Pep Boys Auto Parts & Service

Reviews 3

RE

Rebecca Baldridge

On September 4, 2014 I took my vehicle in for a tune-up and oil change at Pep Boys in Vallejo CA.. I placed my order with Ryan. I explained to him that I had recently purchased the vehicle and that I wanted to get the job done by professionals because I wanted to take it to Oregon to visit a friend and I hadnt had a complete inspection done since purchasing the vehicle. I explained to Ryan that I was pregnant and had a two year old and didnt want to wind up on the side of the road somewhere. I also explained to Ryan my concerns with the vehicle in vivid detail. Ryan told me no problem mam, we will go ahead and do a complimentary vehicle inspection and let you know if there is anything that would keep you from driving out of state. When I picked up the vehicle, the employee working in the shop was already in his personal vehicle. I had to go to his car and ask him where my keys were so that I could retrieve my vehicle. I asked him how everything went and he explained that everything was fine, everything went great. I then drove my vehicle to Ashland Oregon that night. I spent several days up there at a friend’s house. I did not drive my vehicle at all while I was there. I drove my car back to Vallejo and went straight home. It is only a five hour drive. The next day I went to my class and then picked my kids up from school, my car started over-heating, smoking, immediately after I got my kids. We had to park at a shopping center. While waiting for it to cool down I called pep boys and spoke with Ryan, he explained to me that after placing my order with him on the fourth his shift ended shortly after I left and that he did not relay all of the appropriate information to the next worker who actually worked on my car. He told me to bring the vehicle back for an inspection. I had to get home to my two year old so I was not able to bring it in until the next day. When I brought it back they explained to me that there was no coolant what so ever in my radiator and that my fan did not come on while I was driving. Then they proceeded to tell me that the head gasket appeared to be damaged because of it. I said that they must not have done the vehicle inspection on the fourth and he admitted that no, they probably didnt . I also said that shouldnt they have noticed the fan in the vehicle inspection and they said yes. I believe that an inspection was never done on my vehicle until I brought it back with major issues. The only pristine part of that car was the engine when I bought it. I am not currently working but I am taking a career oriented class. I am having to walk with a very heavy backpack while pregnant and it is not easy for me at all. This is a big problem for me. Ryan has admitted to me that he believes that the inspection was not done. His manager Jarret has been very uncooperative and has offered no real solution to this problem. He is trying to blame me for it. I am not a mechanic, that is why I brought it to them and paid them $200.00. I had my car towed to my home. It is so frustrating, not only are there still no fluids in my car, but now my battery is completely dead and my vehicle is severely damaged and I have a severe headache on my hands. In no way did this visit to Pep Boys positively affect my car or my life. I have not been able to drive my car since having it towed to my home on September 11, 2014.

JA

Jason Aaronson

I had TWO nails in BOTH of my front tires. Came in on Monday at about 2 to have them patched and oil changed...waited in line for an HOUR AND A HALF. They had 1 guy working the tire counter and he kept coming and going and basically didnt even acknowledge the existence of the line of 5 people waiting. Finally got to the front-they told me it would take another 2 hrs at MINIMUM, so I made an appointment for the next day. I guess I figured making an appointment would get me in and out of there at least a LITTLE faster...Boy was I wrong. Came in 15 minutes before my appointment time, and there wasnt a lot going on in the shop. The guy saw my tires, assured me they could patch them, and said theyd probably be done in an hour or so I told him Id wait and that if the tires couldnt be repaired to REPLACE them with new tires of the same or similar make/model. Walked across the street and ate an entire meal, paid, and had a smoke before I walked back to wait in the lobby...only they hadnt even started yet. THEY HADNT EVEN MOVED MY CAR INTO THE GARAGE YET! And I took my time eating, probably spent about an hour and 15 total between eating and walking back and forth. I then complained to the manager who apologized very nicely, and told me theyd give me the oil change free of charge. Fine...I waited another 1.5 hrs...FINALLY i flagged a guy down and told him I wanted an update on my car since I can see it parked out in the lot and clearly its done being worked on...wait another 20 minutes awkwardly by the counter for the guy to show up (also theres a lot of other people that have been here as long as I have as well)...come to tell me that they COULDNT patch the tires, and they did the oil change, and would I like to wait another 2 hours to get new tires put on? I told him NO, and that Id take my business elsewhere since they didnt put the new tires on like I had asked them to do. I asked why nobody came and asked me if I wanted new tires on it while they had it on the lift? He gave me some canned corporate response about how they need approval from the customer before they can put on a new part...I said I was waiting right there while you were working on it! I could see you through the window! Why didnt you just ask?! He really didnt have an answer and rather than berate him about it I just took my keys and left with "We Apologize!" being yelled from behind me. Free oil change...didnt fix my problem but whatever. I then took the tires/my car over to Les Schwab, told them my story, and they told me theyd have me patched up and out the door in 45 minutes...which they did! AND they didnt charge me for the patches!...so I guess it worked out. At the end of the day I got an oil change and tires fixed for free but DON"T WASTE YOUR TIME HERE! VERY SLOW, LOTS OF TIME WASTED, AND VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE/COMMUNICATION! LES Schwab is literally a THOUSAND times better in every imaginable way I can promise you that.

JO

Jonathan Lawrence Steinbach

My biggest factor here is that in my dire situation of being stranded, they assured me they could take care of me, understanding my situation fully on the phone before coming to them; then stabbed me in the back. Heres my story: I got a flat tire on a Friday afternoon, and found that I had no spare. I called a tow truck, and started calling around to see who had tires, and could get it done that night, as I was 100+ miles from home, and had to get back that night. Every place would be closing within a few hours of my arrival, so I knew I had to pick a sure bet out of the 6 or 7 places that said they could definitely get it done for me that night. Because of the man from Pep Boys naming off 3 or 4 choices of tires they had, and assuring me they could take care of me when I arrived, I decided to go with them, having used one of my two AAA long range tows to get there. After arriving and just as the tow truck was leaving, the man at the counter told me that there was no way they could get to my car before their closing time in several hours. I pleaded with him telling him that at this point there was nobody else who could do it at this late hour, and now my car was stranded in his parking lot. He said no, and that I probably talked to another location that could do it. He said I hadnt talked to him and that there was nobody else answering the phone there, but after checking his inventory of tires against what I told him, they matched, and he obviously knew I was legitimate. His voice had the same distinct tone of this mysterious person I had talked to. I offered to pay extra, and tip extra to everyone involved who would help get it done, and that I was completely screwed, but he coldly refused. I thought I was stuck in Vallejo until the morning, and he knew it and didnt care. After calling AAA I found out that luckily I had one more remaining long distance tow, and began my next 3 hour wait for the tow truck as I watched him from the parking lot joking with his co-workers and then hanging out by his car, always avoiding looking at me standing there miserable. Nothing seemed busy, and they didnt seem overworked. I could never let this happen to someone that came into my path, much less someone that came to me specifically for help, and I promised I could help. I have waited several months to cool down before writing this, but every time I recall my experience it is so upsetting. This was definitely some of the worst customer service I have ever experienced, and I dont say that lightly.

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