks and performance vehicles on 18”–26" wheels, all-terrain tires can run $200–$500 and performance tires anywhere from $200–$1,000.

Whose Side Are People On?

People who commented on the video were largely on the customer’s side of the debate. Many felt that the dealership should either offer a road hazard plan or at least disclose that it doesn’t.

“Who buys tires from a dealer? That’s a horrible idea,” a top comment read. Another agreed, "That's why Discount Tire is the best."

“$380 for one tire. Insane,” another said.

“That’s strange that your dealership does not offer a road hazard warranty through your dealer tire program. But I understand that not all dealerships do. My dealership offers a one year road hazard when you make a tire sale. Do you tell the customers when they come to pick up the vehicle and pay the bill that the tires have no road hazard coverage?” a third wrote.

“The dealer NOT trying to upsell a customer on something is insane. How do you NOT offer road hazard on tires??? That’s the real question,” someone else said.

Motor1 reached out to @mymechanicsaid via TikTok direct message and comment. We'll be sure to update this if he responds.