Complaint Review: Pep Boys - Rochester New York

I had thought the days of this old trick were over and done with, guess not! Here's what happened, no inflammation, no exaggeration, nothing but the facts.

I am pretty savvy when it comes to cars. I'll call myself an ex gear-head and I worked in the parts and administration aspects of the automotive industry for several years. My experiences have included total engine overhauls to replacing a simple signal light. I've seen it all, so I was pretty surprised to say the least when the techs (I use the term loosely) at PepBoys tried one of the oldest tricks in the book on me.

My wife's car was due for its annual inspection, and to make a long story short we were crunched for time. I called a few places and got the usual routine with making appointments etc. but I didn't have the time to wait. I called PepBoys thinking they would get me right in, which of course they could. The young man I spoke with Peter, I believe is what his name was told me to bring the car right in and ask for him when I got there.

While I was in the waiting room I realized that it was taking quite a long time for just an inspection and went over to the window and peered into the garage. I could see several mechanics standing under her car holding flashlights and pointing and discussing something. Oh here we go I thought.

I could see it coming a mile away. A few minutes later, Peter walked in from the shop area and asked me to come up to the counter. He began explaining there was a problem with my power steering, and the car failed the inspection because of it. He quickly described to me in a tone that suggested I would have no clue what he was talking about that the power steering cooling return line was leaking. Peter immediately picked up the phone and began calling somewhere, to get me a price for a new line.

This bothered me for two reasons. I knew for a fact that my wife's car did not have a power steering fluid cooler and power steering is NOT part of the New York State Vehicle Inspection. But I let him go through with his phone call anyway. He hung up the phone and informed me the parts and labor to replace the leaking line would cost just a hair under $300 + the cost of the inspection.

That's when I decided to have a little fun with my new friend Peter who apparently mistook me for just another gullible yuppie idiot with a credit card and no sense. I asked when that became part of the New York State Inspection. To which he conveniently pulled out a paper with all the inspection checkpoints listed on it and highlighted the part about functional power steering. When I asked him where he got the information he claimed it was right from the NYS-DMV. I instantly pointed out to him there was no seal that is usually associated with DMV and official state information any where on the paper. That's when he actually told me that it's part of the inspection because if the fluid leaks out the car can't be steered. I couldn't believe my ears. Then he told me that if the fluid runs out while it's being driven, my wife could get into a terrible accident and to top it off, he said, it happens all the time!

Of course a car can still be driven without power steering! It's just a little bit harder to make sharp turns when moving less than 5mph. On the highway, you wouldn't know the difference.

I decided to let that go however and move onto what I thought was the bigger issue. He was telling me I had a broken part that didn't even exist on the car! So I collected my rage and asked tell me again was that the high pressure line or the return line since my wife's car has the standard setup and is not equipped with the power steering cooler like the GT models? He instantly began back-pedaling and stumbling on his words as he searched for a way out of what he said.

He went on to explain that it was the high-pressure line that was leaking. And I never asked but he began justifying the price to me because it's made of high pressure material and has pressure fittings... that's why it's so expensive he said. I wanted to laugh at him. He just threw himself under the bus at that point. I responded with, I thought you said it was the return line? He started fumbling through his papers Uh, Uh was all he could manage to say. Then I remembered my parts sales days and realized the price for the line he was claiming cost +$100 was really about $15 at any parts store, and something I could fix myself in less than 30 minutes. When I told him I knew the return lines for that car should be less than $20 he attempted to reiterate to me that it was the high pressure line. I shot that down and said, oh, well those are $35. Again he nervously fumbled with his papers and responded with I can show you the leak.

I refused, because I knew there wasn't a leak at all. I told him to give me my keys and that I was leaving, and they weren't touching the car. Of course they had already scraped the old sticker off the windshield but at this point I didn't care. I was taking the car to another inspection shop, sticker or no sticker.

So I paid them the fee for the inspection and was on my way (you still have to pay even if the car fails). I knew I was chancing a ticket if a police officer were to see me on the road with no inspection sticker. But at this point I didn't care. I could have gotten 10 tickets on my way to the next shop and it still would have cost me less than PepBoys wanted to fix a part that wasn't even there, let alone not even broken. And I figured that if I was stopped, I'd just explain what happened... it was likely any officer would have sided with me anyway.

So a few hours later I was in another garage, getting my inspection. I told them all about what had just happened and the tech stuck his head in the door and said what leak? He couldn't even find one.

How places like PepBoys stay in business I'll never know. Wake up people, educate yourselves and quit allowing these thieves to rob you blind!

Eric

Rochester, New York

U.S.A.

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