Miter Wrench
Well-known member
I live close enough to Sears to see it from my house. It's been great for emergencies over the years like dead batteries or broken sockets etc. but I sure won't let them work on my car.
Would you let Sears work on your car?
- Thread starter chad s
- Start date
rsanter
Well-known member
I know someone that works at sears.
he took his car to pepboys
they screwed it uap and he is very unhappy
fisrt decision was a good one, second decision was a bad one
bob
he took his car to pepboys
they screwed it uap and he is very unhappy
fisrt decision was a good one, second decision was a bad one
bob
Speargun
Well-known member
I worked at Sears back in '92-'94. At the time, we did pretty much anything; electrical, starting, charging, suspension, brakes, tune ups, oil changes, tires, etc...
We had some very good mechanics and the best equipment at the time. We also had the minimum wage tire & oil changers that didn't touch anything else.
I originally was the electrical, starting, charging, guy and actually got sent to some very good training in Atlanta.
I later became a service adviser in order to make a little more $$$. This is where I found out how the real corporate world works. Each month or so, there would be a big push on certain parts like shocks, springs, etc... If you didn't sell enough, management would be all over you.
During one of the pushes for springs, I measured a customers car and, according to the Sears "ride height" book, the car was too low which indicated that it needed new spring. I told the customer and she gave the go ahead to make the change.
After the service was done, I decided to re-check the ride height just to see how big of a difference the new springs made.
IT WAS EXACTLY THE SAME!
I never sold another set of springs and, not long after that, moved on to a new career.
It wasn't long after that and they stopped doing pretty much everything but oil, tires, batteries, & alignments.
If I need any work on my car that I can't do, I take it to one of the local shops.
We had some very good mechanics and the best equipment at the time. We also had the minimum wage tire & oil changers that didn't touch anything else.
I originally was the electrical, starting, charging, guy and actually got sent to some very good training in Atlanta.
I later became a service adviser in order to make a little more $$$. This is where I found out how the real corporate world works. Each month or so, there would be a big push on certain parts like shocks, springs, etc... If you didn't sell enough, management would be all over you.
During one of the pushes for springs, I measured a customers car and, according to the Sears "ride height" book, the car was too low which indicated that it needed new spring. I told the customer and she gave the go ahead to make the change.
After the service was done, I decided to re-check the ride height just to see how big of a difference the new springs made.
IT WAS EXACTLY THE SAME!
I never sold another set of springs and, not long after that, moved on to a new career.
It wasn't long after that and they stopped doing pretty much everything but oil, tires, batteries, & alignments.
If I need any work on my car that I can't do, I take it to one of the local shops.
Duke
Well-known member
I remember that now. They did that back in 87 too.
I remember a $hit storm over management accusing some of the junior mechanics of steeling batteries. I knew most of them and they were not. What a circus that was.
Speargun
Well-known member
I think it was around '92 or '93 that Sears got national news coverage after they got busted for charging people for parts they never replaced or replacing parts the customer didn't need.
Shortly thereafter, new laws were passed that allowed the customer to ask for their old parts back.
Shortly thereafter, new laws were passed that allowed the customer to ask for their old parts back.
rsanter
Well-known member
I remember that...
I also remember when sears got their *** in a jam for selling customers parts and service they did not need. that happened because they paid a commision/incentive to the mechanic to find other things wrong with the car and sell the customer on the idea of replacing them.
I knew a local guy with the BAR that was involved with the sting operation with sears. they took cars in that had already been inspected to see what sears would tell/try to sell to the customer. One of the cars they took in was about a year old and sears said the springs were bad and had to be replaced because it was un-safe. that dumb *** mechanic didnt stop to think that the car was still under warranty.
bob
The Muffin Man
Well-known member
The last time I let Sears touch my car, they used used an impact wrench to tighten my oil drain plug 
davestlouis
Well-known member
I suspect some people get repairs done at Sears because they can put the bill on their Sears charge...might be the only credit card some people carry.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Just think what would happen if Sears did the work and then something fails. Most can't get tools or mowers warranted, I can just imagine fighting with them over car repairs
Ramblur
Well-known member
I too worked there in the 70's.Never been in a shop that sold more stuff that
people didn't need....
I was thinking there was a big class action lawsuit later that cost them a
bunch of money.
In my defense I was only there for less than a year.
people didn't need....
I was thinking there was a big class action lawsuit later that cost them a
bunch of money.
In my defense I was only there for less than a year.
davestlouis
Well-known member
I seem to recall that they were doing some alleged precision tire balancing that involved skimming part of the tread to make the tire more perfectly round, and got zapped for that too.
Ramblur
Well-known member
That was fairly common in the days of bias ply tires. There are still some
places that will shave your tires,but they're getting hard to find.
davestlouis
Well-known member
The last time I bought bias tires was in the early 80s...I had a 1969 VW Beetle, and I bought 5.60x15 snow tire retreads...one had been a whitewall, one was a blackwall...the retreading company just painted out the white stripe with some sort of black goop...I was in high school, and broke.
3 at 8
Well-known member
There were laws pre '92 that didnt allow for the customer to get their old parts back? Everything; or just core items?
Gregster
Well-known member
Here we have a chain called Canadian Tire.. basically a wal mart mixed in with a pepboys. They are the leader in shady practices in the automotive service field in Canada.
5 years ago I was working 200 miles away and driving a 95 C2500. I was heading home on a Thursday night when I started hearing a bad U joint noise coming from the rear followed by the shake at 80km/h. I didn't want to risk it and decided to have them changed at Canadian Tire knowing perfectly well the horror stories but I figured 2 joint's isn't that big of a job for any tech. I would have changed myself in a parking lot but it was -30 outside.
I get to CT at around 6pm and ask if they can change them The service guy says yep no problem we'll do it right away, Quotes me 1.5h labour and 25$ each for the joints. Bill comes up to under 200$. Sweet! I tell the guy I'll go grab some dinner and kill sometime.
About an hour later I head back to the store figuring my truck would be almost done. However I get there and my truck isn't even started... I ask why it hasn't been started. The service writer tells me that my truck needs much more repairs, such as new brake lines in the rear, diff seal and front lower ball joints. I asked him why my truck was inspected when I just asked for the U joints to be change. He tells me it's normal to have a 25 point inspection done... I didn't want to argue with him because I knew the rear lines were ok and the ball joints were good, I changed them myself. Maybe the rear pinon seal was leaking a tad.
At this point it's getting close to 8pm... I tell the guy to take my truck off the lift and I'll just stay the night. He takes it off the lift, gives me back the keys and says " So we'll see you tomorrow morning"... My plan was to stay the night and have a small corner garage do the job...
However when driving around I spotted a GM dealer that had a service center open until 3am. I drive in and ask if they have time to fix my truck. They do but it will cost me 375$... at this point it was going to cost me 100$ for a hotel room so I said screw it and let GM change the joints. 1.5h later my truck was ready. I tipped the tech 20$.
All these corporate driven places just care about meeting huge sales targets and numbers. I work in a small privately owned shop with 4 lifts and yes we do have targets to meet like any business but we won't tell customers they need to change parts if they don't need to. Also when we say the job will take X amount of time we mean it!
5 years ago I was working 200 miles away and driving a 95 C2500. I was heading home on a Thursday night when I started hearing a bad U joint noise coming from the rear followed by the shake at 80km/h. I didn't want to risk it and decided to have them changed at Canadian Tire knowing perfectly well the horror stories but I figured 2 joint's isn't that big of a job for any tech. I would have changed myself in a parking lot but it was -30 outside.
I get to CT at around 6pm and ask if they can change them The service guy says yep no problem we'll do it right away, Quotes me 1.5h labour and 25$ each for the joints. Bill comes up to under 200$. Sweet! I tell the guy I'll go grab some dinner and kill sometime.
About an hour later I head back to the store figuring my truck would be almost done. However I get there and my truck isn't even started... I ask why it hasn't been started. The service writer tells me that my truck needs much more repairs, such as new brake lines in the rear, diff seal and front lower ball joints. I asked him why my truck was inspected when I just asked for the U joints to be change. He tells me it's normal to have a 25 point inspection done... I didn't want to argue with him because I knew the rear lines were ok and the ball joints were good, I changed them myself. Maybe the rear pinon seal was leaking a tad.
At this point it's getting close to 8pm... I tell the guy to take my truck off the lift and I'll just stay the night. He takes it off the lift, gives me back the keys and says " So we'll see you tomorrow morning"... My plan was to stay the night and have a small corner garage do the job...
However when driving around I spotted a GM dealer that had a service center open until 3am. I drive in and ask if they have time to fix my truck. They do but it will cost me 375$... at this point it was going to cost me 100$ for a hotel room so I said screw it and let GM change the joints. 1.5h later my truck was ready. I tipped the tech 20$.
All these corporate driven places just care about meeting huge sales targets and numbers. I work in a small privately owned shop with 4 lifts and yes we do have targets to meet like any business but we won't tell customers they need to change parts if they don't need to. Also when we say the job will take X amount of time we mean it!
I had purchased batteries and tires from Sears many years ago. I had noticed the changes in their way of doing business, i.e. the push to sell you additional parts /work that you didn't want. Also, the return trips to correct problems relating to their parts installations.
The last straw was a battery needed for my Honda. I called the store and the employee tells me that they only have one battery left in the size I need, and I better hurry over right away. I buy that battery, install it in the car and it turns out to be a clunker. I never bought any more products from the Sears repair shop.
The last straw was a battery needed for my Honda. I called the store and the employee tells me that they only have one battery left in the size I need, and I better hurry over right away. I buy that battery, install it in the car and it turns out to be a clunker. I never bought any more products from the Sears repair shop.
The Critic
Well-known member
As always, it varies by location.
I took my friend's car to Sears for an oil change, tire rotation, brake inspection and engine air filter special that they had. Their work was fine and the price was a steal.
I took my friend's car to Sears for an oil change, tire rotation, brake inspection and engine air filter special that they had. Their work was fine and the price was a steal.
So, how much did you pay that you considered it a steal?
The Critic
Well-known member
Total bill was $31 and some change.
tdkkart
Well-known member
A freind worked for JiffyLube. They had a contest every Saturday, the flunkie that sold the most extras, belts, air filters, trans services etc got a $20-$50 cash bonus at the end of the day. When you're working for $7.50/hr $50 is ALOT of money.
One of guys at work took his new Chevy truck in for it's first oil change at 3000 miles.
The "master tech" at Jiffy Lube tried selling him an air filter...........DUH!!!
One of guys at work took his new Chevy truck in for it's first oil change at 3000 miles.
The "master tech" at Jiffy Lube tried selling him an air filter...........DUH!!!
Anyone who works on cars for 7.50 an hour, has no right touching an automobile, at least not mine! What would the credentials and experience be, of that individual? They indirectly send me engine jobs though.
May the consumer beware!idoine in toronto
Well-known member
This is an old article from '92, but maybe they have their act together now. 
"Sears, Roebuck and Co. Wednesday announced it has settled charges by the state of California that its auto centers systematically overcharged customers for unnecessary repair work.
The Chicago-based retailing giant also said it has reached settlements on all 19 class-action lawsuits filed in connection with the auto repair case.
Under the California settlement, Sears will: Reimburse California $3.5 million to cover the costs of its yearlong undercover investigation and attorneys' fees. Establish a fund of at least $1.5 million to finance auto repair training programs at California community colleges. Offer all California auto customers - and eventually all U.S. auto customers - $50 ... "
"Sears, Roebuck and Co. Wednesday announced it has settled charges by the state of California that its auto centers systematically overcharged customers for unnecessary repair work.
The Chicago-based retailing giant also said it has reached settlements on all 19 class-action lawsuits filed in connection with the auto repair case.
Under the California settlement, Sears will: Reimburse California $3.5 million to cover the costs of its yearlong undercover investigation and attorneys' fees. Establish a fund of at least $1.5 million to finance auto repair training programs at California community colleges. Offer all California auto customers - and eventually all U.S. auto customers - $50 ... "