This pep Boys has been my Pep Boys for years now, ever since my old mechanic left the area about 6 years ago. I've gone to Keith, Bill, Jason, and the rest for everything from brakes to inspections and I laugh at people that even remotely think that their time is somehow more valuable than those they are entrusting with their safety as well as the safety of their family members. If you take 5 mins to run through my inspection I may actually be sort of a skeptic of whether or not any of the work you were supposed to do was actually ever performed. Oh, you need time to pull the wheels to inspect my brakes? OK Oh, you're checking to make sure the wipers that keep my windshield clean are working properly? OK Wait, this isn't fast food and I am going to wait to get proper service? OK I actually understand and comprehend that all these things take time and those trained to do this job are the safe net that ensures that as I travel from A to B that I not only get there safely, but they are not or have never sold me something I did not actually need... How can you say that and be sure of that statement, Carmine? Well, I'm glad you asked! I had a Grand Am that was my baby as most that know me know, great car, nearing classic in age...and over the years as I needed work done, I went to the boys. I thought I needed rear brake work done since I had previously had my front everything worked on; pads, rotors, calipers, blah blah blah... So anyway I brought my baby in and was under the assumption I was going to need about $300+ worth of rear work done. I told Bill to do what needed to be done and to give me a call when they were done. I no sooner got back to my house when my phone rang and Bill told me that if I wanted to that I could come pick up my car anytime. I was surprised with how soon they had called and he told me that it needed a simple brake tuneup that would cost me less than $30 instead of the $300 or so that I thought I was going to spend. Yeah, this is why I go to this particular Pep Boys, because the guys here have always taken care of my needs and have never gouged me on a repair I did not need. I just brought a friend of mine there with a 1997 Town Car Limited Edition...beautiful car with some rare and discontinued parts (the thing apparently has multiple cables in the emergency brakes alone), the boys had to hunt and search and are still seeking out one cable that Lazare Lincoln can't even get because now they must search salvage and used parts to be able to complete the inspection...these guys are currently on the hunt to complete a job and to make it right. THAT is a quality work ethic...trust me, I could save time and distance going elsewhere but I'm willing to travel a little to ensure it's getting done right. read more

Worst experience at a shop by far. Failed inspection a vehicle in working order for "rust on the rotor" and said the vehicle would need all new brakes and rotors. Failed a second vehicle with 12k miles for a tiny line of rust on the back rotor. When questioned, the service advisor's excuse was "it's up to the inspectors discretion", a corporate translation of "We decide if we want to fail you to scam you on unnecessary repairs". Don't fall for their bullcrap and certainly do not bring your vehicle here. Someone really ought to do the hidden camera exposure on this place where a mechanic runs through the vehicle and then exposes all the scammed upsells! read more

Never go here. I had an appointment for an inspection and it took 2 and a half hours to get my car. They then quoted me $1600 to replace my back brakes. They also possibly stole my sunglasses out of my sunglass holder. Never go here unless you want to be scammed and stolen from. read more

Pep boys lost a 15 year customer. I made an appointment. Oil change and rear brakes. 1 hour they said. Turned into over 3-1/2 hours. Did not communicate, which leads me to believe they caused a secondary issue with the brakes. I have 0 trust in these guys. Shady operation. Avoid going here. I'll never come back. read more

I purchased a spare tire here for my 2008 Audi TT I did not get the first brand I wanted but they were able to size and get me fitted within a matter of days read more

Scheduled an appt for wipers and an oil change 8:00am on Saturday. Left side wiper was broken. Cleaned off car completed and defrosted windows, due to 4" snow the night before. Drove directly to the Pep Boys store in colonie. It was a little more than an hour into the appt. Received an inpsection report, on the very bottom in really small letters - existing crack in windshield, NOT TRUE. I would have clearly noticed an 18" crack in my windshield, starting on the bottom in the middle where the (R) wiper is connected to the arm, it goes up about 6" and then directly in the middle of winshield on the drivers side, eye level. I have been a good customer and would never blame someone else, in order to get my windshield replace. I have been doing business at this location for 12 years, and always repaired whatever they advised. They took no reponsiblity and used the inspection report as proof. read more

Inspection WITH APPOINTMENT still took one and a half hours. Rude staff. Disaster of a waiting area. Avoid!!!' Midas or anywhere else

Worst experience I have ever had at a mechanic shop. I was getting a set of new tires and an alignment I dropped off my car since my appointment time was at noon and stated I wasn't intending to keep it there all day. I called 45 minutes after my appointment start time just to check in to see how long and they stated they were just bringing it back and it should be done in an hr and a half. I stopped back in after two hours at past and the person stated there was some sort of mix up it should be an hr and half longer. Once that time passed my signifcant other showed up and they told him another 10 minutes, then another 20, etc. Finally when it was time to pay the deal they shared on the phone when we first called no one mentioned that the alignment was an additional cost even though my significant other explicitly asked on the phone prior to making an appointment. The overall cost was 200 over what was shared and my car was done 5+ hours after the appointment time that was scheduled. I called and shared that I feel like some sort of discount, communication, etc would have been helpful and appreciated. I also explained that I feel like since my car was dropped off earlier and I wasn't explicitly waiting in the waiting room during the whole time even though I had an appointment and shared I would be back for the time they said it would be completed by that they pushed me all the way to the back burner. The manager over the phone stated that was true even though to my face he never stated this after I said it multiple times. He then stated that "well it just happens" and that he didn't charge me for something that they broke so he was being "kind". Needless to say I know these times of year are busy, short staffed, etc. At the very least communication and being honest or possibly a discount of some sort would have been appreciated. I do not recommend going here. read more

We had the worst possible service, unkind in a stressful time. We had flat tire on the way back to Montreal. Pep boys would not help us until the next day. The nice man at Midas took us in 20 minutes before closing and fixed it in 15 minutes. Thanks to him, we made it back home safely. read more

Honestly the best business I've been too. They took their time to explain what was wrong. They treated me with respect and kindness. As a female I constantly feel like mechanics and car dealerships take advantage of me. It was worth my time money. Thank you for treating me like a human being read more

Charged us $350 for something that on average even on the high end shouldn't cost more than $275. I've had multiple people verify this who work in the business. Charging more is just price gouging. They had us over a barrel because we're new to the state and don't know the state tinting laws. We had to walk miles home while we waited for the car to be "fixed" and then, and only then, did they tell us what the price would be. There was no discussion of it up front. They also left a milky residue all over the inside of the windows. I mean smeared. We've tried cleaning it off in multiple times and it hasn't come off, and it makes driving hazardous because it clouds up. I was asked to contact them about my review elsewhere and, when I did, they made me wait for 2 weeks before getting back to me to tell me that prices were discussed at the beginning and agreed upon. Which is an absolute lie. I was able to hear the full conversation from start to finish. I would stay away from this branch specifically. They already rightfully have terrible reviews but they will lie to you about your own experience after asking you to contact them which is absolutely perplexing. read more

I have used Pep Boys for years but NEVER again! I made an appointment due to noise from the front driver's side, which I suspected was due to sway bar or ball joints. They called to approve the work saying that it was the rear wheel hubs making the noise. "REALLY?"... They said yes, it can sound like the front but it's not. I approved the work. And a short time later it was ready. After settling the bill I drove away and immediately heard the same noise so I went back. With 4 guys behind the counter they asked me to wait. I waited. Two guys went out side to smoke. I waited. I waited a half hour. Then I told them I was leaving and I'll never come back. Their excuse was that they were busy. Busy. Customer Service training for all of them! read more

Been a customer here for almost 10 years and this Shop (1795 Central Ave, Colonie) still offers consistently great service and professional (and extremely Patient) employees. This specific location is the best I've ever been to and won't go anywhere else anymore because of their repetitive Wins. Highly recommend for all your vehicle needs, from Inspections and Oil Changes to Brakes and Tires, and everything in between this is the store to go to! (I recommend making an appointment, they are a busy location and will do right by you, but an appointment helps manage your time and guarantees your service when you drop off your vehicle.) read more

I bought new pads and rotors from this store and after 23,000 miles they said I needed another round of new pads, rotors, emergency brake shoes and one caliber! I went ahead with their recommendation and after the "job" was done, I hear this horrible grinding noise! why didn't the technician test drive the vehicle before they called it complete? after waiting for hours in a fruit fly infested waiting area, the technician tried to tell me it's probably a "bearing" REALLY? It was the horrible brake job! save your money folks. read more

my car got a random flat. I had to call pep boys for help and guess what they pulled through.

. A few weeks ago i was with my daughter and heard this loud noice the faster she went the louder it got. Told her to the car up to pep boy have the chech it out. She did a tech by the name of Mike drove the car around the parking lot. Told her he heard something not to worry wait till a light comes on. Not satisfied i found a repair shop down the street. (Hidden gem )They took the time to put it on the lift . Wheel bearings both front end. I want to thank Mike for his diagnosis and helping me find a great neighborhood mechanic. read more

Went to get a headlight fixed since I was heading out of town for a weekend. They fixed the headlight no problem, HOWEVER, they tried to say that I needed new front brakes. I was skeptical so I brought my car to a mechanic I know and he checked the car. No need at all for new front brakes and that they were almost in new condition. PepBoys tried to scam 500$ out of me to get new front brakes when they weren't needed at all. read more

So there's this story one hears in Philosophy 101 classes. A guy sees an ad for a hardware store that is offering hammers, guaranteed for life, but they cost $100 each. He goes in, looks at the hammer, which looks pretty cheap, and asks the store owner, "$100 is a lot for a hammer, is this really guaranteed for as long as I live?" and the owner says, yes, he'll replace any part of the hammer, forever, if it breaks. So he thinks about it, decides, well, it will last me my whole life, it's worth it, so he buys it. The guy then takes the hammer home and starts pounding a nail THWACK THWACK and on the fifth or sixth THWACK the handle breaks. So he takes the hammer back to the store, and the owner of the store replaces the handle for him, free of charge, no questions asked. The guy goes home and continues to hit the nail he started, only it bends, and he decides he has to take the nail out of the wood using the claw. He pulls on the nail and the head of the hammer splits into two pieces. The guy takes the hammer back to the store and the store owner says no problem, and fits the hammer with a new head right then and there. The guy then takes the hammer home, finishes pulling out the nail, decides to call it a day, and puts it gently in his toolbox, whereupon both the handle and the head crack open. Really agitated, he takes the hammer back and demands a replacement for it, and the store owner refuses, saying "That's not the same hammer I sold you." Is that the same hammer, or not? Why am I bringing this up reviewing a mechanic? Well, I stopped by the Pep Boys today to get a quick state inspection done because (a) I had to get it done *today*, in a limited window, and (b) they said they could take me right away, no waiting. So they completed the inspection very fast, in about the time it took for you to read the above Philosophy 101 anecdote, and I was impressed. The car passed, except it needed one new wiper blade. OK, I said, I'll buy a wiper blade and put it on myself. Oh, no, they said, if you do it yourself you'll just have to get the car inspected again. We'll put the wiper blade on for you, no extra charge other than the part. Great! I thought. I'll be out of here in 5 minutes and back to work before you can say "epistemology". And then: I waited for about as long as it would take to fill up a blue examination book on your Philosophy 101 final to answer the question, is it the same hammer, or not? Like, close to an hour and a half. I asked several times - three different guys at the desk - and was told once it was probably a "slow computer" uploading all the test results to the DMV's computers. The next time I was told they were just bringing the car around. And it's sort of a relevant question when you have a car, like mine, that's nearing 200,000 miles and has had almost every moving part replaced at least once - is it still the same car? Should I be treating this like I should get another 150K out of it, or it's a junker? What kind of money should I put into it? If you're in the car repair business you probably don't want to give your customers as much time to think about such philosophical matters as this. Pep Boys gave me plenty of time to think about that hammer today!! In any event, I think my time was worth more than the cost of the part, or even the cost of having the inspection done twice. I will make lemonade out of lemons by proposing this game to you: If you think the answer is "Yes, it's the same hammer" click on the "Funny" button below. If you think the answer is "No, it's not the same hammer" click on the "Cool" button below. If you think, "Boy, I'm certainly going to avoid THAT Pep Boys" click on the "Useful" button below. If you would like to click on all three, say aloud, "MANNY, MOE, AND JACK" as you click each button. read more

Called yesterday asking if they could fix a rear window. The window wouldn't go up or down, apparently a cable snapped. Anyway, they said $44 and to come in. First off they didn't mention on the phone that was a diagnostic fee. I dropped the car off, then about an hour later I get a call saying it was going to cost $306+ tax for the fix. Mind you, the part that was needed was about $40 but I was being charged $98. They also were charging $142 in labor and weren't going to take the diagnostic fee off. Well... pep boys lost my business AND that if my entire family. I went to EXIT 5 AUTO and the entire thing was $163 AFTER TAX. Somehow a different, smaller place did the work for half the price. read more

Just wish these guys were paid to "help" and not take advantage of customers! 4 tires less than a year old. Nail is in side wall of one- I understand they can't fix it but come on... ( and you could've called me - since you had my #- as I was wasting time sitting in McDonald's ) the ONLY OPTION is 4 new tires??? I'll order the tire from tire rack.. have it delivered to YOU to replace... and NEVER buy a full set of tires from you ever in the future! read more

I brought my vehicle in for what I thought was going to be a routine inspection along with new battery instillation. I was told I needed new rear pads and rotors to pass inspection and it would cost over $600...I was skeptical as my car was only a year old. I ended up sitting in the shop for over 4 hours, dealing with inconvenience after inconvenience. An angry customer came in complaining, they lost a screw and ended up looking for it for 30 extra mins, they forgot I even wanted a battery...to top it off when I finally got back in my car to go home my glovebox was opened and it looked like someone had rifled through it. Overall very shady, this is the second time I have had a negative experience at this location. read more

This was my first visit to a Pep Boys. I could tell they were very busy and trying to handle many customers, they clerk was pleasant and knowledgeable. I was able to have a leak fixed and it was done right after having it fixed the week before at Mavis. read more

I went here today to get 4 tires put on from Tire Rack. They had good ratings and despite some reviews I've seen here on yelp, I was very impressed on how well everything went. I had an appointment at 9am and all 4 tires were on by 9:45am. They told me the wait would be 1 1/2 to 2 hours and to be out by 1 hour was nice. They gentleman told me a few things that will need work soon (brakes and rotors) which I knew were going to need to be done soon. They never pressured me or tried to sell me a gimmick. Since the tires were my Christmas present from my father all that I needed to pay was for them to put them on and discard the old ones. They quoted me under $70 and kept their word. No surprise hidden fees or anything. I will be back when needing work again. read more

I was there in the early afternoon on 12/24. There were about a half dozen employees in the store looking bored. I walked up to a desk, but the employees were too busy chatting to do anything useful for me. An employee wandering the store saw me and directed me to what I was looking for. The oil there is about double the price for exactly the same stuff at Walmart. We're talking over $50 for 5 gallons compared to under $30 at Walmart for the same item. Same size, same brand, same packaging, same contents. One register was open. The dude checking out had issues. Did I mention there were lots of employees there? Instead of taking me at another register, I waited. And waited. While watching other employees continue to hang out rather than opening another register. Considering the price and service, I'm not going back. read more

Do not go here! We dropped our car off for an oil change and when we picked it up, it was very clear that someone had gone for a joy ride. The mileage was significantly different, the fuel tank less full and the trip gage had been reset. We aren't even sure that the oil was actually changed. DO NOT GO HERE! read more

I been coming for couple of years now with different Vehicles I was So Happy to see a service writer here from another Store. But in the last Few Month's this Place is getting Worse and Worse. I went to Talk to The Manager about a problem I had And he went up one side of Me and Down The Other Side. I will never Step Foot in This Store Again And I will Also Tell my Friend's & Family. So Remember go to A Better Customer service Location Then Pep Boy's.. read more

Another excellent service on my Ram 1500 Pick-up from Tom, Gene and the crew at Pep Boys: new Tires, oil change, bulbs - Thank You!

Just want to update: once again the response by PepBoys on Yelp was complete sham. They didn't make anything right or try to correct anything. They responded on Yelp to make the negative review look better. Stand by my original review. Don't use them for service you will get ripped off! read more

I bought my car's Bosch battery 14 months ago at this Pep Boys' location. It needed 3 jumps since its purchase. On Friday, the AAA tech tested it, said it was defective, needed replacement, and gave it its 4th jump. I made an online appointment for Monday at 8 am, the first appointment of the day. I noted on it that I would write a Yelp review. At the desk, a polite Gene took my car key, and said the battery would be tested. Other customers came in after me. Over twenty minutes later, I looked out the window, and saw my car still sitting in the lot, while other customers' cars were in the repair bays. A short time after, Gene handed me my key, and told me my car was ready to go. I was surprised. The battery had been replaced. I asked if it had been replaced with a Bosch. No. A Champion AGM was the replacement. Gene said it was a better battery, and that Bosch was not being carried anymore. I asked about the warranty. Champions' is only 48 months. My Bosch had a 96 month one. I told Gene, who had no comment. I inquired about the power. The Bosch's cold crankage is superior (assuming the battery wasn't a lemon like mine) to the Champion's one. When I came home, I looked (again) at the Pep Boys ad. It did list a Bosch battery, although one with a 36 month warranty. As Bosch was still on their website, they perhaps could have ordered one for my car of the same caliber as I had. I would have waited for it; however, I was not consulted or given a choice. If I had not asked questions, I would have assumed my car received another Bosch battery with the same 96 month warranty. There was no charge for the replacement battery. I was also not given a choice of what I wanted. I had paid extra money for a battery with twice the warranty, only to find I received a replacement with 1/2 of what I expected. read more

0 stars!! We spent almost 700 dollars on a new piece for the van. Took the van to get coded at a local mechanic having to pay 150,just to find out they ordered the wrong piece. They got an attitude when the mechanic called to tell they they ordered the wrong piece. Took 2 weeks to get the new piece. Now we have to pay another 150 dollars to get car coded!!! My 10 year old fought cancer all year last year and we don't have the funds to shell out 150 because of a mistake they made! And won't fix!! I will never come her again! Please stay away they don't care about what they do to people! read more

The Pep Boys in Colonie, NY has been my go- to place for tires and standard service since the 90's. Between consistent, friendly, helpful, good service, sales promotions and honoring coupons (theirs as well as competitors ), they give me little reason to go elsewhere. They always seem more than happy to step outside the store and check something out on my or my wife's car that may be giving is some concern, and offering advice whether it means us having work done or not. Buying my tires there also means I can have them rotated (free of charge), which I do every other oil change, going a long way in getting me the full mileage on my tread and keeps me informed on other possible issues. Guys, thanks for keeping my cars and family safely on the road! read more

I had a terrible experience at Pep Boys last week. I called to find out how much it would cost for an AC check, mine was blowing hot air, to which they replied it would be free. I brought my car that day, and they checked it, told me there was a leak and it was cost $35 to check where the leak is, that is it, to which I agreed. The man at desk, Bill, comes over to me after the mechanic looks at it, and tells me it will be $350 to fix. I said I WAS NOT going to fix it today, and that I would call IF I wanted to make an appointment. Bill said he would tell the mechanic, he comes back and tells me the mechanic already fixed it, and "there was nothings he could do." Excuse me? I did NOT authorize anyone to fix the AC, only to find the leak for $35. After going back and forth with him, and several "I can drop the price to $190...to $110", he left the waiting area to "see what he could do." Now, during this entire encounter took about 5 minutes, to which the mechanic had miraculously fixed the leak in that small amount of time. When Bill comes back, he informs me that he is not charging me anything for today's visit. I asked why that is, and he replied with "the leak wasn't the problem, it's your compressor, you must have done work on it and loosened pipes." Oh really? So you tried to charge me $350 for a fake problem, and then blame it on me, an 18 year old girl, and accuse me of breaking it myself. I will never be back, and thank you to Pep Boys for reminding me why I do not like chain car repair stores. read more

My experience at this particular Pep Boys location was not good. They special ordered two parts to install on my car. The parts took five days to arrive. They got them both wrong. Then it took another four or five days to get the right parts. So, an extra few days without my car. read more

NOT THIS LOCATION !!!! Went to Pep Boys today for a wheel alignment. I was told there was someone with an appointment ahead of me, I was a walk in so I understood. I was told to come back in an hour and they would take care of me then. They took my name and information. I returned in an hour and was told that "a lot has happened since you were here earlier" and that they could not do the alignment at that time and offered me a time four hours later! I would NOT RECOMMEND this Pep Boys location to anyone because of the VERY unprofessional way they conduct their business and the disrespectful way they treat their customers. read more

PLEASE READ ME... I just posted a very long review of the Pep Boys in Albany and how they treated my daughter (who is away at college in Albany) who was having vehicle problems and gotten very poor service at that Pep Boys. Now for the happy ending. After explaining to Jeff at the Colonie Pep Boys the poor service I was receiving at the Pep Boys in Albany and that I was feeling a bit helpless since I was not there to help my daughter, he stepped up and told me to have her pick her vehicle up from the other Pep Boys and bring it over to the Colonie Pep Boys. He told me not to worry, that he understood the situation and would make sure she was taken care of personally. My daughter did just that and Jeff took care of everything. He told me if she ever has a problem with her vehicle, just bring it over to them and they will make sure she is taken care of correctly. I told Jeff how reassuring it was to have someone understand how stressful a situation it had been and how his excellent service skills and the confidence in which he delivered them helped reassure me that my loved one was in good hands. So Jeff, thank-you. You took a bad situation, made it right and are a credit to your establishment. I hope if you ever are faced with a situation that you need someones help, someone steps up for you as you did for me. It made all the difference and you have earned my business and respect. read more

I have called several times to see if I could get a car inspection without a wait (as they suggested to me). This morning I called and Eric said just bring it in and they will knock it out. I arrive 7 minutes after I called and the manager tells me it's a 2 hour wait for an inspection, I said I just called and Eric said no wait and he just said again 2 hours. I will never go to this store again! read more

Awesome and great customer service!!! Will be my go to place to get my oil changes done, thank you again!! And thanks to Jeff for your help!! read more

Went to Pep Boys to get headlight bulb changed-sounds simple ! The guy tells me its a two hour job, estimated cost $200 and he has to see You Tube to complete job !! Need to remove fender also !! Am I being punked ? Is this a joke ? I brought car to Tony Mangino Mitsubishi in Clifton Park -replacement took 15 minutes and cost less than $20 !!! One star for Pep Boys is far too much-too many good Auto parts stores in Colonie. Beware !!! read more

I had ordered a set of 4 tires from Tire Rack and had them delivered to this PepBoys (the one at 1795 Central Ave.) for installation. Once tires arrived there, I made a 2PM appointment with manager Jeffrey for installation on Monday of the following week. Come the day of the appointment, travel all the way there FROM NYC (140 Miles away) to keep my appointment. I walk in 10 mins. early and find several people waiting on line. One clerk having trouble trying to work with a customer trying to check (I believe) his Veteran's Qualification... while Mgr. Jeffrey is standing next to him busy talking (for a long time) to call-in customers, and trying not to make eye-contact with those of us standing for service (which never came). One or two customers in front of me walked out in disgust. A minute or two later he finally got off the phone and ready to walk away... "I said I HAVE A 2PM APPT.".. (it's now close to 2:30 PM) ... "ARE YOU RUNNING ON TIME?" His answer: "NO! I CANT CONTROL IT WHEN MY EMPLOYEES DON'T COME IN!" Of course what he didn't tell me is WHY HE NEVER CALLED ME TO RESCHEDULE MY APPOINTMENT WHEN HE KNEW HE COULD NOT HONOR MY APPOINTMENT! I said "Jeffry, I'm going to cancel my tire order!" Jeffrey said "WELL, THAT'S BETWEEN YOU AND TIRE RACK!" NOW, I AM GOING TO CALL TIRE RACK AND INFORM THEM OF HOW INEPT THESE PEOPLE ARE ... AND LET THEM KNOW THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD THEY BE RECOMMENDING​ THEM AS THEY DID IN MY CASE! read more

We were on a family vacation in Saratoga Springs, NY, during Labor Day Weekend. Not that you ever want to pop a tire, but during family vacations are the absolute worst time to do so. As you can probably tell, we blew out a tire and needed a fix on a Sunday during a holiday weekend. After being turned away from the local Subaru dealership, we stopped into Pep Boys. We are extremely fortune that Gene Lewis and Sean Kenyon were manning the store that day. They were both very knowledgeable and no nonsense. Instead of trying to push a new tire down our throats, they carefully evaluated our situation and presented us with our options. We were able to have Sean patch up our tire and we were on our way. Thanks for the help guys! read more