Piss Off, Pepboys!

Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. It is what the client or customer gets out of it. ~Peter Drucker


I went to Pepboys in Arlington Heights for work on my car. Pepboys at various locations have worked on my cars numerous times in the past decade. My request was simple. I wanted two new front tires and my flat spare fixed. I asked to have the best of the three tires kept as a spare. The person taking my order, Dave, quoted me a price for the work I requested and I signed the electronic box for the work I requested - New Front Tires.

I came back a few hours later to pick up my car and was told the new tires were put on the back and the rear were put on the front as was company policy. This is not what I asked for and told Dave. This policy was not expressed to me when I specifically asked for the front tires to be replaced. He said he forgot to tell me. Either the person was incompetent or purposely did not inform me of company policy. Had I know this was policy, I would have gone to another company for new tires. The tread on my rear tires was still in good shape and I only needed my front tires replaced. I have a front wheel drive car and wanted to ensure I had the best possible traction for the upcoming winter snow season.

To make matters worse, he told me the car now pulled to the side depending upon which side one of the formerly rear tires was mounted. They tried the rears tire on both sides on the front to eliminate any mechanical reason for the pull. When I was called to pick up the car this was never mentioned. Why wouldn't they inform me there was a problem in the event I wanted to authorize additional changes? Were they afraid that I would be upset because they did not do the work as I asked and as I authorized? Or is this another expression of incompetence? Or do they typically treat the customer as morons?

I left the story quite angry at being treated with such disrespect. Pepboys, after more than a decade of servicing my vehicles, has lost my business.

I have since sent a letter to the corporate offices and posted my experience to social media services to warn other potential victims of the poor service rendered by Pepboys at this location.