(oh my God they've ticked me off so bad that I spelled boycotting wrong, please don't flame me)


I'm just curious if this has happened to anyone else. So I have a Jeep and I needed my tires aligned, no big deal. Figure I'll just go to Les Schwab, they say it's 88 bucks and I'm fine with the fact that it costs that much for someone to use a super tape measurer. My friend told me not to go because they tried to rip his Mom off a while back (by the way he's a mechanic). That was a different place, and a different time.

I go to lunch after dropping off my Jeep, come back, and it's not done. I ask why and they say that I need a new front right wheel bearing which they can order and do (plus the alignment) for a nice low price of 388 dollars.

Here's the kicker, it's a brand spanking new wheel bearing I bought from an auto-parts store (it's packed) thats maybe a month old. The tires tight and it drives like a dream so I ask how they knew and they say that while they were checking the suspension it was loose (they said all this very vaguely and quietly by the way). So a wheel bearing, underneath the caliber and my rotor and tire and he magically knows it's not working.

Biggest rip off ever, third incident I've heard of something like this at 3 separate stores, goodbye les schwab.


So does anyone know of a good (honest) place to get tires aligned that is near (preferably North near Everett or Lynnwood) of Seattle? and has this ever happened to you?

WA must suck. Les Schwabs done here are awesome, i mean if i ever have any problems i go to them and often i get stuff for free.

The Les Schwabs in Seattle seem to do an okay job, but most places will try to rip you off anyways. That doesn't excuse them, of course.

You might try Discount Tire, if theres a place near enough for you. Just google it and check their site for a locator.

I'm afraid I don't have any advice to offer, but I am sorry for your trouble. It's very unfair that they were trying to take advantage of you like that.

I'm disappointed. I was expecting that boycoating was a spelling error but in my heart of hearts I was hoping to find a new concept here.

^I'm slightly scared of what you were thinking of, Verb.

@goose: This explains why my dad never goes to the big chain-type stores to get his Chevy fixed; just to be honest, stick with family owned mechanic stores that you know have good reps, or have a mechanic friend (like the one you have) check it out for you before you go to a chain store. Either that or see if the place you got the car from has a repair garage.

This says more about you than it does about me, I'm afraid. I didn't give any hint of what boycoating might mean and you made it dirty.

I wasn't insinuating anything dirty, I thought you meant turning boys into coats.

Now we find out about me because I'm struggling to see how that isn't dirty.

Depends on which version of dirty you look at. As in messy, yes, it could be quite messy. As in an iffy sense, I fear for your sanity.

I don't limit my types of dirty when it's down to boycoating, I'm afraid.

But don't worry. I'm very sane. I'm the most sane person here. If we had a poll, I'm so sane I'd vote for me.

I'm not going to argue with that logic, because that'd derail this.

On topic!

I already said my piece, but my dad added something: Go somewhere and get a second opinion on your vehicle of choice next time it starts acting funny or needs a wheel realignment.

Take it up with your local news station, I'm serious. Try to get the one that will make the most noise about it and request they do undercover investigating to catch them red handed and validate your claims by association.

well a few points to add

1. didn't think this would still be around
2. can't believe no one flamed me
3. I wonder what boycoating could stand for (go ahead and discuss if you want, I don't care)
4. I got my tires at discount tire co and they were awesome, not sure why I didn't think of them.
5. This crap happens all the time and has been on the news before, don't want the hassle and I told them to sit on it and rotate so I don't really care (had a delightful lunch while I was waiting)
6. It's hard to find good mechanics these days, and I do most of the work with my friend but the damn super measurer is so expensive and aligning the tires is so annoying that I prefer to just have someone else do it.

feel free to chip in any experiences you may have had.

It's not really the companies doing the work, it's the people in the individual shops. You might find one WalMart (or franchise of any other large chain) in your town is disreputable, but one in another town may be stellar.

Ask a few friends of yours who are car freaks, mechanics, or otherwise "in the know" where to go and where not to go. My friend's husband works at a Ziebart and I consider him to be a very decent and honest, hardworking guy, so I asked him who I could trust to do repair work on my truck. I haven't been disappointed by his recommendations.