This is article is about a recent visit to Pep Boys service center in Riverview Florida. I would love to write a complimentary article, but as you read, you’ll see my horrible visit will not allow me to. Sorry Pep Boys. First full disclosure. I haven’t always been an ASE Master Tech that sells automotive tools. I worked for Pep Boys years ago as an auto technician.  I actually started in Lakeland FL as a tech in 1990. I moved into management and was a shop foreman and then moved up to assistant service manager. I made my rounds going from Lakeland to Florida Avenue in Tampa, to Carrollwood Tampa, to Brandon Florida and then back around again. Pep Boys upper management always liked to shake things up by switching the management around. I learned a lot, however grew tired of the management style. I was next in line for the service manager’s position and had second thoughts. I like to provide excellent customer service and felt as though I was unable to in the at Pep Boys. I ended up stepping down and working as a Senior Tech again at Pep Boys, before finally moving on to CarMax in Tampa Florida in 1997. Read on to learn about the horrible experience I had at Pep Boys as a customer.

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I first made an appointment for a simple oil change and lifetime tire balancing online using Pep Boys website – it’s called EXPRESS CHECK-IN. It was quick and painless. Or so I thought. I printed out the paperwork for the oil change and tire balancing so I could take it in with me. It included my mileage, tag number, VIN, year make and model. I arrived at the Riverview location on McMullen Road a few minutes early. I told the service writer, Payton, that I had an appointment, which I had made the day before online for 8:00 AM. I handed my paperwork to him so he could easily look me up on his computer. Payton informed me that the online appointment setting is not accurate. The online appointment setting does not account for all the appointments already scheduled. He said he had five appointments already and not enough techs to work on them all at the same time. I told him, no problem, I’ll leave it with you. I am about a fifteen minute walk from home. He insisted on going out to the vehicle and getting the current mileage instead of using the paperwork I had printed and brought with me. I told him just add “1” on to the mileage that’s on the paperwork since I only drove about a mile to get there. He went to the vehicle anyway. I asked to make sure that I was getting the Life Time Balancing with no charge for rotation. He said of course, why would we charge for the rotation if they already have the wheels off? I said “just making sure”.

I left the wheel lock key in the cup holder. In my experience working on cars, I always hated having to find the wheel lock key in customer’s vehicles. I walked home and allowed them plenty of time to do the oil change and rotate & balance. I went back in the afternoon to find that things weren’t so good. First Payton wasn’t there and the bill was for regular balancing instead of LIFETIME balancing like I had requested. Also I was charged for rotation! Kirk had to text Payton to get a password to log into his ticket. He adjusted the price but was unable to change it to say LIFETIME. I told him I would like it in writing so I could make sure I could return to any Pep Boys and get the balancing done in the future.

He proceeded to hand write on a service information and inspection envelope ( by the way had none of the inspection items filled out). Notice it is written under recommendations. I said well I could have written that. I want it in writing generated from the computer so anyone can tell that I didn’t just write it after the fact. He proceeded to fumble with the computer and finally printed out a document. He hands it to me and says here. How does that work for ya? I looked at it and it was clearly an estimate that says “work not performed yet”. I told him that’s an estimate. Not proof on my receipt that I paid for life time balancing. He said “that’s the best I can do”. I had to get back to work and was getting no where fast, so I paid my bill. Not happy but ready to get out of there. I could hear other people in the waiting area complaining about having to wait too long.

I went out to my vehicle and almost immediately during a quick walk around, I found a small ding in the right side of my truck’s bed in front of the rear tire. My truck had 7,500 miles on it and I had just washed it; so I know it wasn’t there before. I didn’t say anything about this because it could have happened in the parking lot and I didn’t have them do a walk around with me when dropping the vehicle off. “First” ding’s really do hurt though. I proceeded to open the hood and check the oil. Nissan’s are very easy to over-fill. But Justin, the oil change guy had it right on the full line. So far no problem with the work. Then I looked under the vehicle and found oil dripping. Old oil residue from the filter and drain plug areas. I always made sure to clean this type of mess up with a little brake cleaner and compressed air. Not this guy. Then I see that the access cover for the oil filter only has one of the two bolts attached. The cover still swung out of the way to expose the oil filter. I went back in and told Kirk. He quickly got the oil change kid to come out. I showed him that he forgot to attach the cover plate for the oil filter and it was missing a bolt. He went back in the shop and came back with my bolt and a ratchet. He seemed to be quite happy with himself for finding the actual bolt and not just one out of one of the tech’s junk drawer.

While he’s putting that on, I decide to make sure I got my wheel lock key back. Guess what? No key. The wheel lock key is not in the cup holder, it’s not attached to the lug wrench or in the glove box or console. I told Justin and he went back inside to look for it. I asked him if he was the one that did the balancing and he said he doesn’t remember. He only remembered doing the oil change. I went back inside to wait at the counter and I could see Justin through the service bay windows looking for the key high and low. He looked under the rack arms, under tool boxes, in service carts… everywhere. Kirk asks me “Is there a problem with something else?”. I said “yes, you lost my wheel lock key”. He shrugs in frustration. I told him that Justin doesn’t know who did the balancing. Kirk says ” I saw him do the balancing”. Kirk says there’s a possibility that my key was put into someone else’s car. After a few minutes I tell him I’ve got to go. Justin is obviously not finding my wheel lock key and I don’t have time for you to start looking in other cars. Take my name and number. He said OK, but let me see the wheel locks so I know what type of key we’re looking for. Kirk walks out and while bending over to inspect the type of lock, happens to see the key underneath an F150 that’s parked beside my vehicle. He said he must have left it on one of the locks and it fell and rolled when my truck was parked.

So from there, I wondered… Is the oil filter tight? Is the drain plug tight? Are the lug nuts and the locks tight? The next day I felt like I had to check everything for myself. All was tight but I shouldn’t have had to double check their work. I also purchased some brake clean so I could clean up the oil residue that Justin  left for me on the underside of the covers below the engine and the oil pan.

I thought I would have a record of my service on the Pep Boy website, but there’s nothing except for the appointment that I had scheduled. The receipt I have doesn’t even have the VIN on it. So much for keeping good records for my 2013 truck warranty.

If anyone else has an experience to share I’d be interested in reading your comments below. No wonder so many people like doing their own oil changes.