well i went to pep boys today with my maro, mainly doing my mom a favor, shes soaked way too much into her grand prix and now it needs new tires...so i wanted raised whites anyway so i told her id go get new tires and give her my cooper trendsetters with like 10k on them...so i upgraded my car to 235s from the stock 215s, then i added a coolant flush to save me the time, and i figured i needed an alignment so i added that, the guy comes back saying i cant do it because my idler arm needs to be replaced 1st, so i agreed and that added 41 bux plus an hours labor to my bill, then he goes we stripped 7 lug nuts so you need those, another 23 dollars, i tried telling him the nuts were not my fault but whatever, didnt work. i guess i just need to vent...the car handles like its on rails now and is much more smooth and responsive, but i dont know if it was worth the 630....

 

he made YOU pay for lugs that HE stripped? Thats bull. I wouldnt stand for that if I were you.

 

.......'if you break it, you fix it'? The lug nut situation is messed up. I had the same thing happen to one lug nut on my Cutlass when I got two tires replaced. Only thing is I found this out when I was about to rotate the tires. Of course they wanted to charge me. I finally wound up cutting the lug nut off and replacing the pads and both rotors. So hard to find good workmanship these days (even when you pay for it).

 

Ah, good old pep boys. If the idler arm was worn out, then the center link is ALSO worn out; better have that replaced soon too. Can't really do one without the other. BUT when you replace that center link (about $80 for the Moog brand from Summit Racing), you will need another alignment...

 

id agree thats bs on the lug nuts.

 

+1 for lugnut situation....

However, it would depend on "when" they were stripped.

If they were stripped when he was putting the wheels back on, yeah the store should have just replaced them.

However, if they 'stripped taking them off', then it would not be the fault of the person that was removing them, but the fault of the person directly previous to putting them on. It is impossible to cross thread or strip a nut or bolt removing it.

 

It's Not just Pep Boys...when you go into a shop, you are a $$$ figure. It's their job to seperate your money from your wallet...

 

being a pep boys employee i agree with six shooter if the stripped on the way off not our fault, ont he way on id take care of you....

then again im pretty easy going id probably just replace them for you its not that much of a loss worth pissing you off for.

most shops ne more are out to get ya....im always as honest and fair as possible...hard to find these days

 

They messed up my lug nuts taking them off. The tech spun them off with the impact wrench and let it sit there spinning after the nut was completely loose. It tore up the threads on the end of the nut. I had to pay for new ones...

Pep Boys has a reputation for causing problems so that you will come back and spend more money.

 

kinda funny you say that, my car started stalling within like 24 hours of that visit with them, probably a coedcidence but hey?

 

ya know though almost any shop around seems to have that rep if you talk to enough people....cant speak for other pep boys, but if needs fixed ill tell you...if it doesnt than im not gonna waste your money

i tell customers all the time, to be honest i dont care if you spend the money im just telling you what the problem is...i get payed either way, im hourly haha

if i catch a mech breaking something on purpose belvie me ill have him fired on the spot

 

when I worked for sears back in the day...

If a nut was fighting to come off, I would immediately stop, get the shop manager tell him. He would get the customer, bring them out and I would explain the situation.

If it could be verified that we were the last ones to put them on... crank up the gun pressure and rapp (and hopefully snap) them suckers off.
I think it is just easier to replace them if they are snapped... easier to get out most the time.

If we were not, the customer would be made aware of the replacement costs and if they Ok'd it... see above. If not we stopped, put the car back togeather and gave them the keys after they signed a waiver.

I had a tech at a pep boys back into my car once... and not just a little took out the rear quarter panel... I then never shopped there again.

 

When my dad's truck was getting new tires put on, when we were leaving in my car, he saw one of the ghetto *** greasemonkeys let go of an air impact, and it swung right into the door. (air hose came from ceiling) I've always despised pep-boys.

 

That's how I am at my shop and the owner hates it. The difference is that I'm comission, so I'd rather see them spend the money, but also, since I am comission, I want to have a good reputation so that people will come back and give me more money.