Loyal Customer - Not any longer!

wpgbchguy

New member
Took my car in for a tire repair. At 5:30 when the garage will close at
9:00 PM the service guy says, "don't know if we can fit you in, we have a
truck getting 5 tires ahead of you". Do the best you can, I said hopefully.
After taking my information, I'm informed that there is a $21 dollar charge
if we can't fix your tire and you choose not to replace it. Bells, and
flashing Lights should have been going off in my head when he said this -
but what the hell - it's a flat tire .... fix the flat and get on with it.

Around 8:00 PM I get a call: "Your tire can't be fixed - the screw is too
close to the side wall". And we can't put any air in the tire because the
valve is shot. The front two tires are down to the wear bars - so you
really should do all 4 tires. Remember the guy that couldn't get a flat
fixed in 3 1/5 hours is now ready to do four tires in the next hour.

The warning bells went off when he told me he couldn't even put air into a
valve, or that the valve can't be replaced. Apparently there was no way to
either use or repair the valve without replacing the whole tire.

PUT THE TIRE back on the car I'm coming down to pick it up! The tire was
not on the car when I got down. Now I thought that maybe they hadn't
replaced the tire because they wanted to show me the tire, but they never
did offer to do that.

They did have 6 pages of repairs they were ready to do, including replacing
the factory installed fog light that they didn't know if they can match. I'm
sure one day I'll get down there and find out that there is a loose wire.
No just give me my car back - would you like the spare put on - sure - OK
that will be $36 - hold on I thought it was $21 - that would be putting the
original tire back on - if I want the spare put on this higher level of
service is apparently worth $15. OK I'm good with the original tire. Out
the door with tax I'm now at almost $30.

Stopped at the first place I could and used the air hose on the tire which
seemed to take air for me. The next day the car was taken to my mechanic
with whom I normally deal with. He had the tire off - and repaired in under
30 minutes. Total cost $15 and tax. Was the screw too close to the
side-wall - nope - dead smack in the middle of the tire. Any problem with
the valve - nope holds and accepts air without issue.

So now I'm a little displeased - and send a complaint to the 1-800 customer
service line and to the BBB. The customer service people understand why I'm
upset and will have the store contact me. They called home while I was at
work - they would call back another time - guess what never did get that
call.

The BBB took all the details - which in fairness they forwarded on to the
company. I received the response back from the company yesterday - a long
winded explanation all about the front 2 tires worn - which was never in
contention. They then repeated that the repair was too close to the side
wall and they would be liable if they repaired the tire and then something
happened. They could not control what my friend had done.

You know - if at the end of the day the Service Manager had simply written
it up as a professional difference of opinion on if the tire could be
repaired or if it should be replaced I could understand that.

But the Service Manager personally attacked both me and the garage I use.

1) He attacks the garage that did the repair by implying that he has done
something wrong. The guy is a legitimate service garage - operating under
the same rules as Canadian Tire. While I get along with my mechanic - and I
do trust him - if there was a problem he and his garage would be just as
liable as CT so I don't think he would do anything that would put him in
that situation nor would I ask him to.

2) He states that he knows me and that his staff have had dealings with me
in the past and I'm a belligerent customer. I'm willing to bet that I could
stand beside this man and he wouldn't know me to say hi. I've never met the
man. Truth be told, up until this event I never really had a complaint
about CT, which is why I took my car there in the first place. IN THE PAST
I've been treated fairly.

So wow - where did that come from - sure when you deal with the store they
ask for your telephone number which I guess in the long run will create a
customer history. So yup you got me buddy, I have in the past been a
customer in your store. I've purchased things like batteries, and tires,
along with a long assortment of other goodies. In fact, without adding up
all of the bills in the past year or years....I've spent a pretty good dime
in your store. I've bought tools, lawn and garden supplies, camping and
kitchen items. You know what, I've pretty much bought something from each
and every department in your store.

But don't worry about all that. Because as of the moment I opened your
reply - I will NEVER spend another dime in your store. Nor will I spend
money in any other Canadian Tire. EVER!

Do you have any idea how much your company spends on advertising in any
given year trying to attract customer dollars. I'm willing to bet every
week you and your fellow managers attend sales meetings where you discuss
how to drive up business. The retail market is very tight.

I would like to let you know, my wife and I fit nicely into the double ,
middle income tax bracket which I'm sure someone in marketing wants to
attract. We own a home and a cottage and all the good things that comes
with that. We keep 7 cars in the family going. With children that are
ready to move out very soon so you can imagine all the goodies that goes to
helping them, you know coffee makers right on down to lawn mowers and snow
blowers.

So this is the gift that keeps giving, because not only will I not shop in
your store, none of my family members will be shopping in your store.
 
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