On a Saturday afternoon, about 1:00, I was heading into Cambrige, MN on my way to do an estimate in Rush City, MN. A motorcyclist pulls up next to me and says that I have a flat tire. I didn't think much of it because I had not felt any symptoms of a flat tire. Then a couple minutes later, I heard the tire shredding apart. I believed him then! I was just pulling into Cambridge, MN and I vaguely remembered a tire store. I did my best to keep my speed up so the centrifugal force would keep the tire up. I did not see a tire store or a filling station but I knew that there was a Walmart at the other end of town.
The previous week, I had a problem with one of the tires on my truck and had taken it off and replaced it with the spare tire. I did not have a spare to fix the flat with. I explained this to the Tire Center at the Walmart in Cambridge, MN and they were very sympathetic. They told me that they had one tire that would fit but it was the wrong load rating. Because of liability reasons, they said that they could not put it on for me. But after I told them I had no other options and I would be willing to sign a waiver of responsibilty, they said that if I brought the rim to them, off of the truck, they would install the tire for me. I then asked if they had a floor jack that I could borrow, they hung their heads and said that they could not, once again for liabilty reasons. I felt bad for them, they really wanted to help me out but rules and the possibility of litigation were stopping them from helping. I started to take my flat tire off with that crappy but efficiently designed scissor jack that came with the truck and the tire gentleman told me to hold on because he wanted to make sure they had the tire. Turns out they didn't. And what's more, the tire shops in Cambridge are closed on Saturday afternoons. I have a portable air compressor that I keep in the truck that plugs into the cigar lighter but my truck is too long for it to reach to the back tires. They were able to pump the tire back up for me.
They did tell me that the service department of Hayford Ford, just south of Cambridge, was open. With the little bit of air that was pumped into my tire, the side bands of the tire had seperated and it was bulging out, I set of for Hayford Ford. I was able to safely reach their parking lot before the tire deflated again. I entered the service department and met John, the service writer for Hayford Ford, he asked how he could help, I just pointed to the tire and started telling him the travails of how I got there. He understood and I told him the size and he said that they did not have that size but one slightly different but it would fit. He then went back to get it, but as luck, Murphy's Law, fate or whatever you want to call it, he came back to inform me, he also did not have the tire. We discussed my possibilities about getting help in Cambridge and we concluded that there was no help. "Hang on", he said and then went into a door, a few minutes later he came back with two used tires. He said that they were previously installed and may not be the best but that I could have them free of charge and all I would have to pay was the mounting and balancing charge. What a bargain! I really appreciated his help!
I have been driving Ford trucks for quite some time, I really like the trucks but have not found a dealership that I have trusted or liked to service the trucks. I spent some time talking and questioning John about this problem. I feel I could trust that what he was answering me was the truth. If the sales department of Hayford Ford treats the customer like the service department does, I would have no problem buying a vehicle from them. I will go back and see John when I need my truck serviced the next time. And since my experience that Saturday afternoon, I have been telling everyone about the excellent treatment I received that day.
Hayford Ford, Cambridge - Isanti
1330 301st Ave.
Isanti, MN 55040
763-689-5555
