T'was Sears that did me in - I took theold Trooper (LBC content Brad: it
sports MG logos, steering wheel, shifter knob, MGB grille and an octagonal
tire cover...) down to the local store while they were having one of those 4
gas-shocks installed plus a tire rotation for $59.95. I figure, I can't buy
4 shocks for much less than that. The two tire monkeys - NASCAR pit crew
wannabees not only spun the lugnuts on with a 3/4" drive impact wrench,
they didn't finger start any of them....
So, imagine my surprise a month later, on a rainy night in a motel parking
lot jumping on my BIG 4 way tire tool - 210 pounds at the end of a 2 foot
lever supported by a jackstand.... trying to break the lugs loose. All six
came off, one peeled thread at a time, and reassembly was even worse - I had
to use a couple of shims from the feeler gage to lock a couple of the lug
nuts down... Tried one lug on each of the other wheels, and they actually
scream as I try to move them....
I took the truck back to Sears. The manager says I must have had the
tires rotated since leaving Sears. Next.... he rifled thru the reciepts, and
said that they made a mistake and didn't rotate the tires, and offers me a
$15.00 rebate. Next....
"Well, neither of these guys work here anymore so I can't ask them what
happened so I can't help you..." NEXT!!! ..... I was not about to miss the
opportunity to take him to task, reminding him that Sears was already under
the gun for the same kind of tactics elsewhere. They offered to do the
repair "FREE OF CHARGE!" then explained that I had to pay sales tax, shop
supplies, shop disposal etc.
A quick call to one of my lawyer-customers with an outstanding repair
bill on his Jag, and the next morning I was called by the store manager. He
had arranged for new lugs and studs to be installed the same day by the
local dealership. "Oh, gee thanks, sir, how beneficient of you. Then I
decided I needed a rental for the day. Not to get even, but to get ahead.
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