Pointless Disconnected Blabs, Ramblings and Utterances

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I don't want to look.

 

[sdifox]

I don't want to look.

So reach around?

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Is there a difference between 'quite a bit' and 'a bunch'?

 

[mindless1]

What is it with Walmart Automotive? In the past they've made a simple battery purchase excessively burdensome, but they're not even getting the other simple things right.

Saw a good price on some tires on their website. Ordered them. No email updates about arrival date or when they did, but I check back on the website and it shows delivered, can pick them up. Scheduled an appointment on their website for installation but then it only showed the "order changed" to reflect that.

Went in to get the tires put on, they state they saw them, but the appointment didn't take but they can squeeze me in anyway. SO... left vehicle there, get home, get a call that they only have two of the four tires, and no way to track if or when the other two will arrive. SO... go back and get vehicle.

If that's not enough, the local walmart auto center does not answer their phone, so I can't just call to find out when the tires have arrived, can't check the website because it states they already have, and with no email updates about anything after "thanks for the order", I'm going to have to keep going back, with another person/vehicle to get a ride home, until such time as they do have my tires, or maybe just find some way to burn an hour or more wandering around walmart instead of getting a ride back and forth. They don't have a waiting area and all my other shopping needs are better met elsewhere.

Plus there's supposedly only this one guy that works there that can program the TPMS sensors, and I had specifically made my appointment for when he stated he'd be working, and he wasn't there either. Guess that part doesn't matter since they didn't have all the tires but no way to find out when he'll be working next since they don't answer the phone, and don't give out their employees' schedules to strangers. I can probably DIY program them, but why not let the guy do it since he stated he can, at no addt'l charge.

I should've just had the tires delivered to my house.

 

[brianmanahan]

what's the deal with corn nuts? is it corn, or is it a nut?

 

[BudAshes]

What is it with Walmart Automotive? In the past they've made a simple battery purchase excessively burdensome, but they're not even getting the other simple things right.

Saw a good price on some tires on their website. Ordered them. No email updates about arrival date or when they did, but I check back on the website and it shows delivered, can pick them up. Scheduled an appointment on their website for installation but then it only showed the "order changed" to reflect that.

Went in to get the tires put on, they state they saw them, but the appointment didn't take but they can squeeze me in anyway. SO... left vehicle there, get home, get a call that they only have two of the four tires, and no way to track if or when the other two will arrive. SO... go back and get vehicle.

If that's not enough, the local walmart auto center does not answer their phone, so I can't just call to find out when the tires have arrived, can't check the website because it states they already have, and with no email updates about anything after "thanks for the order", I'm going to have to keep going back, with another person/vehicle to get a ride home, until such time as they do have my tires, or maybe just find some way to burn an hour or more wandering around walmart instead of getting a ride back and forth. They don't have a waiting area and all my other shopping needs are better met elsewhere.

Plus there's supposedly only this one guy that works there that can program the TPMS sensors, and I had specifically made my appointment for when he stated he'd be working, and he wasn't there either. Guess that part doesn't matter since they didn't have all the tires but no way to find out when he'll be working next since they don't answer the phone, and don't give out their employees' schedules to strangers. I can probably DIY program them, but why not let the guy do it since he stated he can, at no addt'l charge.

I should've just had the tires delivered to my house.

This is the Walmart of nef threads.

 

[mindless1]

Made a little progress with the tires. This time I called the main store phone # instead of automotive, and instead of telling her I wanted automotive, I told her I had ordered online and only half the tires arrived.

She forwarded my call to another dept. that does answer the phone and handles online orders, which (unlike the CSR at 1-800-walmart) was able to get a FedEx tracking # for the order.

Turns out, all 4 tires were shipped Fedex together but somehow got separated and 2 went 2,000mi. the wrong direction, but at least now I can track when they get delivered to the store instead of having to keep going over there just to check.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

FedEx: When it absolutely positively will get screwed up.

 

[mindless1]

It gets better still!

Fedex and walmart, sent me a combined total of 6 emails that my tires arrived yesterday. Went on Fedex's site, saw confirmation/signature-name that the missing 2 tires were received.

Went to Walmart today, along with someone else to drive me home... they can't find my tires. They can find the two sitting there over a week but not the two they received yesterday. I was going to just leave and take with me the two they found so they couldn't lose those too, but they told me that if I took those 2, I'd be billed for all 4 which I didn't want to have happen since I didn't have the other 2.

They looked again and looked in receiving and asked the guys in receiving and nobody knew anything. I was wondering if I should just cancel the whole order and order again to have 4 shipped to my house.

One last thing to do, I wondered around their on-floor stock of tires, and in the last place I looked (isn't it always?), I see my other two tires stacked there. I called out "I found them" and all an associate could say was "they weren't supposed to be there, so we didn't look there". Grrrrrr! Yeah, if they came but aren't where they're supposed to be, then they are somewhere else, lol.

OKAY! Ready to get some tires installed, right? Nope, they are short staffed and can't fit me in. Against my better judgement, I left all 4 tires there, made an appointment to go back again at a later date.

Oh, while I was standing at the counter in Automotive, I called Automotive. The calls go through, there is a phone on the corner of the counter but they turned the ringer off so it just flashes a little orange button that nobody sees. I'm right in front of an associate at the counter, 4 feet from their phone and she has no idea I'm using my phone to call them. I almost said something about that but figured at this point the only thing that could do is annoy her with no benefit to me.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Only Mindless ones use the mart of Wals.

 

[Captante]

What is it with Walmart Automotive? In the past they've made a simple battery purchase excessively burdensome, but they're not even getting the other simple things right.

Saw a good price on some tires on their website. Ordered them. No email updates about arrival date or when they did, but I check back on the website and it shows delivered, can pick them up. Scheduled an appointment on their website for installation but then it only showed the "order changed" to reflect that.

Went in to get the tires put on, they state they saw them, but the appointment didn't take but they can squeeze me in anyway. SO... left vehicle there, get home, get a call that they only have two of the four tires, and no way to track if or when the other two will arrive. SO... go back and get vehicle.

If that's not enough, the local walmart auto center does not answer their phone, so I can't just call to find out when the tires have arrived, can't check the website because it states they already have, and with no email updates about anything after "thanks for the order", I'm going to have to keep going back, with another person/vehicle to get a ride home, until such time as they do have my tires, or maybe just find some way to burn an hour or more wandering around walmart instead of getting a ride back and forth. They don't have a waiting area and all my other shopping needs are better met elsewhere.

Plus there's supposedly only this one guy that works there that can program the TPMS sensors, and I had specifically made my appointment for when he stated he'd be working, and he wasn't there either. Guess that part doesn't matter since they didn't have all the tires but no way to find out when he'll be working next since they don't answer the phone, and don't give out their employees' schedules to strangers. I can probably DIY program them, but why not let the guy do it since he stated he can, at no addt'l charge.

I should've just had the tires delivered to my house.

At what point does the "good price" become not actually a bargain at all? (sounds to me like it already has lol)

If you have it it writing, I suggest contacting Tire Rack and requesting a price-match (assuming their regular price isn't already less!) then go to a competent installer to have them mounted.

I wouldn't let Walmart TOUCH my car personally and you shouldn't either.

 

[nakedfrog]

I've had Walmart mount tires for me at least 5 times without issue (I didn't buy the tires there, got them from Discount Tire Direct or Tire Rack).

 

[Captante]

I've had Walmart mount tires for me at least 5 times without issue (I didn't buy the tires there, got them from Discount Tire Direct or Tire Rack).

Just because you got lucky with a decent local store doesn't make Walmart in general a great place to take your car (or for anything else even remotely "technical") and I'll continue to suggest against it thanks.

Actually BUYING the tires from Walmart might be okay provided they really have them @ the best price and they don't lie about them being in stock! It's their mechanics I wouldn't trust.

 

[nakedfrog]

Just because you got lucky with a decent local store doesn't make Walmart in general a great place to take your car (or for anything else even remotely "technical") and I'll continue to suggest against it thanks.

Actually BUYING the tires from Walmart might be okay provided they really have them @ the best price and they don't lie about them being in stock! It's their mechanics I wouldn't trust.

Out of curiosity, is this based on anything other than them being Walmart?

 

[lxskllr]

I always go to PepBoys. See what tires they have, pick four, and wait about an hour in the waiting room. No muss, no fuss.

 

[Captante]

Out of curiosity, is this based on anything other than them being Walmart?

Does it really have to be?

But yes it is.... experience. (although to be fair ALL car repair franchises/big stores tend to suck)

The biggest tire store in New England is a place called Townfair and I wouldn't let them touch my car either if that makes you feel any better.

 

[mindless1]

Now that they have the tires located, and I have an appointment through the automotive desk directly, I've invested too much to stop now, lol.

The irony is, I just drove the vehicle and first time ever for this vehicle, one of the TPMS sensors either sensed a low tire or its battery is dying. Checked the tire immediately, decided to keep going, got home and still at about 29 PSI but I topped them all off anyway.

I would've topped them off for winter around now anyway, but waited because I figured I'd have new tires on it by now. Maybe dead TPMS sensor battery. They're about 9 years old, but I'm getting new sensors too.

 

[nakedfrog]

Does it really have to be?

But yes it is.... experience. (although to be fair ALL car repair franchises/big stores tend to suck)

The biggest tire store in New England is a place called Townfair and I wouldn't let them touch my car either if that makes you feel any better.

I mean, yeah, I'd prefer it if someone recommending against something has a factual basis for it
But you got to my point, I don't think the typical labor pool for tire techs in a given town for the various chains is really going to vary that much, you might get decent folks, you might not. One thing I do like about getting tires mounted at Walmart is that's the end of the transaction. When I get it done at Firestone, they seem to be obligated to find these other things that "need attention" (probably a mandate from corporate or management I suppose)

 

[mindless1]

I always go to PepBoys. See what tires they have, pick four, and wait about an hour in the waiting room. No muss, no fuss.

Last time I bought tires, bought them online, shipped to pepboys to install.

They told me it would take 1/2 hr to an hour, so I waited at the store, but apparently they were annoyed that I bought online instead of buying tires from them because they left me waiting, wondering around the store for 3 hours. At least they had a lounge, TV, and coffee.

They were not busy either, just being jackasses standing around, not finishing my vehicle. Heh, if they had been busy, they might have finished it a lot sooner to clear the bay for the next vehicle.

 

[Captante]

I mean, yeah, I'd prefer it if someone recommending against something has a factual basis for it
But you got to my point, I don't think the typical labor pool for tire techs in a given town for the various chains is really going to vary that much, you might get decent folks, you might not. One thing I do like about getting tires mounted at Walmart is that's the end of the transaction. When I get it done at Firestone, they seem to be obligated to find these other things that "need attention" (probably a mandate from corporate or management I suppose)

Anyplace can be like that especially if they "sense" that the person in front of them doesn't know a lot about cars. Overall you are correct its upper management that dictates policy but the store-manager will dictate attitude.

Limo company I worked for years ago tried using Walmart for oil changes for a few months and it was a complete disaster. Also I know a couple people who got screwed with their personal cars. (both with tires)

 

[mindless1]

Actually BUYING the tires from Walmart might be okay provided they really have them @ the best price and they don't lie about them being in stock! It's their mechanics I wouldn't trust.

I don't trust any mechanics at tire shops anywhere, as pretty much all are pushed to find other things wrong to maximize profits.

Walmart not so much, but mounting/balancing tires are about the only thing I haven't DIY to my vehicles in a very, long, time, besides recall work.

 

[nakedfrog]

I always go to PepBoys. See what tires they have, pick four, and wait about an hour in the waiting room. No muss, no fuss.

You just... pick four random tires from what they have on hand? Yeah, I only put new tires on my car every five years or so, and they ain't cheap, so I'm a little choosy.

 

[Captante]

Last time I bought tires, bought them online, shipped to pepboys to install.

They told me it would take 1/2 hr to an hour, so I waited at the store, but apparently they were annoyed that I bought online instead of buying tires from them because they left me waiting, wondering around the store for 3 hours. At least they had a lounge, TV, and coffee.

They were not busy either, just being jackasses standing around, not finishing my vehicle. Heh, if they had been busy, they might have finished it a lot sooner to clear the bay for the next vehicle.

That's on Pep Boys not Tire Rack.... speaking of them (Tire Rack) did you let them know you had problems? (they actually do follow up)

Their warehouse is a 45 minute drive from me and I've bought/picked up tires from them multiple times with nary a problem using one of their suggested installers.

Last time however my local Firestone store offered to beat their best price so always ask.

 

[lxskllr]

You just... pick four random tires from what they have on hand? Yeah, I only put new tires on my car every five years or so, and they ain't cheap, so I'm a little choosy.

They always have something I like. I prefer US made, and I like Cooper tires, but I'm flexible. I wouldn't take something I consider unacceptable.

 

[Captante]

You just... pick four random tires from what they have on hand? Yeah, I only put new tires on my car every five years or so, and they ain't cheap, so I'm a little choosy.

No question about it.... quality tires are the single most important thing you can do to improve the safety and handling of your vehicle.

Having said that, crappy Chinese-made "Ebay special" tires today are exponentially better than even "top of the line" tires from the late 1970's when I learned to drive. (and shortly after to change a flat!)

It's nice to have 4 brand-new high-end Michelin or Continental V-rated all-seasons that top the ratings in Consumer Reports.

Thing is though you don't actually NEED to spend $1000+ to get amazing tires these days unless you drive an exotic or a huge 4x4. (a REAL exotic not a mid-range Audi/BMW)