Not sure what Pep boys is up to

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We have 3 pep boys in my area. 2 are normal stores and the other is a tire and oil change only shop. They are making one of the store a tire and lube only place.

Leaving only 1 store a retail store with the auto repair shop.

Now it gets weirder. They have raised the labor rate @ all 3 stores up to $164/hr. The area I live in can't support that kind of pricing! Most shops are between $80 and $100.
 
Family member on a Sunday the other week had a nail in her tire, so we ran to Pep Boys to get it patched (I've never really shopped there or had work done). It's also becoming a service only location, everything inside was being clearanced.

That is crazy prices though, even for California.

Edit: Forgot to mention they turned us down, said they were too busy (90 minutes until they closed). In the 10+ bays, they only had an Amazon Sprinter van in there that wasn't being worked on.
 
Clearly the retail side is losing money, so keep the shop open and why not jack the rates up! PepBoys is a horribly run company.
 
Originally Posted by Chris142
Most shops are between $80 and $100.

I'm just as shocked at those rates for California !
 
I saw here recently a post saying all Pep Boys were going to service only facalities (I think with online ordering and in store pickup available still?).

I have not been in a Pep Boys in over 2 years (maybe more) just looking for clearance oil somebody posted they may have, and the store was deserted then except for the service area, which was actually quite busy.
 
I went to a local tire place.. wanted them to plug an easy center of tread nail..

"too busy we are Come back in 4 hours"

They had 1 tech sitting there and a counter guy and all the bays (3) were empty.

So I drove the 10min home and plugged it in 5min. and drove the 10min back (was going somewhere in opposite direction from home)

It was literally a 3min job.. and yes this place does use regular string plugs. I had 3 plugged at their other location in the last 5 years.
Guess where I'm not considering to buy tires from (had purchased from them in the past)
 
Originally Posted by blupupher
I saw here recently a post saying all Pep Boys were going to service only facalities (I think with online ordering and in store pickup available still?).

I have not been in a Pep Boys in over 2 years (maybe more) just looking for clearance oil somebody posted they may have, and the store was deserted then except for the service area, which was actually quite busy.




I get that impression as well. Frankly the auto parts store sector was crowded so consolidation or closing or in this case a different business was inevitable. I think this has been the plan since Icahn took over. He deals in troubled businesses like this.
 
I made some calls. I called and acted like a customer asking for a price to put a water pump on my jeep. Firestone is also $160/ hr. When I asked if they had a cash discount he immediatley threw the financing at me.

They are pushing the financing hoping people bite.
 
There are all sort of niches and clientale who may go. The thought of going to any chain for auto repair want to my skin crawl. They just want to bleed money out of people hoping they will say yes to something.

Firestone , National Tired Batteries and some local incompetent jokers like VIP auto ruined me. I don't care how cheap tires or install can be, they screw it up and offer unnecessary repairs
 
Originally Posted by skyactiv
$164 an hour!? Is it some weird California deal where the mechanics are union and have a pension?

Very average number for CA, at least Northern CA. In the last few months a few local dealers have raised their rates, and breaking the $200/hr mark is not uncommon now.
 
Originally Posted by Chris142
I made some calls. I called and acted like a customer asking for a price to put a water pump on my jeep. Firestone is also $160/ hr. When I asked if they had a cash discount he immediatley threw the financing at me.

They are pushing the financing hoping people bite.

...Financing for a water pump?
 
Originally Posted by Nick1994
Originally Posted by Chris142
I made some calls. I called and acted like a customer asking for a price to put a water pump on my jeep. Firestone is also $160/ hr. When I asked if they had a cash discount he immediatley threw the financing at me.

They are pushing the financing hoping people bite.

...Financing for a water pump?

Quoted $475! It calls for 1.8 hrs and a new pump is what? $50? Plus their markup?
 
Originally Posted by The Critic
Originally Posted by skyactiv
$164 an hour!? Is it some weird California deal where the mechanics are union and have a pension?

Very average number for CA, at least Northern CA. In the last few months a few local dealers have raised their rates, and breaking the $200/hr mark is not uncommon now.

Real high for my area. We all broke!
 
Originally Posted by Chris142
We have 3 pep boys in my area. 2 are normal stores and the other is a tire and oil change only shop. They are making one of the store a tire and lube only place.

Leaving only 1 store a retail store with the auto repair shop.

Now it gets weirder. They have raised the labor rate @ all 3 stores up to $164/hr. The area I live in can't support that kind of pricing! Most shops are between $80 and $100.


I would only go to Pep Boys if they were 50% less than other shops.
Come to think of it, I probably would not go to PepBoys even if they were free labor.
 
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I've shopped at PepBoys maybe twice. I took advantage of their Black Friday Sale and got an H9 AGM battery for 35% off in Nov.
 
PB used to be a starter shop, for just out of school techs.
$9-$23Per Hour (Glassdoor est.) for mechanic in Long Beach, CA.
 
Originally Posted by NormanBuntz
By the time Carl Icahn finishes stripping anything he can from Pep Boys, there will be nothing left but the bones.


That name brings up bad memories

Remember what he did to TWA? Remember what he tried to do to U.S Steel? [censored], he even did damage at Motorola.

Start the death watch for Manny, Moe, and Jack, but maybe I'm biased

Pepboys for me has always been severely overpriced, and underwhelming in delivery

Also, at least here in the Northeast, they aren't an institution like they are in maybe California?

We have AutoZone, Advance Auto, some Napa's left

Last time I patronized them, was for clearance $1 quart Valvoline NextGen

lol.gif
 
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