Firestone Auto Company: Should We Trust Them to Repair Anything More Than Tires?

Firestone claims that they can provide total auto care. They state that they can provide most services, and they have very convenient hours. It seems like a no brainer. If your car breaks down on a Sunday morning, most mechanics and service centers are not open, but Firestone is. You call them and they say the can get your car in by the end of the day. Why wait until Monday? Even if you take the car to the repair shop and leave the key in the drop box, you still have to wait until the next day to even talk to a person about your car. Firestone seems like a good option. Instead it can be your worst nightmare.

Firestone has a bad habit of "finding" additional things what are wrong with your car. This is especially dangerous for women who bring their cars in without a man present. You can go in for an oil change and the next thing you know you have nearly $600 in suggested repairs. I once took my car in for a tune up, and they told me I needed nearly $500 in brake work. I took my car to another mechanic, and he did the repairs for $75. While some things found in a "courtesy check" can be helpful, other times what they suggest can questionable.

Another issue with Firestone is that they encourage you to make appointments. In my mind, if I make an appointment to have a new tire installed at 11:00, my car will be in a bay by 11:20 at the latest. Instead 12:00 comes around and my car has not been looked at. Apparently they were seeing all the walk ins before they looked at my car. Instead of respecting my appointment, they were treating me like I had just walked in off the street. What was the point of making the appointment?