Wal-Mart test driving...
 

I went to Wal-Mart to get my tires rotated (I bought the tires on line but had Wal-Mart install them) - there were a couple of cars ahead of mine. After the kid was done rotating the tires on one of the cars ahead of mine, he took the car for a “test” drive. He started doing a series of pretty aggressive figure 8’s in the relatively confined service area space, after he was done; he re-torqued the lug nuts again.
He repeated the same “test” drive with the next car and re-torqued the lug nuts.
When my car was next, I told the kid to torque the lug nuts to specs but to skip the figure 8 test drive. Well, to say the least, the kid was very offended by my request and said he wasn’t doing this for kicks, but that Wal-Mart required him to do this. I probably wouldn’t have mind – but something about that smirk he had while “testing” these cars…
Has anyone else heard of this?

I've never heard of a test drive done after installing tires. The standard procedure at the places I go is to install the tires, torque the bolts to spec and drive the car out to the front for pickup by the owner, no test drive.

You're lucky if they torque the lug nuts the first time in Baton Rouge (I always check). Never heard of or witnessed this as part of a tire change routine, and I had assumed Wal Marts were pretty standardized. Maybe its a state requirement or something.

That's your problem right there.

I'd almost be positive that was just a kid having fun. I guess I could be wrong but I've never heard of anything like that. I can't imagine wal-mart accepting liability for the potential damage that could be caused by young mechanics doing figure 8s in a crowded lot.

Then again, I've never bought tires at wal-mart anyway; I'd rather walk than let a monkey shop mess with the car. I've read too many reports of oil changes that never got a filter re-installed, never had the cap screwed back on, over or under filled, lug nuts that didn't make it back to the car, etc.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/walmart.htm

Kid is joy riding and you had every right to tell him not to do stupid things in your car!

last time i had my truck at wall mart to rotate tires they torqed wheels 3 times by diferent mechanics and typed there initials in computer to be sure wheels are torqed but never test drove it

I doubt the kid would have the balls to do that to the cars while the customers are there if he was not supposed to.

BJ's Wholesale uses torque sticks to put the lugs on, then uses a hand torque wrench to verify the torque.

The only vehicle I have ever had lugs come loose on was by bro's Nissan Titan, now we re-torque. The Titan forum mentioned that, I thought it was cover-their-azz BS, guess not. :D :D

Re-tourque lug nuts
 

My local tire service center asks that you return your car after 25 miles to have the lug nuts retourqued. It is even printed on the computerized reciept.

The kid was lying to justify his actions or somebody lied to him to get him fired/make a fool of himself. Wal-Mart would have a large fenced off area to do that kind of driving, doing it in an open parking lot with an inexperienced and untrained driver is begging for lawsuits when he hits somebody or runs into a wall.

Either way, contact the store AND district managers and inform them whats going on.

What they are supposed to do is use the torque stick correct for the car's requirements, manually torque all the lugs with a calibrated torque wrench, then have a second person manually torque all the lugs and that person signs off that he checked them.

I've never had to retorque mine, I pound on the wheel in a cross hatch pattern once I have them "snugged" then I torque them, then I bang on it again, then re-torque them.

I would never take my car to walmart for anything! :eek:

How does a "confined service area" transform itself into an "open parking lot?"

And what do you know about the driver's training and experience?

Quote it accurately. "relatively confined service area space". Those are areas customers are able to walk through unrestricted, there is no fence or wall to keep them out, exactly the same as a parking lot. Unless it was completely fenced off with a sign saying not to enter then its extremely dangerous to do that kind of driving.

There is no place on a Wal-Mart property where speeds higher than 5mph is warranted unless a zombie plague breaks out and you're trying to escape.

The "kid" works at a Wal-Mart Tire and Lube Express.
First, he is a kid. No teenager has enough experience to be doing any kind of dangerous driving in an open public area involving cars they are not familiar with.
Second, if he had any significant training and experience he wouldn't be working at a Wal-Mart Tire and Lube Express. They change oil, tires and batteries for $7-9/hr, its an entry level job for teenagers and a job for adults that can't/couldn't/won't try to make it in better jobs. A grease monkey is overqualified for their position.

No offense to anyone. I worked at one myself for a year when I turned 16.

The area he was doing the figure 8's is basically the area behind where people pull up to the service bays.

Well...I really don't know what type of driver's training he's had or the length of his experience - it really couldn't have been very extensive. Judging by the acne and pimples, he couldn't have been more than 18 - 19 maybe 20... :)

Let have a joke and do not take things so seriously in this forum.:)

Three British old ladies sitting in the garden having a good nattering. One said it is windy. The second answered it is Thursday today. The third one said "I am thirsty too, let go in and have a cup of tea'.