Walmart installation (experiences)

[apwillard1986]

It is very difficult to buy any quality service these days at any price. It is even more difficult when companies are chasing a price point in the hopes of cornering a market and save money by not enforcing quality work standards. The very fact that there is no consistency in the quality of service from store to store is a huge red flag.

I think a lot of people have a problem with Wal-Mart or quick lube service due to past experience. It may be an unfair generalization but it is also unfair to ignore the fact that it is a generalization that they have earned.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

If you want to financially support a company that pays some of the poorest wages anywhere and generally treats employees as second class citizens, then Walmart may be a good choice for you. If you want to financially support a retailer that has played a major role in exporting jobs to countries with low labor and environmental standards, then Walmart is probably a good choice. If you like a company that routinely dodges state and local taxes and creates complex real estate arrangements to obscure how much taxes the company owes, creates a drag on the economy with its low price focus and massive China outsourcing, then Walmart may be your ideal choice. If you want to use a company with whom you have to hope and pray that they do a good job, then Walmart is just the ticket.

My standards are a bit different.

Originally Posted By: dareo
Once you find a store that cares about its TLE, then you observe their techs and see if you want to take a chance on them. Start small with old things they cannot possibly destroy.


That sounds like a lot of work in hopes that you find someone competent enough to install tires. I think I'll just use the tire shop that the guy down the road owns, who has been in business for more than 30 years, and pays/treats his employees well. I don't have to jump through hoops and "test" them with stuff that they "cannot possibly destroy". And if they "cannot possibly destroy" something, how can it be a valid "test" of their competence?

And it also serves to keep my purchases local.

 

[Eddie]

They have done a very good job at my local Walmart. Torque wrench tighten the lugs. Balanced correctly so no shake at 80 mph. My family has had 4, 4 tire sets installed without any issues. Ed

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
As someone noted upthread, the install depends upon the knowledge, skill and experience of the tech, just as it does at Costco, Discount Tire or anywhere else.
I've had one set of tires mounted at Walmart, Pure Contacts bought online from somewhere.
They did a fine job and I had no problems with the work they did.
We all sometimes stigmatize Walmart for their selection of cheap Chinese merchandise and their overpriced grocery items, but we all love Walmart for the things it does well.
Oil for those who can't seem to plan a few weeks ahead for a drain?
Walmart is your friend.
Walmart TLE?
Good deals on oil changes with none of the quicky lube nonsense as well as good prices on tires and for mounting those bought elsewhere.
OTOH, I had four tires mounted and balance today for twenty bucks total, but that was just a lucky thing involving my job.


Some of us don't care enough to have anywhere from 50 to 200 quarts sitting in out garage......FYI.

 

[dareo]

Pop_Rivit i agree with most of that. Use that good locally owned shop first if you have a good one. I wouldn't say WM treats employees that badly, just they don't pay a lot. I still managed to earn a Bernie Sanders min wage by the time i left. It was enough to buy a home in the recession. The job security i had there was 100% bombproof.

The other good thing about Walmart Tire and Lube Express is if someone does break something, including destroying your entire engine, they have a very good payout system. If it got broke they paid for it. They have extensive cameras to substantiate any claims you might have against them.

Tire installation as far as the lug nuts go is taken very seriously. Torque limiting sticks, a total of 3 hand torques should be done there.

 

[stephen9666]

Here are my last two Wal-Mart tire experiences. These were at two different locations:

-My brother buys tires. They cross-thread one of the lugs badly and I find it when I go to inspect his brakes while he's visiting me. The lug wouldn't come off so I had to snap it and replace it myself. luckily, replacement was easy.

-I bought a tire for my Miata on a carry-in wheel. When he gives it to me it's installed wrong (tire is Asymmetrical). I point out the problem. They take it back and redo it. I ask how it balanced the second time and the guy says he didn't rebalance it. I tell him it needs to be rebalanced because it's been repositioned. He rebalances it.

I wait a week before installing it because it's a project car. When I go to install it the tire is flat. I bring it in and they argue with me and refuse to fix it for free, even though it's never been installed on the vehicle. After some back and forth they agree to fix it if it was their problem. Turned out they installed a defective valve stem. They still tried to charge me $2 for the new stem.

My experiences at Discount Tire, since we recently got one, have been top notch. Great prices and well-trained techs who have done great work for me.

 

[Amirkhat]

I feel like the folks at wal-mart need to be a little more tentative, they just don't really seem to take pride in their work.

 

[4wd]

Walmart #4518 is prolly the best at this ...

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
If you want to financially support a company that pays some of the poorest wages anywhere and generally treats employees as second class citizens, then Walmart may be a good choice for you. If you want to financially support a retailer that has played a major role in exporting jobs to countries with low labor and environmental standards, then Walmart is probably a good choice. If you like a company that routinely dodges state and local taxes and creates complex real estate arrangements to obscure how much taxes the company owes, creates a drag on the economy with its low price focus and massive China outsourcing, then Walmart may be your ideal choice. If you want to use a company with whom you have to hope and pray that they do a good job, then Walmart is just the ticket.

My standards are a bit different.

Originally Posted By: dareo
Once you find a store that cares about its TLE, then you observe their techs and see if you want to take a chance on them. Start small with old things they cannot possibly destroy.


That sounds like a lot of work in hopes that you find someone competent enough to install tires. I think I'll just use the tire shop that the guy down the road owns, who has been in business for more than 30 years, and pays/treats his employees well. I don't have to jump through hoops and "test" them with stuff that they "cannot possibly destroy". And if they "cannot possibly destroy" something, how can it be a valid "test" of their competence?

And it also serves to keep my purchases local.



Bashing Walmart posts are as tiring as those that bash car dealers, Subarus, Chinese Tires and Jiffy Lubes.


BTW-when it comes to locations, tax breaks, etc., Walmart doesn't do anything other large box retail establishments do....let's be an equal opportunity basher.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
If you want to financially support a company that pays some of the poorest wages anywhere and generally treats employees as second class citizens, then Walmart may be a good choice for you. If you want to financially support a retailer that has played a major role in exporting jobs to countries with low labor and environmental standards, then Walmart is probably a good choice. If you like a company that routinely dodges state and local taxes and creates complex real estate arrangements to obscure how much taxes the company owes, creates a drag on the economy with its low price focus and massive China outsourcing, then Walmart may be your ideal choice. If you want to use a company with whom you have to hope and pray that they do a good job, then Walmart is just the ticket.

My standards are a bit different.

Originally Posted By: dareo
Once you find a store that cares about its TLE, then you observe their techs and see if you want to take a chance on them. Start small with old things they cannot possibly destroy.


That sounds like a lot of work in hopes that you find someone competent enough to install tires. I think I'll just use the tire shop that the guy down the road owns, who has been in business for more than 30 years, and pays/treats his employees well. I don't have to jump through hoops and "test" them with stuff that they "cannot possibly destroy". And if they "cannot possibly destroy" something, how can it be a valid "test" of their competence?

And it also serves to keep my purchases local.



Bashing Walmart posts are as tiring as those that bash car dealers, Subarus, Chinese Tires and Jiffy Lubes.


BTW-when it comes to locations, tax breaks, etc., Walmart doesn't do anything other large box retail establishments do....let's be an equal opportunity basher.


You should disclose you belong to a Union BTW. It puts things in to perspective.

 

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
If you want to financially support a company that pays some of the poorest wages anywhere and generally treats employees as second class citizens, then Walmart may be a good choice for you. If you want to financially support a retailer that has played a major role in exporting jobs to countries with low labor and environmental standards, then Walmart is probably a good choice. If you like a company that routinely dodges state and local taxes and creates complex real estate arrangements to obscure how much taxes the company owes, creates a drag on the economy with its low price focus and massive China outsourcing, then Walmart may be your ideal choice. If you want to use a company with whom you have to hope and pray that they do a good job, then Walmart is just the ticket.

My standards are a bit different.

Originally Posted By: dareo
Once you find a store that cares about its TLE, then you observe their techs and see if you want to take a chance on them. Start small with old things they cannot possibly destroy.


That sounds like a lot of work in hopes that you find someone competent enough to install tires. I think I'll just use the tire shop that the guy down the road owns, who has been in business for more than 30 years, and pays/treats his employees well. I don't have to jump through hoops and "test" them with stuff that they "cannot possibly destroy". And if they "cannot possibly destroy" something, how can it be a valid "test" of their competence?

And it also serves to keep my purchases local.


That is a lot of irrelevant useless information to the thread on installation experience. I have mail ordered tires on/off since 1990 (tirerack) and had a local installer do the work. I can use the local($110) or Walmart($50) to perform it. Walmart.com is nothing more then a mail order place.

I bet you gladly order off Amazon.com or other online sites which in this case is no better or different then Walmart.com in terms of your destruction of your America.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

While Walmart's effect is unfortunate, and I totally understand the anti-WM sentiment, there are a few good reason to get tires installed there.

Torque. WM uses the correct torque, not over-tightening with an air gun, uneven torque, can't get the wheel off later.

They don't try to upsell extra [censored]. Walmart will not try to talk you in to extra services they don't offer in the first place. And finally, if you have directional tires, their free rotations include flip/remount of directional tires.

I'd rather get tires at Walmart than Pep Boys! I might even trust their oil changes more than I'd trust Jiffy Lube.

Walmart does not install run-flat tires.

That said, I'd go to Discount Tire of they had physical locations on the east coast. Because they have many of the upsides I listed above for Walmart. And they almost certainly treat their employees better. Similarly, ordering online from DTD is better than Amazon for the same reason.

 

[mclasser]

Back in the day, I took my old Benz to have tires put on at Walmart. I forgot to remove the the aftermarket plastic lug nut caps before I went in. After sitting in the waiting area for 10 min, I looked out the window and saw 2 guys scratching their heads trying to fit different sockets over the nut caps. That's when I went out and apologized for not removing the caps beforehand. I quickly popped them out with a tool in my glove box and we all had a good laugh. Everything went fine afterwards. Didn't have any vibrations so they must've mounted & balanced correctly.

 

[SHOZ]

It's my go to choice for tire mounting. I use other than OEM tire sizes so have to take them in off the car.

One time I had a Taurus SHO with factory directional wheels. And had directional tires to mount. Took three time before they got them all right.

 

[fdcg27]

Okay, Pop.
Are you an IPhone user?

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
As someone noted upthread, the install depends upon the knowledge, skill and experience of the tech, just as it does at Costco, Discount Tire or anywhere else.
I've had one set of tires mounted at Walmart, Pure Contacts bought online from somewhere.
They did a fine job and I had no problems with the work they did.
We all sometimes stigmatize Walmart for their selection of cheap Chinese merchandise and their overpriced grocery items, but we all love Walmart for the things it does well.
Oil for those who can't seem to plan a few weeks ahead for a drain?
Walmart is your friend.
Walmart TLE?
Good deals on oil changes with none of the quicky lube nonsense as well as good prices on tires and for mounting those bought elsewhere.
OTOH, I had four tires mounted and balance today for twenty bucks total, but that was just a lucky thing involving my job.


Some of us don't care enough to have anywhere from 50 to 200 quarts sitting in out garage......FYI.


Some may not care about having a nice stock of eight buck a jug M1 in various grades as well as some D1 at the same price.
Some may not care about having an ample stock of FAR PP, Ultra and Quaker State Ultimate Durability oil to tap as needed.
I probably save a couple of hundred bucks a year by having a stock of oil bought on the cheap for the family's fleet of seven vehicles.
I'll take that, especially since when I want to do a change I don't need to stop somewhere and buy the supplies. I already have oil and filters on hand.
I personally care about convenience and saving my money. I guess that not everyone does.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
As someone noted upthread, the install depends upon the knowledge, skill and experience of the tech, just as it does at Costco, Discount Tire or anywhere else.
I've had one set of tires mounted at Walmart, Pure Contacts bought online from somewhere.
They did a fine job and I had no problems with the work they did.
We all sometimes stigmatize Walmart for their selection of cheap Chinese merchandise and their overpriced grocery items, but we all love Walmart for the things it does well.
Oil for those who can't seem to plan a few weeks ahead for a drain?
Walmart is your friend.
Walmart TLE?
Good deals on oil changes with none of the quicky lube nonsense as well as good prices on tires and for mounting those bought elsewhere.
OTOH, I had four tires mounted and balance today for twenty bucks total, but that was just a lucky thing involving my job.


Some of us don't care enough to have anywhere from 50 to 200 quarts sitting in out garage......FYI.


Some may not care about having a nice stock of eight buck a jug M1 in various grades as well as some D1 at the same price.
Some may not care about having an ample stock of FAR PP, Ultra and Quaker State Ultimate Durability oil to tap as needed.
I probably save a couple of hundred bucks a year by having a stock of oil bought on the cheap for the family's fleet of seven vehicles.
I'll take that, especially since when I want to do a change I don't need to stop somewhere and buy the supplies. I already have oil and filters on hand.
I personally care about convenience and saving my money. I guess that not everyone does.


Your right-when it comes to having that much oil in my garage taking up valuable space I could care less about a couple of hundred bucks.

 

[chainblu]

I've had the tires on my truck balanced several times at my local Walmart. While I have no complaints about the actual balance, they usually 'forget' to relearn the Tire Pressure Monitoring system (TPMS). When I 'remind' them that they didn't do it, they usually give me a stupid grin and say, "oops, I forgot", or worse, one time the guy said since the warning light didn't come on, it didn't need to be done. *shaking head*

This is just poor training and/or bad management. No excuse for either.

 

[fdcg27]

Sounds like you may have one of those petite garages.
We have a large one with plenty of room for four cars, four OPEs as well as a couple of workbenches and as much oil and other parts and supplies as anyone would want.

 

[Dave Hess]

CKN,

How many years did you work for Walmart ?