I brought my '97 Rodeo in to Sears Automotive around 3pm back in June because I suspected the battery was dying and I wanted a test done for verification. While I was there, They were having a tire sale and I would be needing tires soon so I said "why not?".
I talked to a sales rep and he recommended tires and I did need a battery so in the end I was in for about a $600 bill. No problem, "how long will it be?" I asked. He replied an hour and a half. Fine, I'm at the mall anyway...
2 hours go by and I stroll back into Sears to notice my truck no longer on the lift and I figured I'd be on my way... NOT!
As soon as they tested the battery, they took my truck off the lift, put it out in the parking lot and was waiting for me to pick it up. I went back to the same salesman and asked what was up and he said they took the truck off the lift and got busy so my tires got pushed back. I reluctently said fine... How long? He replied an hour and a half. Now it's 5:30 and there was only a couple of customers in the automotive area.
Figuring after another trip around the mall stores, my truck would be ready to go, I head back in and find my truck is now on the lift with the same tires still on it, no one working on it or near the damn thing! Now i'm upset!
Back to the same guy again (7pm), I have the only vehicle in the garage, everyones on break and i need to get home to my family!
The service manager comes out from the back room stuffing his face and I go right to him and ask whats up? He starts giving me this song and dance and it went right in one ear and out the other, I said look, I've been here since 3, paid $600 for my truck battery and tires... I want it done. They finally put 2 guys on it. This time I stayed to watch.
Everything was going along until I noticed them putting the front tires back on, I asked for the white lettering to be on the outside, they put it in. After more of my complianing, they swaped the tires around. Then as they were putting the lug nuts on, they snapped 2 right of and told me I couldn't take the truck until the next day but the would call me a tow truck if I wanted to get the truck home. Now it's my problem?
I flipped out and could'nt believe what I was hearing, the tire techs tried telling me how "common" it was to have lugs snap off like that. Huh, do I have retard writtin on my forehead? So I asked them if it was so common, why didn't they have the parts they needed in stock to fix it? They needed to get them from the dealer... I could have jumped out of my skin!
Finally I was exhausted it was after 9 and one of the sales guys gave me a ride to a car rental company which they paid for to get me a car for the next day.
I got the truck back the next day and they took care of the rental and some of the bill. All good right? WRONG
I needed an inspection so after I left Sears, I went to PEP Boys and while they were inspecting my truck, one of the guys noticed I had nice new FRONT tires. (no wonder my bill was cheaper) I never even looked. Not only did he notice them, he informed me they were for light trucks, not SUV's and I could roll over fairly easy... He directed me somewhere else. Not only did they put the right tires on for no charge, the manager (wish I could remember his name) called that sears, got the manager over there on the phone, reamed them a new one and then gave me this story:
The guys that put my tires on the night before, had only been on the job for a short period of time, they used the wrong sized socket to take off my lugs therefore stripping the threads causing them to break. Then they told me both guys got fired.
Who knows but I will never deal with them again and neither will no one I tell the story to. I had a website and posted the story as it happened back then and could not believe the responses I got from people with similar horror stories! Thanks NTB
Mike
fremont, New Hampshire
U.S.A.
0 comments