This is not directly related to SW, but I've heard a number of SW
broadcasters comment on Wal-Mart and some of their deeds, especially
driving the small businessman out of business.

I had an experience yesterday -- as in previous days with Wal-Mart --
and decided to drop the Wal-Mart service department a note this morning
- eastern time. I'm pasting it to the bottom of this note and will let
you know what kind of useful information I get back from them.

What I told them only scratched the surface. I could probably write a
book, well at least a pamphlet, concerning Wal-Mart's "service" center
dealings.

Not included in the msg. is the store location and number which was
entered just above the block allowing comments. I'll leave that off
this message as it probably could apply to many Wal-Mart stores. If
you're getting your car service there on a regular basis you may just
want to have it serviced elsewhere from time to time as they may not be
doing all they claim to be doing! :-)

Al

===============

You need to have someone drop by the service department, have a car
serviced and then double check to see what was ACTUALLY done vs what was
recorded as being done on the invoice.

Yesterday, I drove about 45 miles each way, as usual to have the car
serviced at R. Mt. since I left the Henderson, NC servicing -- another
story for later. I got the 15 pt. service with synthetic oil and had
the tires balanced and rotated -- allegedly!

Time I left the store the tires were bumping worse than before.
Actually, the car was running very smoothly when I took it in but I felt
is was time for a rotation and figured they may as well balance them
while they were at it. From 10 to 30 mph it was very obvious there was
a problem and I suspected some loose wheel lugs, which was not the case.
I took it to the place I last bought tires today, in Norlina, and the
tires were at 25 psi vs the 35psi alleged on the Service Order. They
were out of balance. I got the two front tires rebalanced and will
probably go back and get the two rear ones balanced as there is still a
slight bump.

The invoice has often said there were ZERO fitting for grease and there
have been TWO on each side for many years! I checked the right front
today while the wheel was off and that fitting had NOT been greased. I
didn't check the other 3 fittings, but will go elsewhere to have the car
greased!

I will probably continue to buy "stuff" from Wala-Mart; but I doubt I'll
EVER go back there to get anything serviced.

As to the grease fittings. This was discussed when the order was
placed. After it had been "serviced" was was in the tire area I told
Joe L (? on the L) that I'd like to walk over and double check the
grease fittings to be sure it was greased. It would have been very
simple since the car was jacked up anyway. What he did was ASK the guy
who did the "service" and he said it was greased. Actually, the work
order says, "COMPLETE, 0 Ftngs" but the man said he greased it and then
said there were TWO fittings instead of the FOUR that are there -- two
per side.

BTW: They hae my name spelled as "Patric, Al" in the computer.

Thanks for letting me provide the feed back. What you do with it or
about it is up to you, but I doubt I'll TRUST the Wal-Mart service
departments for anything any more! It's a good price, if the work were
actually done. But if the service men are so pushed that they have to
lie about the things being done in order to satisfy Wal-Mart production
requirements it is a rotten "deal".

Al Patrick