I'm a f--king moron/Don't go to Pep Boy's

[Anderson]

You think with a task as simple as balancing tires, you'd be able to come out of that damn place unscathed.
I knew I shouldn't go there, but I'm poor (and apparently a retard) and they're cheap so I did it anyway. The guy who did the work came and told me how cool he thought my car was, he's got a '64 Chevy truck out in the paring lot. Seems like an ok guy, I'm sure he knows what he's doing. HA!!!!!

All's done, paid for. I go to the car, get out the socket and breaker bar just to be sure. The front lug nuts were on WAY to tight, but they all came off and went back on alright. I pray to god they didn't crack the rotors. Then to the back...yup, WAY to tight again....and onto the third lug nut....fuckin snapped. God damn cocksuckers. Have a look around....another one on the same wheel looks far from straight and I'm not even gonna try it. Got the others on that side off and on, and the other side rear off and on.

Long story short the fuckin powers that be at Pep Boys are willing to replace the studs for free, or reimburse me for another places parts+labor. Of course every other place is far more expensive than Canny Hoe and Hack, so I'm getting them replaced in the morning. And I'll be short two bullet lugnuts...I knew I should have bought extras. Fucking cocksuckers. Wish me luck.

[Scotch]

I hear ya. Everytime I have to go to any of the national parts chains to get something, I go in with a part number, the old part, and more patience than I feel I am capable of.

I hate the "What year is it?" question...I always answer with "Which part of the car are you asking about?"

I just need to take control of the situation, spin the computer screen around, and find what i'm looking for myself.

With regard to "service"...sometimes you find a guy there who knows what he's doing, but they rarely last long in there. For mounting/balancing, I've worked with many local shops and have a couple favorites who get it done right the first time for a fair price, and they are all at "independent" shops. many of them work with oddball stuff and racing wheels all the time, so they are good at it.

I gotta say though..It's pretty cool of them at Pep Boys to step up and replace the stuff they screwed up..it sounds like they were "done" with you and you went out and loosened what they'd tightened. Normally, that'd mean you screwed it up in their opinion, and you'd be on your own.At least they're trying to make it "better" if not "right"..

I still feel for ya though.

Did you ask your hot rod pals who did theirs? That's how I found my best connects out here..

...amazingly, none of my pals ever said "Pep Boys"...LOL..

Scotch~!

[Gotgas]

It is a little irritating to get asked what engine is in the car when you're there for a set of brake pads. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

[Anderson]

I don't have any hot rod friends around here. And I knew from the beginning I shouldn't have stepped foot in the place, but like I said they're cheaper than other places.

[ QUOTE ]
it sounds like they were "done" with you and you went out and loosened what they'd tightened.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats exactly what I did, to check their work. I doubt they could argue I caused the problem, using a breaker bar and my own strength which aint close to an air gun.

I'm glad they're gonna fix it, but I'm still pissed it happened in the first place. When I came back in, the manager tried to tell me that they use a torque wrench on every car. Which is bullshit since I watched them the whole time and it was nothing but air guns.

[krupanut]

Morons with an impact wrench.

It always pisses me off to see em' hitting the lug with impact wrench for thirty seconds past snug and then get out a torque wrench and check it at 100ft. pounds.

Duh! Of course it clicks Einstein you've got it tightened to 200ft. pounds all ready!
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

I won't let them(any chain tire shop) take a wheel off any more.
I pull it myself and take it to them.

[hankcash]

[Flexicoker]

what the hell is growing off of your chin?!? its like a rain forest!

[Mass Butcher]

I'll always remember at the Pep Boys in El Paso, TX. I was sitting in my car while my buddy ran in for some oil. The "mechanic" came out to the parking lot and was gonna jump start this little old mans car. He pulls a shop truck up and hooks up the cables. Sparks are flying when he connects them to begin with. Now he walks around and starts his truck. Meanwhile smoke is billowing out of the battery. He then runs over grabs the cables to yank them off the battery, burns his hand. The little old man is just looking on in horror, and all I could do is sit paralyzed with laughter.
And that is why I don't go to pep boys. Plus there are'nt many up here in new england.

[Smokin Joe]

You know that switch that won't let the car start unless the clutch is pushed in on the newer cars? My neice gave Checkers the whole bit about the car, make, model, engine, air freshener fragrance, favorite radio station on button one, etc. They said sure that had one in stock. Turned out to be some air conditioner switch when she got down there. That was Thursday. She called Autozone and they said they'd have one in by tomorrow. Tomorrow is Wednesday. She had to pay for it before they'd order it in. I give them a 50/50 chance of having the right switch come in. Hell, I probably could have e-bay'd one that fast.

[IntrstlarOvrdrve]

HRm, I have always had bad luck with them..they stripped the bolts on my vw, left a valve seat in the tire for an old car of mine (tore up the inside of the tire BAD) and most recently bent the rim for my van http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

[JimC]

HRm, I have always had bad luck with them..they stripped the bolts on my vw, left a valve seat in the tire for an old car of mine (tore up the inside of the tire BAD) and most recently bent the rim for my van

And, you keep going back? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Hot Rod To Hell]

I guess I get lucky with that stuff. There's a Kan Rock about 1/2 mile from my house, and A high school friend of mine is the manager. I've been there MANY times, and they use torque sticks for EVERYTHING (AND check em with a wrench!), There's also a HUGE circle track crew around here, and Kan Rock does all of their tires, so I trust 'em with my slicks and stuff...

[InPrimer]

Check this out, friend of mine says that he went to Pep Boys for a battery and while there, noticed he had no brake lights.Its a 64 Falcon, so they took out the 1157's looked under the dash etc could nor find it, also checked(?) the fuses....So we are in a parking lot and I asked him to pop the hood took 2 seconds to see the wire had fallen off brake press switch. Couldnt believe that these "certified" mech didnt know it, no big deal, makes me wonder what they are taught.

[Anderson]

HC...come on now...

http://c.myspace.com/00019/42/77/19287724_l.jpg


The PB guy told me he didn't know if they had the right studs in stock and couldn't even look them up (their computers didn't go back that far...). "We'll have to take one out to see." So just to be sure, I wanted to get them myself. Got on the Autozone website and got the part number, it even told me what number drawer they'd be in.

Took that to the store and gave it to the girl at the counter...and she STILL had to look it up. Surprisingly enough, they didn't need to know what size the engine was, or how many dead bodies were in the trunk! Wow!

[porknbeaner]

I got some extra bullet lugs 1/2" if it'll help.
I been a moron more than once. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[Smokin Joe]

Speaking of Morons, Who came up with the idea of packing chrome lug nuts 4 to a package! Actually smart when you think about it. For the seller that is...
need 5 for 1 wheel, buy 2 packs and have 3 spares
need 10 for 2 wheels, you have to buy 3 packs, 2 spares
need 15 for 3 wheels, you have to buy 4 packs, 1 spare
need 20 for all 4 wheels, it finally comes out right but STILL takes an extra pack. And no self respecting parts store ever carries more than 2 of anything in stock at any time so you get to go to the OTHER store across town to get to 4 packs. That STILL leaves you 1 pack short if you want all 4 wheels to match so you get on the freeway to the next town for that 5th pack or wait till they order more in!
Marketing BASTARDS ought to be shot.

[Anderson]

Thanks a lot for a offer PorkNBeaner!, but they're 7/16.

[ThunderRocket]

Thats my last stop in Denton. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Last time i was in there it looked more like Harbor Freight.

We need to find a good shop to do tires in Didn't.
I used to use Gregg at 377 tire. A good guy, too good iguess cause hes out of business. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

If you find a good shop PM me, I have a bunch i need to get mounted.

Stevan

[Revhead]

I get crap for using a dremel to cut springs, and you take your car to Manny, Moe, and Jackass? Seriously, don't let them off the hook until it is right. I got fireturd tires put on at Discount and they scratched the wheels with the balancer. I took it back once and they said if you can wait we will polish out the scratches. Well they are machined/clearcoated wheels so I knew it wouldn't look right and I told them to forget it. Now I regret it and wish I had made them fix 'em or replace them or something.

[Slag Kustom]

any time i have been away and needed work done i watch them do it. i blew a tire in pa some where and had a chain store put a new one on the rim and install it. guy used the wrong size socket and nicked the chrome lug nuts. after i got done bitching like a chick i got the tire and labor almost for free.

[Elrusto]

[ QUOTE ]
I get crap for using a dremel to cut springs...............

[/ QUOTE ] http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

DAAAAHAAAMN IT MAN!!!
How long did that take?

I've been through the Schlep Boys scenario before. We're runnin' out of alternatives!!

[deuce]

joe, in JAPAN where the crappy chrome lug nuts come from cars only have four lugs. makes perfect sense to them.

[james]

As for asking what the engine size is for brakes, plenty of newer cars use different brake setups depending on engine size, so it's a legit question.

[geno_86ed]

Never been to a Pep Boys, but I had a wonderful experience at Walmart after Viva LasVegas.

Blew out a bias ply on the way down, and had to run my spare to get to VLV. Got too drunk and too lazy to go and get a new tire on Friday, or Saturday. So on Easter Sunday I find that Walmart is about the only place open that sells tires.

I tell the girl at the counter that I need a G78-15 bias ply mounted on my spare... que the "what the fuck is that look" from the girl. I asked her, "Do you know what a G78-15 bias ply tire is?" All I got back from her was, what year car, color, ect. So I start to loose my patience a little because a person working the tire counter should have a little knowledge about what she is selling, not just read what the screen tells her.

So after I give her my cars information she looks confused when I again tell her what size tire I need. So now I get a little angry as I try to describe the difference between a radial and bias, and how tires sizes were before metric sizes were all the rage. Then my buddies has a great idea, and asks her if they sell trailer tires?

What year trailer do you need them for?? Oh I could have killed her. So after about one and a half hours from when I went into Walmart I left with a mis sized radial, just incase I got a blowout.

I just wonder what it feels like to be so fucking stupid it hurts.

Geno

[67Imp.Wagon]

Here's a tire balance story for yopu from just last week.

Took the wifes 2003 Tahoe to the dealership(under warranty) cause something happened to the battery. I neded to take it anyway cause there was some play in the end of the steering column that requires an updated part and readjustment to fix a banging noise up there. They call me to let me know they found the problems and when driving it he said the tires were a little noisy and it pulled right just a little.

We would like to rotate and balance the tires for you.
I said O.K.

He says that will be $152.50.

I say for what.(cause all the broken stuff is under warranty)

For the rotate and balance.

I don't think so.Must be some special GM balance they do.
I wonder how many people they sucker with that one.

I think I can get 2 front tires with lifetime balance at discount for that.

I got my free work done and left happy.

[ray]

i went to pep boys for the first time on sunday, after all the usual sunday stops couldn't find wheel studs for a 63 riviera in the computer, go figure. i walked in, and it shocked me, the counter boy actually took my old studs in back, and emerged five minutes later with...the correct replacements! A-fucking-mazing! actually one was a "close match" that i figured would work, got it home and it was actually "more correct" than the ones that were in there.

i had to replace the left hand studs that somebody felt needed to be installed, so i can bolt up proper wheels. the real kicker is the left handed studs were on the left side of the car, if i recall correctly any cars that had left hand wheel studs had em on the RIGHT side.

i should be too young to already remember the "good ol days" when the parts guys could fetch common american car parts by memory. even NAPA sucks now.

[Bass]

Funny that a story about incompetence at a Denton tire store comes up...Just last Tuesday I went into Denton to get a couple of tires mounted on some steel wheels that I had just painted for my late model pickup.

I went to LA Tire off of Locust because I had a tire mounted there before and it went OK. Well, they get done mounting them and are about to balance them when I look down at the wheel closest to me and the center is bent all to shit. It's bent so bad the paint has pulled off of the wheel...It would be next to impossible to straighten. (A different tire guy told me that when they were dismounting the old tire they must have caught the lip of the rim rather than the tire, and that's how it bent)

Now those of you that know me, probably know that I don't get mad very easily. So I ask the Mexican fellow that appears to be in charge what the fuck he's going to do about the wheel he just bent? He looks at his mistake...discusses (in Spanish) the issue with the other tire changer (that didn't habla any English)...and proceeds to tell me that there's no way they could have bent the wheel on their machine, and it must have been bent when I brought it in.

This is where I come unglued....and it doesn't happen very often, so when it does it's not a pretty sight. I'm easily twice as big as any of the three Mexicans working there, so I could tell they were starting to get a little worried as I was yelling in the face of the guy in charge. After about 5 minutes of arguing with the bastards I decided to just take my wheels and leave before I beat one of them to death. So now not only do I have a useless wheel to go on the scrap pile, I also have to repaint another one and find another tire store.

I think I'm going to throw the bent wheel through their window the next time I drive by there.

[Anderson]

I hope the mechanic who gets to work on my car knows what he's doing. It's pretty straight foward but I doubt their repair manuals go back to 1964. It SUCKS ASS being "away" at school. At home are plenty of tools, and a press. I wonder if they'd let me in the garage to do it myself. I won't be taking an eye off my car.

On a good note, my car doesn't vibrate at 60 mph now! I guess they at least got the balance right.

Cocksuckers.

Give me the wheel Bass, I'll make sure they get it...

[Revhead]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I get crap for using a dremel to cut springs...............

[/ QUOTE ] http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

DAAAAHAAAMN IT MAN!!!
How long did that take?



[/ QUOTE ]

Well it took a while to do both fronts on the '49. I had no other alternatives. I don't have an air compressor.....yet

[Mojo]

I called pep boys once looking for a rebuild kit for a holley carb. I had the list number, size, everything. The dumbass on the phone says he can't find it on the computer unless I have a car make and year, he'd have to look it up in the book, and things are really busy right now and he doesn't have time. They have time to sell neon license plate holders, but not a $30 carb rebuild kit?

BTW, I later called a independent shop, and they new what I was talking about, and actually had it in stock. I'll support them from now on, just based on that one sell.

[Cadillacin Marcus]

there are idiots everywhere...but most usually big chains like pepboys hire,what we used to call in the parts biz,"The Handicap" they hire anyone who knows thier first name!You need to stick with your local one man or family owned shops...

[burndup]

"Just like in China, BRO!"

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34542

[Cadillacin Marcus]

Damn i want wanna those!!!! Your still a dick Burndup http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[RocketDaemon]

i hearya, that buggs me aswell, its the same overhere in most car part stores... well ok if you run an 6banged nova with 4 bolts or something , but i rather have one spare or well they could sell them in 2 packs instead that would sure help the 4x4 or 5x4 math...

[ QUOTE ]
Speaking of Morons, Who came up with the idea of packing chrome lug nuts 4 to a package! Actually smart when you think about it. For the seller that is...
need 5 for 1 wheel, buy 2 packs and have 3 spares
need 10 for 2 wheels, you have to buy 3 packs, 2 spares
need 15 for 3 wheels, you have to buy 4 packs, 1 spare
need 20 for all 4 wheels, it finally comes out right but STILL takes an extra pack. And no self respecting parts store ever carries more than 2 of anything in stock at any time so you get to go to the OTHER store across town to get to 4 packs. That STILL leaves you 1 pack short if you want all 4 wheels to match so you get on the freeway to the next town for that 5th pack or wait till they order more in!
Marketing BASTARDS ought to be shot.

[/ QUOTE ]

[mybeatupford]

yeah i only go to pep boys to buy parts, but sometimes they dont even know what the hell i'm talkin about. but when i got my wide whites put on by this one tire shop they did use a torque wrench instead of a air gun and it surpised me

[Deuce Rails]

You know what I like about Pep Boys?

The beef jerky by the checkout counter.

That's it.

[Rocky]

It ain't just Pep Boys and walmart. I took the loose front wheels and tires from my old sedan delivery to a busy Firestone store here in Omaha. I asked 'em to mount and balance them....nuthin big or complicated. When I left, the dude was breaking in a new guy on the tire balancer. The day before I was to start out on one of my famous "runs to the sea" with the delivery, I picked the wheels and tires up and took 'em home. Bolted them up and loaded the car that evening. I took off the next morning and I gotta drive about 15 miles of slow-going before I hit the interstate. The car felt good 'till I hit the interstate. That mo-fo shook like a dog shittin razor blades! I gave a fleeting thought to go back and have them re-balance the front wheels but I figured if they fucked it up the first time, they might do it again. I continued on, making a mental note to have the wheels balanced at the next gas stop..That was at Omaha.
I hit every tire shop [on I-80 westbound] and gas station on gas stops and couldn't find anyone who could balance aluminum wheels [ancient american torque thrusts] or anyone who carried the stick-on weights. It wasn't 'till I hit Wendover that I came across a kid at the gas station who was able to balance these damn wheels.
I gave a lotta thought about what to tell those inept bastiges at Omaha Firestone but the more I thought about it, the more pissed I got. I made a command desision to stay the hell away from that store and take my frustration out on them with my checkbook. Didn't work.
When I finally got back home, I went down there and all the people that had "helped" me were no longer working there! Nobody to take my anger out on. I'm still pissed about having to keep my speed below 65 all the way to Wendover for fear of shaking my car apart. assholes........

[TooMany2count]

[ QUOTE ]
You know what I like about Pep Boys?

The beef jerky by the checkout counter.

That's it.

[/ QUOTE ]

are ya sure its "BEEF" http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.giflol..........joe

[CruZer]

We had one in Pittsfield,Ma. for about a year.... it went out of business. I never heard a good word said about their service but I liked wandering thru the store and looking at the goodies.

[Anderson]

They "took care of everything" and I go to the car and they replaced one. The bent lug is still there. I'm not even gonna fuck with it anymore...I'll take it home and fix it myself.

There was this lady there when I was checking out...apparently Pep Boys royally fucked up her car, and she took it to the dealership where it was properly fixed. Pep boys was gonna reimburse her for most of it.

It seems like they'd be trying to do shit right in the first place instead of screwing it up, and having to reimburse the customer when they take it somewhere where they'll fix it right. I can't believe they're in business like that....I guess if you sell enough NOS systems and body kits you can get away with that.

[luketrash]

Once I had some work done on an old Volvo I have, and it was pretty painful to watch the show go down. I had new tires put on 4 aluminum rims..

First off, they didn't have any metric impact sockets, so he used a hammer to pound on the closest SAE fit, and I was like "Holy shit Zeke! I'll drive home and GET you a socket that fits.. quit fucking up the chrome lug nuts"

So anyway, he says "nah, that's OK, I'll do it by hand" and grabbed a 4 way.

So I manage to get lost in a magazine article and look up just long enough to see this 200 lb retard JUMPING on the 4 way to 'tighten the lugs good and tight'

I tell him my brake rotors better not be warped, or they're fixing em..

Then he tells me all done, and I can't wait to get home and retorque the damn thigns.. I get home and check everything out:

-two wheels were all scratched up
-one lug nut was destroyed
-front driver's wheel had been finger tightened on.. I guess he forgot to do it
-the other 3 tires were torqued to 180 ft/lb or more.

Thank god for Swedish steel.. I got it all settled and the rotors werne't warped.

But jesus christ, that dude did the stuff FOR A LIVING...

anyway, just figured I'd toss in my rant.. This was at an Amoco station here in my city.

[62fairlane]

well I used to work at sams club in the tire shop. worked at two different clubs. the first club was in a more rural area of the state and mostly car guys worked there (me, aaron with a bagged s10, jon with his 69 camaro...few others too) anyways we always used torque sticks to tighten lugs but kept the guns turned down so they would only tighten at about 75% then a final torque was done by hand and double checked (this was company policy)

when I transfered up to a club in a larger city I was the only car guy there (and the only one that could drive stick) torque sticks were still used but at full power and the torque wrench just used to varify the impact. wlamart being a sister company carry's the same policy for mounting a wheel on a car (oh and anti seize is to be used on all studs)

only prob you would prob have is that walmart will no longer let my car in their shop as I have modified suspension and aftermarket studs/spacers. mainly they try to avoid the customized stuff since a screw up will cost them much more to repair.

[flt-blk]

[ QUOTE ]
Now those of you that know me, probably know that I
don't get mad very easily. So I ask the Mexican fellow
that appears to be in charge what the fuck he's going to do
about the wheel he just bent?

This is where I come unglued....and it doesn't happen very
often, so when it does it's not a pretty sight.

[/ QUOTE ]

Damn Bass, You don't even rant on the computer very often
The little bastards are lucky to still have heads. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

If you leave them the wheel, are you going to leave the
cracked paint so they know where it came from? Only if you
paid with cash though.

I have had good luck with Discount until latley, but I drop off the wheels only, instead of the car.
TZ

[lilbill]

[ QUOTE ]
there are idiots everywhere...but most usually big chains like pepboys hire,what we used to call in the parts biz,"The Handicap" they hire anyone who knows thier first name!You need to stick with your local one man or family owned shops...

[/ QUOTE ]

AMEN. i worked as a dealership mechanic (cars and bikes) and later as an independent for 30 years till i "retired" last year because of heart problems. the world of auto parts sales and auto repair has changed drasticly over the years just like everything else. it's the "wal-mart" syndrome. everyone wants the cheapest price they can get and that means that quality and service go out the window. also most kids these days aren't interested in cars the way we were at that age so there's no "entry level" talent available, just warm bodies looking to make as much money as they can with the least amount of effort.
so "support your local independent" even if it costs a few bucks more or ALL you'll have left is the chain stores and their drones.

[OldsRanch]

Regarding the "lug nuts in packs of 4" shit, its not that complicated. They assume that you're gonna buy 4 sets of 4 lug nuts, and one 4-pack of locking lug nuts.

[Smokin Joe]

Reminds me of the old Hot Dogs & Buns thing. Hot dogs are 8 in a package. Why aren't there 8 buns in a package?

Last time I had tires put on good wheels, I asked the boss at the tire store who had the best wheels among his workers. I pulled in to the bay and the kid says we'll get right on it. Have a seat in the waiting room. I pulled a BFH out of the trunk and grinned at the guy. "I hate waiting rooms, I'll be waiting outside by your car!" http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
"May take a little bit longer" says the kid. "But, I'll do your wheels personally."

He did a good job. I think everyone in the shop was hoping he's screw up! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[ThunderRocket]

That will be worth a shot. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif