Pep Boys Route rip-off unfair manipulative dishonest Jersey City New Jersey

I have a 1997 GMC Yukon that had a severe leak that would not hold anti-freeze. This caused the truck to overheat and smoke severely.

My father n law who has some automotive experience advised me that my water pump most likely was causing the problem. At the time he was going to make the repairs for me so I purchased the water pump and the thermostat.

Due to a new job with extensive hours my father in law could not make the repairs.

This lead to a phone call to Pep Boys on 3/5/2003 to find out if they could install the water pump and thermostat. The tech (Juan) advised they could not install the pump if I purchased it from somewhere else because they could not warrantee the part.

I called back the next day to find out the price of their water pump for a 1997 GMC Yukon and how much it would cost. I spoke to a rep by the name of Johnny. At that time I figured I would get a confirmation from a Pep Boy rep that my water pump may indeed be busted.

I explained to Johnny that the truck was pouring out antifreeze and overheating. Johnny proceeded to explain to me this is exactly what happens when a water pump is busted. He used more mechanical termanology I cannot repeat. After hearing this, I went ahead and made an appointment to drop of the truck on 3/8/2003 at 9 or 9:30am.

He even told me that I could bring in the water pump I had purchased and gave me a price of about $298.(Remember Juan said I could not when I called the previous day)

I dropped off the truck on 3/8/03 at about 10am along with the water pump and the thermostat. I was advised it would be at least 3 hours to complete. I came back around 2pm and was advised they're nearly finished.

A mechanic by the name of Joe was installing the pump. He called me in the back and advised they found out where the leak was coming from. He further advised my water pump was fine.

A master mechanic(?)advised him that the truck had an Intake Gasket Leak and this was a much bigger job than the installment of the water pump. They explained that the engine would have to be taken apart to get to the leak to replace it.

Husein(?)the manager at the time advised I would still have to pay for the installment of the water pump even though it was not needed. They continuously tried to twist my words around to indicate that I called there and told them that my water pump was busted and I needed it replaced. I explained I only advised what was advised to me and that I asked the rep Johnny on the phone at the time of the call to confirm that it may be the water pump.

They tried to make it seem like it was my fault that I did not ask for a Diagnostic Evaluation on the truck. If I had known this was the procedure I would have done this but I did not know. Husein, deducted about $50 from the installation of the water pump and charged $300 for the actual repair to the Intake Gasket.

My father in law, wife and myself strongly disagreed with this, but after hours of arguing we went ahead and agreed. On 3/12/03 I went back to the store to find out the status of the repairs. Husein was not there rather a manager by the name of Felipe who advised that he was over Husein and would not perform the job for less that $1143!!!!!

He suggested I speak to Husein the next day. When I went to the store the next evening to speak to Husein, not a manager was in sight. My wife and I paid the ending total of $212 after a slight discount because they had done away with the perfectly good water pump. (Isn't this stealing?) They could not explain why they could not find it to give back to me. So the Assistant Manager that night gave me a 5% discount off of $223. We took our truck and left vowing to never step foot in another Pep Boys store.

They were unfair, unprofessional and refused to accommodate us as customers for their reps not following company procedure and advising me to bring the truck in for a Diagnostic Evaluation. Throughout this whole ordeal, they did not apologize once for any inconvenience to me as a customer. And we were still forced to pay for installation of a part that was perfectly intact.

To add injury to insult, when I got in the truck to drive away, we discovered an empty can of beer in a paper bag. This explains the service we experienced.

Everett
Jersey City, New Jersey
U.S.A.

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