Just wanted to relate my experience with tires at WalMart. I went in to ask for prices, was just looking for a couple of inexpensive tires. The local flunkie looks in my glove compartment at the tire specs and proceeds to tell me that under the law he is only allowed to put a real expensive tire on my car. I have heard of this scam before and I have been buying tires for 30 years and had never been been approached with it. Needless to say I told the guy to stick it and left. How many uneducated people is WalMart pulling this scam on and gettiing away with it?

Just wanted to relate my experience with tires at WalMart. I went in to ask for prices, was just looking for a couple of inexpensive tires. The local flunkie looks in my glove compartment at the tire specs and proceeds to tell me that under the law he is only allowed to put a real expensive tire on my car. I have heard of this scam before and I have been buying tires for 30 years and had never been been approached with it. Needless to say I told the guy to stick it and left. How many uneducated people is WalMart pulling this scam on and gettiing away with it?


I would get his name and email someone at Wal-Mart corporate.

Give them the location of the store and the department he works in and report his sorry a$$.

Get the information together and go to this link.Wal-Mart Contacts Page (http://www.walmartstores.com/wmstore/wmstores/Container.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0664778193.10936258 31@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccccadcljlggedjcfkfcfkjdgoodglh.0&template=ContactUs.jsp)

Even though it's only 5 mins of your time, those 5 mins will get him canned... :lol:

I would get his name and email someone at Wal-Mart corporate.

Give them the location of the store and the department he works in and report his sorry a$$.

Get the information together and go to this link.

Even though it's only 5 mins of your time, those 5 mins will get him canned... :lol:


I'm with you. Already sent an email, store, and complaint. Unfortunately I didn't get his name, I was to furious went I went out of there. However, I think this kind of stuff is denounced in public, but behind the scenes it is condoned. More profits for Walmart. I may get some phony reply saying we will look into this and do not condone it, in reality at most they will tell the store be careful who you try to scam.

rob3,

I understand your frustration, but this may not be a scam. I had a similiar experience at Sam's Club, their sister warehouse store, a few years back. I too wanted to go to a lower speed rated tire on my 94 to increase tire longevity. I was told by Sam's that since my car came with "H" speed rated tires from the factory, their corporate policy prohibits them from putting on any tire with a lower speed rating. We may not like this policy as consumers, but in this world with so many people so quick to turn to litigation, I can understand it. Some stores just don't want the liability that may come with changing your car's tire speed rating. This may have been the case with your car too. I'm not saying I agree with this policy, just trying to look at both sides.

Mike

rob3,

I understand your frustration, but this may not be a scam. I had a similiar experience at Sam's Club, their sister warehouse store, a few years back. I too wanted to go to a lower speed rated tire on my 94 to increase tire longevity. I was told by Sam's that since my car came with "H" speed rated tires from the factory, their corporate policy prohibits them from putting on any tire with a lower speed rating. We may not like this policy as consumers, but in this world with so many people so quick to turn to litigation, I can understand it. Some stores just don't want the liability that may come with changing your car's tire speed rating. This may have been the case with your car too. I'm not saying I agree with this policy, just trying to look at both sides.

Mike

I have bought tires from all kinds of places all over the country and have never been asked anything except what is your tire size, and what type of driving I do. Different kinds of tires are sold for whatever road conditions you think is most appropriate for your car. It is up to the consumer to make that determination. I know dam well there is no law that tells a consumer which kind of tire they must buy. This is nothing more than WalMarts attempt to get more money out of the consumer using a flimsy excuse that no one else uses.

Rob3,
Maybe next time you can try Pep Boys if you have them in your area. If you can find a tire with an advertised price lower than theirs then they'll give you 5% off plus they'll give you a $100 in-store gift certificate card when you buy four tires. Not bad!

I've bought tires for our Camry at Wal-Mart for years and never had any problem with choosing the tires. We've picked different tires just about every time that we went there. We're currently wearing out a set of Good Year Viva 2's from them...

rob3,

I understand your frustration, but this may not be a scam. I had a similiar experience at Sam's Club, their sister warehouse store, a few years back. I too wanted to go to a lower speed rated tire on my 94 to increase tire longevity. I was told by Sam's that since my car came with "H" speed rated tires from the factory, their corporate policy prohibits them from putting on any tire with a lower speed rating. We may not like this policy as consumers, but in this world with so many people so quick to turn to litigation, I can understand it. Some stores just don't want the liability that may come with changing your car's tire speed rating. This may have been the case with your car too. I'm not saying I agree with this policy, just trying to look at both sides.

Mike

This is common practice. I have not found a store that will put on a lower speed rating than that recommended by the factory.

I think the WalMart thing is probably just a guy trying to sell tires. Illegally, but probably just a personal decision.

I wanted Wal-Mart to pull a tire off my Camry & mount a new one (Yokahama from TireRack), Wal-Mart wouldn't do it because I had a lug bolt broke off.... Wal-Mart said they could not do the job due to Liability....

They meant "assumed incompetence". I think they made the correct decision for you.

They are equal to Jiffy Lube in my book. See the following post of mine:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=277783

I know this is an old thread, but I was searching for tire forums. We had the same experience with S(m)ears. My wife used to have a 93 diamante (thank goodness that pile of junk is gone) and I went for a tire price at sears and the sales person was Screaming at me they would not put anything but the tire that was required speed rated on that car. At the price of $400 each. Sad part is I used to be a stock clerk there, and the sales clerk I remember being not too nice then either. I never bothered to look for an authority figure, nor have I gone back in that Sears. If I go in another sears it will be in a couple other towns.

I know this is an old thread,
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