NHTSA Complaint #10039241 — 1997 SATURN SL

I RECENTLY TOOK MY 1997 SATURN IN TO DISCOUNT TIRE FOR MY TIRE ROTATION THAT THEY PROVIDE WHEN YOU PURCHASE TIRES FROM THEM. I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN BECAUSE OF THE WEAR ON THE OUTER EDGES OF THE FRONT TIRES. THE FRONT TIRES ARE WORN BUT NOT DOWN TO THE WEAR INDICATORS AND THE REAR TIRES ARE IN MUCH BETTER CONDITION AND HAVE MUCH MORE TREAD. I WAS TOLD BY THEIR REPRESENTATIVE THAT THEY WOULD NOT ROTATE MY TIRES BECAUSE THE BEST TIRES WERE ALREADY IN THE "REAR", AND THAT IT IS MUCH SAFER TO HAVE BAD TIRES IN THE FRONT THAN IN THE REAR. WHEN I QUESTIONED HIM AS TO WHY, I WAS SHOWN A BROCHURE EXPLAINING THE DIFFERENCE IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL BETWEEN HAVING A PROBLEM IN THE FRONT VS. THE REAR. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT HAVING THE BEST TIRES UP FRONT WAS "OLD SCHOOL" MENTALITY. NOT ONLY HAVE I EXPERIENCED "BLOW OUT" CONDITIONS IN BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR OF DIFFERENT VEHICLE THAT I HAVE OWNED THROUGH OUT THE YEARS, I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 15+ YEARS AS AND ASE CERTIFIED MASTER TECHNICIAN AND CURRENTLY WRITE AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICAL SERVICE MANUALS, AND NEVER HAVE I HEARD THIS. STILL HAVING MANY CONTACTS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, I CAN NOT FIND ANYONE WHO AGREES WITH DISCOUNT TIRE ON THIS ONE. I AM NOT LOOKING TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT, BUT LOOKING TO A RELIABLE SOURCE FOR SOME CLARITY ON THIS ISSUE. TO ME, IT SEEMS AS IF THEY COULD BE CREATING MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE THAN SOLVING ONE. HOWEVER, IF PRESENTED WITH CREDITABLE INFORMATION ON TESTING (OTHER THAN MARKETING BROCHURES), I COULD BE CONVINCED OTHERWISE. I SEEMED TO ME THAT THIS WAS BEING USED TO SELL ME TIRES MORE THAN ANYTHING, BECAUSE THE SALE PITCH STARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER SHOWING ME THE COLOR BROCHURE. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FEED BACK OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS CONCERN. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT IF NECESSARY.*JB REGARDS, GARY H KNAPP. *JB