Experience with les Schwab

[krusty]

My one and only Les Schwab experience is buying tires for daughters Jeep. They pointed out it would need front brakes soon, which I was aware of but have an independent mechanic who does that for me for years. They gave me an estimate, which I hadn’t requested, for $500+. When I said that’s a lot for just the front, they replied it included new calipers and rotors. The Jeep had 50K dry California miles, nothing wrong with the calipers and rotors can’t be measured without removing from vehicle, at worst they could be turned but even that wasn’t likely to be needed. Their reply was that all their brake jobs got new calipers and rotors, “it’s a safety issue…”
That said, maybe that store is just an outlier. My FIL has used the one in North Bend for years and they seem to have treated him well.
In fairness, a similar situation arose this Monday at my Toyota dealer: When I purchased the Tundra in 2017 I bought a service contract which included oil changes, air filters, tire rotations and balance, alignments, and front and rear brakes and rotors; basically everything but gas for 5 years/75K miles. It was a good deal, I thought as just the oil changes and brakes would more than cover the cost of the contract. My contract expires next month so I took it in for oil change, air filter, check alignment, rotate tires and front and rear brakes and rotors, even though truck only has 38K miles. The dealer called me a bit later and said the technician recommended a brake fluid and power steering fluid flush. $394
I said no thanks. My independent shop charged me $80 to flush brakes on another car and I’ll have them do it at some time way in the future. I live in a near desert climate and moisture in brake fluid is not a concern here as it is in moist conditions. I never would consider paying what the dealer wanted, or doing those at this low a mileage. Maybe if I lived next to a salt marsh.

It's so 'situational' and dependant upon whether a business has corrupt and greedy shitheads managing the operation. I had a 'respected' private auto repair place in Spokane do an oil change on my Tacoma, and they came back with a lengthy list of deficiencies that needed to be corrected immediately...plus insisted that oil changes always needed to be done at 3k intervals...which is just pure hogwash except in extremely severe use conditions.

I took the list of reputed deficiencies to the local Toyota service dept and their inspection indicated that none of the work needed to be done and gave me a target mileage when some of the stuff might need attention...for some items it was 30 to 50 k later.

 

[FinLuver]

My one and only Les Schwab experience is buying tires for daughters Jeep. They pointed out it would need front brakes soon, which I was aware of but have an independent mechanic who does that for me for years. They gave me an estimate, which I hadn’t requested, for $500+. When I said that’s a lot for just the front, they replied it included new calipers and rotors. The Jeep had 50K dry California miles, nothing wrong with the calipers and rotors can’t be measured without removing from vehicle, at worst they could be turned but even that wasn’t likely to be needed. Their reply was that all their brake jobs got new calipers and rotors, “it’s a safety issue…”
That said, maybe that store is just an outlier. My FIL has used the one in North Bend for years and they seem to have treated him well.
In fairness, a similar situation arose this Monday at my Toyota dealer: When I purchased the Tundra in 2017 I bought a service contract which included oil changes, air filters, tire rotations and balance, alignments, and front and rear brakes and rotors; basically everything but gas for 5 years/75K miles. It was a good deal, I thought as just the oil changes and brakes would more than cover the cost of the contract. My contract expires next month so I took it in for oil change, air filter, check alignment, rotate tires and front and rear brakes and rotors, even though truck only has 38K miles. The dealer called me a bit later and said the technician recommended a brake fluid and power steering fluid flush. $394
I said no thanks. My independent shop charged me $80 to flush brakes on another car and I’ll have them do it at some time way in the future. I live in a near desert climate and moisture in brake fluid is not a concern here as it is in moist conditions. I never would consider paying what the dealer wanted, or doing those at this low a mileage. Maybe if I lived next to a salt marsh.

Remanufactured calipers…

 

[ffb]

I've had them repair a couple tires before, but that's about it. I'm not interested in the Les Schwab branded tires. Back when I worked in the automotive field, my father in law had his cargo van at Les Schwab for a brake pulling issue. He was quoted something like $2k for front and rear rotors, pads, and calipers, plus a "faulty" ABS module causing the pull. He asked if I would do the work. Turned out to be a $15 collapsed brake line. The pads and rotors were fine as well. I do my business at Discount Tire when I need tires.

 

[Tom Butler]

The dark side hit on the way home yesterday. Rock puncture right front. Had to roll a ways to a straight, clear, level spot to put on the emergency spare. Dropped the car at Schwab on the way in. Got a call in 1/2 hour. Puncture and corded so the road hazard covered that one, and since it's all wheel drive and the others worn past 1/2 way they said those should be changed too, and gave me 35% credit on the 3 others. Picked the car up about 2 hours later. Still expensive but could of been worse, and even though I wasn't greeted in the lot, dudes were busy, I got great service.

 

[Old Man]

I've never been film flamed by Les Schwab. They always did what I asked them to do. Nothing else. I've always had good service.

 

[Sam Roffe]

I didn't think I would add to this Les Schwab thread. Last week we Robyn and I were heading over to Chelan. Have Dad's old Benz sporty car. Had a blow out in Cashmere. Nice guy towed us to Chelan. Decided to tow to chelan, wasn't much more, and spared us the expense and inconvenience of staying in Wenatchee.

So LS has the car, we are getting 4 new tires, but, still looking for a suitable rim. Arg. So there the car sits. We're back in Seattle, waiting for the call to pick the car up. However, they've been very accommodating, keeping us updated on the progress they're making finding a rim.

 

[Tom Butler]

I didn't think I would add to this Les Schwab thread. Last week we Robyn and I were heading over to Chelan. Have Dad's old Benz sporty car. Had a blow out in Cashmere. Nice guy towed us to Chelan. Decided to tow to chelan, wasn't much more, and spared us the expense and inconvenience of staying in Wenatchee.

So LS has the car, we are getting 4 new tires, but, still looking for a suitable rim. Arg. So there the car sits. We're back in Seattle, waiting for the call to pick the car up. However, they've been very accommodating, keeping us updated on the progress they're making finding a rim.

Hope it works out well. Classics can be tough.
At our Schwab (policy I believe) they will not take the wire wheels with knock-offs on the MG off. They helped get the bias ply's off however and rough cleaned 'em. I refreshed and repainted, then they mounted the rim strip, tube and new radials. They were even familiar with and had the equipment to properly balance a wire wheel. The only place in town that would do it for me.

 

[gpt]

i stopped at Costco to see about Blizzak tires. the guy said go across the parking lot to discount tires. got a price quote and thought why not get a quote from Les Schwab. their price was $200 more than discount tires. and of course they had their own brand not real Blizzak tires. free rotations and swapping summer tires for winter tires at discount.

 

[DanielOcean]

Les Schwab has fed my family free beef for the past 45 years they never done me no wrong. No sireee.

 

[Buzzy]

i stopped at Costco to see about Blizzak tires. the guy said go across the parking lot to discount tires. got a price quote and thought why not get a quote from Les Schwab. their price was $200 more than discount tires. and of course they had their own brand not real Blizzak tires. free rotations and swapping summer tires for winter tires at discount.

Nice when you can go across the street for this kind of discount and service, Discount is 62 miles one way. LS is a ten minute walk. I'd like to have more options but when you live in a one horse town, well.........

 

[Old406Kid]

i stopped at Costco to see about Blizzak tires. the guy said go across the parking lot to discount tires. got a price quote and thought why not get a quote from Les Schwab. their price was $200 more than discount tires. and of course they had their own brand not real Blizzak tires. free rotations and swapping summer tires for winter tires at discount.

I ran into the same price disparity when we put tires on my wife's car last fall.

 

[Triploidjunkie]

They don't carry as good as tires as they used to. I wanted a certain brand a few years ago. They quoted me $1200 dollars. I went to the small mom and pop tire store fifteen miles away. $800 for the same tires. That's $400 for that "free" warranty. Pass.
Then in 2020, my wife took my truck up for a brake check while I was at work. We were getting ready to pull our 30ft trailer to Bozeman for a week. They said the pads, calipers, and rotors were shot, and would all have to be replaced. $1,600. What!? I pulled my truck up to our work shop and pulled the tires off. Nothing wrong with any of that. They all looked brand new. When I called Les Schwab out on it, they admitted they didn't even look at the brakes, they just recommend that to everyone! Sounds like horseshit to me. I had a caliper break this winter, though, and replaced all of the said parts for $600, even though I probably could have reused the rotors. They were ok.

 

[Divad]

My .02, as someone who has used Les for both personal and business over the last 14 years, check pricing before! As @Triploidjunkie notes, prices can be drastically different, and unfortunately it did not use to be this way. About 4-5 years ago I noticed pricing differences on basics, then when they got bought out two years back BIG differences started to occur. Lug nuts on our same vehicle had a 400% increase compared to competitors in the area, a minute item that most wouldn't question. Pressure sensors were outrageously overpriced, I even went 2 miles down the road to the stealership to save $10 a pop on each tire/per vehicle.

They stopped selling Toyo and other branded tires for their own Chinese made crud. However they can still buy you any tire you want, for more than what you could purchase it yourself on Amazon or the other local tire shop with vastly smaller purchasing power. I'll stop because the amount of this that has happened over the last couple years would have me going on...

Used to be a good shop, unfortunately they scaled poorly and now suck, nickling their customers for toilet paper.

 

[krusty]

Sometimes people assume that all retailers get the same wholesale price, which is most definitely not the case.

 

[Old Man]

Rotations are free at LS here in Butte but changing tires from winter to summer or vis -a-verse. costs to god damn much. I should just buy some spare rims and save a bunch. It went up this year probably because of inflation. This is something that doesn't get transported anyplace.

 

[gpt]

Rotations are free at LS here in Butte but changing tires from winter to summer or vis -a-verse. costs to god damn much. I should just buy some spare rims and save a bunch. It went up this year probably because of inflation. This is something that doesn't get transported anyplace.

yep, i put the winter tires on their own set of wheels. quick and easy interchanging at no cost.

 

[Old Man]

I needed some new tires on my P/U so off to LS I go. I got a quote. I drive a 2000 Ford Ranger. I got a quote yesterday of $257.00 a tire. Costs after mounting and spin balance It came to damn near 1100 bucks for 4 tires. I told them that was to much and left when they wouldn't give me a different tire. I went to another tire shop here in Butte. Got the same size tire for 100 bucks less each. I'm kind of through with LS now.