Legal Question in Consumer Law in California

I took my sister's car this morning to a Pep Boys to have the tires rotated which she gets for free since she bought tires there before. I signed the initial estimate form which was for $10 (which it would be waived when I picked up the car) and I gave the technician my name and phone number. He also told me he would call me once the car was ready.

About two hours later, my sister calls me and tells me Pep Boys called and told her the car needed the power steering and break fluid changed. The cost for this was going to be $130 and she authorized the work. Keep in mind she didn't drop off the car, I did.

So when I went to pick up the car I told the manager that I am the one who should have been called to authorize the work since I was the one who signed the work order earlier that morning. He told me that the car was in my sister's name and that it was her phone number in the system. I insisted that this authorization was obtained improperly and that I would not have authorized this work if they had called me since I had had the oil in the car changed last week and all fluids were okay.

In any case, the manager told me all he could do for me was give me 10% off. I found this to be completely insulting and I told him that this was unacceptable to me. He asked what I wanted to do and I told him that I wanted to take the car and give it back to my sister. At that point he just handed me the keys and told me to go and that I would not have to pay anything. I told him that I was willing to work with him if he came up with a reasonable amount. He refused and that was the end of it and i left without paying a cent.

My question is, what would have been my options if the manager insisted on receiving payment and I refused??

Thanks in advance.

--Juan A,


Asked on 2/04/12, 6:12 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Pay for it on behalf of your sister, or leave it with them and let her pick it up and deal with it. She owns the car. She authorized the work. Her problem.

Read more
Answered on 2/04/12, 11:04 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Consumer Law questions and answers in California