DIYbanter - View Single Post - Need your advice on a good inside automotive tire patch

Tony Hwang

wrote:
On Mon, 7 Dec 2015 17:49:28 -0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

Ralph Mowery wrote, on Mon, 07 Dec 2015 12:44:04 -0500:

I worked at Sears changing and repairing tires and a few other minor
repairs. They had plug/patches similar to them back in 1970. Used a lot of
them.

Yikes! I hate Sears! I promised myself in 1981 that I'd *never* go
to Sears ever again! I tell everyone *not* to go to Sears!

begin rant

When I was young and stupid, I brought my 1970 clunker to Sears for
a $100 alignment.

The car had 90K miles on it and I had failed inspection (in those days,
they lifted the front end and checked for suspension wear).

I brought it to K-Mart, who, for something like $20 told me I needed
to replace the idler arm, the pitman arm, and the tie rod ends.

I replaced all of them, and started to do the alignment but quickly
realized that I just didn't have the tools to MEASURE the angles
correctly (and to convert inches to degrees, etc.). I got as far
as doing the toe but gave up when it came to camber and caster.

I had MARKED EVERYTHING though, with yellow nail polish, because
I wanted a before-and-after look at things (I was pretty detailed,
even then).

So I take it to Sears, pay my $100, and watch they guy. He never
once touched the car, but at one point, I was distracted by the shop
asking me to pay so maybe he did the work while I wasn't looking?

Anyway, I pay and drive home and put the car on a lift to snap
pictures. Guess what. Not a single eccentric was touched! Not one.
I could tell because I was sloppy with the nail polish and not a
single bolt was even MOVED!

The *******s. They stole my money. And my time. And, I'm sure,
I wasn't the only one.

I go back. I complain. They put it on the lift. Not a single thing
was right except for the toe (which "I" had done myself!).

Turns out, they mechanic *ADMITTED* he didn't do a thing!
He said his charts only went back 10 years and my car was 11 years
old! Can you believe that.

I should have complained to high heaven and gotten a refund.
I just let them re-align it.

I wasn't as crotchety when I was young, but I would have complained
to the district attorney or something had I been the age I am now.

It's criminal what Sears does to rip off people.
Absolutely criminal.

I watch all my alignments like a hawk watching a mouse now.
Sears sucks. I will *never* ever go to Sears for the rest of my
life, and I make sure everyone knows how bad they are.

The're criminals.
I'm sorry you worked there, and I do apologize for the diatribe.
It's not your fault they are criminals. It's their fault.

end rant
You can put just about any "chain tire shop" name in place of Sears
and be just as accurate. There are a few good ones of every brand -
but more bad ones.

Independents and to some extent automotive dealers are significantly
better.

I've had issues with Firestomne. BF Goodrich, and in the old days
Uniroyal tire centers all doing the rip-off - either attempting it on
me, or doing it to my customers.

I found out tire jobs at dealers don't really cost more.
Same with any service at dealership where we purchase(trade in)
our cars.