Dodged a bullet today.

[Anonymous]

I purchased my boat and trailer the year before last and have had a great time getting to know the lakes and rivers in my area. A couple of expensive trips to the shop with my 115hp Yamaha and I feel like it will be awhile before I have to sink anymore cash into the boat for anything other than maintenance. So, I was setting around thinking about an upcoming trip with some family in mid February going through my mental check list and got to wondering about trailer maintenance. I rememberd when I purchased the boat that the sales guy said that the bearings had just been serviced and I shouldn’t have to worry about them for a couple of years. After sinking big money into Yamaha last year I figured I probably shouldn’t trust the sales guy. I dragged the boat down to Les Schwab and had them pull the bearings. We removed the bearing buddies and the outside bearings looked fine. I had them go ahead and pull the hubs and I’m sure glad I did. The inside bearings on both wheels were toast and knowing my luck, probably wouldn’t have made the trip back home. Thank goodness that the axles didn’t have any damage. Just for kicks I had them price out a new axle and was very happy that I didn’t have to purchase a new one at $1400.00.
$180.00 for replacing the trashed bearings is a lot easier to explain to the wife than a trashed axle and a $1400.00 bill.
Whew…

[hewesfisher]

The boat gods were smiling on you today.

[saltyseadog]

i dont trust schwabs one bit... just sayin:cheers:

[Big D]

i dont trust schwabs one bit... just sayin

Do tell...

[fear_no_fish]

they have screwed my dad over plenty of times, i wouldnt let them work on anything you value

[Big D]

they have screwed my dad over plenty of times, i wouldnt let them work on anything you value

I've had good luck with them other than one master cylinder replacement that they did for me a couple of years ago. It took a little yelling and standing my ground and they eventually came around and stood behind their work and made it right. I think that me standing around and watching the work being done also helps. I do make them verify with me before they proceed with any work. But I also do that at Oil Can Henery's the oil change folks here in the Wenatchee Valley.

[saltyseadog]

a buddy of mine use to work there and they told him to tell people that they needed shocks, breaks, alignments, things like that. even though they didnt need it. he ended up quiting because he didnt like screwing folks.

[ingi]

its not that i dont trust them, i feel like they have great service and they work hard to please the customer but i have noticed them trying to sell people things that are not need and they stress that the service cannot continue without the service. for example on a blazer that wasn't 4wd i heard them talking to a customer saying they have to buy 4 new tires when the person(my brother) only came in to replace a flat tire. I would understand this if it was a AWD car but not on a vehicle with tires that only have 10k miles on them.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reminder to check my bearings before spring summer salt start. Lets face it. In todays tough times you gotto make sales to pay the bills.

[Matt]

Dang you payed 180$ for a basic earing job? I just replaced all of my equipment on both wheels including bearing buddies greas bearings seals etc. And it was less than 100$ and a few hours work.

[Marc Martyn]

Have you ever eaten at a national chain restaurant in one city which you thought was delicious and then in another city it was horrible? Management, plain and simple.

I have been taking my business to Schwab for about 20 years now and have been pleased. I am loyal to one store, mainly because a very good friend of mine is the manager. Dennis is also my fishing buddy. A good manager will be truthful with you and do everything possible to make sure you are satisfied and treated fairly. If there is a problem and it is their fault, they fix it promptly and politely. This is the kind of service I have had over the last two decades.
I have spent possibly over 1,000 hours on the water with Dennis, side by side in our pontoons catching fish. Our conversations about the company have been numerous. They have a good business ethic and have quality people working for them and they treat them very well. In return they expect quality work, honesty and hustle with a smile. This is what I have gotten in Dennis's store. Once again, I think that it boils down to management.

[Big D]

Thanks Marc, I couldn't have said it better.

[sparky1doug]

Good topic. By nature we don't like change and if some thing works for us why try something else. I bought my first set of tires at Les Schwab when I was in high school in Coeurd'Alene. I worked two months to pay for those tires for my 67 Chevelle (it was 7 years old) and boy was I proud. A couple of months ago I was setting in my local Schwab buying my wifes car a new set of rubber and something dawned on me. I've never gone anywhere else in all these years. Free flats, rescue me on the road side in nowhere Oregon, replaced a tire I blew up in Rupert Idaho, gave my son a new tire to get home on. Ya I suppose I could have paid a little less for my tires but I know if I need service and a helping hand miles from home there's a yellow and red sign that says Schwab.

[Dave]

Glad to hear you played it safe and got your bearings replaced. I need to do that before I start taking my salt boat out again. I've never had a bad experience with Les Schwab either however I've only utilized their service for tire purchases.

[Bodofish]

i dont trust schwabs one bit... just sayin

Do tell...

I had loaned Montero to my daughter when she was going to college at one point the the brakes needed maint. She did the research and the Schwadster had the best price. Total brake rebuild for the warranty they required replacing every part. The brakes were worse after they finished their work. Being 19 she drove it home. Che called and was concerned about how they felt. I said take it back and make them fix it. They had the truck all day went through them again. No good. She brought it to me I tested and they were bad. I took the truck back and explaine dhow bad they were. The store manager said they'd been through them twice. I made him drive it and his words to me were "Oh thats what those brakes are supposed to feel like.". Wrong answer. Took the truck the the dealer and they had assembled the brakes wrong with incorrect parts. I had the dealer fix the problem and took all the paperwrk to the schwabby. They refused to take care of either bill. Thank god for credit cards! Never bought another thing from them.

[fishaholictaz]

I have sooo many good schwab stories to tell... Could have been because my dad spent over $10,000 a year through them back in the day:-" But I agree with Marc there are good and bad everywhere:-&

['OL GREY DOG]

i LOVE my oil filled hubs on my EZ Loader....at a glance i can see if there's oil in them.....if it's low or milky looking....DOG

[hewesfisher]

Have you ever eaten at a national chain restaurant in one city which you thought was delicious and then in another city it was horrible? Management, plain and simple.

Well said Marc. I've been doing business with Schwab for over 20 years, and always at with the same store. There are Schwab dealers in Spokane I wouldn't go to, but it's more a convenience thing than anything else. I know the manager at the store I buy from and have known him for over 10 years. Other than our motorhome and boat trailer, they both came with other brand tires, every vehicle we own has Schwab brand tires on them. When the time comes, those two will too. Top quality service and products keep us going back.

Dealers are just as bad as others when it comes to recommending services/parts you don't need, it's called an upsell and it's what they do. Case in point, a local large Subaru dealer in Spokane. My wife's Outback was due for its 30k mile service and said dealer provided her with their "in house" recommended service which included many replacement change items not listed in the owner's manual. Things like changing engine coolant and gear lube in all axles, neither of which a change item, service required is check and inspect. They wanted $90 to just drain and refill the differentials! The dealership hands these recommended service sheets out so they can upsell the customer on things not required.

But I agree with Marc there are good and bad everywhere.

And in every business there is.

[SsendaM]

$180.00 for replacing the trashed bearings is a lot easier to explain to the wife than a trashed axle and a $1400.00 bill.

Or possibly a lot of damage to someone else, ya never know? I had an experience when I drove from CDA to Grand Coulee towing my hewescraft that i'll never forget. I moved there for a few months while working on a new hospital, I had the boat behind me in a truck i borrowed and a friend was following in my jeep. I made it about 4 miles outside of davenport, apparently my follower was calling me to pull over as he noticed my left wheel starting to angle, with no luck he raced up along side and pretty much cut me off, before I could even come to a stop that wheel assembly actually worked itself off the axle and went for a stroll down the highway, the trailer was only drug on the frame for a few inches and made it outside the fogline.
All in all les schwab did me ok i guess by replacing both wheel assemblies for like 280$ if i remember right and they said the axle was fine after they mentioned it would probably have to be replaced. Cant say the same for the tow guy in davenport, Micks RV and Sales, if i remember right. I think he tried to screw me pretty bad, when they lied about receiving the insurance check, this guy would actually hang up after i was put on hold . not to mention they broke my trailer fender and scraped aluminum with his clamps all I wanted was the 250 back i paid for in cash at the time of the tow. I didnt mention to them they broke my fender when they drug in on their truck and indented/scratched transom with clamps when i did drive back with no luck on the phone, he was there and said he just got the check and was surprised I drove all the way from cda to get what they owed me. With insurance the whole thing only cost me 300$ so I repack bearing every year myself.