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Sears Auto - Wheels

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Robin of Dallas (4/2/03):
I purchased some American Racing Chrome wheels that I saw in a catalog. When they arrived I wasn't too sure that I liked them, and the sales guy told me that he would have his service men put them on my car and I could see if I liked the way they looked with no obligation to keep them. They proceeded to put the wheels on my car, and by the second one I told him that I did not like the way they looked.

The salesman proceeded to try and pursued me to keep them so he told me that I could drive them home, and sleep on it, and if I did not like them the next day to come back and he would have them removed at no extra charge. So I agreed, beliving what the salesman told me.

I came back the next day and asked if they could remove them. I had talked to another salesman, explaining my situation, and he told me that the policy did not allow removal of wheels once they were mounted. So I got upset because the salesman that sold them to me had me beliving that I could return them. The manager, a female with brown hair, caucasion, short. She explained that I could not return them because they had already been mounted onto the car. I explained once more that the salesman told me that I could leave with, no obligation, and return if I did not like them.

The salesman that sold me the rims came back from his lunch break, and I had asked him, "Do you remember me, I am the one you said I could take the rims home, and if I did not like them that I could bring them back?" He paused, looking at his manager, and said "Why would I say a stupid thing like that? I know that our policy does not allow that."

I was furious by this time. So I asked to contact the regional manager, and they said that they could not find his card, to come back in a few days and they might have his card by then. So I stormed out because I felt betrayed. I came back two weeks later, and I got to talk to another manager. He gave me the same run around and a customer service phone number to call. I called it while standing there, and I got no result. I left a message, and still to this day have gotton no response. the wheels have not been on my car since. I had them remove them and put on my stock wheels, at my expence, which made me even more upset.

Todd of Hudson WI (2/8/03):
I bought a set of aftermarket wheels from Sears Tire. The salesman I dealt with gave me misinformation on what wheels would fit my car. After finally coming to an agreement on what would work, he sold me an expensive set of wheels. I also ordered a set of locking lug nuts. When the wheels arrived, one of the boxes was cut open. The lug nuts were delivered to me in a torn brown paper bag, with the locking nuts missing. The salesman told me that I didn't order them, when it clearly showed that I had on my receipt. He refused to help me further.

I had Sears mount and balance tires on my new wheels (still in the box). After they had finished I had large, deep scratches on all four wheels. After the were installed on my car I noticed a metallic scraping sound coming from my front wheels when I turn sharply. I came to find out that these wheels did not fit my car. I stopped in a competing tire center and they told me the wheels were scraping against my car. I asked them what wheels would fit my car and the competing tire salesman showed me many wheels that Sears told me that wouldn't fit.

AJ of Hampsted, MD, writes:
I had purchased a set of rims and had to wait two weeks for them to come because of the delay from one rim being shipped to a store in Baltimore and the other three coming to Westminster. After getting the rims put on, supposedly the lug nut on the old rim wouldn't come off so the mechanic instead of asking me or finding me to see what I wanted done, he broke the nut off himself and stood there and told me that he broke the lug nut off and it wasn't his fault.

Having to pay $65.00 for a new lug nut and installation at a local auto mechanic that caused poor service and reputation from Sears that they made for themselves, I am not surprised that my friends have been treated the same way with the same service. If this was a different auto center, they would fix it for free and not charge me for any services.

Joseph of Somers, CT, writes about the Sears Center in Enfield: I purchased tires from Sears about 14 months ago and in the last few weeks a continuous bumping noise in the back passenger-side tire has developed.

My mechanic tested the vehicle for problems with the wheel bearings and stated the problem was a bump or imperfection in the tire. I took the car to Sears where I purchased the tires and asked them to exchange the tire.

They reviewed the problem and after several hours, told me I needed new struts. I can't for the life of me imagine the cause of a bumping sound in the tire would be the result of a strut problem.

Four struts on my 93 Intrepid ES cost $450. How can the sound become more rapid as the speed increase be the result of a strut problem. Under the laws of physics this is impossible.

We don't know about the laws of physics but a quick trip to Small Claims Court will quickly determine the laws of Connecticut with regard to this matter. Joseph should be certain to read his warranty to be sure that this defect is covered after 14 months.

Joan of Brick, NJ, writes:
On 03/12/00, my husband brought our 1995 GMC Van to Sears to have new tires put on. During the procedure they accidentally ran over all 4 of the rims to our tires. We were told that they would order and replace the rims. We agreed although we were not pleased.

The next day 3/13/00 when I drove the van for the first time I noticed the van was pulling to the left. We proceeded to bring it back to Sears that night. We told the manager Roger that it was pulling to the left and was not aligned right. He told me that it probably wasn't the alignment but the brakes were bad. I told him the van did not pull until I had the tires put on.

After approximately 20 minutes arguing with them, a mechanic took the van for a test drive and agreed it was not aligned right. They told us to bring it back on Sunday 3/19/00. My husband brought it back that day and decided to also have new front brakes put on while they were re-aligning it and installing the new rims that they ordered.

When the van was done and my husband drove it home, the left pull was worse than before. He called Sears the next day and was told the mechanic who worked on it was not told that it was pulling to the left and just did a normal alignment on it. They told us to bring it back for a 3rd time.

My husband then brought it back on 3/26/00 for the third alignment. The manager was very upset because it took the only 2 mechanics working that day approximately 4 hours to get the alignment right. My husband drove home that evening and the alignment was fine.

After we brought the van home on 3/26/00 after the 3rd alignment, I did not drive the van until 3/28/00. I was driving on a major highway with a 50 mph speed limit in our town taking my daughter to a doctor's appointment with 3 other children in the van. I went approximately 1 1/2 miles when I was coming up to a red light. As I slowed down and then proceeded to brake, my brakes failed and I was forced to pull quickly to the side of the road to avoid hitting the car in front of me. The van came to a stop approximately 50 feet from where I first applied the brakes.

I was very shaken. The children -- two 3 year olds, a 6 year old and an 11 year old -- were very frightened and also very shaken as to what had just happened. One of my neighbors had just driven by when she notice me on the side of the road. Thankfully she had taken the 5 us home so I could call my husband. I called my husband and told him what just happened and he immediately came home from work. I then proceeded to call Sears and tell them what happened.

I spoke to the Asst. Mgr. Craig. He asked if I could drive the car there. I then emphasized again there were NO BRAKES and the Anti-Lock Brake light was on. He told me to have it towed at their expense but if it was anything put the pads they put on they were not responsible.

When my husband arrived home, we drove to the van. He looked underneath the front tires and noticed that when they realigned the wheels the 3rd time that they did not properly put the ABS cable back in its proper place. The cable was actually rubbing against the inside rim of the tire which caused the cable to wear throughout and short out which in turn caused me to lose my brakes. My husband wrapped the cables to make it driveable and brought the car back to Sears.

He told Craig that he specifically did not want them to splice the cable back together and wanted a new cable installed. Craig assured him that he would order a cable but because it's a dealer part it would take another day to fix the van. He agreed. That evening my husband called Sears to get the status on the van and Craig told him that the van was fixed and we could pick it up. He told my husband that the ABS mechanic spliced the cable back together. I told my husband this is not acceptable and I called Craig myself to find out why the new cable was not going to be installed. He told me that the car fixed and was FINE, I told him this was NOT FINE and that this is highly unacceptable. I then reminded him that I almost got in an accident with 4 children in my car.

He then told me since I did not agree to this quick fix to speak to his manager Roger tomorrow. I called Peach the next morning and explained my concerns. I told him I was not going to accept the way they fixed the cable and wanted a new one installed. He told me he would call Craig to find out what happened.

When he called me back he told me that they did this quick fix as to not inconvenience me until the new cables arrived. I told him that there were none order. He assured me that they were and it would take 2-4 days to come in. I asked him why Craig did not tell me this when I spoke with him the previous night. He said he didn't know and assured me they were ordered the day before. So far it has been left at that.

I feel these people have shown a total lack of professionalism and negligence and a blatant careless disregard for human safety. These people have not once apologized for the inconvenience they have caused me and my family for the last 3 weeks and the consequence that could have resulted in something tragic because they did not take the time to do a job right.

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