“It says good, the tires are good.”
A woman claims she purchased a used vehicle from Covert Buick GMC earlier this year. She says she later discovered that the Austin, Texas-area dealership’s service center lied about the condition of her tires.
TikTok creator Malena (@itsmemalena1) says that the status of her tires was so deplorable that its inner wiring was exposed to the elements.
Several commenters who responded to her video also had unflattering things to say about the same car dealership, located in Bee Cave, just outside Austin, Texas.
Malena begins by stating that she bought her vehicle from the GMC dealership in August. When October rolled around, it was time for her first free oil change courtesy of the business’s service center. According to an assessment sticker placed on the vehicle, she says Covert Buick GMC marked that the truck’s tires, brakes, and battery were all in good working order.
“It says good, the tires are good,” Malena says, pointing out the sticker in her video.
However, Malena says that the condition of her ride’s tires is anything but good. As proof, she shows a brief video of one of her tires. You can see visible wear where it’s been considerably worn down.
She then shows a second tire that has almost identical damage. “I mean, the wires are showing. These tires were not just worn; they were dangerous,” Malena says.
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Malena says she called the dealership to find out why it had marked her tires as being in good condition, despite the blatant damage. She claims she left a message but didn’t receive a call back.
After a few days, Malena says she booked an appointment.
However, when she showed up to meet with someone at the dealership to discuss what happened with her car, she claims to have been turned away.
“There’s no appointment for us. We explain again what happened. They take the car back, they do the alignment, after three hours they tell us it’s ready,” Malena says in her post. Then she was informed that the vehicle needed two new front tires.
She says she figured that since the truck was relatively new and employees signed off on them being in good shape, the dealer would cover the cost. But she says that this wasn’t the case.
What Drivers Are Saying
Malena says she was shocked that the dealership claimed that they weren’t obligated to replace the tires. So she says she asked to speak with a manager, whom she informed that the tires had put her and others in danger.
“The manager finally put our spare tire on and he said he would contact me,” she says.
Malena may have thought the situation would end amicably. Instead, she says the manager offered to replace just one of her tires, leaving her responsible for the other one.
In a text overlay, Malena indicates that she declined to take the deal and says she was still waiting on a follow-up call from Covert Buick GMC.
She says that her issue isn’t with whether the tires will be replaced for free; it’s that the timeline of the tire check doesn’t sync with their condition.
Malena says she can’t believe workers allowed her to drive a vehicle with tires in such a dismal state.
“And now we’re the ones that were stuck with a truck that could have blown the tire…we could have died,” she says in her clip.
Several people who commented on her video also had some strong words about Covert Buick GMC. Some claimed to have had negative experiences at the dealership.
One wrote, “You could’ve pretty much stopped when you said I bought a car from Covert.”
At least one commenter defended the dealership, however, taking the position that it’s not its responsibility to repair or fix tires. “They aren’t responsible for your tire replacement. If you take a car in with bad tires, you have to pay for the new ones. Why’s that so hard to understand?” they wrote.
In comments, Malena claims that one of the selling points was “how new the tires were.”
She also says that she did her due diligence in looking over the car, and firmly believes she was intentionally sold a car with bad tires.
Experts stress the importance of inspecting the tires when you buy a used vehicle. Check the tread depth and look at the date of production, which is usually embossed on the tire itself, to determine how old the tires are—and when you’ll need to replace them.
In a Just Answer legal forum, one used car buyer asked if they had a case against a dealership that sold them a vehicle with two bald tires without disclosing it.
A lawyer responded that most used car sales are “as-is,” and that the default legal standard is “buyer beware”—meaning that unless a purchase agreement expressly stated that the tires were in good condition and they weren’t, or the dealership intentionally hid the damage, then the onus is on the person who purchased them.
People who commented on Malena’s post agreed with the attorney.
“Nothing can be done. You mentioned the tires. They offered a discount,” wrote one. “You accepted and bought the car. It’s now your car and your tires.”
Motor1 has reached out to Covert Buick GMC via email and Malena via TikTok direct message for further comment. We’ll update this if either responds.
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