Gonzalez’s Tire Shop

Took four wheels to Gonzalez Tires today just to have the tires removed. Stood right at the entrance of the tire shop while the tech on duty went to work removing them. The very first wheel he got to, he used the pry bar with so much force that it bent the lip on my wheel. Right in front of me. I knew he saw it too because he stood there looking at it for a good 20 seconds before flipping the wheel over and trying from the other side. When I showed him what he’d done, and that I’d seen it, he immediately denied it. I knew I was in for an uphill battle.
The two girls who were «in charge» then came in and called the owner, who immediately said the machine couldn’t bend a rim. That’s true. The machine is designed not to damage wheels, WHEN THE OPERATOR IS COMPETENT. But if you take a thick metal pry bar to a relatively thin wheel lip, the lip will give way.
I’ve had the same tires mounted to those wheels since they were built (3pc wheels). I showed them that there was no damage to the tire where the bend was, indicating that the damage was not caused by an impact. It was too small a bend, and too localized to be a pothole. Got nowhere. I’ll be in tomorrow to see if the owner will do anything about the situation, at which time I’ll up my rating.
For now, I’m stuck with the repair bill, which can hopefully be carried out easily, as it would take weeks to have another custom lip manufactured for this wheel.