Pep Boys

I read the 50/50 reviews on Yelp/Google and decided to go for it. One of the biggest mistakes ever. I will simply post what I posted on PepBoys Facebook page which sums up everything:

I turned in my 2007 Mazda CX7 at your Streamwood/Barrington IL location last week because there was a slight burning smell coming from the air vents. After dropping off my car there, I received a call from your technician confirming that it was the AC Compressor that was dead and it was pulling a belt that was causing the smell. They said I have to change the compressor, need a tune up and a new battery, all in all about $1000. I told them to proceed if that fixes the issues.
When I went to pick up my car, it seems like nobody had really tested it. I started the car and turned on the heater and an even stronger burning smell was now coming from the vents. Also, before my car was pretty silent when you turned the fan on. Now it sounded like it's a helicopter under the hood waiting to take off. I went to the service area to address my concern because the original problem was still there just worse than before and now there was a new problem with the loud fan noise. (The fan is loud enough where if you stand outside the car with the windows and doors closed, you can still hear it very loud.) Their genius resolution to the burning smell was to spray air freshener in the air vents. I told them that this is not a fix to the issue but they did not know what was causing the noise or the burning smell. One of them asked me to drive it for a couple of days and see if the smell goes away. I was upset but I told them if this continues, I will bring it back.
Sure enough, the problem continued to exist. I took it back to your shop yesterday and spoke with Matt who immediately got defensive even when I explained that I am not saying the car was sabotaged but it could be a mistake made. I was trying to explain the issue in detail but all I was getting from him was a bad attitude. When I tried to explain the fan noise, he asked me "What does it sound like?" And I said "It's hard to explain, it sounds like a helicopter trying to take off?" and he continued to act if that was not a real answer and continued to ask "So again, what does it sound like?" When I offered for him to come out so I can have him confirm the smell or the noise, he said he did not need to. I aslo mentioned that my passenger side window was not working and I got a "Oh great now you're saying we broke your car."
Later, I got a call from the shop that this was something that would cost about $180 in labor and $380 in parts to fix. I asked them not to work on the car. Later that day I picked up my car and dropped it at the Mazda Dealership where it seems like I should have gotten the repairs done anyway.
I have since then disputed $700 out of the $1000 charge since ($300 was for battery and tune up) with my credit card. I refuse to pay to have my car put in a worst condition than what it was brought in as. I will be posting this on Yelp, Google Reviews, Yahoo reviews, http://YP.com, reddit, twitter and any other social media or forum sites I can find. I will also be going to small claims court with whatever the charge would be from the dealership to fix the issues PepBoys has caused. It's a shame. Back in the days my parents and cousins would take their car to PepBoys because the business was about professionalism and accurate diagnostics. They used to take responsibility for the work they do. I did not experience the same thing. After giving them an opportunity to fix it, I now have to look for more drastic methods of resolution.

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I went in to try to find a bulb, to replaced. This bulb is suppose to be light up the P,R,D and so on. The Sales manager frank, tried to look up on the computer, but no luck. THen frank, accompanied my me outside to the car. He talked with me how and how to unassemble the area, where the bulb was located. I was than able to install this bulb at the location in there p-lot, so i could see if would work. THe bulb frank told us, would work, and now this bulb lights up, work likes a charm. This is the type of customer service, I like. He took the time, since the computer didn't have a clear view of this area of the this specific component, he took the time and come out ot see where this issue was, and we really do appreciate this hand on service!! Know i feel more comfortable, that the car is safer to drive for my wife and I , I will return to this store for another things, I need as it comes available.

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