One thing my mother and I have both been needing is tires. I drive a 2004 Jeep Wrangler and the back two tires have been running on Fix A Flat for the past year or more. When I hit 50 mph the Jeep would start to shake uncontrollably. My mother has needed new front tires on her Kia Optima as well. So we figured we could both handle $200 or so per vehicle to take care of that while we could.
I went to WalMart. I usually go there for my car care stuff. They are pretty quick and usually do a good job. I had been before to get a new battery. The battery I had had corroded the terminals. The guy who replaced it cut out the old terminals and installed new ones at no cost. So I trust those guys. I just needed back tires and they had Goodyear Wrangler radials for like $85 each. There were minor additional costs but I walked out in less than an hour with two new brand name tires on my Jeep for like $210. No muss and no fuss.
The engine light has been on on my Jeep for a few weeks and my Mom told me that Pep Boys had an ad that they would check engine on lights for free. Turns out it's my catalytic convertor which I can't afford to fix right now. But she thought it was a nice gesture so, hating WalMart as she does, she went to Pep Boys for her tires. As you can see in the screen grab above they have a deal for buy three get the fourth free on some off-brand tires. They talked my Mom into this deal after telling her it would be about $85 a tire.
Let's forget that we're comparing freaking off-road capable, brand name, radial truck tires at WalMart with off-brand, small passenger car tires for the same price. Over an hour later when they're done putting them on they give my mother the bill. It's over $500. I'll let go the fact that she could have gotten four tires installed and probably a brand name at WalMart for around $250.
Here's the small print on that Pep Boys deal which they neglected to fill my Mom in on before installation:
Offer requires purchase of tire installation package which includes, road hazard warranty, valve stems or TPMS reseal kit and balancing.
So say what you want about WalMart but you know what you're getting when you go there. Their automotive department has never tried to rip me off. In fact they've given me added value just about every time I've been. The $85 price at WalMart meant $85. The $85 at Pep Boys literally meant almost twice that in real terms. Seriously, how is that not criminal?
Places like Pep Boys are just waiting to get you in the door so they can rob you blind. Especially if you're a 69 year old lady who really doesn't expect to be ripped off at every turn and trusts people to be ethical.
And many automotive repair, tire, brake, oil change and tune up places are like this. Not WalMart. This blog won't be the only action we try to take against Pep Boys. The Better Business Bureau and State of Alabama Consumer Complaint Division will be contacted as well for what that's worth. But I would like everyone who reads this post to please forward and repost it.
Our society shouldn't be one of buyer beware. Businesses should be held to ethical standards and those who don't uphold those standards should be punished accordingly. I know that's called regulation and it's a bad word to some out there but it's the right thing to do.
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