F*#k Sears Automotive

[skirush]

I called Sears Automotive today to buy snow tires. Not only did they have four 225/60/18 Blizzak's in stock, they had them on sale. Great. I drove 40 minutes to get there. Once there, the woman can out to the car and read the sticker on the door jam. She said, "sorry, we can't install these tires on your car". I said what you are talking about.

She said they are too small for the car and is against their policy to put such a small tire on this car. I currently have the stock 245/55/18's on. We went back inside and I asked to ask the "tech" if he would do it.

She came back and said, "sorry, he said no way".

Am I missing something here? Is this a joke?

She went on to say if they wanted to keep their integrity as a service station, there's no way they can install this tire on my car.

Please help me understand this.

[dkp2LT]

Anyway to shove them in your car and hit up another tire store? I know that some places won't mount unless they sell them but surely someone would.

[Nick S]

It's a liability issue for any automotive service center to put tires on your vehicle that don't meet the manufacturers tire label on the door. If they put too small of a tire on your car and it causes an accident or damage to your car then they could be held liable. You can thank the lawsuit happy lawyers and lazy people who don't take responsibility for their actions for this inconvenience.

If you have a set of wheels other than the set you have on your car you could take the loose wheels in and just have the tires mounted on the wheels. Then you could switch them out when you get home. As someone who has worked behind a tire desk before I know first hand the liability issues they have to deal with. So I don't think Sears is out of line on this one. There's more than just tire size too. They also need to make sure the load rating and speed rating meet or exceed the original equipment tires that were put onto your car.

[MrWray]

What if you have aftermarket wheels? Them checking the info on the door is invalid. So if I went in to get one of my 315/35's replaced, they would refuse to do it because the door info says 275/40/20 for the rear?

[Ryanbabz71]

Originally Posted by Nick S

It's a liability issue for any automotive service center to put tires on your vehicle that don't meet the manufacturers tire label on the door. If they put too small of a tire on your car and it causes an accident or damage to your car then they could be held liable. You can thank the lawsuit happy lawyers and lazy people who don't take responsibility for their actions for this inconvenience.

If you have a set of wheels other than the set you have on your car you could take the loose wheels in and just have the tires mounted on the wheels. Then you could switch them out when you get home. As someone who has worked behind a tire desk before I know first hand the liability issues they have to deal with. So I don't think Sears is out of line on this one. There's more than just tire size too. They also need to make sure the load rating and speed rating meet or exceed the original equipment tires that were put onto your car.

This doesn't make sense. Why do tire shops put on larger tires on trucks if the door sticker has something else. As long as it fits the rim it shouldn't be there problem


Ryan

[Unrulie]

When I debadged my car. I removed those door jam stickers and relocated them to the owners manual for my self keeping.

[skirush]

Also...isn't that a common size that people on this forum put on the car. Sticker or no sticker, it's not crazy to for me to think that size would be suitable for my car. She made it seem like I wanted 14" tires put on the car.

[skirush]

Originally Posted by Unrulie

When I debadged my car. I removed those door jam stickers and relocated them to the owners manual for my self keeping.

I wish I would have thought of that...but then she would have just looked it up in the computer and blamed the computer instead of a sticker.

[Cheveey57]

Originally Posted by MrWray

What if you have aftermarket wheels? Them checking the info on the door is invalid. So if I went in to get one of my 315/35's replaced, they would refuse to do it because the door info says 275/40/20 for the rear?

Yes

[Jbow89]

Its sue happy america. If you don't agree that's fine if she was following her policy buy the tires and take them somewhere else. Don't get mad at someone doing what they are told. Its disrespectful and makes you look bad. If you don't agree take your business somewhere else to have them put on

[MrWray]

Originally Posted by Cheveey57

Yes

That is pretty stupid,makes no sense.

[Blue-J]

So I am locked into P245/40ZR21 Front /P275/35ZR21 Rear at Sears and can't go with smaller rims with all season tires? Doesn't make sense.

[FRSTR90]

They also wont touch your car if it has been lowered. I recommend finding a small locally owned shop to do the work. Luckily, I have a friend who's dad owns a shop that will do the work that I cannot do myself.

When I went with 18s on my '73 vette, I had a hard time finding tire shops/dealers that would go with a different tire than what was stock for '73, which was 225/70/15. So, I ordered a set of rims 18X8 and 18X9.5 online. I took my rims into my local Discount Tire purchased a set of 255/45/18 and 285/40/18, and I had absolutely no issues..

[102SS]

Buy a second set of rims and just have a shop mount them.

I just get mine mounted then install them at home.