Pep Boys Store # 0453—These guys have issues on top of issues. It stands to reason that a big sign that hangs in their shop that says they care about the customers is totally incorrect. I wish I had stayed the course and not tried to solve an issue so quickly. However, with recent events with officers pulling over cars for the simplest things I did not want to have any problems. All I wanted was a resolution not a $2,000.00 bill. Here is my story.
I have a 1998 Land Rover Range Rover. I noticed on Saturday night, May 1st, that the one of my head lamps was out. Land Rover is not open on Sundays and I did not want to get a ticket. So I took my car down to Pep Boys which was in the area of my friend. After standing in line while two "workers" were chatting about another worker's vacation—a mechanic, was standing nearby. I asked a question if they repaired head lamps on the Range Rover. I had been told before that it might be possible but doubtful. So I felt asking would be within reason. He responded to say, "yeah, we work on these all the time". So I felt somewhat comfortable if they have fixed these all the time i asked could he also tell me if I needed new shocks or stuts, which I did not know what was on the Land Rover since I recently purhcased it used. He says, "yeah, I could check it out". So I replied, "great and while doing that please let me know about the brakes if I needed new brakes". The service manager, of which I do not know her name as yet, says I could get this service that was minimal in price—altogether it was to cost me $38 for the headlamps and to tell me if I needed brakes and shocks. The reason I asked about the shocks was because I wanted a much smoother ride and I noticed that it took to the street harder than I liked and wanted to see if it was the shocks that needed replacing or if I needed an after market shock.
The car is taken into the work area. I proceeded to sit outside as it was a fairly nice day. I was in full view of the car while sitting in the parking area next to a lamp post chatting away on my cell phone. He begins to lift the vehicle—I hear a loud sound of air escaping. Now I am no mechanic but it made me turn my head. I could not see what it was—duh—it was air. However, not knowing the sounds of the shop I thought it was the lift. So I saw the car go up on the lift with the sound of air escaping constantly. I dismissed it to think it was the lift so I was comfortable. I see the car now being lowered. Antoine asks me, "do I know how to lower the suspension?" I look over and respond, "yeah on the console on the dash—I think—don't you know? He states, "some have a button you push to lower it". I didn't think to ask why? I am not a mechanic so I didn't even know what he was talking about. He says, "I will take care of it". I walk off to go around the corner for coffee. I come back and he says to me it was the "air bag on the passenger's side leaking causing there to be a loss of air". He then told me, "the brakes have 40% on one side and 50% on the other". Aren't brakes front and rear? I am not a mechanic but now I am leery so I say ok don't do anything I will wait—meaning I am taking my car to Land Rover as it had just a had a major service that should have found these things.
I walk in to pay and the service manager—a woman—says they cannot raise the car again. I am like, "huh?" She says, "they are having problems raising the car's height". SO I go back outside only to see my car at the lowest level almost like a car with a ground kit. I get in and press the compressor that just costs me $700 and the car doesn't raise. I am thinking its Land Rover's fault.
I drive my car on a major NY parkway doing 10 miles and hour with my car violently bouncing. I am saying to myself how did this happen. I am "peturbed—to say the least". I get a call the next day after I dropped the car on Sunday, May 2nd from my Land Rover service agent stating that my suspension was gone. It needed to be replaced—all four. I said does that usually happen—the answer was no. I pondered how it could happen.
I asked the Land Rover service agent—wasn't this checked before and the answer was yes in the major service you just had it was checked and showed no wear! I was like what! Immediately, I knew what had happened. It was that air I heard escaping when he put it up.
Today, I called Land Rover to ask what happens when you put the vehicle on a lift is there a special button. The response was there is no button—but there is a special lift for Land Rover vehicles. I was like "Special?" She explained, yes—if you out it up on the wrong lift you will damage the suspension. I was like, DAMN! She asked if that was what happened—I was embarassed.
I went back to Pep Boys to speak to a manager by the name os Shanker. He asks the mechanic what happened and he has the freaking nerve to say, "I bought the car in that way and wanted him to get it back to work". BS! I almost jumped across the counter. I am calling the regional manager—tomorrow. Then I am writing all parties and THIS will go further.
I will not give it up this time&as consumers when do we stop these abuses from hitting us. I WILL CALL THE NEWS.
Stay away from Pep Boys—Should be the Screw your Car Boys!
Thanks for nothing BS—I mean Pep Boys.
Qwynton
Corona, New York
U.S.A.
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