Not a question . . . just a comment. Just got back from Sears, had to buy a battery for my RX-8 before the cold weather, it’s almost 5 years old and I noticed a slow crank over the weekend. So anyway . . . I looked the battery up myself, the sales clerk had to verify, so he went outside to check my VIN, the tire wear, wiper condition, etc. We went back inside and guess what? They didn’t have my size in the regular DIE-HARD, would I take a DIE-HARD Premium for only $35 more? Also, only $14.99 to install it . . . and I ought to look at tires 'cause mine are getting “close” (he said) . . . my tires only have about 10k on 'em. The wiper blades need replacement, they’ll replace for $4.99 labor (I didn’t even ask the price). So I dickered on the price of the battery, got him to charge me the same price as the “regular” DIE-HARD, but he couldn’t even loan me a 3/8 wrench to install it, company policy. I could buy a wrench in hardware if I wanted one, he said. Anybody want to guess why I won’t be going back to SEARS? What a company. Rocketman
Very typical Sears Automotive experience.
I’ll second that. I gave up on Sears for anything automotive many, many years ago.
Be glad they didn’t actually touch your RX-8. Who knows what might have happened?
They’re salesman…They all work on commission. About the ONLY thing I buy from them is Tools and batteries. I don’t let them look at any of our vehicles. Their battery and tool prices are hard to beat (especially when they have a sale). I’ve ALWAYS been able to beat their tire prices.
Last time I was there I too was told that the battery I wanted wasn’t in stock. Tried to upgrade me to the gold. I said…nope…I can get one at another sears…The price DROPPED to just $5 over the silver. I bought it (would have cost me at least $5 just driving to the next Sears).
As for not letting you borrow a wrench…well that’s normal. Very few places will let you borrow a wrench…ESPECIALLY to work on your car in their parking lot. If it’s all a Mall … I guarantee it’s against Mall policy for there to be any auto repairs done on any vehicle in their parking lot.
I agree on everything but the borrowing the wrench as well. I would never expect a tool store which is in business to SELL tools to let me borrow one to work in their parking lot.
Just for future reference, the house brand Kirkland Signature battery at Costco is the exact same battery, made in the same Johnson Controls factory, with the exact same CCA, as the Sears Diehard Gold battery.
The only difference is that the Costco warranty is longer, and the Costco price is about $40 less. Of course, you have to install it yourself, but for guys like us that is not a problem. When you bring back the old battery to them, they refund a portion (somthing like $4.50, IIRC) of the purchase price of the new battery. What’s not to like?
I was never happy with my few experiences there.
Maybe I overpay a garage $90-$100 for a Delco or Interstate battery but do not to work with the worse type IMHO, uneducated salesfolks.
What’s Not To Like? I Don’t Like The Fact That My Nearest Costco Is Over 4 Hours Away, Straight Through, One Way. Darn!
I have been in one before, though.
In defense of Sears (not the part about the tacky salespeople pushing tires and W/Wipers and upselling batteries), I do buy Crafstman tools. I have a “harder side of Sears” store only a half hour from me, but they’re too little to stock much.
Also, other than the auto repair center, which I don’t frequent, I find good sales, merchandise usually in stock, and good return / warranty policies when I can get to a big city Sears.
What the heck, at least Rocketman got them to give him a deal on a better battery.
CSA
Sam’s Club and B.J.'s sells batteries to. Never would i buy a battery from the pirates at sears.
Grampy, Unfortunately My Nearest Sam’s Club Is 3 Hours Away And I’ve Never Heard Of B.J.'s.
CSA
BJ’s is pretty much in the North East…Owned by the TJ Max corporation. The only national recognition they got was…the plane that flew out of Boston into the World Trade Center had about 10-20 people from the home office (Andover MA) on the plane. You walk into a BJ’s or Sam’s club you’ll find it very very hard to tell the difference between the stores.
When ever I need a battery I always shop around…If Sears is having a sale at the time…their prices are very very hard to beat…Not even the wholesale clubs.
I’m over it now . . . before I went there this morning I gave the terminal post nuts a shot of PB Blaster. I used an adjustable I found in my trunk to remove them, had the battery out and new one in and was on my way in under 5 minutes. Just makes me wonder about the poor folks who don’t know anything about cars gets rooked. Rocketman
They wouldn’t lend you a wrench for insurance reasons. No garage will (or should, anyway).
Rocketman, I’m Glad You’re Feeling Better. Just A short Blast In That RX-8 Should Put A Smile Back On Your Face!
I used to have fun driving an RX-7 company car. There was just something about it . . . the handling, the seating position, the hummmmm, the cool night time dash lighting . . .
CSA
“. . . and I ought to look at tires 'cause mine are getting “close” (he said) . . .”
What he meant was that your tires were too close to the road, and Sears would be happy to put about 4-feet between then and the pavement while the changed them. 
BJ’s have sprung up like weeds around Atlanta,GA. I guess they’ll be heading West soon.
They have probably had too many people weld their wrenches to the cars. You made out pretty well, I think. You got their best battery at quite a discount. I would put up with their overselling for that!
In fairness if you have 10k miles on some ultra high performance tires, they could conceivably be close. The tires that came on stock on the Integra Type R for example usually wouldn’t make it to 10k miles. Likewise for the tires on Lotus Exige. Get around 20k miles on a set of tires on my Mustang. Summer tires generally don’t have that great a treadlfe.
But for the rest of the stuff was pure upselling.
As a matter of fact . . . I did. A short blast. Zoom-zoom. Love to run up the tach through the gears. Screw Sears. Rocketman
Just don’t do a google search for BJ’s. The web sites google finds has NOTHING to do with the store…8*).