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Pep Boys Predatory service writing, selling unnecessary services. Ripoff. Baltimore Maryland
I took my vehicle in for a transmission fluid service and to have the tierods replaced because Pepboys was favored by my extended warranty company. The two services would have been about $300. The guy there, named Ed, wrote my service order up.
The next day we were contacted and told that one tierod was bad, but that the brakes all around the car were worn out and needed to be replaced. The price was now $600 for the work, and Ed was still uncertain about the brake rotors (all 4 of them). Later I called and he told me that all 4 rotors were out of spec, (too thin) according to the manufacturer, and that they were warped (like a bent bicycle wheel). The cost for new rotors was astronomical, bringing the total bill to nearly $950.00!!
I decided to have the tierods or transmission work done elsewhere, and that I would do the brake work myself. I bought brake pads from Advance Auto Parts in Ellicott City for $60 and installed them. It was true that the brake pads were wearing thin, since the car had about 52,000 miles on it, and they did require replacment. However, while working on the car there was no noticable warping on any of the rotors and their thickness was only 2/1000th's of an inch out of spec (we're talking the thickness of a sheet of paper here)!!! My brake rotors will be just fine, Ed.
Pepboys was trying to pull a fast one and since I am a mechanic myself, I was able to spot their trickery and saved myself almost $550.00 in unnecessary brake repairs. I strongly urge you to avoid this shop.
John
Ellicott City, Maryland
U.S.A.
8 Updates & Rebuttals
Robert
Jacksonville,Florida,
U.S.A.
"The customer is always wrong!"
#9Consumer Comment
Tue, February 28, 2006
Anyone want to try and disprove that adage using John as the subject?
He is proof of what EVERY business and management publication has been starting to say, since about 5 years ago.
He KNOWS the brakes are unsafe, but can't figure out why a business refused to accept the liability involved in doing the brake job HIS way.
I am sooooooo glad my customers are smarter than this guy.
Sam
Bloomington,Indiana,
U.S.A.
Shade Trees.....
#9Consumer Comment
Tue, February 28, 2006
Some people are just shade tree mechanics.... they think that they KNOW what the vehilce companys have done over the years to make cars safer and also what it takes for them to REMAIN safe.... Ken did NOT owe this guy s**t since he knew all the answers.... if he knew all the answers, then why did he take it some place to be fixed... hmmmmm lets think about this here..! I have been a mechanic for 13 yrs and keep up with all the new things that come out... INCLUDING the saftey measures.... this guy wanted someone to tell him what was wrong with his car and then go home and attempt to fix it himself because he is a TIGHT a*s and dont wanna pay to have his car PROPERLY repaired!
Nuri
Www,District of Columbia,
U.S.A.
what the hell?
#9Consumer Comment
Sun, February 26, 2006
Why in this world would you say you are sorry to this a*****e?
First of all...stupid a*s idiot is violating the state law by driving unsafe vehicle. Why do you thing the manufacturers spend about 5 years of work before they "issue" another model? Testing, testing, testing...
2. He just did the same to the shop name what you did to him...caling names, accusations...
3. Minimun means minimun. Other than that is dangerous not only to the operator of the verhicle but to , lets say the school bus full of children. The idiot will try to slow down to prevent an accident, but since the rotors are unedr the minimum, which means overheated, which means braking efficiency is lower, cousing possible death to others.
Please do me a favor and have your stupid idiot you call lawyer contact Ed form ripoff.com and ask about my IP address. I would love to be taken to the court for this post. You stupid murderer. You will sue for demages! America should sue God for making a person with that kind of mind, if it was possible. Such a waste of human flesh. I bet he is one of opposers of "black boxes" being installed in new cars. Well this is an example why it is nesseserry to have them in, so the justice knows about the behaviour of the vehicle before accident, which will revail who's at fault.
He is a mechanic! my a*s. If you are a mechanic you would never put your low self esteemed a*s in your vehicle with the rotors like that. Its like flying in a huge airplane with smaller wings.
Suing someone for calling to an idiot? It like Bandy suing everyine who called him a murderer. The difference is, you are not convicted. Not yet.
Rob
Tampa,Florida,
U.S.A.
Ovbiously, your customer knows more than the vehicle's manufacurer
#9Consumer Suggestion
Fri, December 12, 2003
Ken, you are right!,
You shouldnt have to apologize to this guy! your Customer, Mr. Master Mechanic that he is stated that he KNEW that the rotors were .002 under spec. it is black and white. Either they are IN spec, or they are OUT of spec. As I am sure that you are very well aware of.
Ovbiously, your customer knows more than the vehicle's manufacurer does about engineering, and brakes. I'm an ASE master tech myself, and I sure wish that I had the ability to spot whether a brake rotor had any warping or not with my naked eye!
The only one that is slandering anyone is HIM, as he is the one that is accusing ou of trickery, since he did, in fact admit that the rotors were under spec..
Kenneth
Baltimore,Maryland,
U.S.A.
Update to Original letter, my sincerest appologies for the comments I made
#9UPDATE Employee
Wed, December 03, 2003
Good Morning John
Regarding the reply I submitted to you response about Pep Boys providing improper service. I realize that in this day and age and the way the world is, That there is no reason for myself or anyone for that matter to treat people the way that I had treated you. So my sincerest appologies for the comments I made and unfortunalty this website will not allow you to delete your comments. If I could I would remove the comments I made. So again my sincerest applogies to you. I wish you and your family the greatest and happiest holiday season and a very very Happy New Year. Sincerely Ken
John
Winter Park,Florida,
U.S.A.
Talk about Unprofessional... I am glad I filed a Rip-off Report
#9Author of original report
Fri, November 21, 2003
If this is the level of professionalism I can expect over a little dispute like this, then I am glad I filed a Rip Off Report. I printed Ken's comments out and sent a copy to my attorney and to Pep Boys' corporate headquarters. My attorney advised me that Ken's comments were defamatory in nature, and that if I chose to I could bring legal action against the company for the damage caused to my reputation.
With the copy to Pep Boys I sent a letter stating those facts, and yesterday I recieved a letter of apology from the area director. Although I had asked for Ken to retract his statements he made on his rebuttal, I doubt that will happen. I did ask for a written and signed letter of apology and that disciplinary action be taken against Ken, and that has happened.
The area director stated it was against company policy to post comments on consumer advocacy websites and that Mr. Ken would be disciplined for his actions. So to settle the above comments made by Mr. Ken, his malicious attack on my character was both unwarranted, unnecessary and untrue. I hope that his lies come back to haunt his career.
Ken
Baltimore,Maryland,
U.S.A.
running a vehicle with parts out of manufactures specifications is a dangerous situation
#9UPDATE Employee
Sat, October 25, 2003
First of all this idiot does not realize that running a vehicle with parts out of manufactures specifications is a dangerous situation, people get killed this way, this gentleman told me on the phone that he knows how the service game works, well Mr., peoples lives are at stake this is not a game. or maybe you dont understand this concept. Secondly to agree to your reply, yes you can run rotors on a vehicle under specifications, but the OEM manufactures do not recommend this. So Mr. if you feel the need to put your families life in danger, by using parts that are not in proper specs. more power to you. But God help the person that you may run into or possibly kill, because you wanted to be cheap!!! It's your life pal, but dont try to ruin other peoples lives by doing shotty work. and you call yourself a mechanic? yea right. I am glad you have never worked on my families car, I do value peoples lives unlike your self. oh and also I am glad to see your eyesight is perfect enough that you can spot runout on rotors that are measured in 1000th of inches, I guess you truly are THE MECHANIC!!! My Fault
John
Winter Park,Florida,
U.S.A.
Pep Boys deny wrongdoing...
#9Author of original report
Tue, October 21, 2003
Returned a call from Ken after filing a complaint on pep boys website. I believe he is the manager of the store, and his explainations did little to console me. His explaination was that they can't do brake work unless the rotors are in spec for legal reasons.
So it's the lawyers' fault as well. But it's a case of fighting the auto repair system and the only way I won was to do the work myself for about 1/10th the cost.
He did say he would talk to Ed about the way he kept trying to scare me into getting the work done as I was leaving the store. I swear I'll never shop there again.