it wasnt worth an argument for $3

so my rims were bent on my car. I have no idea why i own a car, but i like it, its a nice car.

Anyway... i was getting the tires balanced and rotated to move the front rims to the back and have all 4 balanced after i got an alignment. I got to talking with the mech who was working on it, and of course we started talking about scrap and automotive scrap. When he scraped, "yes, chiseled/scraped" off an old wheel weight, i watched him throw it into a 5gal bucket half full of them, and we started talking about the price of lead. blah blah, he didnt get it, his boss did, blah blah. it was cool, he was a nice guy and he did good work while i watched and asked questions. he even gave me some tips on what i need to do myself next to improve the ride of the car.

Then when i got the receipt, i payed it and noticed the $3 fee for hazmat handling and disposal. This was what they charged me for a single wheel weight they removed and replaced with another.

Even though the "handling fee" is a casual toss across an open garage into a bucket, and then loading the bucket to take to the yard, they charged me $3 for it? i think next time i would just ask for my wheel weight back and tell them i'll put it in MY lead bucket. I love this country

/rant

That fee would probably be charged whether or not a weight was removed or added. It's mandated by the state - at least it is here in Texas.

You want something that really chaps my hide? Why does my cell phone bill have a surcharge for Florida's 911 system?

Remember lead is a RCRA DOT and EPA hazardous waste. Remember all the threads on CRT Tubes and lead? If that tire place accumulates so many pounds in any one given 30 day period they may be regulated to handle that lead as hazardous waste. if thats the case, it will need to be transported in a DOT UN approved hazardous waste container to an EPA approved treatment, storage, disposal facility. So that 3 bucks Isn't a total rip off.

Just like the "oil disposal" fee you must pay every time you buy a qt of oil.

next time remove the wheel weight yourself?

A lot of shops have waste oil heaters to heat the shop, so they burn all the old motor oil, trans fluid and probably antifreeze in there. The one I had at my old shop had a 500 gallon storage tank that was hooked up to it.

You can ask for the tire and weights back to not get charged. I do it all the time.

i would have removed it myself, had i known it needed to be removed. that machine was pretty cool though, how it tells you where to spin the wheel and how much weight to add to the bottom or top.

i've also decided that i want a lift. yep. i think i'll put one in my dream garage when i build my dream house, because im dreaming

you think that's crap..here in Sydney if you have your vehicle battery replaced. Like if it was still under warranty or you were having it serviced anyway. And you want to take the old battery (who here wouldn't) they charge you an Enviromental Impact fee. Can you guess how much the fee is?oooh about the exact price a scrap yard pays for one....surprise they want that money no matter what. Heck what is the local yard price for a lead wheel weight?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Filthy

Then when i got the receipt, i payed it and noticed the $3 fee for hazmat handling and disposal. This was what they charged me for a single wheel weight they removed and replaced with another.

---

You're right, why spoil a nice interaction over a $3 charge? It sucks, but it's part of the cost of owning a vehicle. You're so much better off not arguing over trivial things, it's better for your health!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by totalfish

you think that's crap..here in Sydney if you have your vehicle battery replaced. Like if it was still under warranty or you were having it serviced anyway. And you want to take the old battery (who here wouldn't) they charge you an Enviromental Impact fee. Can you guess how much the fee is?oooh about the exact price a scrap yard pays for one....surprise they want that money no matter what. Heck what is the local yard price for a lead wheel weight?

---

They do that here in the US too.

A friend had some tires and rims put on at discount tire. I helped negotiate the price, but I wasn't in the shop. After I confirmed everything she ended up taking the old tires and rims home. I paid for them for her and she's paying me back, so when I got a copy of the invoice, they charged her the $4 per tire disposal fee. I had to go back in and get the refund along with one of the certificates refunded (he said he'd throw in one for free - it's their warranty thing) because he charged her for all 4. Friggin lazy bastages!