After years of using Yelp, this is the first company that has compelled me to write a review.
I recently purchased a used vehicle which had some pretty gnarly curb rashes on the rims. I searched on Yelp for rim repair/reconditioning services in the NYC area and that's how I stumbled upon Derek and Natasha at The Wheel Doctor.
On my first phone call, I spoke with Derek. I asked Derek about the cost of cosmetically fixing the curb rashes on my rims. He informed me that he unfortunately no longer does them but gave me some good advice on finding the right shop to do the job. I mentioned to Derek during the conversation that the best price I had gotten was $150 per rim. He informed me that no one can really give a final price until they see the condition of the rims. He also mentioned to me about replica rims which he stated (depending on my model car) could even be cheaper than trying to recondition and repaint.
According to Derek, replica rims look exactly like the OEM ones, are made to spec, and are sometimes even made in the same factory as the OEM rims. It just doesn't get branded the manufacturer's logo on the inside - which you will never see anyway. This was basically a 9-10 minute conversation that Derek invested in to a guy (me) who had no potential of being a customer.
Once we got off the phone, I just thought, "Wow, it really sucks he doesn't fix curb rashes anymore." Derek just came off as a very honest, genuine, and super knowledgeable guy. I briefly googled replica rims and confirmed everything Derek had told me in regards to their quality and reliability. However, at that time, I assumed that there was just no way it would be cheaper than just having my current rims fixed cosmetically.
Fast forward to a few days later... there was actually a myriad of things wrong with the car. Fortunately for me, the dealership I purchased it from was a reputable one and did their best to fix all the issues with the car. One of the issues diagnosed was that one of the rims didn't just have a curb rash issue, it also was bent... but could only be detected via noticeable vibration at 55-60 MPH.
This was the last and final issue with the car to give it a clean bill of health. The dealership sent me to their local wheel repair shop to fix the damaged rim. After the fix, the vibration disappeared completely at 55-60 MPH but there was still a little slight shake at 65-70 MPH. It was so slight that I wondered if it was just all in my head. Or maybe it was the 3 other rims? Maybe one or all 3 of them had minor issues?
Once I got home, I decided to look up pricing on replica rims. To my surprise, it was $40 cheaper PER WHEEL to get brand new replica rims for my car versus cosmetically fixing them!!! My second call to The Wheel Doctor was when I spoke with Natasha. She explained to me the cost and the technology they used when balancing and mounting the wheel and tire that made their service so unique. Just like Derek she came off as very honest, genuine, and knowledgeable.
I ordered the rims and had it shipped directly to The Wheel Doctor. Once I got the tracking information I e-mailed it to Natasha. Not a minute later, Natasha e-mailed me back to confirm that she had received the tracking information.
The wheels had come on a Friday afternoon. As soon as the wheels arrived, I got a missed call and a voicemail from Derek while I was at work. When I called Derek back, I told him I wanted the work done as soon as possible because of my hectic schedule. Unfortunately, the shop closes at 6:00 P.M. and I wouldn't be able to get there until 5:15 - 5:30 P.M.. Derek told me that he was willing to stay late that Friday in order to get the job done as long as I was willing to wait. I told him absolutely. He estimated it would take approximately 2 hours.
True to his word, Derek finished the job in 2 hours on a Friday night. At 7:45 P.M. he handed me the computer print out and explained in detail all the work he had done. Friday night with no extra compensation, here he was still taking extra time to make sure I understood what my money was put towards.
As for the work, the road force machine Derek uses at his shop, WOW!!! My car is a completely different car!!! It's like I'm driving on air!!! It was worth every penny!!! The amazing customer service and attention to detail is just icing on the cake. The proof is in the pudding is what they say! All the reviews on this shop are legit. I hope Derek, Natasha, and The Wheel Doctor stays open for a very long time. This is the place I'll go to to get any sort of balancing/mounting from here on and out and would highly recommend them to anyone who requires such service in the NY area.
The automotive industry is filled with a lot of sleaze balls. The Wheel Doctor is one of those rare gems that is run by wonderful people who want to make an honest dollar and are willing to go the extra mile to educate customers and then ultimately get the job done right! read more