As I drove away from Pep Boys, I remembered that I needed to return a motor mount from Auto Zone, that we had purchased in February...
**When I went to Pepboys on June 5th, for the a/c, I also asked them to look into the rattling my car was doing. (A friend of ours had already fixed two, out of three, motor mounts on the car in February.) Well, Pepboys told me that the mount that hadn't been repaired yet needed to be repaired. So, I added that to the a/c repair. I paid over $500 for the repairs that day. When I went to drive my car, I noticed it was still rattling. I went back in and they told me I would have to go back the next day because the mechanics had already left for the night. I went back a day or two later and was told to go back later that afternoon because I needed to talk to the mechanic that had worked on my car, and he wasn't there yet. I went back later that day (and was then told that someone should have helped me when I went the first time, that morning. I should NOT have had to go back!). Then I was told that a different motor mount, one that our friend had replaced, needed to be replaced again. They told me it was a bad mount and was causing the rattling. I couldn't leave my car that night so I told them I would take my car back in, again, the next day, June 8th. I managed to keep my cool and stay positive that the rattling would finally stop. The mount was replaced and I paid right under $150. (the rattling did NOT go away and they told me that there was nothing more they could do. "sometimes cars just rattle..." Uh, the car is only an '03!) I asked for the old mount back so that I could return it back to Auto Zone, since it had only been on the car for a few months (and the car wasn't even being driven for most of that time)**
...So, as soon as I picked my car back up, I went straight to Auto Zone. Auto Zone, looked at the part that I was telling them needed to be returned because Pep Boys said it was faulty and needed to be replaced. The guy looked at me and told me that Pep Boys was wrong and that there was nothing wrong with the part. He looked carefully at all the parts that would be cracked IF it was actually a bad part. He showed me where the cracks would be and what do you know... the part was NOT bad in any way.
Without thinking, I asked if they would be able to return the part anyway because I had already paid for the repair at Pep Boys. Then they kindly knocked some sense into me! They told me that I should go back to Pep Boys and get my money back because I did NOT need to pay all that money for a repair that was not needed. Duh! Why didn't I think of that?! I immediately called Pep Boys and, of course, got the run around. The guy had the stupidity to tell me "well, if there's nothing wrong with the mount then Auto Zone should return it." I responded with "If there's nothing wrong with the mount then it NEVER should have been replaced and I should NOT have had to pay $143!". He asked me if I could go back to Pep Boys and speak to them in person because it was all "too confusing" to figure it out over the phone —and I'd need to speak with the service manager.
I called for backup... I called my parents. I know, I know, I'm almost 30 years old and I'm a big girl now. But they recently had similar issues with Pep Boys charging them for parts that were never replaced and they got there money back without a hassle (on two different work orders!! BAD Pep Boys!! All that happened AFTER I had already taken my car for repairs —or else I never would have trusted Pep Boys with my car.). So, they met me there just for "support" and reinforcements, if needed. ha!
When I walked in, the guy told me that nothing would be able to be done today because the service manager already left for the day. I flipped out because over the phone, he told me the service manager was out to lunch and would be back in 30 minutes, and I should go in person after 30 mins. He then tells me that when we were on the phone he didn't know that he had already left for the day —he really thought he had just left for lunch. (He could have had the decency to at least call me back when he found out. No, instead, he let me go all the way back for him to tell me to go in tomorrow? I think not!! I told him that something HAD to be done today because I was so tired of having to go another day to take care of things they have done. He then looks at the part and says that it is faulty and I should take it back to Auto Zone and get a refund. He also told me that they wouldn't know if it is a bad part because they don't "repair cars". Uh, really?! They wouldn't know if a part is good or bad even though that's what they look at alllll day long??! Seriously?! I then told the guy that Auto Zone will not take it back because there is nothing wrong with mount —it didn't need be be replaced like I was told by a Pep Boys mechanic. He said, "I'll be right back." and was gone for about 10 mins...
He returned with all my $143 and change in hand! (I was thinking "Oh! I thought you said you couldn't make a refund like that on your own??...") Then he tries to tell me that he needs my part, the one that they told me was bad; the one I had already paid for out of pocket. Or that they would need to take the one that they put on my car off. I told him that I didn't want them working on my car anymore and that the part that was in my hand was originally mine! He tried telling me that he needs to show a faulty part for the return. I told him that it wasn't my fault! "If your mechanic hadn't told me that I needed this repair we wouldn't be in this situation. This is my part. I paid for it and the one on my car is there because your mechanic wanted to charge me for something that didn't need to be done!" Then he tries to tell me that I should give him the part back because he is actually giving me more than what it's worth anyway... Is he really that stupid?!? ( I really don't like calling people stupid!! BUT seriously!!!) He really thinks he was doing me a favor?! I told him "You're not giving me any extra money! You are giving me exactly what I paid out of pocket for something that didn't need to be done! You're not giving me anything to cover my travel expenses or my time. So, I should get every single penny back, not just what I paid Auto Zone for this part!" He responded with "okay, I'm not going to argue with you over this." he put the part back in the box, handed it to me, made me sign the receipt for the refund, and I was out the door.
GEEEEEZ!!!!! What drama!! I wish I really could get reimbursed for all the gas and time I've spent dealing with the problems they have caused. Unfortunately, the a/c repair, I'm stuck with —even though my a/c still doesn't work properly. They say that what they repaired is not the current problem. So, I'm taking my car elsewhere and if I found out that Pep Boys did not fix what they say they did or that the parts they used were not new, I will be back for another refund!
On a good note: I now have some cash to put towards the a/c repair! :)
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