Date: Fri, 25 May 2001 09:41:10 EDT
Reply-To: KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: Sears disaster- LONG
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
Reminds me of a recent fiasco my friend went through with Sears. He insists
on taking his cars to them because he is constantly on the road and needs the
job done quickly. However several times the terrible or non-exsistant work
has caused him to come back several times to have it "made right".
Went in for some brake work and when it was done they called and I drove him
up there. We arrived at the counter and the helpful desk person hands my
friend a alternator belt. "Here, when we drove the car out of the garage
this fell off. We know you like to do your own work so we didn't fix it." I
am thinking, "If he likes to do his own work then why is he here?"
We go out of the parking lot and look under the hood. One minute and I see
that the cause of the belt breakage is that the waterpump is seized. The car
is not driveable at this point. The shop was getting close to closing time
and just didn't want to fool with this extra problem. We towed it to his
home (a Honda being towed by a Vanagon, now there is a funny picture), and he
replaced the pump himself.
Next weeked he was back at Sears again because the brake work they had done
was making noise. He removed the rear drums to find either a defective or
old shoe (he had paid for all new shoes, pads, drums, and rotors). He sits
and waits again while they put new shoes on (I think for the first time).
They had also installed new front struts at this time.
He has been complaining of vibration from the front of the car. We make a
very cursory inspection and find that the entire front end (ball joints) is
worn out. Why didn't Sears notice this when they replaced the front struts?
They had to remove everything to get the strut out? When we go to replace
his ball joints (you see he is learning), I see obiviously old front rotors
(see above that they were supposed to have put new on). I bit my tongue
since I figure that it will be a long time before my friend goes back to
Sears again.
Moral: Find a smaller local shop that has a good reputation. Because they
are good, plan on dropping the car off and picking it up a week in the future
(hey other people are already lined up and waiting to have work done at this
place). You will waste alot less time doing it this way than having to go
back and go back because of inferior or non-exsistant work. Hope this helps.
Thanks,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
Phone: (856)-765-1583
Fax: (856)-327-2242
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