Buying tires from sears... ha ha they're crooked

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: eljefino

Here's my beef and I'll try to stop

"Pickup free" means something different to sears than any other business that follows local custom......

Perhaps those defending Sears in this specific case can explain exactly what "Pickup FREE" means. Based on the OP's very accurate description and complaint that is the crux of the matter here, not all the extraneous extra charge information now being subsequently posted. Based on the OP's information/posting it should clearly say, Installation required at extra cost. As far as I can tell there's nothing free about the "pick up".

Quite sure Ron White would agree with OP here.

Fortunately with multiple Discount Tire stores in this area, dealing with Sears for tires is non issue. Excellent competive pricing and top notch service after the sale with no club membership fees required, make DT the no brainer choice here.

 

[rjundi]

I find tire purchasing so painful at national chains with two a few experiences: firestone, NTB and walmart. Price was good but just left a bad taste in my mouth. All of them are horror shows. Walmart is a really bad place to go since they have no mechanical abilities and beyond that installed the wrong size tires on my vehicle. They refunded my money fully and mounted my tirerack.com purchase free but really mucked up. One of four tires was wrong size they ordered. My WRX balked quickly after two miles and the rear diff was burning hot to the touch.

I just call a few independents and a local reputable chain (Sullivan tire) and go from there. I pay a bit more but not really that much(10-15%). I also fell they don't rake me over the coals in performing the alignment check free to $40. I never end up doing the alignment since they state in spec according to machine. I know sears would fudge that.

 

[KitaCam]

The bad rep so many nationals have gotten has led to auto dealers getting into the tire business...Ford's TV ads promoting tires being a good example.

 

[jimbrewer]

Originally Posted By: HM12460
They are their own worst enemy.


In the early 1960's Sears built one of their first big retail outlets in our little city. It was a very big deal for us because of our size, and also for Sears which was just getting into large floor space retail. It had everything a regular big department store would have including a beauty parlor. My mom's hairdresser went there. The Sears tires were a particularly big deal because Sears was the only outfit that offered discounted tires in those days. Mostly you just bought one at the filling station.

Dad noticed that these odd charges for the automotive section would appear on his monthly bill for no reason. He called and called and finally got an answer: "We don't have a category for the beauty parlor, so we just put it under automotive."

How you can survive with fifty years of mismanagement is beyond me.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
Originally Posted By: HM12460
They are their own worst enemy.


In the early 1960's Sears built one of their first big retail outlets in our little city. It was a very big deal for us because of our size, and also for Sears which was just getting into large floor space retail. It had everything a regular big department store would have including a beauty parlor. My mom's hairdresser went there. The Sears tires were a particularly big deal because Sears was the only outfit that offered discounted tires in those days. Mostly you just bought one at the filling station.

Dad noticed that these odd charges for the automotive section would appear on his monthly bill for no reason. He called and called and finally got an answer: "We don't have a category for the beauty parlor, so we just put it under automotive."

How you can survive with fifty years of mismanagement is beyond me.


love that one!

 

[Spazdog]

As much as I may dislike Sears, they did outlast their competitors.

When I bought my 1965 Impala, closer inspection of the spare revealed it to be a J.C.Penney bias belted tire. Oh yeah! J.C. Penney had an automotive department. I remember wanting the unfortunately named "Pinto" mopeds they sold when I was a kid (looked like a Daimler Puch).

Montgomery Ward had an automotive department too. Also sold all kinds of Motobecanes, Benellis, and Bridgestone motorcycles, TVs, radios, stereos, turntables, appliances...etc....seemed like every house on the block had a Montgomery Ward brand something in the house in the '70s.

Sears managed to outlive all of them. I don't think that Craftsman or Kenmore is that special anymore and I do not know how long they can continue they way they are running now but credit where credit is due for hanging in there longer than Penney's automotive Dept. or Monkey Ward's anything.

 

[antiqueshell]

I'd like to know what happened to the
Sears and Roebuck families that use to own the company?

Too bad they don't buy out these snaky idiots that own it now?

It is interesting there has been a trend of founders buying back companies and taking them private so they have more ability to fine tune the business and not be so sensitive to greedy shareholders heck that is what is wrong with most businesses in the US today. They are too busy thinking about the the shareholders and BoD to think about......the customer...yeah you know, the ones that actually create MANGLEMENT'S paycheck?

 

[antiqueshell]

Surfing around trying to answer my own question I came upon a pretty interesting website from Sears itself.

Sears Archives and History

Some very interesting history told there.

Another strange coincidence is that just about the time
Laura Ingalls (Little House On the Prairie) was in Walnut Grove, the soon to be founder of Sears was living with his family in Mankato, Minnesota , also Mr. Sears actually struck up a friendship with Almanzo Wilder, the soon to be husband of Laura , the two towns are just a stones throw away from each other and Mankato is often mentioned in Laura's books.

 

[Voltmaster]

I was there on Sunday

I made online appointment paid everything ,

Took them 35 min ( of me being checked in and got my keys ) to just check my alignment. I was walking to my car thinking they've done everything .

waited 10 more min , the guy was like you need to buy balancing thing and that. I said give me refund , the [censored] with you.

Discount tire gives you free coffee , sears wanted $1.5 for small water bottle!!
They do everything in 20-30 min , they have people who speak english.


Worst exprince of my life.