**3 1/2 Hours for a 45-Minute Appointment -- and Check Your Invoice Carefully**…read more
I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience deserves one.
I grew up in the automotive repair business. My parents owned successful repair shops for 40 years, so I'm very familiar with how shops operate, how long routine services generally take, and the terminology. I've also worked in a customer-service-based industry myself for 29 years. I understand that businesses get busy and things run behind. What happened at this Pep Boys was far beyond simply "running behind."
I arrived at the Flamingo and Jones location at **9:15 a.m. for a scheduled appointment**. I had spoken with Tim the day before, and I want to make it clear that **Tim was great**. He was helpful, professional, and made the appointment for me.
I needed three straightforward things: have them check a tire that had been patched at another Pep Boys location because my tire-pressure sensor was going off, rotate my tires, and change my oil before I left town.
When I checked in with Lina, I was told it would take approximately **45 minutes**. Given the services being performed, that sounded reasonable. Even if it had taken 60-75 minutes, I wouldn't have had an issue.
**I was there for 3 hours and 30 minutes.**
When I finally asked Lina why it was taking so long, I was told they were finishing a vehicle ahead of mine. If the shop is that far behind, don't schedule my appointment for 9:15 and then tell me 45 minutes. Tell me the truth. I could have arranged a ride home, gone to lunch, or planned accordingly instead of sitting there for half a day.
The lack of a proper waiting area made it even worse. There were essentially two high-top tables, with low chairs brought over from the neighboring business. I had planned my morning around the **45-minute estimate I was given**, not nearly four hours.
Then I was told by the mechanic that my oil filter was on too tightly and that if he broke the housing, **I would have to pay for it**. I asked to see it and made it clear that I understood exactly what he was talking about. There are tools and proper procedures for dealing with this situation. Interestingly, I never heard another word about it.
But the part that concerned me most came when it was time to pay.
The tire patch from the other Pep Boys location turned out to be fine, which Tim had communicated. Yet when Lina presented my bill, I was still being charged the original amount. I asked to see an itemized breakdown.
I'm very glad I did.
I was still being charged in connection with the tire, and the oil-change coupon I had found online while sitting there for hours had not been applied. **Tim had to correct the invoice and apply the coupon. My bill went from approximately $180 to $120.**
That is a **$60 difference**.
This is exactly why customers need to look carefully at their invoices before paying. I knew what questions to ask because I grew up around automotive repair shops. I can't help wondering how many customers who don't have that background would simply have handed over their credit card and paid the original amount without questioning it.
My biggest issue, however, was Lina's overall customer service. During the 3 1/2 hours I was there, her attitude and communication were consistently poor. There was no sense of urgency, no meaningful update about the delay, and no apparent concern that a customer who had been promised 45 minutes had now been sitting there for hours.
If you're running three hours behind, **communicate that to your customer**. Give them the opportunity to leave and come back. And when you prepare their invoice, make sure they're being charged correctly.
Tim was the bright spot in this experience and deserves credit for being professional and ultimately correcting the invoice. Unfortunately, the rest of the experience reinforced exactly why I normally avoid Pep Boys.
**If you use this location, confirm how long your vehicle will actually take, arrange a ride rather than waiting, and carefully review every line of your invoice before you pay.**
