I've had my cars serviced at Pep Boys in Lakeside for a couple of years. I'm giving them a four-star rating primarily for customer service. During an oil change on my last car, the technician dropped a bolt and the car had to be taken apart to get to it. I was without the car for a couple of days due to their schedules and other issues. Fortunately, my neighbor was able to lend me her car. Accidents happen, and I give the technician the benefit of the doubt. I figure someone else might not have been honest about it and would have sent me on my way without retrieving the bolt. I've had other service there without any issues. I recently purchased an older used car to replace the last car. I expected that there would be some issues, but it was what I could afford at the time. After driving it for six months I heard knocking and took it in. They did some advanced diagnostics in order to try to save me some money on engine work, consulted their super-duper tech line for additional guidance, and felt very confident about the diagnosis. It was a correct diagnosis -- the problem was real. But, it was just one of "those" situations where one thing lead to another, then another... My car was in Pep Boys' possession for a month. But they did communicate with me every step of the way and I felt well informed. Due to various issues that weren't the shop's fault (holiday season, had to wait for a special tool, then waited for other parts) they had the car for two weeks. They did their best, but there was a problem putting Humpty Dumpty back together again. Ultimately, they had it towed to another shop to have a master tech deal with it. While it was there they discovered another issue that required machining and quite a bit of additional work that would require the car to be in the bay for another two weeks. The Lakeside shop stood by its original diagnosis, and I didn't have to pay more than the original estimate for the additional work. They also rented me a car for 15 days (I had borrowed a friend's car for the first two weeks). These guys lost a lot of money on this repair. It was just one of "those" situations. Even though everyone was frustrated, I was treated respectfully, politely, and I believe honestly. We even shared a couple of laughs throughout the adventure. Whether the second issue was a misdiagnosis or something that happened along the way, they "owned" it and did what it took to make it right. The car runs beautifully now and I am happy with the final outcome. I will continue to take my car to "The Boys" in Lakeside. read more

Not writing this review in anger. I use yelp to find good businesses. So I just want others to be aware. Today I took my car for a 1 PM for an air conditioning appointment. At 3 PM my service member returned my BMW and said they were not able to fix it because the buttons to turn on the air were not working . The 6 buttons were working when I took the car. And the car was blowing hot air. That's why I took it to begin with .Now the car is not blowing any air at all. They said they couldn't fix it and returned my car. Even my 10 year old daughter said the buttons were in working condition . I was not about to have an argument in front of my daughter. Did not argue nor mistreated any staff. So if you are a mom like myself and you're looking for reliable and honest service. I can't not recommend this business . They had the car for two hours and this was the result. read more

Pep Boys Auto - Auto Repair Near Me - Lakeside, California

Got my car fixed here. Had a problem with the engine and the car was having trouble speeding up. Now it runs perfectly, like the day I drove it off the lot! Bonus: it's so close I can drop the car off and walk home :) no waiting! read more

Meghan is awesome! Very friendly and knowledgeable about what products are best for my vehicle. Great job!

We got a plug installed on our leaky tire. They got done fairly quick. The staff was very friendly. The only reason we didn't give them a 5 was because they had this $5 charge just to reset the tire pressure sensor..which we could've done ourselves. I would definitely use their services again. read more

I took my 2002 Camry in for an oil change here. They told me that my water pump was loose and noisy. I hadn't heard any noise coming out of my car until AFTER they tinkered with it. Plus, the water pump and timing belt are linked so you have to actually deconstruct it to diagnose the problem. In any case, my car broke down less than 48 hours later and I was left on the side of the free way. CHUCK told me that it would be an 800 dollar repair. After complaining and some harsh words, he told me he would cover 300 of it as if it were chump change. Don't go to this Pep Boys, one of those "Got you coming and going" places. On my tow to Miramar Rd. (where my personal mechanic is 'Victors Automotive' check it out) the tow truck driver told me I was the THIRD unhappy customer getting TOWED out of this Pep Boys. Yuck... read more

All the employees are honest and great. I drive from Del Mar to come to this location because they are very quick and don't mess around with problems with the car. I will always come here because their lines are shorter and the staff act like they really enjoy their job compared to other locations where I can't even get the attention of the staff. Good Job boys! And thank you to Chris for the amazing customer service. 5 star all the way. read more

Pep Boys Auto - Very calm environment for small dogs - Auto Repair Near Me - Lakeside, California

This place is OK for general maintenance like oil changes and such but don't come here for any repairs. I was told that my cooling system needed its hoses replaced which wasn't the case at all. They said they'd have to order them and it would cost me hundreds of dollars for the parts and service. I went to Lakeside Radiator down the street and they fixed the real problem which was just the leaks by replacing the clamps, saving me hundreds of dollars I would've spent on unnecessary parts and service. I wouldn't recommend anyone come here again unless it's really basic auto maintenance and not repair. read more

Came in to drop off my car for needed oil change. Was told that they were " Booked for the day" WTF??? I regularly deal with Carlos who wasn't there. I WAS a regular customer there for many years, but after this poor customer service I will be taking my business elsewhere. Pretty say state when you can't even drop off your car for an oil change at a PepBoys read more

I had taken my VW Jetta for a scheduled oil change. After it was done, the lady at the front shows you what they did to the car such as rotate tires if need be etc. I was told the car needed new rear brakes. At the time did not have money to finish the job. I have a friend who is good with cars and thought maybe if I bought the brakes it would save me the money. As my friend is helping me out with this task, he notices that the wheel bearing hub where you insert the lug nuts had been stripped along with 3 of the lug nuts. One would think that maybe the mechanic would mention this right? Since they were the ones that rotated the tires. They did this to my car and let me drive away with my car in an unsafe state. Please do not reply saying you are sorry or any of that. Do not go here for any type of service!!! read more

Come. To. This. Pep. Boys. Seriously, hands down best customer service I've ever experienced. These guys go above and beyond any shop I've been to. They worked with me on prices and recommended an honest fix to the issue with my car. No up-sale, no cheating you out of your money. I had an awful experience with a different pep boys and I had my doubts but after today I'll make the extra drive to come out this way to get my car looked at by the guys here. They explained to me what was wrong and showed me the parts and explained what they'd do to fix it. They really do care about their customers and do their absolute best to work with you. They give military discounts and will make appointments for you so you don't have to wait. They treat you like family here and we all know it's rare to find people like that nowadays. Plus free coffee. read more

This pep boys is one of the best places I've taken my car in for repair. The customer service is outstanding led by Chuck. They provide military discount and the price is affordable. They offered customers beverage while waiting also. I recommend this place as they get the job done in a timely manner. read more

Pep Boys Auto - The best baskeball team ever assembled - Auto Repair Near Me - Lakeside, California

Bad experience! Husband took the car in with alternator issue. The lady at the front desk told him that they don't have the tester/machine today. How can your shop not have a tool that's meant to diagnose an auto issue?! She then sent us to O'Reilley's!! We didn't need a part... We needed service! Do not go there for your auto care! Wish that I can give a NO star review. read more

Signed up for an appointment last Wednesday at 0800. The appointment was confirmed and when I show up I was told the employee who does the oil changes will not be there for three hours. How is there only one individual that knows how to do an oil change. What is the point of making an appointment if you are not notified of these type of circumstances. So I went to Woodside Automotive which is a local shop and family owned that did the oil change for the same price pep boys would of done it with a 25 dollar off coupon. read more

I have never written a review on yelp before, but I decided I needed to here. I just moved to the area and I had scheduled an oil change a few days in advance and when I got there they said they did not have my appointment. They even insisted I may have called the Santee location. I looked at my phone and sure enough I did call this Lakeside one. Then they said they did have an appointment the following day for the same time but the person never showed up and they said they even called him. If that was my appointment, I never got a call. They said they can't get me in for another 2 hours. I can't wait that long or come back. I made my schedule around my appointment. There was nothing they could do. I wasn't happy with the customer service here. I will not be using this place for any service on my car, because how can I trust that they will keep my appointment. read more

Pep Boys Lakeside has a mega-professional staff and they are also compassionate. Carlos always works with the customer to help them in any way he can. read more

I take my car here when I need to get an oil change. Today I got back to my car to see my driver seat covered in oil. I'm a mellow person. I walked in, told them what happened, and one of the guys came out with a spray bottle and a rag to come clean the spots. It lifted the spots enough to not get all over my shirt before returning to work but my car seat is still totally stained. Poop happens, and I wasn't upset ....but if you can see the stains on my seat most of you would probably agree more should have been offered then a spray and a wipe with a rag cloth. It would have been nice if they would have offered to help me pay for the shampoo it's going to take for me to get that out of my seat. Other then that..my oil is changed. I'm just not going back again. read more

My check engine light came on and decided to take my vehicle to Pep boys lakeside.First I paid for a engine diagnostic,then they said it was electrical and recommended a electrical diagnostic Which I agreed to .So now my bill is over $300 and they haven't fixed anything.A full day later (next morning),they told me the main computer was no good and would cost $1500 -$2000 dollars to replace and they could replace the part which would cost around $1600 but could not program it,I would have to go somewhere else to have that done.Well I decided to take it somewhere else and it turned out to be a simple hose was loose and the mechanic reset computer for $100.Carlos at Pep Boys just wants to run up your bill and increase his stores sales.Dont trust him he will try to sell you services and parts you don't need.I finished going there! read more

I usually bring my car to Lakeside Pep Boys for oil changes and any other small maintenance, as it is practically across the street from where I live and a very convenient walk. There customer service is always friendly, especially Jesse. The only problem I've ever had with them before is telling me that they will try to get my car done by a certain time, and it took longer, though they have offered to give me a ride if I needed one. We had just been in a car accident a few weeks ago and I noticed that my tire was had a little damage, enough to worry me that it might explode sometime soon. The auto body shop that fixed the damage to my car would not replace the tire because they could not be sure it was a result of the accident. Once I got my car back from the auto body shop, I took my car to Pep Boys to get the tire changed. Within an hour I got a call that said that I need to get another tire changed because it had a nail in it, so I told them to go ahead and fix that one too. But then they told me that my front wheel bearings were bad (the right one more so than the left). It would cost me $197 per side + $400 for labor. I asked him if it was possible that the accident could have caused this. He said it was a good possibility. So then I told them that I would take it back to the auto body shop that originally fixed my car. He said that they could do the repairs, but I told them that the insurance company would probably want to go back to the shop that fixed my car. I brought my car back to that auto body shop, and all they had to do was tighten the bolts around the tires and align the little safety screws, which took less than 30 minutes and no charge! Couldn't Pep Boys at least look a little closer and come up with the same conclusion as the auto body shop did?! I mean, they are mechanics aren't they? They would have cost me almost $800 for a repair that wasn't even necessary!! UPDATE: Pep Boys has since called and apologized for the mistake, which I do appreciate. They said that they would have caught it when they took it apart and would have fixed it accordingly. read more

I was having a ton of trouble airing up my tires with a broken gas station air pump so I went to pep boys and they took my car right in and helped me so thoroughly! They not only checked all the pressures and aired them up to the correct pressure but they then lifted my car to look for any nails. They actually found a nail! Unfortunately they were out of patches but put on my spare for me and they'll patch the tire tomorrow when they get more in. But it's not just the regular work that makes this location so great. It's the fact that after a long day of frustration, they helped me and went above and beyond to find something before it became an actual problem. It's the fact that they did it with a smile and made me feel taken care of. It's the fact that they stayed 10 minutes past closing to finish helping me and didn't complain about it. It's the fact that they offered to keep my tire so it can be fixed before I arrive tomorrow so they I don't have to take much of my time there in the store. I'll go to any pep boys for car help but I'll keep going to this one for the peace of mind that someone cares when I feel alone and lost concerning car trouble. Meghan and her team today were awesome! Thank you all! read more

Chuck refused to help me with my battery warranty issue. Then he had the gall to call other pep boys and tell them not to help me

I had them align my truck because I replaced the upper control arms. The alignment was already good, I just needed them to adjust the camber angle. I got it back 4 hours later than they told me, and they left my upper control arms and lug nuts loose, and my alignment was way off. I will not be back for any reason, ever. read more

This is the only tire repair shop that I have been to that tells you to come back tomorrow to fix your flat. It's a flat..... Just warning people not to get a flat near the Pep boys Tire Center. read more

Superior service...I couldn't beat the professionalism by the supervisor there (Carlos? I'm not that great at remembering names ) Will go back if I'm ever in the area! read more

This is a much-needed update after my third, fourth, then fifth and final visit. So, i stopped coming to Pep Boys Lakeside with my boyfriend...he's busy, I'm busy, whatever a girl's gotta run some errands. Boy was that a mistake. I was ignored, talked down to, and got "darlin"-ed. I ended up having to walk out the last two times for lack of anyone veing interested in changing the oil... or offering me an appointment. I've now happily purchased two full sets if tires and a not-insignificant amount of money on various repairs with another big franchise auto shop. I even got tickets to a water park free with my tires. Pep boys can't hold up. read more

Ive been meaning to update this but have been busy. A few days after my post someone from corparate called and wanted to make things better for me. Im keen on second chances so I gave it to them. Jessie took good care of me. He met me at the door. I told him what was wrong and he said hell fix it and even gave me a ride home. They were able to swap out the plugs and replaced my light. Overall they did a good job. Ill probably take my car there onky for oil changes but nothing else. read more

I went in this morning, so my review is mostly for customer service. I thought Chuck was as nice and friendly as could be and was very helpful. The technician arrived after my scheduled appt at 8:00am, which is the only reason why I am giving it 4 stars. It made me a little late for work, but I guess that was my fault for assuming it would take exactly half an hour from the time I arrived. I'm a little concerned from what I read about people's car breaking down after being here, but I have my fingers crossed that that won't be an issue! read more

Great Service! Would definitely recommend coming here for an oil change. Jesse is awesome!

This is a small service center. No fancy store or glitzy displays. I have been taking my 56 Chevy and 86 Van to Chuck for years. I won't trust my cars to just anyone and as a woman look for a respectful mechanic who is knowledgeable about my cars and talks to me as an equal. Chuck really knows vintage cars and I've always gotten a honest diagnosis and quote. No trying the 'ol up-sale speech. The only down-side is that sometimes I've had to wait, even though I had an appointment, because a mechanic didn't show up on time. read more

I was concerned about bringing my vehicle to Pep Boys. I was afraid they were going to push additional services. Mario S. Was very professional and customer service oriented. His team only performed the services I've requested and did not push any other recommended services. I am extremely happy with the service I received at his location! We will come again! Thank you Pep Boys for restoring my trust in a service chain again. read more

I recently needed all 4 tires replaced. Chuck worked with me to get good tires on my limited budget. He was upfront on what needed to be done and called to keep me updated on my car's progress. No it wasn't done in an hour...but I would rather have it back correct than fast. They are a small shop but they seem honest and easy to talk to. read more

So I've been driving by this place for months now and never noticed it until Sunday when my car decided not to start. I assumed I needed a battery but I had a bad experience at a different Pep Boys about a year ago so, not a fan, but this place is right down the street from my house and it was Sunday so I didn't exactly have a ton of options. Anyway, I was amazed at the difference. Tom the store manager was very friendly with a good personality and he explained things really well so that I didn't feel like he was trying to wow me with technical talk. He personally checked my battery for me because his other guys were busy and he noticed one of my cables was loose and tightened it and then offered to charge up the battery for me. My battery was only a couple years old and he said that whoever installed it (my boyfriend) probably didn't get it tight enough and it came loose. Anyway, the car has started for me ever since. What struck me was that it was the first time I felt like an auto shop wasn't trying to rip me off or sell me something I didn't need, or talk down to me because I'm a woman. I went in there ready to buy a battery and left with my money and the feeling that they didn't want to cheat me. The shop was clean and organized, Tom was very professional and respectful and honest, no one "darlin'd me" like another reviewer claimed, and I will definitely be going back there for my services now. It proves to me that it isn't the name on the building that's important but who works inside it. read more

I walked in for a no appt oil change on a Saturday. Quickly completed, no hassle and on my way. Couldn't ask for more.

I made an appointment at PepBoys in Lakeside for an oil change they said it will take about an hour When i got there for my apointntment He said it would take an hour after the car was pull in and they were backup so it was going to be about 2 to 3 hours Why make an appointment if they are going to over book I was very upset an left Customer Services was awful read more

Never go here. Overcharged and bad customer service and bad communication with you. Went here a few days ago to have the alignment done in my truck. Price was fair but truck still pulls right a lot. Boyfriend went in today to have AC and power steering fluid leek eval done. After estimating about $150 for this they did not inform him they went ahead and fixed the AC only for $460. $330 in labor for AC and two evals!!! He declined the power steering leak fix based on the already large bill. After hearing of this I went in (being that it's my truck) and complained to the manager Dawn and mechanic on site. They did not offer remedy the situation, only say that it's my boyfriend's fault he did not argue about the price. After arguing for 30 mins Dawn and the mechanic both agreed to charge me for the two evals and the electrical part they could not restock and remove any fluids and other parts they installed, since apparently that was an option before going through with the original charge. So we agreed I would pay about $150. I go home and tell my boyfriend to bring the truck back and he goes there and tells me they only refunded him $50. Unbelievable! I had to call the store and talk to Dawn AGAIN and argue that was not what we agreed one. They refunded him the rest after the phone call. This is absurd. A waste of time, money, and the manager will continue to try to get one over you. So discusted by the service here. Will never go to another pep boys again. read more

Very disappointed. Exceptional, personal service from Carlos when I was spending a ton of $$$$, but he didn't even acknowledge me when I came back with an issue. Poor customer service. Wouldn't recommend and definently will never be back. read more

Who would have thought pulling into pep boys I would run into an old buddy who would take time out to look at my car, prioritize what needs to be done and fix the problems! Thank you so much Joshua Perkins for taking such good care of my baby and I will definitely be a lifetime customer! If anyone needs any car work done he's yours guy! Honest and trustworthy! read more

If you need anything talk to Dawn. I get great customer service from her and they steer you wrong.

I specifically went to this store because other Yelpers commented on their outstanding customer service. I found the exact opposite. I took my car in at 10am for a new set of tires and was told it would be take 3 hours. That seemed awfully slow; even CostCo is quicker than that! I didn't hear from them until 3 1/2 hours later, telling me it wasn't ready and needed alignment. I was then told that that would take an additional 1 1/2 hours. At 4pm I had to call them to find out if my car was ready. I'm single so I have to find a ride to drop/pick up my vehicle. They offered me discounts for the delay, but what I wanted was my tires replaced in a reasonable amount of time. Don't go to this store unless you can leave your car there for a VERY long time. read more

I bought a new battery from them. it died in two weeks. Took it back and got another one. It failed in one week. They​ are now refusing to refund and are blaming​ the car! They were asked to recharge the battery and they claim they have no docking device for recharging. Rude and arrogant they left us hanging. This is no place to do business​. read more