Discount Tire “Certified” Tire Replacement

Hey, all, I’m wondering what experiences y’all have had getting “certified” tires replaced on off-road vehicles are Discount Tire. I have Cooper Discoverer STT Pro x 6 (2 spares). To this point, I’ve paid for the “certified” warranty on all, based on my understanding from off-road buddies that DT will replace no matter what the damage.

Sometime during an off-road trip, one tire got a slit in the sidewall near the wheel. I have no idea when or how it occurred. I might guess a rock cut it, but I don’t actually know.


Stupid or not, I drove it home a couple hundred miles on the freeway, and it’s held up. But it doesn’t feel safe to ignore it, so I eventually made time to bring it for replacement. The rep at DT first said it wouldn’t be replaced under “certified” warranty because it occurred ‘off-highway’ and drew my attention to wording that clearly says damage occurring off-highway is not covered. We then discussed his observations that my truck (Hulk) is obviously an off-road truck, but also driven on-highway. Ultimately, he agreed to cover “this one”, but it’s clear to me he flagged my account to hamper future claims.

Anyway, even if I skip paying for certification on this new replacement tire, I’ve already paid it for 5 others, all with 5k miles or less, in great shape. I would never have done so if I’d realized DT would try to exclude me from coverage. A friend pointed out that most off-road driving is government-maintained fire roads... and I considered how many of you have long dirt driveways....

What experience have you all had with this? Would it be possible/ better to bring the tire not on the truck? (Probably won’t help me as this guy let me know he pans to flag my account.)

 

On my last set of tires from them I specifically asked if their program covered offroad damage and the sales guy said yes. This was 5 years ago though, could have changed?

 

I believe @Scuba is the guy for DT maybe he can chime on.

 

That's some boo sheet, @Sunnier !!
I guess if you still had your contract for this "certification" that'd be the best place to start, and "should" state whether DT can exclude coverage in certain circumstances.

 

My son had a curb shot on the rear, really bad chunk out of the side wall. DT looked at it and said no chord you are fine, I looked at him and said I'm not comfortable with it, he said then it's not safe and we will replace.... Paid the 20ish for a new cert on a brand new tire and were on our way. I see no reason they would deny your claim.

 

Wow the language of the certificate states that it excludes offroad damage.


I guess in the future. Wash the tire. Apply tire shine, then drive down to discount and say that you hit a curb by accident

 

I was specifically told the same by the salesman here, last year. Which is why I’m now thinking maybe I got told one thing for the sale (it worked), and another when I came to claim.

FWIW, I had some “tread editing” on the outer edge of the 2 tires I mounted first, but I worked out that the cause was that I cut them with up travel- they hit the bed sides at speed, and friction did the rest; I did not make a claim as this was my doing, just rotated them into position as spares. I’m honest when making claims, not expecting anything not promised, so I’m disappointed.

 

... And that my truck is used for fitment by numerous after-market fabricators trying to decide whether to enter the exploding 1st gen Tundra market. On road only, of course.

 

It does. It says damage incurred “off-highway” is excluded. As mentioned above by HBJeff, he had a salesman promise otherwise, as did I. So—my bad— because the sales guy reassured me, and my friends sent me to DT specifically because of this “no exclusions” warranty, I bought. But I never got a written warranty. It’s when I looked on line after this guy’s first refusal that I found the exclusion.

 

So is that the only "certification" DT gives or can the off-road damage be included? Do you know?

 

"Oh. did I say offroad? I meant to say It happened in the Walmart parking lot"

 

So, I know most here recommend the certificates but you have to remember that discount tire wants us to buy these. Think about that. They know that 9/10 customers are never going to need them.

Many people say "if you get one flat it pays for itself". Worded another way one could say that you HAVE to get a flat tire to break even.

For my K02's the certificates were going to cost almost as much as 1 tire. So I'm basically paying for an extra tire up front. I rolled the dice and decided not to get them. If I get a flat it will end up costing me about the same as the certificates.

I'm not telling anyone what to do. I just don't think the certificates are quite the amazing deal many people claim. If they are going to stop covering off-road use then it's not even in consideration anymore.

I still love discount tire though.

 

or bring the bad tire in your Prius...obviously they look at your truck and flagged you right away.

 

This is THAT warranty that our friends told us about. Looks like it’s hit and miss on whether replacement will be covered.

I suppose if I get damage on-road I can take a bunch of pics, to “prove” the circumstances....

Trying to decide if I should try getting a refund on the other 5 certs. @Scuba based on the described circumstances, could I?

 

I’m not sure why he jumped to the conclusions he did :

 

Clearly they were profiling you with a snap judgment

 

I would contact DT Corporate and inquire. If they will not honor them and remove the flag from your account (this would be a great training opportunity for the DT guy you spoke to) I would then request a refund in full for the other tires you paid for. No need for them to prorate the refund since they would not have honored claims anyway since your truck "looks like an off road truck". The games you have to play.

 

Are your sliders already rusty? I'd get some paint on those girl! Loving the way the truck looks!

 

There's your mistake right there. You just need to remove the recovery boards next time you go in.

 

Yeah, they are.... ​

Thanks!

 

Hahaha! Yeah, that would’ve made sense. Or, at least put some on that weren’t so obviously well-used.

 

Honestly, I can't see how they would tell if you damaged it offroad. Unless you roll in there with a giant stick stabbed into the tire like @osidepunker . I wouldn't even try to get a refund for the certs. I'm sure it'll work again next time as long as you don't say you were offroad. If they try to say that again, tell them to F-off and say you haven't even been offroad lately.

 

just say “i was driving in downtown la”

The potholes are as bad as anything in the mojave

 

Same here in San Diego. The little surrounding cities are okay, but SD is a mess!

 

This right here!!! ^^^^

 

remove the traction boards and add a lawn mower inside the bed

 

I read the warranty thoroughly before I bought mine and no where on it did it say off road would not be covered. Big O started denying me and thats why I switched to America Tire.

That said, whenever I claim a tire they never ask me how it happened. And if they did ask, my answer would be "I have no idea". And this is almost always truth. If they asked me if it happened off road, my answer would be no.

*** I just went to their website and the language is totally different than when I bought the certs. They might be changing their policy. In any case just say you werent off road. If they ask about your truck parts or dirt on your tires then say its built for the driveway to your house. Thats why they make tires like this in the first place right???

 

When i 1st put my K02s on my truck from DT, i went in just a few months later. I had a mesquite thorn, from hunting lease, in my side wall. They honored the cert, pro rated the tread and threw a new tire on there for $75 without any question. I would say it really all depends on your guy working the counter.

 

Yes, makes sense. The whole time I was thinking, “Dude, these are off-road tires?!”

But yeah, my driveway is nearly impassable sometimes.

 

Hmmm. Putting a lag screw right through the sidewall isn’t a bad idea either