On October 30th at 2:09 PM, I brought my car to Pep Boys Auto, store #1480 (1846 5th Avenue, Bay…read moreShore, NY) for a state inspection, Service Work Order #2086265. My car failed inspection because it was missing one rear driver-side lug stud.
What's most disappointing is that neither the technician, Edward F., nor the service manager, Paul Nembhard, said a single word before performing the inspection to inform me that the missing lug stud would cause an automatic failure. If they had simply told me, I could have easily purchased a replacement lug stud elsewhere since one was not available for purchase in-store, which was an inexpensive fix, and avoided failing the inspection altogether.
When I asked Paul why they wouldn't notify me about an issue like this before proceeding, his response was that it "wouldn't be ethical." That explanation made absolutely no sense. There is nothing unethical about informing a customer of an issue that will cause their car to fail. What would be unethical is passing the car without the repair, which I never requested or implied.
Instead of understanding my point, Paul completely misconstrued my words, repeatedly insisting that I wanted his mechanic to "do something illegal" by passing the vehicle as-is. That was not what I said or meant. I only wanted to be notified of the issue so that I could fix it before it resulted in a failure.
To make matters worse, after the failure, I was told I would have to pay an additional $10 for the reinspection once I replaced the lug stud. When I expressed my frustration about the lack of communication that led to this unnecessary cost, Paul's only response was, "It's just $10 to get the car reinspected." That dismissive attitude showed zero concern for my time and money.
I even made the analogy that if my windshield wiper was missing, something Pep Boys conveniently sells in-store, any reasonable manager would suggest buying and installing one before failing the inspection. Paul had no answer for that either.
On top of everything, I was charged an additional $10 to have the car reinspected at another state approved facility after I resolved the issue myself. This was a cost that could have been avoided entirely had they communicated properly from the start.
This entire experience reflected a serious lack of professionalism, poor communication, and a disregard for customer service. I left extremely dissatisfied and disappointed.
I will not be returning to Pep Boys Auto, store #1480, and I strongly advise others to take their business elsewhere.
