PEPBOYS PEPBOYS NON-EXISTANT CUSTOMER SERVICE AFTER THE SALE !! READ BEFORE YOU BUY !! Fredericksburg Virginia
In July 2008, my wife's car needed new tires. Usually, I deal with NTB ( National Tire & Battery ) but, because PepBoys was running a "special" on tires, "Buy 3 Get the 4th Tire FREE", I decided to save a few bucks and take them up on their offer and on July 12, 2008, we bought 3 new tires and had them installed. For those of you who don't already know, to QUALIFY for this rebate, you have to buy a bunch of other services as well ... First of all, the tires need to be INSTALLED ( Ok, no big deal there ), then you also need to buy their Road Hazard Warranty and replace valve stems -- these services add up to almost the cost of the 4th tire ( the "FREE" one ) but still, no big deal because we ARE getting the "Peace of Mind" right ? I even went as far as to get the "3 Year Wheel Alignment" contract for another $140.00. TOTAL COST OF THIS PURCHASE: $617.65. We sent in the rebate form and receipt and got our check for $90. about 6 weeks later. Not a bad deal.
Last month, I needed tires on my truck so, again, instead of dealing with NTB, I checked PepBoys and they were still running their "Buy 3 Get the 4th Tire FREE" deal. Well, I didn't really feel that it was a bad deal even having to buy all the other services to "qualify" for the rebate so, another $553.98 for tires, Road Hazard, etc. ( No Alignment contract though ) and sent in the rebate forms .... Its been a month since submitting the rebate and the website shows that they are still "Processing" my request. That's not the problem with PepBoys though ... This is the IMPORTANT PART !!!
During both PURCHASES ( when we were spending HUNDREDS of dollars ) PepBoys Sales and Service were GREAT ... they were prompt and professional and made sure we were happy ... and they were busy with MANY customers during those SALES transactions. Yesterday ( November 22, 2008 ), we took my wife's car back to PepBoys to have the tires rotated and balanced and check the front end alignment ( the services that we had paid for in July ) We were checked in at 1:43 p.m. and were told that it would be "1-1/2 to 2 hours" ( even though they didn't seem to be that busy ). We checked our watches and walked around PepBoys for a while, then walked down the highway to have lunch and then walked a little farther to walk through Home Depot ( just to kill some time since we were effectively stranded ).
At 3:40 p.m., we returned to PepBoys to find our car in the EXACT location that we had left it. We went inside and inquired about our car. We were then told ( after they had located our Work Order ), we were told that we would be pulled in next and it would be ANOTHER 1-1/2 to 2 hour wait !! Angry ( because they were obviously dragging their feet to provide us with the services that we had already paid for ) and frustrated because I had chosen to deal with them instead of NTB, I told them ( and the Service Manager, Mark Franich was standing right there ) that I should have spent the extra money to begin with and stayed with NTB where I had ALWAYS gotten good service. I then threw my copy of the Work Order at them and demanded my key. It was given to me without a single apologetic word from ANYONE ( including the Manager ) and I told them that I would contact PepBoys Corporate to file a report ( which I have done. PepBoys Case # 12277 ) and would NEVER deal with PepBoys again for ANYTHING. After leaving PepBoys, we took the car ( and will take the truck ) to NTB and paid an ADDITIONAL $68. for a "Lifetime Tire rotation and balance" service contract. I have also demanded action from PepBoys to refund my payments for these service contracts since we can't seem to have any of the PREPAID work done.
Of course NOW, that I am filing my OWN RipOff Report, I see that I am just one of many who know how PATHETIC PepBoys is.
BOTTOM LINE: PepBoys promises the world when making the sale but BUYER BEWARE, after they have your money, they treat you like dirt !! No excuses, no apology, just "take it or leave it". Learn from MY experience, spend a little more ( at NTB ) and get a WORLD of better service AFTER the sale !!!
Jcalaz2003
Ruther Glen, Virginia
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on PepBoys
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Gravy
stafford,Virginia,
USA
to the employee
#5Consumer Comment
Sun, July 18, 2010
He's right about what he says the customer service is horrible. I fiance had a tire replaced there and they never gave him back his rim because come to find out they didn't have the right tire to go on it. He had to go back for the rim once he noticed it was gone and they acted as if he was bothering them. He also got a new windshield wiper and they didn't put it on right and it came off when he went to use them and it grinded into his windshield (sounded like nails on board) It was horrible and we will never go back.
Jcalaz2003
Ruther Glen,Virginia,
U.S.A.
In PepBoys own words ... "Proper proceedures"
#5Author of original report
Mon, April 05, 2010
So, its "ok" to promise the best service while making the sale and then afterwards, when you try to actually USE the services they promise you, they treat you like dirt ... In their OWN words, they claim that the mistreatment that I detailed in my original post is "Proper Proceedures".
Jcalaz2003
Ruther Glen,Virginia,
U.S.A.
Pepboys claims "Proper Proceedures"
#5Author of original report
Sun, December 13, 2009
Quoted from my original report ... I see that I am just one of many who know how PATHETIC PepBoys is. BOTTOM LINE: PepBoys promises the world when making the sale but BUYER BEWARE, after they have your money, they treat you like dirt !! No excuses, no apology, just "take it or leave it".
AND PEPBOYS RESPONDS WITH "PROPER PROCEEDURES" ? There's no need to add anything else. Is THIS the kind of service YOU want ? Pepboys admits that this is what you will get since this is their "proper proceedure".
John
Miami,Florida,
U.S.A.
Proper procedures
#5UPDATE Employee
Mon, May 25, 2009
This doesn't sound right to me, the way service work orders are handled at ALL stores is as follows:
Work order is generated
Customer authorizes work
Parts and supplies are gathered
Work is done on vehicle
If any other additions are necessary to the work order to complete the job, totaling $100 more than the original work order or greater, the customer is contacted. Less than that the customer is not needed for authorization.
After work is done, service advisor goes over any other recommendations from the techs with the customer.
Customer pays for work order.
Customer recieves warranty info and keys to car.
NOWHERE in this list does the payment precede the work, so it is not possible for your work to be prepaid, as to close the ticket to pay it you must authorize the work as done by the techs in the shop, which cannot be done until the job is complete.