SEARS WARRANTY!!!

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I nearly got into a fist fight today at my local sears auto center.

About 2 years ago I purchased 4 brand new BFG Rugged trail load range E tires.

I get the extended warranty and all the fancy stuff with it.

I rotate the tires every 6-7K or sooner and I maintain 55pounds all around.

The tires had about 49K miles on them and were a good thread depth away from the wear bar. The tires were like brand new.

I noticed small chunks of rubber falling out of the side of all my tires.

I was like [censored], I assume its the sudden change from hot to cold at night. So I bring them in to get them warrantied. The tire person says I intentionally damaged the tires and wouldnt warranty them. I ask for the manager she comes out and will only give me 50 dollars per tire because of the thread depth.

I take it to another sears they give me 100 dollars per tire I have them write this up on a quote and I take it back to the idiot manager and show it to her. Them I proceed to ask for the head manager of the store.

I cussed this manager out infront of about 10 people in line for new tires, promised to take my buissness to americas tire and he had the tire manager give me 4 new tires for free.

I then drove the truck and had them warrantied by americas tire with full roadside.

Screw sears.
 
Thats how WalMart's warranty works as well. Down to a certain tread depth its free replacement, then after that its prorated down until nothing at 2/32" and below. But depending on the damage the tire Manufacture has a warranty as well, and thats probably what I would have used. Just given you a set and tagged the old ones as a defect.
 
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Wow, what a level headed rational person you are! I bet you impressed the socks off of those 10 people setting that manager straight. At least you got what you wanted. I am curious as to your motive here, if the other Sears would warranty your tires for $50 more for a total of $100, why did you not just have them changed there?
 
Originally Posted By: 97f150
Wow, what a level headed rational person you are! I bet you impressed the socks off of those 10 people setting that manager straight. At least you got what you wanted. I am curious as to your motive here, if the other Sears would warranty your tires for $50 more for a total of $100, why did you not just have them changed there?


He probably wanted to go back to show that manager another Sears would have given him more. I wouldn't say it is a good way to get your way, if you have to cuss at a person and can't just talk to them, that is pretty sad.
 
I don't think cussing up a storm is the way to handle things. Normally you come off as sounding like the crazy person.....not the ones you are trying to set straight.

Plus places like Sears, Pep Boys have people yelling at them a lot so they probably get defensive towards you. Then you end of getting less than what you might have been able to get in the first place.
 
I have had many bad experiences at SEARS. And I intend to never go back. A few years back they cross-threaded one wheel stud and when I returned to get the tires rotated, demanded I pay them to fix it. I refused and the mgr got involved. I was about 5'9" and 200 lbs and in fair shape but this guy was thin, about 6'5" and started yelling and trying to intimidate me! In front of other customers in the waiting room, too. I kept refusing to pay for the stud/nut and labor and he kept yelling how it was my fault. (?) Anyway the yelling/refusing kept on and he slowly backed down. Finally I agreed to pay for the parts and he ate the labor because I was about to leave and do the job my self. I had a couple of other bad experiences with him but that was the last straw. Took about 8 years for me to return and surprise, had another problem. Not with him but a regular sales person.

I called over to the store to see how much of a certain oil they had in stock and was told something like 32 qts. by a guy who said he was checking the computer. Drove right over and found only 10 qts on the shelf. Rebate was for a case, so I waited about 35 minutes while the salespersons took a couple of customers that should have been behind me in line only to be told they would not check in back because, "...there is plenty on the shelf." I explained about my earlier call but to now avail - wouldn't even check the inventory on the system. As I left I was really hoping the place would burn to the ground in my rear view mirror but alas, no such luck.

I've been working on cars and dealing with many tire stores since 1983. I've had only one good experience with Sears and have been exposed to innumerable people with bad experiences so I think the profanity is warranted. If Sears appears to want to do profane things to us so I see no issue in sending some back to them. IMO the only thing Sears has going for them is the tool warranty. But since Kmart bought them I've had some problems there too.

I kinda hope Kmart/Sears goes the way of the dinosaur. And I don't think many people would mind, either as Kmart sucks too. Just ask anybody who retired before their re-org in about 2000 if they had their retirement money in Kmart stock. You might find them working at Walmart, since Kmart canceled the class of stock they had their retirement based on.

If my car broke down in their parking lot I'd gladly pay the tow to another shop. The auto center is nearly worthless. Again, in my not so humble opinion. I hope others have had better luck than I, but I doubt it.
 
I feel that way about Home Depot.I refuse to spend money with them.Have a friend that was with HD home office in accounting.She quit them after 3 years.Tells horror stories of how they handle vendors and their behind the scenes business practices. Guy who retired and built the big aquarium in Atlanta is/was a crook and his predecessor no better.Treat thie behind the scenes employees pretty darn rough also.
 
Originally Posted By: defektes
I cussed this manager out infront of about 10 people in line for new tires, promised to take my buissness to americas tire and he had the tire manager give me 4 new tires for free.

I then drove the truck and had them warrantied by americas tire with full roadside.Screw sears.
I was going to give you directions to the nearest DT/AT, but I see you already know where it is.
lol.gif
I can't guarantee, but IME with DT I don't think you would have been treated that way at DT/AT. But now you don't have to worry about these tires. btw, same type BFG's my son bought at DT. They were the OE tire for his Explorer. DT has treated him right.

I would say you could add your title SEARS WARRANTY for tires to a list of oxymorons.
wink.gif
 
That's how all tire warranties are: they're pro-rated.

I've bought tires at Sears once, and had a pretty good experience. Good customer service, anyway. One of the tires wouldn't balance right. I took it to Sears to have them spin balance the tires 3 or 4 times. It never got right. I finally went to a shop with a Hunter road force balancer, paid $60 out of pocket for them to balance the tires, and they found one bad tire, with a lot of force variance. I took the print-out back to Sears, they gave me a new tire (they were still rather new), and even paid me CASH for the balance job that I had to go elsewhere to get.

It's too bad that they couldn't find the bad tire themselves. But like most stores, they only have a spin balance machine...no way to measure force variation. I was right happy that they refunded my money for the out of pocket expense I had.

And no cussing either.
 
Quote:
That's how all tire warranties are: they're pro-rated.
Now, the OP said he bought the "extended warranty" and all the fancy stuff. For DT, that means an extra charge for what they call "Certificates of Free Replacement". That means a new tire(s), for any failure, any mileage, no questions asked. I assume he went to DT/AT this time after Sears, to get that. I suspect that's what he thought he purchased at Sears with the extended warranty.

The prorated roadhazard is standard/included in the package with a DT/AT tire purchase. They also gave me a credit towards purchase, for a set of Yoko's that didn't get the warranted mileage.
 
I stay clear of Sears, PB, Mavis, or any of the big chains. When I worked in CS positions I actually looked forward to people screaming and cursing. Funny thing is the louder they screamed the less they got. Nice people who conducted themselves like civilized humans got the most. I found what [censored] off someone who yells is never raising my voice to their level. I had a few threats too, and politely advised them against the threats because there was always the possibility I was just a little crazier than they were. I miss those jobs, there was never a dull moment, and it made me a better negotiator.
 
If you get that worked up over tires, god help us if you really have a problem in life.

Those people in line weren't impressed; they were embarrassed a grown man was having a temper tantrum over some old tire.

Check yourself.
 
Yeah thats why a good portion of them left, they were trying to short me on thier warranty.

I mad it known that they lost a customer and that I went to a different sears and got the correct pro rating on the tires not the rip off they were giving me.

I see nice people get walked over all the time, I am just not the person that gets walked over. If you want anything accomplished in life you need to fight for it.

And no, I have my other car's on americas tire and they don't pro rate if you have the extended road side warranty.

I went with sears because I drive my truck to remote sites alot and I figured if I had a problem I could be sure there was a sears nearby. That was a mistake.
 
Originally Posted By: defektes
I see nice people get walked over all the time, I am just not the person that gets walked over. If you want anything accomplished in life you need to fight for it.


Big difference between being walked over & cussing someone out in public.

It's fairly common knowledge that service at Sears is an oxymoron. Not putting yourself in a situation where you have to fight is a better method.
 
My local Sears is pretty good. They've helped both me (battery issues) and my buddy (tires), and took good care of us....
 
I worked in a Sears Auto Center about 20 years ago. I will be the first to admit they have guys/gals that can screw things up on any given vehicle. Problem is they did not train people properly.

It was embarrassing.
 
when i was a service writer at sears, any customer that raised their voice like that and started cussing were told to leave the store. then LP (Loss Prevention) was called to review the security tapes. then the customer was told their business was not needed and they were not to return.

as ADFD1 stated, customers who remain calm get more.
 
+1 Cuss at me and you are out the door. PLEASE take your business elsewhere as most places don't need customers like that. Keep on raising cane and you elevate to a disorderly conduct charge when the cops arrive. Then, you get trespassed. The warranty issue is a CIVIL matter. Take it up with corporate and go from there.
 
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