I went to get an oil change on a monday and asked the mechanic at Free Service Tire to check a squeaky pulley as there are 5 that are run by a serpentine belt. He told me i needed a new water pump and clutch fan. Well the water pump was only 18 mo. Old and i had got it at Pep Boys (felt like i got ripped off then too so i hadn't been back).
Anyway as much as i dreaded it, i took it to Pep Boys and didn't mention the clutch fan as i don't trust any mechanic here in Knoxville. Sure enough i was called tues and told by a mechanic we will call Laughing Boy (LB) that i needed the water pump and a pulley had to be replaced too. I asked about the clutch fan and he said that was fine. Just proves Free Service Tire is a rip off too.
LB quoted me a price of 330 even though the labor 18 mo. Before for the water pump was only 164.00. When asked why so much he proceeded to tell me the labor for the pulley was about 72/hr and it was an hours work and that still didn't add up so i asked to speak to a manager named Jimmy Casteel (i think that is how to spell his name). Well Jimmy tells me that the price includes a new thermostat and other parts that are recommended when changing a water pump. I tell him just change the water pump as the other parts are only 18 mo. Old and i told him to personally check the pulley and call me back as i susupected it didn't need it.
He never calls me back so by 4pm i call and the van is fixed and the bill that was 330 is only 130 now. Guess he was too embarrassed to call. This should be the end of the story but alas as i am driving home less than 15 mi from Pep Boys the van overheats and i pull over and call the tow truck to have it towed back to Pep Boys. When the driver arrives he and i try to get the radiator cap off (Pep Boys had charged me for a new one as part of the repair) and it won't come off. They put it on crooked and it was stuck. I tell the driver to be sure to make a note of that. My van has 114k miles on it and before that day had never leaked a drop of anti-freeze.
The next day Jimmy tries to tell me i have to pay about 400.00 for a new radiator. After raising all sorts of hell and getting hung up on by Jimmy's boss they finally agree to replace it for free. I will say Jimmy, his boss Jerry Fitzgerald and Fitzgerald's boss were rude and tried to rip me off. If you want to call them feel free to. Jerry's cell number is 615 319 1996 and Jimmy's is listed above. The customer dis-service number is 800- PEP - BOYS.
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