Firestone Auto Center
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 202
Likes: 1
From: Millstone Twp NJ
Firestone Auto Center
Found this to be interesting. I developed a brake fluid leak, drivers side rear of my '82 Vette. Since I previously had a lifetime warranty (2001) on the front calipers from Firestone, and they are close to my home, I decided to stop in and see if they would take a look at it, just in case the front calipers were going also. To my suprise, the knucklehead behind the counter advised they no longer worked on Vettes and were reluctant to put it on the lift. I told them I was a customer since 1994 and that they worked on my car over the years. The Guy hemmed and hawed about parts and corvettes in general so much that my instincts and common sense kicked in. His less than enthusiastic replies and attitude regarding my car so pissed me off that I calmly turned around in his mid sentence and walked out, stating that they just lost my business.....well maybe not that calmly.
I am now making an appointment with Corvette Paramedics, which I should've done in the first place...but held off only because they are far from me. When I came home, just for grins I called Consumer Affairs for Firestone and let them know....for what that is worth! This is just a vent...thanks for listening-Pete
I am now making an appointment with Corvette Paramedics, which I should've done in the first place...but held off only because they are far from me. When I came home, just for grins I called Consumer Affairs for Firestone and let them know....for what that is worth! This is just a vent...thanks for listening-Pete
Last edited by BFI6603; Sep 6, 2011 at 06:27 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 850
Likes: 36
From: Providence RI
Found this to be interesting. I developed a brake fluid leak, drivers side rear of my '82 Vette. Since I previously had a lifetime warranty (2001) on the calipers from Firestone, and they are close to my home, I decided to stop in and see if they would take a look at it, just in case the calibers were going also. To my suprise, the knucklehead behind the counter advised they no longer worked on Vettes and were reluctant to put it on the lift. I told them I was a customer since 1994 and that they worked on my car over the years. The Guy hemmed and hawed about parts and corvettes in general so much that my instincts and common sense kicked in. His less than enthusiastic replies and attitude regarding my car so pissed me off that I calmly turned around in his mid sentence and walked out, stating that they just lost my business.....well maybe not that calmly.
I am now making an appointment with Corvette Paramedics, which I should've done in the first place...but held off only because they are far from me. When I came home, just for grins I called Consumer Affairs for Firestone and let them know....for what that is worth! This is just a vent...thanks for listening-Pete
I am now making an appointment with Corvette Paramedics, which I should've done in the first place...but held off only because they are far from me. When I came home, just for grins I called Consumer Affairs for Firestone and let them know....for what that is worth! This is just a vent...thanks for listening-Pete
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,086
Likes: 22
From: Crystal Lake IL
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
reminds me when i used to deal with a small family owned service station for many yrs but when they hewed and hawed about changing a belt on my dd and told me to take it to the dealer...they lost my business too.
i think not everyone wants to work on an old car. too many tricks and gottas.
i think not everyone wants to work on an old car. too many tricks and gottas.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 850
Likes: 36
From: Providence RI
reminds me when i used to deal with a small family owned service station for many yrs but when they hewed and hawed about changing a belt on my dd and told me to take it to the dealer...they lost my business too.
i think not everyone wants to work on an old car. too many tricks and gottas.
i think not everyone wants to work on an old car. too many tricks and gottas.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
I certainly wouldn't force anyone to work on my corvette who didn't want to! 
especially thinking about WHY they don't work on them... maybe they too often screwed them up in the past?
I did have a similar experience once with my 97 Lexus ES300 (which we all know is a glorified Toyota Camry). Took it to a Toyota dealer for their oil change special and the service manager turned me away! He just repeated, "We don't do Lexus!" I said, "Can't you just change my oil?" ... "We don't do Lexus!".. it was insane; I chalked it up to some type of intercompany political dispute.
especially thinking about WHY they don't work on them... maybe they too often screwed them up in the past? I did have a similar experience once with my 97 Lexus ES300 (which we all know is a glorified Toyota Camry). Took it to a Toyota dealer for their oil change special and the service manager turned me away! He just repeated, "We don't do Lexus!" I said, "Can't you just change my oil?" ... "We don't do Lexus!".. it was insane; I chalked it up to some type of intercompany political dispute.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 948
Likes: 1
From: pensacola fl
He probably would have been better off saying they do not work on older antique cars because of the libalities. Paying for an accidental paint scratch would be huge verses a scratch on a Toyota. Most techs have also been trained to work oin newer cars. But most important, you do not want someone working on your car that doesn't want to work on your car. Just a thought.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
You can find an a**hole anywhere. If they had been working on your car for years, why didn't the a**hole recognize you?
Your problem probably isn't Firestone - it's the a**hole.
Your problem probably isn't Firestone - it's the a**hole.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 850
Likes: 36
From: Providence RI
If Firestone were a different sort of business, the guy behind the counter would have recognized the customer and served *him*, not simply themselves.
This is why I do my own work on my own cars; there is literally no place I can confidently take my cars to and trust that they will serve me as a customer. Well, maybe there are a few places, like the glass-place that's replacing a windshield for me Tuesday, who had excellent recommendations and customer-service. But if I get in my car and there's sealant on the dash or the window molding is misaligned, that's the last time I'll ever take anything there.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 202
Likes: 1
From: Millstone Twp NJ
Thats the problem, turnover of personel over the years, different managers etc. Big place like Firestone, you dont get that level of customer service. I wish i was handy enough to do my own repairs. Based on this guys attitude i high tailed it out of there and consider myself lucky i did-pete
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
I've never had any success with Firestone...for working on a car. They seem to only care about replacing your tires. And, they don't do that well on that one, either IMO.
There are more a**holes now than there were a few years ago....probably because they are less expensive to keep on the 'rolls' than someone who actually knows anything or even cares!
You did the only thing that you have available to you--write them off of your list of "suppliers". I would probably have asked to see the Manager before I left--just to tell him/her that future business was lost because of that a**hole. Then I would have turned around and left.
There are more a**holes now than there were a few years ago....probably because they are less expensive to keep on the 'rolls' than someone who actually knows anything or even cares!
You did the only thing that you have available to you--write them off of your list of "suppliers". I would probably have asked to see the Manager before I left--just to tell him/her that future business was lost because of that a**hole. Then I would have turned around and left.
Instructor
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
From: Bausman PA
I believe I would have contacted the regional office and asked if they were going to pay for the repairs done elsewhere. After all, you did have a lifetime warranty.
Last edited by kjb13; Sep 5, 2011 at 02:47 PM. Reason: grammar
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 202
Likes: 1
From: Millstone Twp NJ
The fluid is leaking from the rear, and not from the life-timed warraneteed front calipers. Trust me if it turns out that it is the calipers they will not have heard the last from me. The Consumer Affairs Rep advised they would forward this encounter to the District Rep who would call me and the Manager of the store...I won't hold my breath....At this point I want them no where near my car. Would also be interesting to hear the conversation between the District Rep and the Manager of the store, (who was not yet at the store when it opened this morning) when he hears of the incident. I would like to believe he would give me a call and apology....but that is wishful thinking. If it happens I'll report back-Pete
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 954
Likes: 2
From: San Jose CA
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 202
Likes: 1
From: Millstone Twp NJ
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Never had CP work on my car as I do everything myself but have been to the shop for parts before. Nice people and from what I have heard from others they will treat your Vette right. They know Corvettes and what to do with them. They are only about 25 minutes from me so I use them for parts when I need something right away.
Sounds about right for Firestone guys. They now very little if anything about older cars. Most of the guys were not even born when your Vette was made. Leaking brakes are a pretty easy fix as the calipers leak often. Ihave replaced many a caliper or rebuilt a SS caliper that was leaking many times. Not a difficult fix.
Sounds about right for Firestone guys. They now very little if anything about older cars. Most of the guys were not even born when your Vette was made. Leaking brakes are a pretty easy fix as the calipers leak often. Ihave replaced many a caliper or rebuilt a SS caliper that was leaking many times. Not a difficult fix.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
We have a bunch of Firestones in my town,1 or 2 are good and the rest are thieves and bubba's along with the Goodyears , Midas's , Tuffy's , Speedy's and so on.
To the Firestone,Goodyear and Midas within a mile of me , I would like to send out a huge Thank You
Those guys loved working on C3s and 2s ,
but they didn't have a clue. Rotor run-out was not in their vocabulary. 
If it wasn't for those guys I would still have house and car payments.
Thank You Thank You Thank You
You guys were the best. 
To the Firestone,Goodyear and Midas within a mile of me , I would like to send out a huge Thank You
Those guys loved working on C3s and 2s ,
but they didn't have a clue. Rotor run-out was not in their vocabulary. If it wasn't for those guys I would still have house and car payments.
Thank You Thank You Thank You
You guys were the best.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 8
From: Enid Oklahoma
Found this to be interesting. I developed a brake fluid leak, drivers side rear of my '82 Vette. Since I previously had a lifetime warranty (2001) on the calipers from Firestone, and they are close to my home, I decided to stop in and see if they would take a look at it, just in case the calipers were going also. To my suprise, the knucklehead behind the counter advised they no longer worked on Vettes and were reluctant to put it on the lift. I told them I was a customer since 1994 and that they worked on my car over the years. The Guy hemmed and hawed about parts and corvettes in general so much that my instincts and common sense kicked in. His less than enthusiastic replies and attitude regarding my car so pissed me off that I calmly turned around in his mid sentence and walked out, stating that they just lost my business.....well maybe not that calmly.
I am now making an appointment with Corvette Paramedics, which I should've done in the first place...but held off only because they are far from me. When I came home, just for grins I called Consumer Affairs for Firestone and let them know....for what that is worth! This is just a vent...thanks for listening-Pete
I am now making an appointment with Corvette Paramedics, which I should've done in the first place...but held off only because they are far from me. When I came home, just for grins I called Consumer Affairs for Firestone and let them know....for what that is worth! This is just a vent...thanks for listening-Pete
Racer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Pensacola Fla
Brakes
As I under stand your post it was your rear brakes that were leaking and they were not under a waranty. Well if I were you I would be counting my blessings that he did not want to work on your car.You have not lost a thing,you are wiser today then you were yesterday. Now the hard part you have to find someone who knows how to work on your car. Maybe you locate a Corvette mechanic in your area from this web site,good luck and save the wave.
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