My boyfriend took his car here and I went with him. He needed to get a break inspection but he knew they would have to replace some break parts because he is familiar with cars. When we walked in one of the employees walked in the waiting room talking about how he got hammered the night before and went to bed at 3am. They open at like 8. Hmm. Well we made an appt online and when we got there they told us the whole process should be done in an hour max and they would call to let us know what he needed. After an hour and a half we called because we had not heard anything and they had not even started on his car! They quoted him all this stuff on top to try to get him to spend 3 times what was necessary. He only went in for breaks and we told them we didn't need anything else. Another 2 hours and we had to call AGAIN and they said "oh great timing we are just finishing your paperwork". Right.. When we finally got there they said they couldn't fulfill the full service because of a part they didnt have but then they didnt remove it from the cost. Luckily we double checked the itemized summary BEFORE we paid. So after almost 4 hours we got a half fast job done. Would NOT recommend this place to anyone. read more

I have kept coming to pep boys Encinitas for several years now solely for convenience. Time after time I have found that if I go a bit further, I can get better service, better quality, and better deals. After I knew that a charging cable for an electric car we had went missing (I KNOW it was there) from our car after a service at this pep boys--and after my anger passed--I thought I'd just take out valuables from then on. Luckily it was for a special lease and the auto dealer didn't need that cable back. I won't go over the previous bad experiences (in fairness there have been a few good ones, Grant is a real nice guy), but this time around was the last straw. I took my car in Monday morning without an appointment and I knew it would be a while. I didn't need the car, so I said I could leave it all day (for a SIMPLE oil change and air filter replacement--c'mon now, give me a break!!), and I was told it would be done by the end of the day--NEVER "we won't get to it". I got there a few minutes before closing and they hadn't gotten to it! The guy was embarrassed (because it really was embarrassing for pep boys--I knew it was due to their carelessness and they didn't even call me) and said it would be "the first car they get to tomorrow morning and will be done by 830"..I guess he meant at NIGHT. Of course it wasn't ready at 830am and I had to wait for a WHILE. No apologies. The guy (not Grant) said "you want to leave it or come later" with that "can you get on with it so I can keep doing what I was doing before you rudely interrupted me" attitude. I guess if you're in a real bind, you have pep boys. I'm done with them. From now on I will be faithful to Moonlight Motors!!!!!! read more

I went in to Pep Boys last week to find screws to attach my license plate frame and plate to my Acura. This was far more complicated that it might seem, but I had excellent help from Mo. Mo tried several combinations of attachments and really spent a lot of time getting this problem solved for me. Thanks so much, Mo! read more

Rediculous! I drop off my car the night before for an oil change and was told it would be done the next morning/afternoon. I call the next morning to see how far along my car was and they said there wwere only 3 cars ahead and it should be done around noon. I call again at 1pm, wondering when it will be done and they say probably not till 4pm!! For an OIL CHANGE. And then I get a call at 7pm when Im at work saying it won't be dome till tomorrow. I called back and said forget about it--and no apology for the long wait. I went to a Ferguson's down the street and it was done during my lunch hour. Never going back to Pepboys. Customer service and car service is less than acceptable. read more

I have a few mechanics in the area however, when I went into Pep Boys for an air filter, the parts man asked about a cabin air filter as well. I hadn't even known there was such an item. When the service guys showed me my cabin air filter that goes into my car I was appalled. It was filthy & that's what filters my own air in my car. Once I changed it I experienced a real difference. Thank you Pep Boys for your low rates, quick service, and especially for helping me breathe better. read more

I went in on a Friday afternoon with no appointment and they were super busy. But I was taken care of in under 5 minutes. Will wrote my order up and Salvatore assured me that my oil change would only take 30 minutes even though there were cars everywhere. I was in and out so quickly and efficiently so I could go get my kids on time. Thank you Will and Salvatore! I go no where else to service my cars. read more

these guys have always been helpful on the parts and diagnostic assistance for those of us that do a little of our own work. Yes they are busy so make an appointment if you can. I love comments where the wife writes the review for the husband that took their kids car to the shop....have you own kid take the car in...we call it MANNING UP....He said,..... She said,.... I thought I heard you say, I assume , They do great work and have great service. read more

Robbery. Bought a new car battery there and they tried to charge me $70 to install it. I questioned the high price especially when their website says installation of a new car battery is $14.99, if you buy the battery from them. I was told the $14.99 was for simple cars and my car (2010 Ford Edge) is much more difficult with more bolts to unscrew and things to move out of the way...which could be true since I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT CARS! I took my new battery home and I was able to change it out by myself in 10 minutes!!! Seriously, I found a toolbox (my husbands) in the garage , found a tool and took off 1 bolt.. That's all it took, no tricky bolts, no weird tools, nothing to move out of the way- super easy. And again, I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT CARS (Except that they need gas and oil) So why did they try to take advantage & charge me $70 to change a battery that would take (a professional that knows what they're doing with the tools on hand) a very easy 5 minutes??? No clue-Maybe The fact that I'm a female, who probably looks clueless about car stuff, has something to do with it? Either way...not cool Pep Boys. read more

Scheduled an appoint for oil change. I came in 1/2 hr early to see if they could take me. They they told me it was going to be a two hour wait/1 1/2 hours from my original schedule time. I said "really", for an oil change? I drove less than a block and found a oil change place that changed it in 10 minutes for the same price and better quality oil. It was done before my originally scheduled time. So I called Pep Boys back and let them know that I wanted to cancel my appointment and explained why. The person that answered told me that they should have not quoted that timeframe. It's clear that the front desk is not trained and/or doesn't care about customer service. The online scheduling system doesn't mean anything with poor behaviors behind the desk. This happened on Oct 1 16 read more

I don't usually write reviews, but I took my car here to get an oil change and to diagnose a problem in the engine. I spent 3 1/2 hours just waiting for the diagnosis and came out with NOTHING fixed. Not to mention, my engine has been acting way worse since I left there. They didn't even do the oil change. They promised to give me a call when parts came in to fix the engine issue and that was 3 weeks ago. I have called multiple times to see where my parts are and have been told that they were going to call me back when they track them down and have yet to receive a call. Needless to say, I am going to get my car fixed elsewhere and would not recommend this Pep Boys. It is extremely disappointing because I have used other pep boys in other states and always gotten good service. read more

The inside store is okay, but the auto repair is the worst service I've ever experienced in my life. Avoid an idiot named Alex at all costs. read more

I received the best service there 2 weeks ago. I scheduled an oil/filter change and also had a "noise" under the hood. I thought it it may have been the alternator going out. Darn the bad luck, water pump was a goner at 45,000. Grant must have called me 3-4 times to update me and then APOLOGIZED for the bad news. The car was promised at 5PM, but it was ready way earlier than that. On top of fabulous service, my car was clean (unlike at Escondido Pep Boys-oil on my doors). Grant went out of his way to help me out and I'll never forget that. I live 27 miles away, but will bring my care back there for service. Thanks Grant! read more

Will NEVER return. Car stopped working so got a jump start & went to check battery. Mechanic started one type of battery checking but it was taking too long so did the "fast one" & decided I needed a new battery for $191 with installation. Assured me problem was the batter so had it installed. Did not charge the new battery although not sure if that is needed before installation as I am clueless. Next day battery light came on. Took it back. They did the slow test this time and one mechanic says it was fine. Manager & mechanic had a conversation in the back of the car about the charging system. Then new mechanic came out & looked under the hood & put some wire that he held under the hood & decided I need new alternator immediately as may not make it home or the car wouldn't last past the next day.. Left without the alternator and came online today to see similiar problems with rude customer service and another woman having a similiar situation until her dad came. Seems the place operates on fear. Fix now or be stranded. read more

I had a flat tire on my Subaru today so I called Auto Club to change my tire. I told the Auto Club driver I was taking my tire to Pep Boys for repair because they told me it was FREE. The AAA club driver told me to beware, Pep Boys advertises Flat tire repairs are free but then they will state the tire can not be repaired and they will try to sell you two tires. Well that is exactly what happened. They told me my tire could not be repaired and said I should two new tires, because it is best to purchase two tires at one time... I drove to Daniels Tires down the street and they told me the tire was repairable and fixed my flat tire for $35.00. I will not do business at PepBoys. read more

I've gone to the store a few times to purchase things and for repairs and diagnostics. Felipe is a good employee, he is always useful, very respectful and accurate with his diagnostics. I would definitely recommend Felipe to customers. I went in today because of a check engine light. Derick and Felipe helped me out. Thank you very much for your help to both of you. read more

I've had decent service before; I appreciated when I bought new wiper blades a man came out & installed them for me. Another time, however, I brought in my used battery to swap out for a new one. I came in and checked that they had one for me, and then when I let the service man know that I needed to bring in my old one, he pointed me to a cart, rather than offering to have someone get it for me. I'm a petite female, and though I could lift it, it would have been common courtesy for someone to come out & get it for me. The latest incident though pushed me to write this review. I showed up at 8am for a headlight replacement. I actually waited in line for the place to open. When it did & I got help, I was told it would be 2 hrs. I didn't have many options, so I said ok. I happened to kill time by walking next door, only to find a 76 gas & service station. I popped in & asked if they could replace my light. He said yes, so I ret'd to Pep Boys & took my car. My keys were still sitting on the counter top. I went back to the 76 gas station, parked my car & went inside to the cashier. I saw the car guy go out to my car, and about 5 min later, came in to the cashier. I expected him to ask for my keys, but instead, the light was already installed & ready to go! The price was the same, too. No premium for fast, courteous service. He interrupted the job he had been working on in the garage, because my job was literally a 5 minute fix. The car didn't need to be put in the garage, didn't need to be on a lift..... exactly what Pep Boys should've done also! read more

They are very good but you are going to have to wait! If you accept that then you will be fine. They are very busy and often estimate the time it will take on the low side so it can be frustrating but if you just add an hour to what they say you will be fine. I have always found the work to be excellent and Brodrick was very helpful. Also they are open until 9pm so you can go after work. read more

I wanted to write at review of Pep Boys since I've had 2 very positive experiences in the past 2 months. Back in May I came in to get a brake light replaced- Allan was very helpful and despite me not having an appointment he installed the light for me very quickly and free of charge. Just this past week I came in to have a headlight replaced- a man at the front of the store helped me find the light I needed and again, I went to the Service dept to make an appointment to get it installed, and the man there did it for me for free. I really appreciate the Pep Boys team helping me out so quickly and saving me a trip back for an appointment. Great customer service! read more

Friendly, but they aren't your friends. I do a lot of work on our own cars, but when our 2000 Grand Caravan minivan started losing coolant we brought it in to Pep Boys to save some time. They came back with an estimate of over $1000, including 7 hours of labor, to replace the radiator and water pump. I replaced the water pump only about 30K ago, and was a bit skeptical that it went bad already. Anyway, the labor seems very excessive, so after failing to negotiate a more equitable deal, we paid $35 for their diagnosis and brought it home. The estimate is interesting. They have these "packages" for each component on the estimate. They had separate packages for the water pump and the radiator, even though there is a lot of overlap in the work. Seems to me this is how they come up with such high labor figures. We bought all the parts at pep boys that were on the estimate and they were less than 50% of what they charge in the shop. This may be standard practice at all places like this, but I was surprised. After digging in, it turned out that the radiator was indeed bad, but the water pump was fine. The radiator on the estimate turned out to be wrong, so it took trip back to Pep Boys for the right one. While in the store, I needed some coolant. The manager offered to look up the "proper" coolant. "Can't I just use the pep-boys brand that says it is good for all vehicles?" I asked him. "I wouldn't. Let me find the right stuff for you." He handed me a bottle of Zerex and said "Yup, you need a special kind for that vehicle- here it is". I didn't think too much about it, but have ever used special coolant for this van before, with no problems in the past. I asked him for 2 gallons. Turns out this stuff is like gold- $16 per gallon, which didn't seem that bad in the grand scheme of things- until I realized that this is 50/50 mix! So it works out to be $32/gallon??? OEM BMW coolant is a lot cheaper than that. Of course I didn't realize it until I already added 50% water to the radiator. To add insult to injury, it wasn't even the right kind for our model!!! Okay call me cheap but that irks. All told, it took me about 4 hours to do the job, including the 45 minute trip for the right radiator. Pep Boys have good prices at their parts counter, and have good hours, so it is nice to have them. Just be wary of the up-sell in the store and unethical service estimates. read more

I have not used Pep Boys service department, but I must say that the auto parts retail store is well stocked, and the assistance that I have received there has been above and beyond the call of duty. I have turned to them on several different occasions with issues with my Honda Pilot; every time they have had the solution and the parts to make it happen! Mark (I believe he is a manager) is outstanding; very customer service oriented and knowledgeable! Thank you, Pep Boys, Encinitas! read more

I came there recently after my car started puttering out of nowhere and the check engine lights went on immediately before. I had contacted my regular maintenance company and they told me it would be $120 to read & diagnose the engine light codes. A friend told me that pep boys would read codes for free. So I slowly puttered to their encinitas location to discover that I had split my radiator. It was not a cheap fix & the team was very helpful and event applied a coupon code & gave me a few additional discounts. Sal was professional & pleasant. Derrik who also helped me was very thorough and polite. read more

This store is the best place for car service and any supplies one may need for a car/motorcycle. We have had two cars worked on in the shop and the guys working there are the nicest, most professional, amazing mechanics you will find anywhere. Couldn't be happier with the service and the price. The store has a huge variety of things and they guys who work there are the most helpful, kind, courteous people. They offer personalized attention to each customer and never laugh at my stupid questions...... Great place for car repairs and whatever part you may need for your car. read more

Fantastic crew at this location. Were extremely helpful, attentive, prompt and courteous. Outstanding knowledge of inventory and replacement needs. read more

These guys are very good. I really appreciate their work. I needed some work done, and they did exactly what I said and fixed another problem no charge for me. Sal is a great Manager. Thanks guys!!! read more

I went in to the store looking for hubcaps. The gentleman who helped me find them also installed them for free. I purchased wiper blades and he put those on too. Excellent customer service. I will be a repeat customer! read more

Not a worthy service. I was checking online site for pepboys and found, if i will book appointment online , i will get oil change with complimentary check for $19.99. Just oil change took 1 hour 15 minutes, no complimentary check.Front desk guy told me, they do not sync with online appointments , so they had all slots full already , but business courtesy they accept the service. Completely contradictory, online reservation for coupon but store guys do not sync with online. After putting car up for oil change, mechanic was looking at 3 other cars, so spent quite time with others. Waste of time !!! read more

Very little regard for the truth on a systemic level ... watch out. I'm old enough to realize you're going to run into the employee that doesn't deal with honesty too well, but it was my experience that all three employees I dealt with in one day, broke their word and/or had a bad relationship with the truth. If you're hoping to find either professionalism or people honoring their word, I would advise you to look elsewhere. read more

Worth the wait. Honest, busy, never had to return because they didn't do a good job. Honor coupons and less expensive than the rest

Took my car here to get some work done and it ended up costing me twice as much as other places. They seem nice but in the end they try to get you to pay more than any other place. Their "mechanics" kept trying to get me to buy other parts that were not needed. This is why I always have to take my wife's car in... no one trusts a mechanic anymore... and this is why.... Go somewhere else... read more

I absolutely love this store! I needed new brake light bulbs the other day and Mark in the parts department not only found them for me but also put them in for me right away! His service was second to none and I so greatly appreciated it! There is nothing like good customer service and it seems that its not so easy to find these days. If you need any help with auto parts definitely go see Mark at Pepboys in Encinitas! read more

This relates too the appointment system, which is dysfunctional. I made an on line appointment on a Saturday for Sunday morning, to fix a tire. The system gave me a 9:00 appointment which I was happy with. I I show up at 8:45, wait by the door for the service center to open. As I am being in-processed the clerk tells me he will squeeze me in after the pre-existing appointments. What? I have a 9:00 appointment and a confirmation email to prove it, and I get squeezed in AFTER? By noon my tire was not even looked at. These guys may or may not be competent at repairing your vehicle (I will leave that to other reviewers), but they are incompetent when it comes to basic customer service like making and keeping appointments. These guys totally wasted my time. read more

For a big name like Pep Boys, I am not happy with their service! They do not take care of customers the way they should. I gave them three chances to make things better and the could not, I will not use them again!! read more

Been going here since my car went out of warranty. This is a top notch shop, great work, reliable and never feel over sold. Getting an appointment is mandatory or you will wait a while and the only thing nearby to do is a Starbucks and you can only drink so much caffeine and my kids have nothing to do. So make an appointment even if for an oil change. They are busy for a reason this shop is good and they care. Better then the service I got at my dealer, and less expensive with original parts...I like these guys a lot. How many can say that about your car mechanic? They explain everything to you which is helpful...never going anywhere else...I do hear most pep boys have this consistency due to being corporate I have not been to any others but the encinitas one I can vouch for is the best independent mechanic I have been too. read more

I bought tire chains a couple of days ago for a trip I didn't end up taking. I went in to return them today and the cashier was very nice and told me he couldn't authorize a return and called someone else. This someone else apparently has never heard of customer service. He was not friendly at all. I asked him a question about which tires usually had the chains put on, and he played word games with me, and did not answer me. The other man answered my question when he saw what a jerk this guy is. He then gave me a refund receipt for $20 less than I paid. I told him that it was the wrong amount and he told me that it is a restocking fee and I am lucky they took them back at all because other stores wouldn't. I did not know the store's policy and, if I did, I would never have purchased anything there. I didn't even open the box. So, I will never patronize this store again and they need to give their employees some lessons in what it is to actually give good customer service. read more

I purchased a battery at Pep Boys Encinitas about 2 weeks ago and also had it installed by them They assigned the installation work to a trainee. And today, as I was exiting the freeway, my car went completely dead and came to an immediate stop almost to the end of the exit ramp of the I-5 at Oceanside Boulevard. A friend with some car knowledge came to my rescue and we discovered that the trainee guy at Pep Boys had not even secured the main cable to my battery. It had obviously become completely detached and therefore my car lost all power. If this had happened 5 seconds earlier, I would have been in the middle lane on a busy I-5 with absolutely now power, no way to put on my hazard lights and I could have been rear ended at a very high speed. I would not go to Pep Boys. They shouldn't give a job to a trainee without at least checking their work before the vehicle is released to the owner. This was a very serious mistake and all they are offering me is a free oil change. Thanks and no thanks. read more

Never use Pep Boys in Encinitas for Tire purchase, repair or installation. I called at 3:30 pm to ask if they could install tires for me. Felipe told me that they could do it at 5:00 pm. I asked him how long would it take and he told me that it would be done by 6:30 pm. I went there early and dropped off the car at 4:00 pm. Felipe took my information and told me that the car would be ready between 6:00-6:30 pm. He also told me that he would keep me posted as to how the installation was going. At 6:15 pm I called Pep boys and spoke with George. George told me that Felipe had left already. I asked him if my car was ready and what was the status of the installation of the tires. he told me that it would be ready at 9:00 pm. George told me that Felipe told him that Felipe told me that my car would be ready at 9:00 pm which was a total falsehood. Either George was covering for Felipe or Felipe had told George something false. Furthermore, I never heard back from Felipe at all after he told me that he would keep me posted. In my opinion, the business is dishonest in representing a time that a job would be done and then not being able to deliver when promised. We waited for over 2 hours for the car to be done, which totally impacted our evening and ended up picking up our car without having our tires installed. My wife did not want Pep Boys to install the tires after this experience. We purchased the tires from Tire Rack and it was our impression that Pep Boys elects to service people who buy tires directly from then as opposed to another company despite that they are listed on Tire Rack's web site. I would totally avoid Pep Boys in Encinitas. It is especially disappointing since I have been a customer there for 18 years. read more

FEMALES BEWARE!! IF YOU TAKE YOUR CAR HERE, PREPARE TO GET RIPPED OFF!! A few weeks ago I took my car here because my check engine light came on. They told me it would cost about $900 to fix the problem. I took it to another shop for a second opinion. The second shop told me it was something completely different than what Pepboys told me. I then took it to another mechanic shop for a third opinion and they confirmed what the second shop said. See, when your check engine light comes on, a mechanic plugs a little machine into your car and the car gives the machine a code. That code then tells the mechanic whats wrong with the vehicle. There's no excuse for Pepboys to have told me I needed to repair something that was completely different than what really needed to be fixed-- other than they wanted to rip me off. The other day I took my second vehicle in for an alignment and when I went to pick up my vehicle, was told how badly my vehicle needed to be repaired. He told me it was dangerous to continue driving the vehicle in its current condition. Again, took it to another mechanic shop for another opinion and was told THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE!! Pepboys uses scare tactics to try to con drivers who don't know any better to pay thousands of dollars to fix vehicles that don't need fixing. They should be ashamed of themselves. read more

When I called this location to inquire about an oil change the manager recommended that I make an appointment for faster service. The earliest available appointment was four days from the date I called. I was quoted 30-45 minute wait with an appointment. Arriving on time, expecting a fast turn time I was disappointed that the oil change did not begin until 45 minutes AFTER the appointed time my car was delivered. As usual the manager wanted to upsell me on tire rotation and balance, which I declined as I have COSTCO tires and free lifetime rotation. So when I glanced back into the bay to see my tires coming off my car I reminded the manager I had declined the service. Ends up my tires were rotated but not balanced, which is never good. My oil change was complete TWO HOURS after my car was delivered. My guess is that without an appointment one needs a rental car as the process must take all day without an appointment. read more

WE WERE LIED TO-I have an older car but good brand, well maintained, never any issues, a good reliable car...relocated from AZ, my husband started taking it to Pep Boys Encinitas for maintenance etc. That's when my car started having issues...First the wait: hours, days...one time they kept my car for almost 2 whole days just to give us their diagnosis....last time my husband took it there, he waited 7 hours.....Then several times there was a need to take it back because something had not been put back properly, or my car developed problems after having been there, and they would come up with more repairs, more new parts needed.. for example, a few months ago we spent weeks (and lots of money) having to return and replace several pieces and finally the sensor itself...the whole thing had started after a visit to Pep Boys and my sensor light kept lighting back up after each repair...at that point I had become suspicious that either they were not competent or something fishy was going on...my husband believed they were honest and it was my car getting old...but last week-end, he took it there for an oil change. Back home, my car started leaking. Had no leak before the oil change. My husband monitors it. Leak continues. He takes it back to Pep Boys. After his 7 hours wait they tell him all these pieces are either cracked or used somehow and need to be replaced (timing belt, camshaft oil seal, oil pump seal...I have the work order under my eyes right now): $1,300+...my husband comes home with a long face, still convinced it's my car being too old. At that point I am convinced it's one time too many: it's the Pep Boys people taking us on a ride...I search for reviews on the internet and find numerous testimonies similar (sometimes very similar), to ours, at this and other Pep Boys...I convince my husband to have my car checked somewhere else. We find a place with great reviews and AAA certified. After just over an hour they call me and tell me that the Pep Boys people must have spilled oil all over, that now it has dried and that NOTHING is wrong with my car, it is absolutely fine, not the smallest repair/replacement needed. They let me take my car without charging me a cent. Now my husband is finally convinced that Pep Boys lied to him. And I am left wondering: how many times did they lie to us? Or worse, did they actually mess up with my car on purpose to make us come back? How much money did we actually spend for unnecessary repairs? One thing is for sure: we are NEVER setting a foot at any Pep Boys again!!! We are definitely giving our business now to ENCINITAS AUTOMOTIVE INC, also on El Camino Real....they had great reviews saying how honest they were, and from that first experience with them we feel confident that they are. Yes Pep Boys are very friendly, yes they are opened on the week-end (if you don't mind spending your whole Sunday waiting..) and yes they have those coupons....but beware they might lie to you and make you pay big bucks for unnecessary repairs. If in doubt go have your car checked somewhere else and get a second opinion. I am glad we finally did it. If I could I would give Pep Boys 0 stars. read more