Canadian Tire auto service.

[Seth1968]

It's denounced on a grand level, but is never followed up with an explanation.

So what's up with that?

[93VR6]

Lazy work, most of the employees know less than you do, and the pricing isn't a great deal.

I wouldn't have a problem taking a civic or mazda 3 there for example but anything a little nicer I would take elsewhere.

I love canadian tire I just don't trust their techs.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[DEATH2000]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
They also fail the yearly undercover sting that the Automobile Protection association puts on... by a huge margin. Constantly ripping off people:

http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/auto-repair-rip-off-1.629600

They never do anything to ensure better quality either... every year they fail, and every year they make a little press statement and do nothing about the miserable service they offer.

Im more surprised that a Canadian Tire location actually passed that!!

[revelations]

CT service will always continue to suck as long as people demand cheap service. If you want it fixed right, take it elsewhere.

I wouldnt even recommend CT to mount/balance tires on your vehicle - the last time I did that they (without asking)

a) put nitrogen in the tires (extra 30$)
b) charged me to recycle the old tires (which I said I was going to sell, so said the note to tech as well)
c) charged me for a BS warranty that apparently 99% of customers are suckered into.

Next time I bought tires from CT I just had them mount/balance them on the rims and I did the rest.

[boarderfatty]

Originally posted by revelations
CT service will always continue to suck as long as people demand cheap service. If you want it fixed right, take it elsewhere.

I wouldnt even recommend CT to mount/balance tires on your vehicle - the last time I did that they (without asking)

a) put nitrogen in the tires (extra 30$)
b) charged me to recycle the old tires (which I said I was going to sell, so said the note to tech as well)
c) charged me for a BS warranty that apparently 99% of customers are suckered into.

Next time I bought tires from CT I just had them mount/balance them on the rims and I did the rest.

as far as point b goes, there is the alberta tire levy which is a $4 per tire tax that is charged everywhere on the purchase of new tires. You don't pay when you dispose of them, you prepay for disposal when you buy them. So when you buy new tires, whether you take your old ones back or not you will pay the tax since it is on the tires you purchased, not the ones you removed.

As far as technician quality it varies between locations. Canadian Tires are independently owned, so depending on what the owner pays, his hiring criteria, and the support staff will usually dictate the technician quality. Also when there are as many Canadian Tires as there are, they could employ 1000 great techs, but when you have 17000 techs you are going to have some bad ones. The good ones are the ones that specialize in diagnostic and electrical work, not your suspension and brake guys, so they usually aren't the ones working on your car.

On IATN the technician forum, I would say that one of the most intelligent diagnosticians there that doesnt own his own business works for a Canadian Tire.

That being said I am not here praising Canadian Tire, I dont work for them, I don't own one (I actually own a competative franchise) I just hate misinformation

[e31]

I wouldn't be quick to judge a tech who works in a Canadian Tire, as I do know someone who "put their time in" early in his career. Based on this second hand information, I have quite a negative opinion of how they operate as an organization.

In addition, I have seen the results of some serious fuckups that can be attributed to substandard "work".

[schocker]

I got a set of tires mounted and balanced at Canadian Tire once. From how they drove I belive they only covered the mounted part.....

[speedog]

Originally posted by revelations
CT service will always continue to suck as long as people demand cheap service. If you want it fixed right, take it elsewhere.

I wouldnt even recommend CT to mount/balance tires on your vehicle - the last time I did that they (without asking)

a) put nitrogen in the tires (extra 30$)
b) charged me to recycle the old tires (which I said I was going to sell, so said the note to tech as well)
c) charged me for a BS warranty that apparently 99% of customers are suckered into.

Next time I bought tires from CT I just had them mount/balance them on the rims and I did the rest.

$30 for nitrogen in your tires - please do tell us why you feel you need nitrogen in your tires? Yeah, yeah, I know they probably came new with nitrogen in them but what are you doing that a 78% nitrogen based mix wouldn't suffice?

[BokCh0y]

I bought tires for my sons car from them, but I took them to another shop to mount and balance. Sure that says something.

[schocker]

Originally posted by speedog


$30 for nitrogen in your tires - please do tell us why you feel you need nitrogen in your tires? Yeah, yeah, I know they probably came new with nitrogen in them but what are you doing that a 78% nitrogen based mix wouldn't suffice?

Perhaps you should read his post more thoroughly.....

[luxor]

Originally posted by e31
I wouldn't be quick to judge a tech who works in a Canadian Tire, as I do know someone who "put their time in" early in his career. Based on this second hand information, I have quite a negative opinion of how they operate as an organization.

In addition, I have seen the results of some serious fuckups that can be attributed to substandard "work".

Way to always paint everyone with the same brush. Go beyond fucktards.

[variable_x]

Originally posted by revelations
CT service will always continue to suck as long as people demand cheap service. If you want it fixed right, take it elsewhere.

I wouldnt even recommend CT to mount/balance tires on your vehicle - the last time I did that they (without asking)

a) put nitrogen in the tires (extra 30$)
b) charged me to recycle the old tires (which I said I was going to sell, so said the note to tech as well)
c) charged me for a BS warranty that apparently 99% of customers are suckered into.

Next time I bought tires from CT I just had them mount/balance them on the rims and I did the rest.

The same thing happened to me last weekend as I needed new tires for my car. When I checked their quoted price, it was drastically different from what I got from the CT website. So I took a closer look and saw that they automatically included extra charges for nitrogen, extra warranty and alignment. I declined about 90% of the work that they automatically tack on. You have to be careful with CT.

[Mista Bob]

Originally posted by variable_x


The same thing happened to me last weekend as I needed new tires for my car. When I checked their quoted price, it was drastically different from what I got from the CT website. So I took a closer look and saw that they automatically included extra charges for nitrogen, extra warranty and alignment. I declined about 90% of the work that they automatically tack on. You have to be careful with CT.

You have to be careful anywhere really. Had tire work done at more "reputable" tire shops before, and nearly every one tacked on nitrogen automatically after without asking.

Doesn't matter where you go, a shop is only as good as the employees.

[Seth1968]

Originally posted by Mista Bob


You have to be careful anywhere really. Had tire work done at more "reputable" tire shops before, and nearly every one tacked on nitrogen automatically after without asking.

Isn't that illegal?

[colinxx235]

CT on McLeod near southland barely put the lugs on one of the tires for ex's car. made a super loud noise while driving away and turning. Had to go around and get them to actually tighten em on... couldn't believe they did that

What a joke

[Mista Bob]

Originally posted by Seth1968


Isn't that illegal?

Don't know, but I imagine so as they always take it off quickly if you complain.

[e31]

Think about this "hypothetical" question.

-A friend/family member takes a vehicle in for maintenance and inspection.
-Less than a week later, severely injured in an accident.
-Professional investigation attributes accident to item covered on inspection checklist.
-hospital stay of 8 months (save the hospital fuckup thread for another day)

Who knows, maybe this actually happened? It can happen to anyone who brings their vehicle in to a less-than-reputable mechanic.