Firestone Complete Auto Care Store

Happy to have found someone with my tire. Everything else - meeh... I needed a rare size tire and couldn't find it at the usual (and great!) discount tire or tire rack places. This place could get me the one a desparately needed due to a flat. Nice gentleman at the phone and front desk, but..... - he wasn't able to schedule me in between 5-7pm. For ONE tire? tried to convince me to come during day time (I have a job too.... declined). Lost a day for that reason. - overpriced tire. 20% more expensive than at other places. Had no option, so, okay, I accepted. - I THOUGHT I had no option. After I asked them to show me the defective tire, it was definitely patchable. After asking, vague excuses. I should at least have been asked. - "courtesy check" of other tires thread levels had wrong information. Someone just wanted to look thorough. This is not a courtesy. Again - I am glad I found the tire. Next time I go to the OEM dealership (not more expensive) or to Discount Tire (which patches tires for free).

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I've been with them for 10 years.

They are pretty expensive.

My current and previous car were both Firestone cars - Bridgestone Dueler ATs are great SUV tires and the Pontenza and Turenza V rated tires are great fun to zip around in. In the past 10 years I have used the Park Road, Lawyers Road, Providence Road, and 521 locations for 5 sets of tires, numerous oil changes, inspections, brakes, transmission fluid changes, and plenty of other services. The lifetime alignment, tire rotation and balance is worth it's weight in gold, especially if you have a car that you drive hard and the alignments keeps drifting. Living in Waxhaw and was excited about the Rea Road location opening up so close - it was 2 disappointments in a row. My first experience at this location I had 2 of 4 Bridgestone Potenzas tires that needed replaced - when speaking to the tech I was told that tire was not in stock and he would check some warehouses. I received a call the next day from the same tech saying he found the 2 tires and I said have them shipped and I'll be there tomorrow. Of course when I show up the same tech says that he does not have the tires, and tries to make up a story about that tire not being produced anymore. I was furious now - I had my wife follow me again to the store, left work early to drop the car off, and now was being told he wanted to put 2 Firestone Brand tires on with 2 Potenzas instead. I got with the store manager and he eventually offered to replace all 4 tires under warranty to remedy the situation, which was a very good offering that got me to try this location again. My Second experience was my wife and I dropping my car around noon Friday for a basic oil change and lifetime alignment. I told the tech that I could leave my car overnight if I could pick it up around 12-1pm Saturday that was not supposed to be a problem. When I came back at noon the next day - my car had not even been touched, it was in the same spot I parked it, and they would need an hour to take care of it. So we took it to the Providence location the next day and had it done while we shopped at Walmart. I will never return to this location, I drive to the Arboretum location for all of my tire and brakes for both my wife's and my cars. Unfortunately for Firestone - not all of their locations are created equal - the Rea Road location is 20+ years newer than the Arboretum locations - but I do not trust them to complete simple tasks. Both times I took my car, and the solo time wife tried to get her oil changed at the Rea Road location, it's been a cluster of chaos in their shop and not worth the headache.

Took my Mercedes to them for inspection. Was told that the car failed as there was a problem with the rack and pinion that needed repair. They quoted $3k plus. Took the car to two other places for additional opinions. Neither found an issue. I noticed while searching for this location that another Angie's List user had exactly the same problem in December 2013 at another Firestone location. We had also had our daughter's car battery replaced by these folks, only to have it fail after a month. They insisted there was nothing wrong with the battery. After the Mercedes experience, we are wondering if they actually replaced her battery or just recharged the old one.

A seemingly simple process was screwed up by the technician performing the inspection. I had to figure this out on my own, and was not assisted by the local store manager. He was given multiple opportunities to solve a problem his store created for me and failed on all accounts. I give Firestone's Corporate Office and District Manager an 'A' for responsiveness once the situation was escalated. At checkout, the local store manager indicated there was a 'problem' in processing my inspection (car passed but unable to process) and that I would have to go to the DMV to correct the situation (re: not our problem). Red Flag!! Inspections are processed with the State so that a car can renew license tags. I called the DMV and they had no record of the inspection. I called the store back and asked if they had filed the inspection under the right name, etc. He told me the VINS are scanned in so there is no chance of that happening. Red Flag!! (missed opportunity) Due to travel, I returned to the store to a couple of months later ask for a copy of the inspection so that I may go to the DMV to correct the situation. This was apparently a different manager. He asked for my name and looked up my customer record. He was unable to find a record of my inspection. Red Flag!! Then he asked for my registration and as expected the VINs did not match. He was regretful but not sympathetic. He did offer a free inspection, but it would take an hour. By this point, I declined and drove directly to my trusty dealership - I will never stray again. They completed the inspection and processed it successfully. I was able to renew my registration - no problem! They also confirmed my suspicions of Firestone's original error. Rather than scanning my VIN, the technician tried typing it in. As a result, the inspection didn't post properly. I also purchased 4 tires at this visit. I observed other customers that were waiting for parts - one lady was going out of town, and he explained at check out that one of the spark plugs still needed replacement, that they were coming in the next day. Too bad she was leaving for the beach! (He also explained it was ok for her to drive with some new some not). I also had a delay due to the lack of tires. Hmm- most cars need 4 matching tires - is that hard to plan for? I'm also struck by the 'FYI' nature on misses in delivery when checking out. There is no management of expectations. Updates about the unexpected should be done in advance, especially when you asked for my contact number. Very disappointed with this location and gave them multiple opportunities to correct the situation. Finally had to escalate to Firestone's Corporate office. They contacted the District Manager and he called me back same day after that and provided me resolution. (refunded my inspection $)

Very happy with all aspects of the job.