Lowes Appliance shopping (Grrrrrr!)

[aja8888]

Store management at Lowe's seems to be the worst of any big-box type of store chain. I would gladly fire many of them, and hire someone off the street to give it a try, first letting them know how the previous person in that job failed, and that they have 4 weeks to prove that they are so much better at it. It would be worth a try. Functioning Lowe's management seems to be hiding somewhere.

Last summer when I was at Lowes picking thru the crappy lumber, the old employee helping me said I could easily get a job there if I wanted it. He actually called his boss over to talk with me. They said "fill out an application and we will see about getting you on..."

I said no thanks.

 

[Car-Guy]

I've had good and bad experiences with with both Home Depot and Lowes. It seems they take turns at poor service or not having something in stock. I really try not to order anything from them if it's not in stock. I just go somewhere else when possible.

Worse experience was at HD. I was loading about 10 sheets of 3/4'' plywood and none of the employees offered to help. However a customer did offer. He help me load mine and I helped him load his. Once I checked out and was on my way to the truck, a couple of their employees offered to help me load it in my truck. (Clear they just wanted a tip) I told them I didn't need help for that. Almost the exact same thing happened to a friend a mine a few weeks later at the same store.

 

[easysurfer]

This is more of a liability thing... they have no idea how old your hoses are... if they install with your old hoses and one breaks flooding your house, who do you think is going to get the blame? (maybe not from you, but from most people)

If I were in charge of installations I would not allow them to hook up to old hoses either.... just saying......

I understand about the liability thing. But why don't they just say upfront that they don't do installs instead of advertising the installation but come delivery time, say that won't happen.

I remember this time after having a dishwasher delivered to a friends house. The installers said they couldn't do the install because the plumbing looked too old. The friend ended up having them haul the dishwasher back and get a refund. Eventually, we ended up picking one up from Sears and having her brother do the dishwasher install. Nothing old about the plumbing. When places start telling [-]lies[/-] excuses, it's time to reconsider if you want to deal with them at all.

I thought, well, maybe it was just an isolated incident, but another time after ordering a new stove, they installers said the can't plug it in .

But these reports show that the "can't install it" is more policy than the exception.

 

[Car-Guy]

Craftsman tools are junk nowadays. Ask me how I know.

Maybe they are "nowadays" but I got most of my Craftsman socket, ratchet, wrench, screw driver, etc sets more than 30 years ago. I think I've broken two socket and bent a wrench or two over the years and that's because I was using them with cheater bars. I've twisted/broken off many bolts without the sockets failing. I can say pretty much the same thing about Snap-On and Williams tools too. I can break any of them, but most of the "quality" tools I bought 30+ years ago are still working just fine.

I bought an off-brand (and cheaper) socket/ratchet set a few years ago to carry around in one of my trucks. I broke several of them the first few times I used them and threw the others out. You can hurt yourself pretty easily with that cheap crap.

I have some new Kobalt tools too and so far they seem to be pretty good.

 

[aja8888]

Maybe they are "nowadays" but I got most of my Craftsman socket, ratchet, wrench, screw driver, etc sets more than 30 years ago. I think I've broken two socket and bent a wrench or two over the years and that's because I was using them with cheater bars. I've twisted/broken off many bolts without the sockets failing. I can say pretty much the same thing about Snap-On and Williams tools too. I can break any of them, but most of the "quality" tools I bought 30+ years ago are still working just fine.

I bought an off-brand (and cheaper) socket/ratchet set a few years ago to carry around in one of my trucks. I broke several of them the first few times I used them and threw the others out. You can hurt yourself pretty easily with that cheap crap.

I have some new Kobalt tools too and so far they seem to be pretty good.

I believe I said this in my post:

I have 50 year old Craftsman tools that have stood the test of time and several car restorations.


I agree with you 100% . I recall as a young man breaking an 18" Craftsman breaker bar by standing on it to get a center flywheel bolt off a VW engine. When I brought it back to Sears in two pieces, the clerk said "no problem, here's a new one".

 

[travelover]

Yeah ... the "free" installation is a joke. Replaced the washing machine. When the delivery came they explained that I needed to pay for the "installation kit" (aka hoses) ... otherwise they would/could not install it. They would not connect the existing hoses to the machine.

Similar experience with Best Buy on a gas dryer. They refused to hook up the gas line. I said 'fine" and wrenched it on myself.

 

[tryan]

This is more of a liability thing...

That's exactly what the delivery people said ... and he added: "You might not sue, but the insurance company will after they pay your claim". Needless to say I made the connections ... they're fine.

Then there is the floor installer who would/could not move the toilet.

Him : "Call a licensed plumber ... I can come back next week."
Me : "Take a coffee break, I'll have it in the tub before you're done."

Little bit TOO much CYA ... amazing ANYTHING gets done.

 

[Car-Guy]

I believe I said this in my post:

I have 50 year old Craftsman tools that have stood the test of time and several car restorations.


I agree with you 100% . I recall as a young man breaking an 18" Craftsman breaker bar by standing on it to get a center flywheel bolt off a VW engine. When I brought it back to Sears in two pieces, the clerk said "no problem, here's a new one".

We are in violent agreement. I did see your comment about a 50 year old set of Craftsmans. I was simply relating my experaince with an older set of Craftsmans tools. I understand Sears Craftmans tools had a lifetime garentee but I never took any back to find out how well it worked. Matter of fact, I won't walk into another Sears store after a bad experience with them a few years ago. But I'll keep my old tools.