Warren Tire Service Center

I got my annual inspection on 19OCT2015, and then I went out of town up until very recently, which is why I waited so long to write this review.
Warren Tire does a good job with the services it renders, and in that respect they receive high marks. However, their tendencies to seek extra, unnecessary revenues makes me reluctant to patronize them in the future. Profit is not a dirty word, but it doesn’t take a genius to understand what is reasonable and what is unreasonable. Warren Tire seeks the latter.
My car passed its inspection as I knew it would. The service manager decided to continue the conversation by offering more services at outrageous prices. First, he noted my rear brake rotors were rusted and starting to pit. That claim was actually true as it was visible to me. However, the service manager put his foot in his mouth by claiming the rotors were creating a «cheese grater effect» and prematurely wearing down the rear pads and that they were substantially worn. Here is the problem with that statement: On the invoice he gave me it indicates the tech only removed the left front wheel for an in-​depth brake inspection, and I also observed this personally. Additionally, I had my dashboard camera turned around recording the whole inspection. Not once in the video which I watched afterwards was there anyone inspecting the rear brakes in detail. There were also zero pad thickness measurements for any of the wheels. How then could the service manager have known the rear pads were wearing thin? The answer: He didn’t. He fabricated it from whole cloth. To replace just the rear brakes he quoted $ 386.35, and since the front rotors had a little bit of rust he also gave me separate quote of $ 442.35 to replace those brakes. Altogether, a full brake job would’ve been $ 828.70. When pigs fly. I ended up buying my own brakes which were much better quality than OEM ones, and even with the labor at another reputable shop in town (Jay’s), I ended up spending just under half Warren’s quote.
The service manager briefly took a phone call and then returned to continue offering more services. He claimed the front left link pin had some play in it and recommended replacing both link pins for $ 234.90. I know what lift pins cost and the labor involved is to replace them, and that is a ridiculous price. Furthermore, the manager asked me to his chagrin, «Have you noticed a creaking or clanking noise when you hit bumps?» To which I said no, and then he immediately chimed in with, «Well you will soon.». When I got home I checked the lift pins myself, and there wasn’t any play in them. Moreover, my research online showed no indication this is a problem with the current generation Ford Focus. This service manager really needs to learn how to read his customers, because you simply don’t try that upsell nonsense with an RPI graduate (as indicated on my hoodie) and someone whom you know was running his dash camera the whole time. An intelligent person who does serious CYA is the farthest from an ideal target for fleecing.
I previously alluded to having my dash cam running, and it revealed a disparaging attribute about the technician doing my inspection. He didn’t make himself appear that bright. He genuinely believed my dash cam was an infrared camera and noted that several times to his coworkers. If you can’t tell an optical video camera from an infrared one, you have no business working in a technical field. FYI, it’s legal in NY to record someone without their consent. The state’s wiretap law only requires the consent of one party involved, and that includes the owner of the recording device.
TL;DR — If you get work done at Warren, the quality will be acceptable, but be prepared to get an unnecessary sales pitch from a service team that clearly doesn’t know how to read its customers.

Just before the last time I took my car in, I’d been told by a coworker that my tread was looking very low. That surprised me because my Pilot only had 25,000 miles on it, and I would have thought the tires would have lasted longer than that. When I dropped my car off for an oil change and state inspection, I mentioned that when I came back for it, I’d want to talk to them about any upcoming sales/​promotions they might be running on tires and potentially get a quote for four tires, with installation.
I walked, with my daughter, over to Aldi and then Lowe’s, and while in Lowe’s I received a call that there was a problem: My tires would not pass state inspection. Three were acceptable, but one tire (I was told which, I forget) lacked the tread depth necessary to pass inspection. I told them I’d be right there and walked back with my daughter.
We talked about the tire options, and they told me that they’d honor the upcoming sale price on the tires, which I took with a fair amount of skepticism, as there were no posted signs showing non-​sale prices, and I didn’t know what a non-​sale or sale price would look like, having not yet done any research on tires, as I thought I still had time before purchasing a new pair.
The sales person quoted me the same pair that I currently have, though the non-​new-​car version is supposed to have more tread and therefore last longer (if I understood correctly), then told me about the tire above that. I asked about the tire above that, which is supposedly better for both more miles (65,000 mile tread life limited warranty) and a good all-​season tire. I was told that was a buy three, get one free offer, with a $ 60 rebate, and opted for those, as it sounded like the extra miles would likely off-​set the extra cost. (That, and my experience as a recreational mountain biker makes me appreciative of the difference a better tire can make.)
I asked if I could use the $ 20 off coupon that they had run for the installation of four new tires. I was told that I could not, as the sale price was better than the normal price with the $ 20 off coupon, so I was getting the better deal.
While I waited with my daughter for them to put the new tires on I did some research on my phone and quickly discovered that both Sam’s Club and the option of ordering the tires online and having them installed at a local shop at listed fixed-​fee installation rates would be noticeably cheaper than the «sale» price I was supposedly getting, and that I would have been spending more even if they had accepted the $ 20 coupon. I didn’t feel that I was being fleeced, as I suspect a similar tire shop would quote a similar figure without a specific sales event or coupon, and I don’t have a problem with a good local store with good service selling me a product at a higher price than I can buy online, as long as they stand behind what they sell me, both product and service.
I drove home after spending a significant amount on tires, oil change and inspection, but felt like as long as everything worked, Warren Tires deserved three stars, as they seemed to have done what I’d expect from an average tire service center.
Almost immediately, and over the next 30 miles, I noticed that the car wanted to veer to the left unless held in check. I thought this might go away after a few miles or have something to do with the road I was on, so when I got on the highway I used a straight section of I-​87 and confirmed that it only took five or six seconds for the car to start to leave it’s lane.
I called Warren Tire while driving and spoke with John who was very professional and courteous. He explained to me that there was a reasonable chance that my alignment had been out with the old tires as well, and that the new tires made it more noticeable. He explained there was a chance that it was a tire as well, and that that was not unheard of. He asked me if I’d tested it out on a straight road, like the Northway, and then we discussed a few other points before he told me to bring the car in on my way home that day, if I was able.
I definitely shared my frustration with John, and he handled it very well. While not frustrated with him personally, I was frustrated that this was an issue I was only noticing after the new tires were put on, and that it seemed wrong to have spent so much on new tires and immediately have an issue. John was very good about sympathizing with me and did not talk down to me even though I do not understand cars well to know whether it’s likely the alignment, tire or something else.
I brought the car in, they tested it, confirmed the issue was the alignment and gave me a free alignment to rectify the issue. The car now runs as I would hope, and I am glad I purchased the tires from a good local store that stands behind the products and services they sell, and goes the extra mile to satisfy customers.

DO NOT GO!
I used to love Warren– went there all the time. Recently that place has become a dishonest money hungry place of business.
I was told my right wheel baring was going. Got a couple of opinions, turns out nothng is wrong with it. Funny that I was told this right after I mentioned to the man at the front desk that my uncle is a mechanic and can do any small jobs (I also need my shocks re-​done and some new tires– I told the man my uncle could do this)
To top it off– my sister went in a month ago to get her brakes checked out. They said she has 20% left and to get them done immediately or risk damages. She bought the parts and had our brother in law put them on. Turns out she had 60% left.
DISHONEST!

I’ve had mixed experiences with Warren Tire. I want to like them, but they were difficult to deal with for the most part. The work that I did managed to get done through them was decent enough, but I ultimately wan’t ever impressed with them or the attitude from the guy I spoke with on the phone.
Not great, not terrible, but probably not a business that I’ll deal with again.

Never had a problem. They do most of my tire repairs.

Nope, don’t waste your money or time, they really don’t know what they are doing, I went in to get a battery, nope he wouldn’t sell it unless I bought a alternator also, I went to another place, got the battery and all is fine! earlier in the year I had them fix my airco, nope 3 trips before they fixed it, $$$$$ no go!