By: Shawn Culver
I usually focus on online scams, but being scammed by PepBoys has made me change my mind. I will now be adding offline scams too.
PepBoys specializes in specialty retail and automotive repair. It provides auto parts and different services related to vehicles. The company tagline is: “Parts, service, and so much more”. PepBoys is actually the chief automotive aftermarket chain in the United States. The company operates in 36 states and Puerto Rico.
PepBoys regularly runs tire specials “Buy 3 Get the 4th Tire Free”. It sounds like a good deal, but it isn’t as you’ll soon see. To get your 4th tire free you have to send in a rebate form, which they promise is easy and guarantee you’ll receive payment. I have now found out this is not the case, and its not just me that’s getting scammed by PepBoys Rebate scam.
I did some research on the internet and found 1,000s of Pep Boys scam complaints. People all over the United States are sending in there rebates and PepBoys does not honor them. Worst of all it appears PepBoys is scamming people on just about every service they offer.
I purchased 4 new tires for my 2006 dodge charger, the salesman did a good job convincing me to buy and the tire sale didn’t hurt. The tire installation job took an hour and a half, and I went to pick up my car. That’s when my Pep Boys problems began. I looked at the tires before leaving and noticed the hubcaps weren’t even put back on right, so I had to wait 15 minutes for them to fix the issue.
When driving my car the alignment seemed off, so I took my car to my mechanic and had that fixed. I guess they can’t hire tire experts to work in the tire department. In checking online I found 1000s of complaints about bad workmanship on everything PepBoys offers throughout the united states.
I made my tire purchase on the weekend, and on monday I looked thru my PepBoys tire paperwork for my tire rebate form so I could send it in. Guess what they didn’t give it to me, I contacted the store and said I hadn’t received it. They said I could come back to the store and pick up the rebate form, so I thought everything would be ok. I was going on vacation so I was going to get the form when I came back.
When I got back from my vacation I went and got my rebate form. When I got ready to send in my rebate form, I noticed that PepBoys gave me the wrong months rebate form. I was now late getting my rebate in, so I tried to contact Pep Boys 1 800 number and was hung up on when I wanted to complain about getting my rebate.
I went to the store I made my tire purchase from and started to complain to a couple of employees and was asked to leave or the police would be called (I wasn’t even irate or chewing anyone out, they didn’t want any other customers hearing about company complaints). The employee told me I could only complain to their 1 800 number, which I did call but was a waste of time.
So I’m not getting my rebate, and by what I read on the internet I don’t trust Pep Boys to even rotate the tires. So I’m selling the tires and never doing business with Scam Boys again.
To get a full picture of how bad PepBoys is and how they have scammed others on just about every service they offer, check out complaintsboard.com and pissedconsumer.com.
Here are some of my favorites:
Terrible service!, License to steal, The truth from an employee (not good), Overcharged, Scam and cheating, They f***ed up my car, False advertisement, Make feel like a theft, I’ll never go there again, Horrible service, A good place to throw money away, Scam, Lousy company, Avoid this company, Stay away, Simply awful, Lies, lies, lies, ripped off, Poor Service, Rip Off, Don’t buy from them, dishonest, Poor Quality Parts, Terrible experience, Fraud and scam, They Charged me over 800 to Fix my A/C and didnt fix it, They are the worst, “Miscellaneous shop charge” is a scam, Don’t use them, Not fair, They do bad work, I got nothing for 3 hours, Lying manager said rats ate up wires, Missing engine parts!, Pep Boys Threatens Their Customers, PepBoys did not give rebate, Theft Boys is the worst! Don’t leave anything in your car!, Would not honor warrenty, Little boys at Pepboys have no pep, Pep Boys capital on ignorance, A Very pissed off customer!!!, I never got my rebate for tires bought, Incompetant Staff & Liars, will not honor tire warrenty, being hood winked, Destroyed my engine, If you value your life DO NOT GO TO PEP BOYS, Don’t Buy It From Pep Boys, PEP BOYS LAWNDALE, CA the worst!!, pep Boys suck, Pep Boys does not care about employees or customers, Pep Boys Rebate Problem, service givin u bullshit, Tired of the b.s. at Pep Boys, Mislead me on the buy 3 tires and get the 4th free, Pep Boys nearly killed my wife and I!!!!, Pep Boys set my Car on FIRE, PEP BOYS got my 88 GT stang stolen while in their care!, Pep Boys Dropped bolt into trans while working on clutch, then left outside for vandals, pep boys bait and switch, Pep Boys is full of it!!!!, yes its a scam, over charging of the elderly, Manger lied and mechanic confirmed it!, Refurbished parts are junk!! Rebates are a JOKE!!, Pep Boys Tire Scam, Pissed on and Pissed Off, Sexually Harassed by PepBoys Manager, Pepboys no customer satisfaction here.
I could go on and on, but you can read all the full comments on the 2 websites I listed above. I don’t know how Pep Boys has stayed under the radar for the amount of customer complaints I saw, they rival all the known home business scams. It appears Pep Boys rips you off and scams you on every service they offer. I do not recommend going to them for anything, if you have another alternative I recommend you go there.
Please do not purchase anything from PepBoys, let them go bankrupt. Teach them not to scam and take advantage of honest people. If you want to know more about scams, check out the MakeCashNow.biz Scam section.
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September 5th, 2009 at 12:04 am
I contacted the Better Business Bureau and filed a complaint against PepBoys a.k.a Scam Boys. PepBoys has an excellent rating with them which means people are not complaining to the BBB. If you have also been scammed by PepBoys please contact the BBB at http://www.bbb.org and let them know you’ve been scammed. The BBB needs to know the American people are getting scammed by this automotive giant, please take your business elsewhere as I have done! Overcharging the elderly,common PepBoys that’s low!
September 5th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
They f***ed up my car bigtime!
On the 12th Thursday of February 2009 I brought my Infiniti G35 coupe to Pep Boys on Kirkwood Hwy Wilmington, DE to get new tires and a battery installed. They sized and fitted my vehicle with new tires, however they could not do the battery since I had run short on time. They advised me to stop back when I had more time. At or about 1600 hrs (same date) I returned to Pep Boys and requested the simple task of changing my battery (SOUNDS SIMPLE??)Well lets just say I should have bought the wrench and did it on my own. They pulled my vehicle into the garage and first checked my original battery life and found it to be in poor condition. I then took a seat in my driver seat and watched as they took my old battery out and put the new one in. The employee hooked up my hot wire first (which is a NO-NO I am told) then tried to hook up the ground, however the ground did not reach the negative terminal. The employee said he was going to have to get an extender. I then advised him to turn the original ground wire around so it was closer. He tried it and it worked (Duh!) Anyway he then asked me to try and start my car, I did so and nothing happened? He then said hold on for a minute as he got the Charger Box (you know, the thing they use to charge your battery) well having a new battery already they ran full power to it at 100% SPARKS WERE FLYING 3 SEPARATE TIMES! (THE DUMB~A**)HOOKED FULL FORCE POWER TO MY BATTERY POSITIVE FIRST THEN NEGATIVE. DOSE AN ASE TECH LEARN THAT IN SCHOOL? I THINK NOT. ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS IN MY VEHICLE GOT SUPER BRIGHT! BLINDING WHITE? I asked why and he said it was because he had the juice all the way up since my car did not start. He looked more confused then me. He then jumped the vehicle and it was started finally. I then pulled out of the garage and right away felt a problem! I at that point noticed my VDS light and SLIP were on in my dash. I pulled back up to the garage (still in the parking lot) and said “You did something to my vehicle” They had me pull back inside as another employee plugged in some code reader device. He started to scratch his head and said “I checked all your fuses and there fine” I asked then why is my light on? THEY DO COME ON FOR A REASON! He said he did not know what happened except that my VDC and SLIP control no longer functioned and to just bring it back in the morning so one of their master techs could look into it. Reluctantly I did so and returned the following morning. The so called master tech scratched his head and said he did not know what’s wrong. The (MT) Master Tech advised that I bring it to the Infiniti dealership and have them fix the problem and that they would just pay the dealer to fix it. The store manager agreed and gave me a business card to give to Infiniti. Well I went home and parked my car in the driveway and then called Infiniti of Westchester(Pa)and told them my problem. I spoke to the Service Manager named (Brenden) and explained the issue. They said they could not give me a loaner until the following Monday and to bring it right to them ASAP. Well I decided I would try to bring it early and just have my wife follow me to the dealer and drop it off. Well NOW MY CAR DIDN’T START! headlights worked, radio worked, horn sounded. But my “WINDOWS DID NOT WORK, POWER LOCKS DID NOT WORK, TRUNK RELEASE DID NOT WORK” OH, DID I SAY MY CAR WOULD NOT START? I had to ask Infiniti to send me a tow at Pep Boys expense. A day later Infiniti called me and said we found out what happened! Pep Boys fried your computer. I said ok call me when its ready. The next business day that followed I was called again by Infiniti and advised my car was fixed with a price tag $1, 950.12 I said Yea, remember Pep Boys made this problem… The dealer said they talked to Pep Boys and they said since any number of things could cause my vehicle to blow its computer THEY ARE REFUSING PAYMENT ON MY CLAIM! Well I needed my vehicle back so I could go to work. I had no choice but to pay the dealer. I called Pep Boys and gave them an ear full, but I am not even close to done. I asked the Mgr of Pep Boys “How dose a certified ASE mechanic screw up putting a battery in a car. He said they don’t. I asked well how did your employee mess up my car then? He said the guy that put the battery in my car */was not ASE certified/*. I said YOU HAVE A HUGE SIGN IN FRONT OF YOUR STORE THAT SAYS “CERTIFIED ASE MECHANICS ON STAFF” TO SERVICE MY CAR NEEDS. What happened to that? He advised not every shop employee was ASE certified, and you don’t need to be to put a battery in a car. I said where dose it say that on the sigh, he said it dose not. I said that was misleading to the customer who thinks a certified person Not an average Joe working on my car. I brought my vehicle to them in trust and good faith of the sign ASE (basically means they have schooling on what they do as well as experience)and they let JO~BLOW touch a $30, 000 vehicle. Is that what he said? YES, basically he did! I will take them to court on this one! I will get my money back plus lawyer fees. I also intend on letting the news media cover this story as well so the public can be aware. *DON’T GO TO PEP BOYS!* I can be very loud when I know I am right, further when we see the judge who do you think they are going to trust, PepBoys or a (Police Officer)? Oh, did I forget to mention I am a COP? Well this should be fun I am sure. A few words to the wise… *DON’T BRING YOUR VEHICLE TO PEP BOYS! THEY WILL SCREW UP EVERYTHING THEY DO! EVERYTHING!!!
September 5th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
The bottom feeders of auto industry!
Pepboys has to be one of the most poorly run companies in the auto industry. So here are some tips to avoid being ripped off.
1 – Don’t go there
2 – Never go there
3 – Don’t even think about going there
They sell a maintenance package for $39.99 which is only an oil change that you can get from Firestone or Goodyear for $19.99. The Pepboys maintenance package is a $9.99 tire rotation and a $29.99 oil change. Do the math: when you add that up, its less than doing the package services. How crooked is that?
Watching them in the service department is akin to watching sausage being made, you just don’t want to see how its done.
This company is at the absolute bottom of the food chain in the auto repair industry. Get your cleaners and sale items there, but never let them touch your car. It’s the worst mistake you’ll ever make!!!
September 5th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Avoid this company!
Please do not use Pep Boys ever. Not even if they are the last option. They will make it worse than it is. Their repairs are so bad. They do their work so roughly and are not even bothered if the thing is working properly again. I had taken my car in for a simple oil change. That was the worst mistake I made. I can’t understand how they can make mistakes like they do.
They did not get it done properly they left some part loose. I had to get it done else where. Also once when I had gone to get some part fixed they said that they would have to put another one. They did. But that got ruined quickly. They have all cheap parts. Do not go to them they will do anything to get you back so that they can make more money. Stay away form Pep Boys.
September 5th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Lies, lies, lies
Pep Boys’ advertising tag line is “Pep Boys does everything for less” – but nothing could be farther from the truth.
Customers walking into a Pep Boys auto service center will see a prominently displayed sign, comparing the Pep Boys store price for common auto services, such as oil changes, wheel alignments, brake jobs, etc. – about 10 services in all – with nearby chain-store competitors. The sign board will show that Pep Boys prices are slightly lower than the competition for these services.
However, what customers aren’t informed of with equal prominence is that for all other types of services, Pep Boys bills on a time and materials basis. And Pep Boys’ hourly shop rate is approximately the same as the rates charged by new car dealer service departments, which are almost universally regarded as the most costly place to obtain service for a vehicle.
This practice would seem to clearly contradict the claim “Pep Boys does everything for less.” Pep Boys’ prices are competitive only for a small selection of services. For all other services, their prices are typically about the same as a new car dealer, and significantly higher than independent auto service providers.
It doesn’t take an attorney or auto repair expert to understand that Pep Boys engages in deceptive advertising practices. On top of that, as a survey of various consumer review web sites and Better Business Bureau reports reveals, Pep Boys has a consistent track record of providing poor service, charging for repairs that aren’t effective, and using questionable techniques to upcharge customers for unnecessary parts and repairs.
Unfortunately, I learned these facts for myself the hard way. Pep Boys charged me for over $500 in repairs, including $90 for an “in-depth” engine diagnostic. But this work did not accurately diagnose or repair my original problem, which was later corrected when another mechanic simply changed my fuel filter.
Any consumer interested in obtaining high-quality and effective auto repairs at a reasonable price can do much better than Pep Boys.
September 5th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
I saw this comment on another site, but will share it. It involves the PepBoys Tire Rebate Scam mentioned by Shawn’s article.
“Purchased 4 new tires under the ‘Buy 3 Get 1 Free’ offer. Mailed in my information and received a card saying that my purchase was outside the promotion dates. I called and the representative said they had mistakenly entered it under the wrong code.
First of all – nice try. Secondly – Pep Boys has been running the same deal for as long as I can remember. How was my purchase outside some offer range? Pep Boys likely sends that card to most customers in hopes that a minimum of 50% will be too lazy, lose the card, or simply take Pep Boys’ word. I did finally receive my rebate, but I will never set foot in another Pep Boys.”
September 5th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Fraud and scam!!!
Before I took my SUV to the Santa Clarita Pep Boys I called for a front brake job estimate. $185. When I showed up, they immediately scour my SUV for the up-sell by measuring the tread of the tires. Coincidentally, they have a ‘buy three get one free’ promotion. Just the brakes, thank you, just the brakes.
A few hours later I get a call from Martin Andrade, the manager. He tells me they didn’t realize my SUV was four wheel drive and the new price will be nearly double. Now, my SUV has a 2′ lift kit with giant off road tires and six PIAA lights on the front. Didn’t know it was four wheel drive? I’m thinking, do I really want these people working on my car? I tell Martin to forget it. The price is too much and besides, I told the person on the telephone and the guy who checked me in it was four wheel drive. I’ll swing over and pick the car up. No problem, he tells me.
When I show up, everything is completely torn apart. They had to completely take the brakes apart before they discovered it was four wheel drive? After a long heated argument Martin offered to do the brake job for the original estimated price.I made them put the car back together and took it to a local mechanic.
In hindsight, it’s easy to spot their tactics. Low-ball the estimate on the telephone. If the upsell doesn’t work when you bring the car in they try to find a reason to raise the estimate. If that doesn’t work hold the car hostage by taking it apart.
September 5th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
My brothers PepBoys experience
4 days after having PepBoys install a remote starter for my wife’s car, the car started to try and start itself, the back trunk kept on opening by itself and the dash board started to act as if possessed.
Pep Boys came to pick up the car and after looking over everything, they said that they have to replace the starter as it was fried. They also replaced the auto starting kit they installed. I was being charged for the starter? They said we somehow must have played with the fob on and off buttons and rocked the starter on and off. Bullshit, my wife was livid at the accusation that she would be such a moron.
I should have told them to pull the whole kit out and refund me the cost of the whole job including the burnt up starter. My wife wanted her car back and I’m holding my breath that the same thing does not happen again. Good Riddance Pep Boys.
December 29th, 2009 at 11:28 am
We got scammed too – four of us (boyfriend, sister, Mother and me) purchased refurbished TomTom One V3 GPS units on black Friday (11/28/2008). Four of us sent in our rebate forms with receipts and serial number from the box. PepBoys claims they did not received ANY of the rebates – none of our addresses or names are “in their system”; and there is nothing they can (or will) do about it.
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September 4th, 2009 
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