Two things I will never understand in life...

   / Two things I will never understand in life... #31  
At least here in Nevada, Les Schwab DOES NOT sell Toyo tires anymore (at least, as of about 4 months ago). They are now pushing their own house brand...that after I had them put Toyos on both of my trucks.
les schwab is amazing. their employees actually run out to the parking lot to greet you, or they did 10 years ago when i lived in OR.

Best tire buying experience i've ever had.

I've often wondered how they approach their requirement that the employees have to run.
 
   / Two things I will never understand in life...
  • Thread Starter
#32  
les schwab is amazing. their employees actually run out to the parking lot to greet you, or they did 10 years ago when i lived in OR.

Best tire buying experience i've ever had.

I've often wondered how they approach their requirement that the employees have to run.
No clue who les schwab is, but I'd be curious if their employees "run" to the parking lot to great you.

A business has to make money. Only have so many labor hours in a day. That said, seems like a good gimmick if they can keep doing it.

I've made appointments with discount tire for a certain time, all the reserved parking spaces for "customers with appointments" taken, and still have to wait in line because they are so busy. Easier to call my local mechanic and make a "reservation".

As a business, you have the draw the line somewhere. In the case of discount tire, if you make a reservation, enforce the reservation parking spots or don't overbook.
 
   / Two things I will never understand in life... #33  
les schwab is amazing. their employees actually run out to the parking lot to greet you, or they did 10 years ago when i lived in OR.

Best tire buying experience i've ever had.

I've often wondered how they approach their requirement that the employees have to run.

10 years ago yes, they did actually run out to the parking lot to talk to me when I pulled in. No more. It is NOT the same company. Les Schwab, guy who started the company, died a few years ago and the company has totally changed. At least at the local Les Schwab, they act like they are doing a favor just to talk to you at the counter. From what I've experienced, quality of work is more shoddy...I had five tires mounted and balanced recently, when I got home I checked the tires and all five had difference pressures in them.
But where I live in northern Nevada, there's not much competition for Les Schwab. Reno is 175 miles away. I still want to put Toyo tires on my trucks...guess I'll have to buy them from Walmart now since Les Schwab doesn't sell them.
 
   / Two things I will never understand in life...
  • Thread Starter
#34  
10 years ago yes, they did actually run out to the parking lot to talk to me when I pulled in. No more. It is NOT the same company. Les Schwab, guy who started the company, died a few years ago and the company has totally changed. At least at the local Les Schwab, they act like they are doing a favor just to talk to you at the counter. From what I've experienced, quality of work is more shoddy...I had five tires mounted and balanced recently, when I got home I checked the tires and all five had difference pressures in them.
But where I live in northern Nevada, there's not much competition for Les Schwab. Reno is 175 miles away. I still want to put Toyo tires on my trucks...guess I'll have to buy them from Walmart now since Les Schwab doesn't sell them.
Reading up on the company, seems no different than most small local businesses. 1st genearation builds something successful, and by the 3rd generation, it's run into the ground.

Mr. Schwab seemed like a remarable fellow. Also seemed like he treated his employees great, and highly recurited within the company.

Thank God for bean counters :rolleyes:
 
   / Two things I will never understand in life... #35  
I've made appointments with discount tire for a certain time, all the reserved parking spaces for "customers with appointments" taken, and still have to wait in line because they are so busy. Easier to call my local mechanic and make a "reservation".
When you say "discount tire" is that a chain with that name or just a generic term for a tire place that supposedly sells at a discount? If a chain, never heard of them.
Of course, most chains are regional and you're not likely to have heard of any of the ones we have here either. Kind of makes it useless to compare one chain with another.
Not that there seems to be a big difference between them anyway other than the brands they sell. Lots of "no name" brands at all of 'em, hard to tell what are the good ones and which ones aren't. I haven't seen a significant difference in price between any of them, even Tire Rack doesn't really save you anything once you add in shipping.
 
   / Two things I will never understand in life...
  • Thread Starter
#36  
When you say "discount tire" is that a chain with that name or just a generic term for a tire place that supposedly sells at a discount? If a chain, never heard of them.
National chain.


I just assume (incorrectly) that they went into the North East. Seems as far north as they go is Pa, and that's one location in Pittsburgh. Seems like in Virginia, they stay on the east side of the state.
 
   / Two things I will never understand in life... #37  
Tire warranties are just statistics, like actuarial tables. The "company" is playing the odds. Don't worry, they still profit on every sale!

Credit scores are more baffling than women.

Example

I recently purchased a new vehicle. I hadn't bought new in over 35 years. But I thought it was time for a treat.

Made a decision and the salesman wanted to work out the financing. I said I would ONLY finance where I bank. I like to be able to talk to people face to face.

Fine, they made the call and my bank turned the financing down. The salesman offered alternate financing. I said , "no, I'll pay cash". Cash from an account at the same bank that wouldn't do the financing.

I can't figure that at all....

They don't get to play with my money. I get the enjoyment of what my money bought. That I understand
I had a similar experience. I bought a truck a few years ago and had to pay an extremely high rate because I had no credit record. So to establish credit I asked my local bank for a CC... and was turned down. At the time I had over 25K on deposit and had been doing business with them for almost thirty years. Now I have one dollar in my savings account. The only reason I am still have there is because they are the closest bank to my home, and part of my paycheck is deposited there every week.
 
   / Two things I will never understand in life...
  • Thread Starter
#38  
I had a similar experience. I bought a truck a few years ago and had to pay an extremely high rate because I had no credit record. So to establish credit I asked my local bank for a CC... and was turned down. At the time I had over 25K on deposit and had been doing business with them for almost thirty years. Now I have one dollar in my savings account. The only reason I am still have there is because they are the closest bank to my home, and part of my paycheck is deposited there every week.
At the end of the day, having a credit line is by far better than having no credit line at all, even if you don't need that credit line IMO.
 
   / Two things I will never understand in life... #39  
Discount Tire Company commercial from 1975.

 
   / Two things I will never understand in life... #40  
We have a chain tire company (not discount) that moved into our area a few years ago, so I thought I'd give them a try.

Picked up the car after new tires installed, they handed me the keys and paperwork and I went out to the car. First thing I did was push the little buttons on the dash to check the tire pressures. They were all different and a large spread from 32psi. So I went back in and told them. They ran out and made them all even and correct.

Then I read the paperwork, and there was a hand written note that said they couldn't reset the tire locations because there was no key fob (I didn't leave them the fob). So I went back in and asked them what that meant. They said they needed the fob to set the tire pressure monitors to the correct tire location. Meaning the car didn't know which tire was which, so right rear could be anywhere on the car. I asked them if they were going to tell me this or I'd just find out on my own? They reset the TPM and off I went.

A few weeks later several of the tires lost air. So I took it back. They took the tires off the rims and said the rims were heavily corroded, so they cleaned them up and put bead sealant on them. I asked them why they didn't do that the first time. Shoulder shrugs. No charge.

A few weeks later several of the tires lost air. So I took it back. They took the tires off the rims and said the rims were heavily corroded, so they cleaned them up and put bead sealant on them. I asked them why they didn't do that the first time. Shoulder shrugs. No charge.

A few weeks later several of the tires lost air. So I took it back. They took the tires off the rims and said the rims were heavily corroded, so they cleaned them up and put bead sealant on them. I asked them why they didn't do that the first time. Shoulder shrugs. No charge. Drove off and got on the highway. Car shook like the tires were out of balance.

Called the national headquarters and they made me an appointment with the store manager. Went in. Store manager didn't show. Assistant manager took it in and 5 minutes later came back out and said all of my rims are bent. I said now you tell me? Also, the tires haven't lost air, they just feel out of balance. She says all of the tires are balanced because they still have their chalk mark by the stem. I said a chalk mark just means someone put chalk on it. Please take the right rear tire off and check it for balance again. They did. It was out of balance.

Got in the car and is still felt rough riding at highway speeds.

Took it to the same chain, but a different store on the other side of town. Told that store manager the story. He put it up on a lift and let me watch as they checked things out. They did find that all of my rims were leaking. They took them off the car, put them on the balancer, and all 4 were heavily out of balance. Then they took them off the rims and the rims were, as he said, the most heavily corroded dirty looking as any he'd ever seen. There's no way they ever cleaned them up. So he had his guys clean them up, put bead sealer in them, balance them and off I went. Car road smooth as silk on the highway at all speeds. THANK YOU! Been good for two months now. We'll see.

Now all of those visits were no charge. But the hassle of having to go back so many times was just plain bad. I lodged a complaint about the original location.

So it kinda goes to show that there are differences between locations of the same company. Kinda like we all know a McDonalds location that just has a lot better service than the other McDonalds. I think it's all a reflection of the store manager as to how the store is run.
 
 
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