Goodyear Tire & Gemini Service Centers

The response of a couple of Goodyear service center employees has gripped my shit, so much so that I will NEVER now use Goodyear tires or visit any of their nationwide locations.

My wife and I were out the other Friday evening doing a necessary grocery run. A few yards from our home we noticed a strange road noise from one side of the car. Thinking we had a flat tire we pulled over and walked around the wheels. No flat, but one tire had what seemed to be the head of a huge screw/bolt embedded in it!

It was only 5:50pm, so we drove to the nearest repair location thinking we could get sorted out and be on our way again to the grocery. It was a Gemini/Goodyear Service center, but one which had absolutely no concept of the word "service".

As we pulled up in front of the office I saw one employee at the counter exclaim "GODDAMN IT" through the glass when he saw us. Upon walking in, we were told in no uncertain terms that they closed at 6 and wouldn't be able to help us. No apologies, no effort to help or advise, no nothing.

As luck would have it we were able to (slowly) drive to another (far friendlier and immediately helpful) repair center in the neighbourhood (Car-X) where we left the vehicle overnight for the repair to be carried out early the following morning. Now, we could just have easily have done that at Goodyear, but it was evident that their employees just didn't want to even care enough to suggest that.

Along with JC Penney, IHOP and a (sadly growing) number of other businesses, Goodyear is now a company we will never use again (their products or franchised "Gemini" service centers) and we will be sure to share our experiences with others so they too can shop elsewhere.