bandi

New member
This is a good one. First off, I worked here as an apprentice for close to 6 years, finally leaving when I was practically a licensed mechanic and making a dollar above minimum wage. (Plus, I wrote my test three days after quitting, and have been a licensed mechanic ever since)

In February of this year, my mother brought her truck in for 4 tires and an oil change. She specified the kind of oil she wanted (The truck has had Castrol 10w30 Synthetic since new), and figured this wouldn't be an issue.

When she picked up the truck, they had broken three wheel studs (I had the wheels off of the truck a few weeks before this, and they were tightened to spec...) which were not replaced as "parts were not available". The local Chrysler dealership just up the road had literally boxes of them in stock.

Secondly, they used bulk 5w30 motor oil, non synthetic. The oil cap of the truck says 10w30, plus she asked for it.

I brought the truck back, along with the owner's manual, and oil cap and spoke to the store manager, who still had the nerve to argue with me about what oil the truck took, but promised to get back to me. I never heard anything from him, so I sent an email to corporate... Brian Dorsey called me, was completely ignorant, and basically told me I was screwed.

Changed the oil myself (as I usually do, but since she was bringing the truck in for tires, I said she may as well just get the oil changed as well).

Last week one of the tires blew... not CT's fault at all, I hit a piece of unavoidable debris on the 401. Brought the tire in at 10 am to get it replaced (She had the full road-hazard warranty), and told them I needed the tire for 3 that afternoon, which wouldn't be a problem.

Came in at 3 to pick up the tire, and a work order hadn't even been made, plus they had lost the original invoice from when the tires were purchased. I waited over an hour for the store manager to try and figure out how to do a warranty claim, and was asked if I wanted to pay a disposal fee, or take the old tire with me. I opted to take the old tire since I can get rid of it at my own shop for free.

Forgot to grab the old tire, and the tire tech ran out and gave it to me before I left.

Two days later, the service manager who was away when I brought the flat tire in called me at WORK saying he needed the tire back. I explained that it was gone, and he hung up the phone.

The day after, he CAME TO MY WORK asking for the tire, and explained he would have the warranty voided on all four tires on the truck if I didn't return it. After telling him to please leave my workplace, the owner of the store came to my work, and proceeded to insult me, berate me, etc, etc, in front of a few co-workers, and then tell me I wasn't allowed in his store again.

I thought this was pretty incredible over a shredded up tire, not to mention pretty ridiculous, especially considering the tire tech went out of his way to make sure I brought the damaged tire with me.
 

Guest-0061

Posted by an unregistered user
Why do you keep returning to Canadian Tire? This is the problem here. People moan and bitch about Canadian Tire's abhorrent service, yet they turn right around and go back.
They only had to screw me once before I started my lifelong boycott against them.
 

RogerRZ

New member
Same here. I'm a man of my word. Canadian Tire--off the list. Volkswagen too. (They have a decent product too, but they'll screw you out of warranty, and their dealers side with head office, rather than the customer.)
 

Guest-0134

Posted by an unregistered user
The truth of the matter is that the unfortunate individual describing his tire experience has no credibility whatsoever. He is a troubled ex-employee hiding his "axe to grind" under the guise of a customer, who routinely uses blogs to defame. It is sad to see someone with such a distorted view of reality and an apparent inability to separate fact from fiction.
 

Guest-0110

Posted by an unregistered user
The truth of the matter is that the unfortunate individual describing his tire experience has no credibility whatsoever. He is a troubled ex-employee hiding his "axe to grind" under the guise of a customer, who routinely uses blogs to defame. It is sad to see someone with such a distorted view of reality and an apparent inability to separate fact from fiction.

Where's your proof of this?
 

MurrayMan

New member
This person is indeed an axe-grinder. You should never be rude to the owners wife when you are working on her car. As well this persons girlfriend still comes into the store to purchase items on his behalf why do you send her?? Also this 5-30 and 10-30 oil issue. I have never met a technician who would run a car year round on 10-30. Also our bulk-oil is an "unknown" name called Quaker State. With regards to the tire issue. The replacement tire was taken from our store without being properly processed . Our store representative had to go to this persons present employer and retrieve the tire bring it back and properly adjust the tire.

Keep on grinding....facts do not change.
 

Guest-0180

Posted by an unregistered user
I have worked for this store for many years and it hurts me to hear this kind of negativity about our store. We work very hard to provide the best service possible to all our customers and many times going out of our way to please, within the perameters provided by CTC or the warranty providers. By default, we will install bulk oil, usually 5w30 (depending on manufactures recomendations) in the colder weather, allowing for easier starting. This is done when there is no specific requests by the customer, as I believe may have been the understanding in this case. The invoice specifies the products used and the pricing would have indicated the quality of oil used (synthetic oil would have been substantially more in cost) and should have been a "red flag" when the invoice was being paid.
I can't comment much on the tire issue, other then a simple mistake was probably made. An adjusted tire becomes the property of CTC, in case the manufacturer may want the tire for examination. It is our legal responsibility to obtain it, otherwise we wouldn't have had to take extra measures to recover the tire, if in fact we did.
 

Guest-0245

Posted by an unregistered user
I know that the techs do not install tires very well when putting them on aluminum rims. Suffered flats on all four because the rims were not properly cleaned when the new tires were installed. I also refuse to buy anything remotely electronic from any CTC due to their rediculous return policies. Never had any luck with any sort of electronic from CTC.
 

Guest-0205

Posted by an unregistered user
I know that the techs do not install tires very well when putting them on aluminum rims. Suffered flats on all four because the rims were not properly cleaned when the new tires were installed. I also refuse to buy anything remotely electronic from any CTC due to their rediculous return policies. Never had any luck with any sort of electronic from CTC.

what do you mean by rediculous return policy?
 

Guest-0269

Posted by an unregistered user
CTC warranties and return policies are based on supplier/ manufacture policies. For electronics, usually they will replace defective electronics over the counter within 30 days and in some cases, up to 90 days. After the 90 days, they will still honour the full term of the warranty by sending your unit out for repair at CTC's own expense. CTC does not do the repairs and has no control over where they go for repair or how long it takes, again, that responsibility lays in the hands of the supplier. The return policies at CTC are as good as anyone's and better than most.
Keep in mind that you need proof of purchase including purchase date, ie: receipt or credit card statement. This is a requirement of the supplier.
What is so wrong with this policy?
 

RogerRZ

New member
"The return policies at CTC are as good as anyone's and better than most."



When did this turn into a comedy site?
 

Guest-0408

Posted by an unregistered user
Warranty Service at this store does indeed suck. The first and last time I took a car in to have the defective Canadian Tire tires replaced (all had the full extra warranty paid for) they told me they couldn't do the work because the tire tech had phoned in sick - like the three mechanics on duty were incapable of replacing a tire. This is AFTER the guy wasted 10 minutes going through the paperwork looking for an excuse not to honour the warranty. As far as disposal fees for tires goes - there shouldn't be any. You pay it up front when you purchase the tire.

Quite frankly, I find the prevailing attitude in the "Service" department disgusting.

Unfortunately it is pretty typical for equipment parts or service in Campbellford in general. It's like going to some backwater town in Tennesee where everyone has the same five last names and any new face must be a travelling millionaire 'cause they have enough money to afford the gas to leave.

The best one was when the independent part store down the street from CT gave me the wrong intake manifold gasket AND the wrong exhaust manifold bolts and then tried to refuse to exchange them because I had opened the opaque cardboard boxes. How was I supposed to tell they didn't fit? Micrometer-scale X-Ray vision?

They relented when I humbly suggested they owed me $180.00 for lost time.

Just stay away from anyone purporting to be a tradesman in this town - they may not all suck, but every single one I have had the misfortune to deal with has, so I don't think the odds are all that good on finding the rose amoung the thorns.

Hillbilly doesn't begin to describe it.
 

Guest-0512

Posted by an unregistered user
I have lived in the C-ford area for 10+ years... This used to be one of my favourite stores, but hasn't been that way in a long time.
The service department is lousy, they never have time to do anything unless you book weeks in advance, even to the point of repairing a tire - something I can do MYSELF in 10 mins if I had their equipment... Their warranties are good, but get them to honor them.
The store makes me angry. There is never anyone around when you need help. I applied for work there and was not hired, which disappointed me at the time, but I do get it... But did hire a man who knew NOTHING about the store. Once I asked him for assistance and all I could get out of him was 'uh, I don't know' and 'let's ask so and so...'. Should not these people be properly trained before they are let loose on the floor?? My husband and I stood and watched him give a customer inaccurate and DANGEROUS information regarding a tool she wished to purchase because he was not knowledgeable...
I will not shop in this store again, which is unfortunate because I have friends that work there, and it is really the only of it's kind in town, forcing me out of my way.
 

CT Challenger

New member
Based on these reports and on the ratings here, this store really does suck.

There's a common theme here, where stores in smaller communities have crappier stores, because customers don't have a lot of options, so they can get away with it.

This chain really is lacking in standards and over-sight, and allow a few worse-than-average stores bring down the reputation of the others.
 

hershey

New member
same here im proud to say my car was inn mint condition they even told me at there garage wen it got time to pick up my car 2 studs where broken and they scratched up one of my mags good
 
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