Don't say the DPE was a tool. Better to say you had checkride nerves, and got over it.

Also, lesson learned... the checkride is where the rubber meets the road in training, so naturally the make and model of tire is pretty important when you buy the car. So research the tire (ie DPE) that's going to be on the training car before you commit to a training program. The good news is that if you already bought the car but found out the tires suck, you can just change them out.

DPEs do have "de facto" quotas, at least in the sense that they cannot pass 100% of applicants over the long run and retain credibility with the FSDO. It is possible on any given day that a DPE needs some cannon fodder, and may be less forgiving than normal. Way to avoid that is to have a relationship with the DPE before the checkride, typically because you took one or more previous rides with him/her. This is particularly helpful on the CFI ride.