STS Tire in Hackettstown
Hi.
Ive used STS for tires in the past. They are pretty good and seem to have relatively decent prices. I went there with a leaking power steering hose and they quoted me $450.00. The labor was $150.00 and the parts almost $300.00. I declined the repair and looked up the prices on line. The OEM parts they quoted me almost $300 are available for under $50.00. Has anyone else had this experience with them? I am taking the car to my private mechanic tomorrow for repair for half the price quoted by STS.
Big Johnny 
ianimal ianimal - You shouldn't have to, Tynan's is across the street.
It's a typical issue at big fix it stores. The labor rate is basically understated so the parts are upped to make up for it. Even when you go to perfectly legit small shops the same is true to some extent. There was a thread a couple of years ago about the car parts pricing and how silly it is.
Also remember to compare apples to apples - OEM vs knock off and new vs remanufactured affect part prices drastically. STS is still going to be expensive no matter what.
GC +100 ianimal If my car broke down in STS's parking lot, I'd push it home.
Its up to the management in that store, but it's still a big risk
Old Gent I had a bad experience with STS years ago. I wasn't in the best state of mind at the time & I went ahead and had them replace struts at the cost of $2600. I heard good reports about Tynan's. My friend just had them work on her car and she was happy with them.
Joyce Polack Here are some points to think about. STS probably isn't looking up the prices of parts on the internet. They are calling either the dealer for OEM parts or the local auto parts store for aftermarket. In both cases you are paying list price for the part. List price of $300 means they likely pay about $150. The brand of part they are getting is likely different then the one you found on line. Either will probably work but they could be made in different places. They aren't trying to rip you off they just need the part today and the only one they found today was $150 delivered to them.
sackThe complaints my friends had was a job done wrong on a manual trans . Another was going home to Chicago and half way the wheel fell off. He spent two days in a motel because the dealer out there said they put the wrong part in and it took two days to get the right part. Two different stores
Went there to get a flat tire fixed. They told me I needed new struts in the front. My car was only a few years old at the time. Took it to my regular mechanic and he told me STS was trying to rip me off. A few years later I still haven't needed struts. I will never go there again for anything.
I went there a few years ago because I saw water on my engine. The guy told me that I needed a new manifold, I asked several times if he was certain. It was going to be a major job. A different shop found the leaking hose and fixed it for $25 or so.
Never did go back there.
Reggie Voter 
Calico696 I went there to buy a head light many years ago. I was going to have a friend install it, but the guy asked me if I wanted to have him replace it real quick. I said sure, and then found out I was charged $20 for that 30 seconds of work. Have never gone back there again.
cvo Never again. Went there once for an alignment, during which someone broke one of my brake hard lines. Then drove it out and parked it. When I picked it up, my foot went to the floor, I looked under the car at the pooling fluid and then found the broken line...they claimed to not know about it, and then charged me handsomely to replace the line. A short while later I discovered they used a standard thread line on a metric car, just cross threaded it right in. Bang up job, guys. Today, I do all my own work.
eperot Big Johnny, where were you getting the price for the part from? If its Rock Auto or any of the other SUPER DISCOUNTED places, you can't go by that. They're outrageously cheap. No one will ever give you that price at a shop.
I had a good experience there, my trailer broke down in the parking lot, blew a tire. Didn't have a spare on me, so I checked to see if they could fix it. They had a "similar" tire, but it was only slightly off size, but wouldn't have made a real difference. The manager wouldn't install it, and after I said ok, well then I'll buy a tire somewhere else, became enraged when I wouldn't wait for them to order it, and have it show up next week.
The guys at the shop though, told me to drive to tractor supply, cuz they knew for a fact they had it. They watched my equipment while the trailer sat in the lot, and when I came back, they jacked it up for me and threw on the tire no cost because all I had was a small jack and a tire iron. They were really nice guys, however manager that was working, not cool at all. Really poor attitude, and it really turned me off. I did appreciate the guys in the shop trying to make up for him though.
I recommend building a relationship with a local mechanic that you can trust, not a big chain place like sts. A good local mechanic that you're loyal to will throw in parts you bought online yourself. Friendly Mike's in Flanders (Sunoco station by the post office) is who I always go to. My A/C compressor's pulley seized on my truck over the summer. Mike told me to order the part on Rock Auto because it didn't need to be fixed immediately, and could wait a few days if I was willing to roll the dice on the serpentine belt breaking. I got the part for less than half of his cost at a local supplier. He threw it in for me, saved me a few hundred dollars that had no real effect on his bottom line. He's awesome, and forever has my business.
penningslandscaping STS Tire has some good guys working there and they do good work. However they will kill you on parts. I expect to pay a markup on parts but not what thet charge. Tynans across the street or Valley Auto up the street would be a much better choice.
The Milkman Techs at all STS's ( and generally other chains) work on commission don't they? So it's in their own best interests to nit pick and suggest work that isn't always necessary to benefit their own bottom line!!
Cooter 
JeffersonRepub Almost all mechanics are paid by the hours a job is estimated to take. You put in a part that's a 2 hour job, you're paid for two hours if it takes you all day or 20 minutes.
I went to STS for years and was very happy dealing with the same ole staff time and again. Last time I went in, like 2008 now, yes, it felt like the management was on profit sharing and looking to bring me in for a dime and then take me for a dollar.
I never returned.
mistergoogle There are a number of really good MECHANICS in H'town - Ted at Valley, Tibor at Riverside, Tynans, etc, etc. Take the time to find one, it's not hard. STS is Somerset TIRE Service, why anyone would let a tire changer touch anything but a tire is beyond me. Their tire prices are not that great either.
Something wrong with being in business to make a profit? I've been going to STS for years, Howard and his team have been consistently fair and honest...case in point--we took one of our Hondas to Hackettstown Honda because of the airbag recall. Got the car back with a laundry list of "needed" repairs, totaling over $2000. Took the car to STS, and they showed me that of the list, two things were really needed...a motor mount and rear brakes. By far not the first time they've told me "that can wait", or "that isn't needed". I think more often than not, you get what you pay for, and if STS is somewhat higher than others, I appreciate the convenience and the integrity they've demonstrated to me. JMO.
yankeefan If there's one place in the world worse to take a car for repairs than STS, it's a dealership... from what I hear, especially Hackettstown Honda.
"If there's one place in the world worse to take a car for repairs than STS, it's a dealership... from what I hear, especially Hackettstown Honda."
Well, certainly HACKETTSTOWN Honda, but before they came, I was going to Phillipsburg Honda for years, they are fantastic, and that's where I go from now on.
But I immediately thought the same thing- the only place in Htown worse than STS is HH. lol
kozimor's in vienna are honest mechanics, they do good work,
STS (imho) is a total rip-off, and has been for over 45 years that i can personally recall, they mark things up, they have very high prices on parts and shop rates, they argue with you when you point out logical things about cars
they are paid on commission so it helps them if they can add on and pump up your bill.
take your car elsewhere
BrotherDog I went to STS about 2 or 3 years ago for new front brake pads. They quoted a price in excess of $950.00, a job which would take about an hour and the parts were about $100.00 for pads and rotors. Would never go there again. I would recommend Ted at Valley Tire and Auto on Main St.
Cliff R STS is a chain store but there are certified technicians that have been working there for over 20 years. Just because the "bill is extremely high" or is "a total rip off" doesn't mean that they're trying to steal your money to "get commission." If there's more then one problem with your car that they find, they are going to tell you about it. It's completely up to you if you choose to pay it or not and I'm sure many people don't realize how expensive parts really are... especially if you need them the same day. JMO.
I'm not a fan. I went there this year for an oil change. I do not know anything about cars, so when the mechanic said I needed to get synthetic oil; I agreed. A few weeks later, my car started to smoke and the oil light went on. I brought it back and they couldn't believe how much oil had burnt. They said I should junk my car. Long story short, I had another oil change at my usual place (Lube Plus in Budd Lake) and the car has been fine. My car doesn't need synthetic oil.
rapmuzik stephhh
that's exactly what's it means they are trying to steal money from you as someone said nearly $1000 for pads and rotors they must be selling gold plated parts pads $50-$70 tops and about the same for rotors in less than an hour to put them on so at best you should be expected to pay $300 thats with sts charging you $100 an hour labor let me tell you a little secret sts is getting their parts from the same place everyone else gets them an auto parts store I'm sure if sts needs a part they call a auto parts store and have it delivered and they probably get a discount on the part
I've never had a problem with STS, though I go to the one next to work in New Brunswick. And I've only used them a few times. They even replaced the alternator on my 1970 benz once with no problem, same day, and reasonable.
What vehicle did you have that they wanted $950 for pads and rotors, Cliff R? All four tires i hope? You drive a Formula 1 car? Haha.
MeisterNJ most mechanics are paid flat rate for every job they do.that means if you are quoted x amount of money for a three hour job your charged that three hours if it takes the mechanic one hour or five hours.i know i use to do that for a living..and i think that's bad for auto repair shops.because iv'e seen guys that only care about how many hours a day they can make instead of doing the work correctly..not thinking that rushing through a job could kill someone..if i lost money on a job that took me longer than it paid i didn't care because i knew there would be jobs that i could make up that money on jobs that i was faster at and the work was done right.
tunnel rat Most mechanics will let you order the parts you need online and have them delivered to the shop via UPS and only charge you for the labor.
STS is a fine shop. You need to remember that they are basically a tire and oil shop. They have A-tech (certified mechanics) who will do good work on your vehicle. The problem comes in that ALL parts must be ordered from either other parts shops (Auto Zone, etc) or dealers. Parts from on line places like Rock Auto are extremely cheap and can't be compared to physical shops. STS needs those parts ASAP. They can't wait a week or two to get them online. Next. You are getting on the spot repair. Try that at your neighborhood shop. They will tell you that you can bring your vehicle in next Tuesday, then keep it for 3 days. Usually with STS, it is in and out the same day. This is customer oriented service. You pay for this. Repairs in most shops and dealerships are billed by looking in a service book (industry standard) which allots a certain amount of time (dollars) to each type of service. If a job is listed as taking 1 hr, the customer is charged 1 hour labor rate whether it actually takes the technician 10 minutes, 1 hour or 12 hours. The tech also only gets PAID based on that industry standard. How many times have people taken their cars to a mechanic to do a small job and later found out that there were more complex repairs needed. The customer assumes the tech is just padding the bill. They refuse the complex repair and then complain when a short time later have a major breakdown (just like the tech told them might happen). Don't blame the messenger. Just like anyplace else, there are good workers, there are not so good workers. Your best bet is to get to know your tech and develop a relationship. I have had MAJOR issues with Valley Tire. I wouldn't go there again if you paid me. My experience was so bad there, that I would happily go out of my way to tell people to stay away from there. HMI on Stiger St is very good, Kozimors in Independence is good too.
ccbw That works ok until the part they install is bad and you need to pay the labor for them to do the job again. If you supply the parts you take the risk. If the mechanic supplies the parts and the parts are bad then he does the job again for free. Have you ever gone to a restaurant and brought your own steak for the chef to cook?
I've never had a problem with "bad parts" and have saved hundreds and hundreds, if not a couple thousand dollars over the years by doing this. So, if it ever DID happen once or twice, I'd still be ahead of the game.
Why would I pay someone else to cook my steak? I can cook a steak as well as if not better, than anyone. I'm going to a steakhouse because they can get better steaks than I can get, not because they can cook it better. In the mechanic situation, I can get the same parts; he's just better at installing them. Apples and oranges.
ianimal, I'm going to get some of those better steaks. I'll be at your door around 7. Have the grill on.
I question the fact that you save that much. As a former mechanic I can tell you that when people came in with their own parts I always added additional time to the job. When there was issues with the car after the install. The problem was always with the part that was brought to me. You may think your getting around the system, but the truth is that I made the same money regardless where the part comes from. In your eyes you may think your getting one over on the mechanic but its just not so. The only way to beat the system is to purchase the part and install it yourself.
"but the truth is that I made the same money regardless where the part comes from"
Yes, *YOU* made the same money but the customer could end up spending more even if you sold the more expensive parts at cost. Even paying you 20% more in labor could still end up being a better deal for the customer.
For example...
Your labor ($250) + expensive parts ($300, passed along to customer) = $550 total bill...
Your labor ($300) + Rock Auto Parts ($125) = $425 total bill...
Such a price difference in parts is not unheard of. I recently bought BOTH sets of brake pads for my truck for less than Advance Auto Parts wanted for just one set, and they were the EXACT same manufacturer and model number.
Mark Mc. Wish I had purchased an alternator for my 2002 GMC Sierra myself and installed it a few years ago. I got ripped at the Stealer to the tune of $600.
"I question the fact that you save that much. As a former mechanic I can tell you that when people came in with their own parts I always added additional time to the job."
So... you're a crook. Not every mechanic is. And you would be shocked at the difference in price between parts bought online and those bought through a garage from a local parts dealer. Like Mark pointed out, even with you padding your hours, one can still save significant money.
"I got ripped at the Stealer to the tune of $600"
Alternator at Rock Auto: $67 to $230 (depending on specifics/amperage)
Installation Cost: ~$50 to $100 (mechanic) or 2 beers (DIY).
Knowing you got hosed on the dealer cost: Priceless
I've always been a back yard mechanic and do 90% of repairs myself today it is so easy to do with all the how to books and videos I don't see why more people don't do it true I've always been a grease monkey and have a lifetime collection of tools to do the jobs there are a few times that I will take my vehicle's to a professional. Personally I have found Hackettstown auto imports is a very good place to take your vehicle. Fair price good quality work. And roxbury transmission in Buttzville cheaper than some and more expensive then others but the guys there know what they are doing and stand 100% behind their work
Yeah yeah. Rub it in Mark. When I looked up the alternator it was around the $200 mark for the OEM one. Learned my lesson. Next time two beers and YouTube.
"So... you're a crook. Not every mechanic is"
No, I just know how customers who bring their own parts can be. They are usually know it all's who want to hover over you as you do your job and usually tell you how things "should" be done. Time is money. The extra time it takes to deal with these jobs costs money. So those costs are just passed on.
All mechanics that will accept parts do this. Its not just me. Like I said, we make the same rate regardless of how you want to play the game. How would you like it if with your job you got paid 50% of your normal salary on 2 of the 6 days you work? I doubt you would be happy. Nor would I.
50%, huh? You must have REALLY been marking up the prices on those parts. As for my job, how do you think my boss would react if I started lying about my hours because he told me I had to stop stealing office supplies?
Average margin is 35-50% and some businesses mark up even more on their own. People thinking anyone working on anything over a 0% margin and are going to stay in business have no idea what they are talking about. Mechanics isn't anywhere near the exorbitant margin clothing or jewelry is.
Whip "I just know how customers who bring their own parts can be"
Not only a crook, but prejudiced. If you had extra hours because they were hovering over you, you would still have extra hours. No need to jack up anything other than being sore you're not making as much money.
inominal, based on the frequency of your posts I'm guessing you are already lying about your hours...
Not really. I know the mark ups in the mechanical fields having worked in shops. You buy clothing and jewelry from retail outlets right? A mark up on a product is a mark up regardless.
Its is half your pay. No one wants to works for half pay.
Example. A part that a mechanic purchases get sold to you for twice what they paid. So the mechanic buys a part for $100. He sells to you for $200. Labor is another $200. That labor is 2 hours book time using ~ $100 per hour. The job really gets done in 1 hour as most mechanics are quicker then the books. But you still pay by the book. Not selling the part to the customer means he loose 50% pay. Do that every day and you don't have a business. In the case where the person supplies his own part, he pays 3 or 3.5 hours labor for the same job. Again, you may think your getting around the system, but you're not.
I'm not saying it doesn't happen, Whip... I'm saying it's dishonest. The retail markup is already on the part from the Parts Store. The mechanic isn't a retailer, he provides a professional service.
It would be far better and much more honest if he raised his labor rates to a point where he didn't need to gouge people on parts. But it's a form of deception where he deceives his customers as to how much HE is actually charging them, because most people think the parts price is just the parts price without any markup.
It would be like if I promised to design a site plan for someone at a dirt cheap rate that no other engineer would match. But, when it came time to produce the deliverables, I charged him $25 for each 24x36" sheet (so that a fifteen sheet set of plans times 20 copies to send to the Planning Board would wind up costing him $7,500.00) to "make up" for the money I lost by underbidding my competitors. The Board would yank my license for something like that, because it's deceptive and unethical.
The retail markup is already on the part from the Parts Store.
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No, it's not and that's where everyone is wrong. The parts store is not going to sell it to the shop for the the parts store's cost. Then THEY'D never stay in business.
The mechanic isn't a retailer, he provides a professional service.
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Yes he is (and why they fill out ST-3 forms to be tax exempt on parts for resale). Where did you ever get that idea? That's part of how they stay in business. A shop is never going to stay in business just charging labor.
You clearly have no idea how a shop operates and stays in business.
And now you are comparing two absolutely different businesses with your bid analogy. Are you telling me you would actually cost yourself money just to get the job? How long would you stay in business? I would hope you would look at the job and bid according to what the materials cost you plus profit and labor.
About 10 years ago I went to STS to have my truck inspected. They told me I needed about $1000 in front end work (Struts, tie rods, etc) before they would even inspect it. I went right down and picked up the truck, drove down to the Rockaway Midas Shop (my nephew was a tech there) to get a second opinion. Nothing wrong with the front end at all. Passed inspection. Sold the truck a few years back without ever having front end issues. I go to Camps on Steiger for all repairs now.
John C "No, it's not and that's where everyone is wrong. The parts store is not going to sell it to the shop for the the parts store's cost. Then THEY'D never stay in business."
Of course they aren't going to sell it to the shop at cost. That's why there's already a "retail markup" on the part that the shop would be passing along to the customer even if they didn't raise it any further.
"A shop is never going to stay in business just charging labor."
That's ridiculous. Say a shop's total income for the year is $1,000,000 combining actual labor and parts gouging and that is the number they need to hit to cover overhead and profit. And the total hours of labor charged are 5,000. If the shop charges $200 an hour for labor, then they can hit their mark without being deceptive. So, saying that they "have to mark up parts in order to survive" is nonsense.
"Are you telling me you would actually cost yourself money just to get the job? "
No, I never said I would. I just said that I wouldn't be dishonest and "hide" my profit in something that the client didn't expect. From what you're saying, you would make a lot more profit on a person who needed a three hour job done with an expensive part than you would over someone who needed a three hour job done with a cheaper part. I find that offensive.
That would be like me preparing identical site plans, one for a one-story building and one for a six-story building. From a site plan standpoint it makes absolutely no difference to me in the amount of time it takes to prepare the plan. But, according to the "mechanic's business model", I should charge the six-story building a lot more because it will cost more for them to buy building materials to build it. That's ridiculous.
I guess there's a reason why mechanics are stereotyped as crooks... apparently, it's true.
I love STS! We take all our cars there. Howard is very honest and he explains everything to you ahead of time. He also lets you know if it is a "needs to be done now" or "can wait". I have 3 Honda vehicles. I was so happy when Hackettstown Honda open because I thought "Now I do not have to go all the way up to Sussex Honda". After having gone to HH several times I will never go back again. You go in to get an oil change and they always come up with something else you need. Like dirty cabin filters. All I want is an oil change! I had a code on my Pilot for a tire rotation and to check all the filters. Howard called me later to tell me the car was ready to pick up. He told me my cabin filter did not need to be replaced. Saved me $$ right there.
I also agree with others about what you want to pay for. I like the fact that I do not have to wait "days" for my car to be finished. If the job will take longer Howard and his crew will always let you know ahead of time so your not guessing when your car will be ready. I gladly pay a little extra for that convenience.
I know that there are other mechanics in town that a lot of other people like. Scotty G, Tynan, and several others. All great places I'm sure, but I personally have no problem with STS.
Pat A "I guess there's a reason why mechanics are stereotyped as crooks... apparently, it's true."
Every trade makes money on parts. Are they crooks too?
The list of "crooks" doesn't stop at automotive shops. It's called marketing, and happens because many of us don't question the obfuscated ;-) practices and just accept them without really thinking about it.
Other examples:
General retailers: mark up all prices and have never-ending sales.
Restaurants: Keep menu prices low by leveraging the societal norm of tipping servers.
Gas stations: $2.89 and 9 tenths. Why not just say $2.90?
Overall I agree with ianimal. If I found out a shop jacked up their labor rates because I brought parts to them it would be the last time we did business together. It's OK if you want to operate that way, just don't act surprised if your customers don't agree with you.
justintime I use dimension auto repair. Honest work, solid service. Very thorough and always willing to explain thigs. Plus cash is king.
Tom I went to STS for a noise in my suspension. They told me both my shocks and struts on both sides, front and back were bad and needed to be replaced "immediately." Quoted me a price over $2000. I couldn't do it, and I didnt' beleive that all eight needed to be replaced at the same time on a vehicle that was only 3 years old. I called the dealer and asked how much it would be to replace all 8 through the dealer and he said "there's no way all 8 need to be replaced at the same time, that's unheard of." He told me to bring it in and he'd diagnose it again for me. I ended up needing one tie rod, and that was it. The whole thing cost me less than $200 and it was repaired by the dealer, which is typically the most expensive place to get repairs done. I will NEVER go to STS again ... EVER
Joseefus Wubus You would think someone would figure out this is no way to run a business especially since any web search would probably make you very leery about doing business there.
Unfortunately, it might take awhile given STS with hundreds of shops in NJ, NY and PA, all employee owned. That's right, it's the little guy raking you over.
Not sure whether this is just our little store or all of them but...... http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/sts_tire.html it's not a infrequent occurence. http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/STS-Tire-Auto/Bound-Brook-New-Jersey-08805/STS-Tire-Auto-Bad-Business-Practices-Possibly-PepBoys-too-Tri-State-NJ-PA-NY-53924
BBB gives them a C- because
"Factors that lowered the rating for Somerset Tire Service, Inc. include:
26 complaint(s) filed against business
2 complaint(s) filed against business that were not resolved
Length of time business has taken to respond to complaint(s)
Factors that raised the rating for Somerset Tire Service, Inc. include:
Length of time business has been operating
Response to 26 complaint(s) filed against business"
I used STS for years just for tires I think before employee owned and had a great time; post employee owned, I used them once. Personally if you had a bad experience, follow up with BBB to get resolution; make your voice heard. Otherwise, these quys will continue their massive expansion program based on these practices.
Never was a big fan of STS or Firestone. Used to take an older car to Pep Boys and they were tolerable...
iJay I just had a less than pleasant experience with them. They basically tried to charge me $1000 for spark plugs and coils. According to a quick parts check online, even the most expensive parts wouldn't add up to more than $300. hypothetically, even with their $300 coils and $150 spark plugs, I highly doubt these repairs would have taken six hours of labor. now I may be a woman, and I'm certainly no mechanic, but I saw a guy change these parts out on YouTube in way under an hour. regardless of all of that, when I made my appointment I asked for an alignment check. when I arrived they had no idea what I was there for. and then they did diagnostics that cost over hundred dollars, and I never got my alignment.
but hey ya know, screw me cause I've spent over 7 years of my life getting a higher education and Im in debt but these dumb jerks are making bank.
NotAnIdiot To be honest with you it depends on which tech you get at STS, they're not all dumb jerks. Labor costs different at different shops for different techs, especially with ones that have been there a long time. Yeah, STS costs more than a small shop on the corner because it's a bigger company across NJ and PA.. It's not cheap to get your car fixed. Also, if you went there and spoke to someone different than you originally did about what you were there for, maybe they had reasonable cause to not know what you were there for. Many people go in and out of that shop all day long so you can't expect them to recognize you and what's wrong with your car immediately especially if no one wrote it down (which would be un-acceptable). They wouldn't know what you were talking about if no one told them about it. Before you assume everyone in the shop is trying to rip you off, try to have better understanding. :)
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