VIP Tires & Service — Local services in Windham

This place is sketchy and very uncomfortable. I scheduled an alignment roughly a week ago, left my house and noticed I suddenly broke two tire studs on my drivers side(I already have a stripped one on my left)I went into my appointment time early and spoke with Carmyn about the possibility of also getting that fixed as well. She said yes, quoted roughly $300 for the alignment, lug nuts, and studs. Great! I'll be back in 10 with the vehicle and key. My girlfriend and I then leave and go to lunch, during that time I get a text message saying that due to my rear driver strut "leaking all over" they cannot and won't preform my alignment. Totally understandable, I just can't afford to fix the strut right now. So I Then ask Carmyn if I can then just get the driver side studs fixed instead and do the rest another day, she checked with the Tech and he said that he was not willing to do that unless I fixed both sides of the tires. Fair enough, I agree, gettng another $225 quote instead. We finish our lunch, pay our tab, and head back to VIP and wait for about 30 mins (total time they had my car on a lift-2 hours). The guy comes with our key and reassures me why he said he wasn't able to do the one side only, I oblige because I really did understand, and then go out to inspect my car. He never fixed it. I go back inside to see why, there was miscommunication and Carmyn told the man I didn't want to do it... Obviously not the case. So after clearing that up, I was very polite and asked if they would fix the studs on BOTH tires, and the man told me if I didn't let him fix the WHOLE car (over hundreds and hundreds of labor and parts) then he wasn't willing to just do my studs. Absolute waste of time, these guys are jokers and that carmyn lady is so unprofessional it's not funny. Don't waste your time, or your money either. EDIT: They're trying to claim I can't come back because the grown men can't handle a little foul language and an angry customer they created🤣this company is a joke....

This last week, I've been into VIP two times for rotation, balance and alignment on two vehicles, and I was quite shocked at the change. The assistant manager, Mike, couldn't have been more helpful and accommodating. When there was difficulty finding the records of the past tire purchases in the computer system, he kept searching. In one case, when the record still could not be found, he simply said that he'd take care of the rotation, balance and alignment, with absolutely no "tone" in his voice to suggest he was put out by this. (When I found the original receipt and brought it in, he made sure the computer system was properly updated to make it easy in the future.)

If I were to have written a review for this VIP one year ago, it would have earned 1 star, only because it isn't an option to give zero. The 2 - 3 visits I'd had there for my own tires and my mother's tires were awful. The service managers were quietly hostile, implying - and in one particular instance, outright saying - that they were being put out by having to file paperwork on behalf of my mother when her tires failed long before their warranty period ended. (Yes, the manager actually told my mother that she was making a lot of work for them because they'd have to deal with the tire manufacturer about her failed tires.) After a few such disrespectful encounters, I vowed that I'd return there for my lifetime balance, rotation and alignment, but I'd never again buy tires there.

After the recent encounters, I'm definitely rethinking my determination never to buy tires there again. I'd happily work with Mike - and other employees with his quality of customer service. I hope those past employees who were so disrespectful have either gotten better customer service training or have moved on to more appropriate types of work that don't require engagement...

TLDR: avoid the employee Ash, he’s as bad as a 1970s car salesman at a used car dealership. Also the oil change is more expensive than advertised (I verbally confirmed the price 3x and it was almost $50 more than I was quoted).

I’ve had negative experiences at car repair shops previously but this (first time) experience truly takes the cake. I’m a 28 year old woman who is used to auto repair shops and staff thinking I have no idea what I’m doing because of my age and gender. I want to note something positive to start out; The space was clean and aesthetically pleasing.

Now on to the negative staff interaction. Ash started out by mansplaining price matching to me, tried to sell me European (expensive) tires I didn’t need…. And then tried to sell the same tires to the guy behind me. At least if you’re going to try and sell the most expensive option to two people in a row, don’t make it obvious. The next day I got a call that my tires (which I had inspected at my long standing mechanic in the city I previously lived in) weren’t viable and I shut down the conversation by saying not to bother with the tire changeover.He proceeded to try to push an air filter change (it was replaced less than 5,000 miles ago and) . Ash struck me as pushy and inauthentic with all the charm of a snake oil salesman. I will say, the new hire I talked to after paying showed promise and was kind, engaging and attentive, nevertheless I would rate this experience as 0/10. I will never return to this or any other branch. I will also tell any woman (in my prominently female family) and anyone I meet to avoid VIP like the...