I needed two tires for my 1998 Ford Windstar. On 5/17/02 my wife and I brought it to the local PEP BOYS, store #564 located at 425 Sunrise Highway, Patchogue, NY.
We arrived at the store at about two in the afternoon. While there I noticed that they also did New York State inspections.
I usually bring my vehicles to the same place every year for the past 20 years for an inspection, but since I was here I figured I would let them do it. I spoke to the person behind the desk, Mr. Woodward, and told him what I needed done. He took the keys and I explained to him that we were going to wait for it.
I didn't think it would be too long a wait because there was a sign on the front of the building that read, TIRES INSTALLED IN 59 MINUTES OR LESS. At around 5:00 PM we asked how much longer it would be. We were told it would be soon. Another hour passed so we went back to the counter. At that time Mr. Woodward told us that our vehicle didn't pass the inspection. The reason he gave us for the failure was a worn drive belt.
I worked with cars as a manager of a mobile electronics installation center and I never heard of a car failing an inspection for a worn drive belt and s3ince my car was a 1998 and only had 48,000 miles on it I knew something wasn't right.
I said to him that there was no way my car needed a new belt. He insisted and told me he couldn't pass it unless a new drive belt was installed. I asked him how much it would be. After about 2 minutes on the computer (no exaggeration) he finally told me it would be a total of $253.
When I voiced my surprise at that price he said That price is for everything, the tires, inspection and the new belt. I then asked him how much the belt would cost. After another couple of minutes with the computer and he said $29.
Then I said What do I owe you for just the tires and inspection? He said $171.67. I told him that the numbers don't add up. $29 plus $171 doesn't come up to $253. At this point I knew he was trying to confuse things so again I asked him How much will it cost me for the belt and installation alone.
Then he told me it would be about $80. I told him to let me pay him what I owe and to close up my car and give it to me. He said We scrapped off your old inspection sticker. Again I said Just get my car out of your shop. He went into the shop, closing the door behind him. I opened the door and watched him go over to my car.
He said something to the mechanic and walked back to the store. The mechanic went back under the hood of my car so I said, Just pull my car out of this shop I then paid the bill and told him to please write down the reason for the inspection failure. He told me it would be on a white sheet of paper in the car.
Then I said I would bring my car to another mechanic to check it out. I asked him if I would have to pay for another inspection. He told me that I would be charged another $10, the cost of the Safety Inspection after I had the belt changed whether I had it done here or at another inspection center. When I finally got the car, I looked at the paper and it did not specifically say why it failed. It did say that it passed the Emissions Control Devices and the Emissions Test.
Under the Safety Inspection heading was the following: Steering, Suspension, Front End And Chassis/Frame. Nothing about a worn drive belt. I then looked under the hood at the drive belt and it didn't look worn to me.
The store manager was not there at the time so I couldn't bring it to his attention at that time.
The next day, we went back to Pep Boys and spoke to the manager, Mr. Daniel Agiesta and told him what had happened the day before. I mentioned to him that I never heard of a car failing an inspection for a worn drive belt and that after I looked at the belt myself it didn't look worn to me. He told me that a worn belt was a reason to fail an inspection and that his mechanic was only doing what he was supposed to do.
I then showed him the paper I got with the results of the inspection and that there was no mention of a worn belt. I asked him to please write down on the paper that the belt was the reason for the failure. He wrote something on it and gave it back to me. I didn't look at it right away.
I then went to where the repair books were to see if I thought I could replace the belt myself.in the book, it showed a picture of an acceptable belt and a worn belt. The picture of the acceptable belt looked exactly like the belt in m car. So, at that point I decided to just bring my car to another inspection station and find out once and for all if my car really needed this belt.
I then looked at what Mr. Agiesta wrote and signed. What I saw was this: Vehicle failed due to a badly cracked. That was it. I brought it back to him and told him he still didn't write down what part was bad. He said Oh! I forgot to write belt. Now I was sure there was something fishy going on here.
The next day I brought my car to the place I usually go. I told him the story and the first thing he said was A bad drive belt is NOT a reason to fail an inspection So my initial feelings were right. I knew that a worn belt wouldn't be a reason for failure.
Asked him if he would take a look at it and let me pay him the $10 for the Safety Inspection. He said he would do it for me right away. He looked at the belt first and told me there was nothing wrong with it. Then he brought it inside for the inspection.
About 20 minutes later it was done. He told me that when he checked with New York State Motor Vehicle Inspection and he was told he had to do the emissions test. That meant I had to pay another $35 not $10.
That also tells me that Pep Boys not only lied about the belt, but they also charged me for an inspection that was never even done. My guess is that they kept the $35 and never sent in the emissions test.
I am disabled and in a wheelchair. I believe this company preys on the disabled and the elderly. While I was in Pep Boys arguing about the drive belt situation, there was another couple in line that told me they had a similar problem.
I have since found out that several States are investigating Pep Boys and I believe that New York should investigate this company also. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to get the $35 inspection fee that Pep Boys charged me for an inspection that was not only lied about but never submitted to the state.
Robert
Patchogue, New York
0 comments