Les Schwab

[lgibson]

How many of you use them, and what is your experience? I had a flat once and they repaired it for free and it was not one of their tires. I was pleased and when I needed batteries I remembered them and went back.

A few weeks later I took it to them for brakes. Well they said the front rotors were too thin to reserface. Another shop said it was plenty left to turn, I found out later. So I had them do the rear brakes only since the front brakes only had 20,000 or so miles on the pads and they were good.

Well after getting my truck back with new rear brakes, I stepped on the brakes doing about 30 mph and I did a lane change. Back to Les Schwab. They adjusted them and off I go again, this time it felt like I am only using the front to stop. Back again.

Another adjustment and off I go again. Did not make it out of the lot this time. Let up on the go pedal and I kissed the steering wheel, sudden stop with out using the stop pedal.

I get out and got into my "never leave home without" bag and got my brake spoon and adjusted it myself.

A few days later I go to start my truck and it clicked at me and lost power to everything. Opened hood and found both batteries cables loose.

Back to Les Schwab. The charged the batteries and sent me off. Got a few miles hit a pot hole and voltage gauge spiked, radio shut off and truck died. Open hood and opps the passinger side battery's + cable is laying against the alt. bracket.

Hooked it back to its rightful place and got the truck out of the road.

Well now some of my radio lights are out, along with the headlight dash switch lights.

Well now it is raining and puddles in the road the truck is back to stopping on its fronts. Well it feels like it anyhow.

I have driven this truck for 120,000 miles and I know my truck. I know the rear brakes are not quality parts.

So I think I am done with them. They have not responded to my letters and the manager just says "sorry". How have your experiences been with them? I will not by tires from them because they cost more than anyone else. And if you had dealings with them was it tires or something else.

Just wondering.

 

[RBrunson]

Tires

I have run their tires for years and have had good luck with them. I do not let them do brake jobs! I don't let them install the wheels on my rig, I haul the wheels to them, let them install them and take them home and put them on myself and torque them the right way.



They warped the drums with the air wrench on my VW. This messed up the braking and round and round we went untill they agreed to fix it the way I wanted it done. You have to mount the tires on the drums and torque them properly before turning the drums on a brake machine, this finally got it back the way it should be.

I do like their tires, but I'll do the brakes and batteries and things myself.

 

[LBTRS]

Great Service

I've always recieved very good service at Les Schwab. I've had several sets of tires and they do all my brake work. They are famous for doing small jobs "for free". My last visit was to replace the center caps that were damaged by another tire shop in town (not Les Schwab). I took the truck to LS with the new center caps and they took all four wheels off installed the new center caps and found a dangerous condition that was caused by the other shop and corrected it. The whole thing took about 30-40 minutes, when I went to the counter to pay the guy threw me the keys and gave me a special socket for my lug nuts and said "it's on us, have a great day". I didn't buy these wheels from them as I found them cheaper somewhere else but they still provided service that isn't seen much these days.

 

[lgibson]

I have heard they had great servce by so many people, so why am I having all these problems? I am not a jerk and very easy to please. I only ask what is fair. I am not even worried about some silly burned out lights in the radio. It is only the bass and treb. and the 4 and 5 buttons, the display is fine.



I was a mechanic for over 9 years and dealt with some real jerks that wanting something for free. I don't, I only wanted some brakes that worked like the ones I had on. The ones that were on it had over 1/3 left on it, but I had 115,000 miles on the rear ones and got them changed more as a maintance reason than need.



I was just asking how other people were treated there. I think I will try to send another letter to the home office. It may just be the one shop.

 

[Power Wagon]

For years, the LS store in Milton Freewater was the definition of a class act. They would start taking care of you about 7-7:30 in the morning, and would stay however late it took to get you on the road.



The guys in the alignment and brake shop had many years experience and never sold you a thing you didn't need. The tire guys would get to know you and NEVER, EVER tried to railroad you into anything. If you didn't know anything about tires, they tried to give you pretty fair rundown of what was what.



When you drove up, someone zipped out to your car, asked you what you needed. And, if you needed something in the tire shop, they showed you where to park, if you needed something in the office, they would walk in with you and get your receipt for payments, or whatever. If it was raining, they would let you stay in your dry car, and bring you your reciept (lots of people pay at the store) If you were in a hurry, 4 guys would come barrelling out of the place, each grab a tire and wheel and you'd have your tires rotated, changed, whatever, in a few minutes. If they didn't sell you a battery, tire, or some other service, there was never a charge. Even electrical diagnostic was always gratis... hoping, I guess, you'd come back.



One of our customers had some aluminum wheels come loose and get ruined. Even though LS didn't sell that wheel but had worked on the rig, they replaced them, balanced, everything, without a single bit of argument.



But, then they got a new manager.



He met me at the door at 7:45 on morning, when I had an almost-flat tire I needed air for to get to work. Said "We aren't open yet". "Oh, I thought you guys opened at 7:30". He all but called me a liar and told me that this LS store, and in fact NO LS store had EVER opened their doors before 8 sharp. Wrong guy to tell that to. I had been in there at least 3 times when I did business well before 8 in the morning.



I took a car in for an alignment and replacement of some bushings with urethane. The mechanic told me that I was the last one they could do. After that, they had to sell me NEW rubber bushings AND the urethanes as well. They just destroyed the new rubber ones, but that was now company policy. It would have cost me a lot more money... to buy rubber bushings they would have tossed INTO THE GARBAGE.



Then they told me the spindle on my truck was ruined and it could be aligned. I would have to buy a new spindle to get it aligned. I got a big wrench and tightened it and drove it for 5 years after that - still driving it, for that matter. Never did get the spindle OR an alignment. Didn't need either.



After that, when I wanted some specific type of tire, they argued with me, tried to sell me the "popular" stuff. Finally, after the alignment shop ripped tried to rip off a co-worker to the tune of 400 bucks, I never went back.



Later, I stopped at the walla walla store, and noticed a lot of the guys I liked dealing with had moved over there. All the alignment guys left, the heads of both alignment and tire shops left... And now the place is rarely busy, when before I've seen cars lined up into the street to get in.



It's all in the manager, I'm afraid.

 

[illflem]

Their products and warranties can't be beat but as another tire shop owner told me, "Les Schwab trains all our workers for us. " Meaning is LS employees are first timers, paid low and turnover is high. I kept on hearing about folks losing their wheels after leaving LS, I thought what a space out not tightening the lug nuts till I found out they were air wrenching the nuts so tight that the studs cracked then broke off down the road. My worst experience was when I had new tires put on my 28' 5th wheel flatbed. I picked it up and a half mile down the road the trailer came off and bent the 3500 tailgate in half, I pulled the trailer to the side with the tailgate cables. It could have been much worse. I didn't even know the trailer had been removed from the truck or why, but it was reattached without the safety pin or chain. LS paid for all the damage and fired the guy who did it. I still go to Schwab but watch them the entire time, the company is good, the employees are just inexperienced, once experienced they move on.

 

[Papa Joe]

Don't want to sound like an advertisement... but

I've spent a LOT of money on tires and related services and products.

My people go to Les Schwab for immediate, accounbtable service and products... ... ... period.



Take this to the bank, but if you want details e-mail me (and send me a present)... . I'm getting tired, boys.



Joe

 

[Champane Flight]

Short story

I wish we had a LS store in the area. I was on vacation and driving my little Spitfire to a rally in Breckinridge. I stopped in CS colo to pick up my Granddaughter and check out the little british revenge mobile. I was showing her things to check when she gets to drive(close to driving age and in training at 13). I found a nail in my front tire and wiggled it,saw it was leaking. We went to the closest tire store Firestone(thought they wouldn't be busy). They said it would take a half hour to get to. They then asked for my address,drivers license,phone#,and everything but #of children and then handed me a reciept! I looked at and to my suprize it was $16. 85 !!!!! I asked him sheesh "didn't you make a mistake here?""No" he replied. I explained to him how much they charged in my little town 6. 00. And he said they patch from the inside. I said "everyone does!"Oh well,by then the tire was almost flat and they probably would have charged 10. 00 for air so let em do it. It took em an hour and a half!Wish we had a LS in the area.

 

[Happy Camper]

Neve a problem that was not solved easily. Pulled in the other day to have snow tires put on a dually, 7 bodies showed up including the manager and I was out in less than 7 minutes and they always finish with the torque wrench. I have sat and listen to them give good advice to ladies who were away from home and had tire problems on what to do until they could get home. On one occasion the manager, on a week end went many miles on a rocky road to rescue to ladies with two flat tires and did not charge them a dime.



I do like to re-check everything for my own peace of mind.

 

[drawson]

I teach Automotive Technology here in Utah and we just had our first Les Schwab open up and they hired 5 of my students. At least here in Utah there pay and benies are way above the standard other shops start tire techs and alignment and brake techs for. I does take alittle getting use to having them run up to your car when you pull in.



lgibson, I would get a hold of there corperate head quarters and I'll bet they'll take care of you.

 

[JAnderson]

I have dealt with LS many years and have had excellent service until about a year ago. The last 5 visits (differet stores) worst service, worst time, high prices, poor customer service. Basically I will never do service with them again. Been waiting for some needed time off soon to write a huge nast gram to the company. They have outgrown themselves and need to reevaluate their services.



1 quick story. Waite 4 hours, Bought new tires, drove home then on a trip. Truck vibrates terribly. Look down at tire. >50% of rim has weights on it. Wrong!!

Call store and complain. They say have wife bring by in morning and Asst mgr will be there to fix it personally. Wife shows up. NO Asst. Explains story to 3rd man. He said he knows whats up and he will fix. Wife has to waite in line again for 3 hours before fixed.



Last Time I will ever see L S.

 

[merryman]

I have been doing business with Les Schwab for many years and have never had a bad experience, But--

1. With a couple hundred stores, there will have to be a few duds working in them



I would doubt there is a very high turnover as all employees can participate in the company profit shareing plan after a short period of time (seems to me to be 90 days)--that is part of why they generally come running to take care of a customer, its money in their pocket. I have only heard of good pay there--many of the store manager earn over a $100K per year. Also at least a few years ago when I learned of it, Schwab did not have a health care plan as such, He simply paid all his employees doctor bills!

The Les Schwab employees I have known have been enthusiastic in their happiness with the company, and loved Schwab. (he is mostly retired now. )



Vaughn

 

[JLinder]

It's all in the manager...

Much like the story about the milton-freewater store, our local store in Warrenton used to be superb. About a year or two ago new management came in and the service went downhill. Most of the guys that had been there for a while left immediately and now all they employee are "green" tire grunts. At work, we used to take our tires that we bought from a large out of the area distributor and the rims that we build ourselves and have them mounted at LS. The new manager told us one day to take our tires some place else, he didn't have time to mount them anymore. It's a shame...

 

[drives mopars]

my turn

i bot 4 alum truck rims , went back 4x until right

i finally had to tell them what to do



i worked with them on my truck until right



at work i used them logging company



they showed up to mount 2 skidder tires

24x 32's big tires with out a boom truck

just 2 guys, my boss was this and told me never to have them out again without proper eauipment

again, right the employees seem top notch

really ready to work but watchit they dont

have the experiance

2 nd story

lowbed needed tired and rims, they got us 8

rims that were to wide, did not fit, they had no clue. they are city boys trying to make it

with heavy equipment, will not match up

3 rd story: log truck caps of theirs wear lousy

i had 3 drivers tell me this from their use of them. there are many good points, i just have not found enough yet to keep using them!!!!!!