Hello,

I had a very bad experience with Canadian Tire although I have been a loyal customer for more than 5 years.

Everything started in April 2008 when I discovered gas was leaking when I was filling up the gas tank. I brought the car to Canadian Tire in Ville St-Laurent. I thought the problem was the pipe leading to the tank but they said that there was a hole in the tank. Fine. I approved the work and I paid.

The next time I put Gas in the car the gas was still leaking heavily under the car. This was two months after the work was done on the car. This might sound like a lot of time to fill up the gas tank again but this our second car and we live near a subway station. So, I essentially I drive the car once a week to go to the gym during the week end while my wife go to see her parents in the suburb. Anyway, nobody needed to trust me on this one, the odometer showed clearly that the car had only a limited number of additionnal kilometers since the last time I came to Canadian Tire. That's was not even the equivalent of two Gaz tank as my car consumes 12 liters per 100 kilometers.

Here it starts

1) BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE
I called the mecanics in the afternoon the following day.
- Hi, my name is Oliver you left me a message regarding my car, I am calling you back.
- The mecanics being very arrogant: ''Yeah I left you a message, that was like 6 hours ago!''

Sorry my friend, I brought the car the day before, I gave the number to reach me at the office and you called me at home. I tend to be somewhat busy during the day as I am a director in a big canadian company like Canadian Tire for example. So I do not spend my time checking my voice mail at home.

2) UNFAIR PRACTICE
Once I made the mecanics realized (he kept arguing it was my fault) he had been very arrogant for nothing he explained me that the problem was the pipe leading to the Gaz Tank.
There was still a warranty on the last job but it was related to the Gas Tank not the pipe so I would have to pay for the part and the time.
I thought it made sense to pay for the part but not the time as the problem should have been diagnosed when the Tank was changed. Remember, the problem repeated itself the first time I filled up the gas tank.

3) BAD SERVICE AND UNFAIR PRACTICE
I spoke to the car centre manager. It took me 30 minutes to reach him as I was transferred and put on hold between 3 different persons.
He said that my problem was related by normal use and that it could not have been diagnosed before. I tried all the argument. I was not even offered a discount and I did not even get an excuse for the inapropriate behaviour of its employee.
Remember, I have been a customer for more than 5 years without any complaints.
I said that I refused to do the job and I will come to get my car in the evening. the only I asked was to make to sure to have my latest bill including the warranty at the entrance as it was kept by them the day before.
When I arrived there, the document was nowhere to be found. I had to wait 20 minutes to be told that I would have to come back tomorrow. I did not come back. This Canadian Tire is at 20 minutes from my house.

4) BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE. BEST OF THE BEST.
Today! I decided to call the store manager. I had received an automatic dialer call this week to invite me to call him directly if I had any complain about the service I received. I spent 20 minutes on the phone. I was transferred between 3 different employees. Each one said they would transfer me to the store manager. After that, somebody hanged up on me. So decided to write this complain on my vacation day.

CONGRATULATIONS CANADIAN TIRE IN VILLE ST-LAURENT!

I purchased the "Yardworks 1/2" Reinforced Aluminum Alloy Male Hose Repair Coupling". It went on easy enough but the Stainless Steel Hose clamp didn't tighten. (It kept slipping). Since gas is so expensive I didn't want to head back to Canadian Tire. I walked five blocks to pick up a clamp that actually worked. If these guys are selling inferior products I don't see how they plan to stay in business.

I have a Yardworks grass trimmer that works on a 24v rechargeable battery. Problem is, the battery is still good but the charger does not. Funny thing is, Canadian Tire sells replacement batteries separately but not replacement chargers. In order to get a new charger I would have to purchase a new trimmer. I wonder if this is sly marketing and cash grabbing? I am very disappointed with Canadian Tire and have been many times in the past - both with the rude service staff and the cost and quality of their products (one small example - a cigarette lighter costs over $10.00 in 2008 - in 2007 it cost under $5.00. I will no longer shop at Canadian Tire.

I had purchased a DVD player in April and have used it 3 times. It has worked fine up until now(as little as we used it). The one screen now will not play a movie as it only has lines through it. I brought the DVD player back in it's original packaging with the receipt and just wanting to exchange it but I was not able to. Bart (manager) told me that the warranty is good for only 30 days. I told him that I only used it 3 times it is pretty much brand new. He did not seem to care about that. He told me that because I told him that I used it I was not able to exchange it because it is not "brand new" and now they can't sell it. I looked at him quite frustrated and asked him if I had this right. If I was to of told him I never used it than I could exchange it with it not working and all? He said correct but now that I have told him I used it 3 times I was not able to. I was disgusted in a Canadian Tire manager telling me that we as customers would get further if we lie. I guess that now I know what I have to do. However, this is not good for stores but as a consumer I also will not be taken for a ride. We work hard for our money as well. I chose to buy this at Canadian Tire because it is a Canadian store and I always support our stores first. However, my thought now is that I will shop at Wal mart. After all if Canadian Tire does not honor there products than why should I support them? If this can be resolved in any other way please feel free to contact me by e-mail.

Thank You,
Lydia.

On May 21, 2008 at 9:am I phoned Canadian Tire at Park & Tillford in North Vancouver BC to find out how long it would take for them to switch my winter tires to summer tires. I had bought my Micheline Ice X tires the previous winter at the same location. I was advised it would be no more than one hour. I had my summer tires on rims as well as my winter tires. I was not advised at the time of purchase that a lengthy wait may be experienced. I experienced this same scenario last year.

Upon arrival at approximately 9:45 am I went to the Automobile Service Center to check in my vehicle. When the agent looked up my vehicle on the computer he advised it would be 4 hrs before the job could be done. I asked to speak to the Manager and he advised it was not fair to customers ahead of me. I advised him I had phoned approximately 15 minutes earlier and was advised it would be done in less than one hour. I requested to see their work orders to confirm the time of admission on jobs ahead of me. They refused.

After a heated discussion with me they finally agreed to change my tires within an hour as I was leaving for my home in Whistler, BC a two hour highway drive. Upon my arrival to Whistler I drove immediately to the nearest gas station as I felt something was not right with my tires. I checked all tires and two of them seemed low in air. I went to put air in the tire and discovered that the valve stem on one tire was jammed in behind the hub cap. I drove to the nearest auto repair place as the vehicle had to be jacked up to remove the hub cap to release the valve. I was advised that two tires were under the required air pressure. They did not charge me for this service.

Please clarify your policy on a no charge when a customer has purchased goods at your store.

P. MacGregor.