Is Having Pep Boys As Our Go To Place For The Elio A Good Idea?

[grampi]

How much longer can Pep boys stay open? | General and Off Topic | Bob Is The Oil Guy

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

There is still a year left before Elio has to start providing service centers.
That's enough time for Pep Boys to either sink or swim. Or get split apart by Icahn.

So long as PB doesn't crash and burn in late Q1/early Q2 2017, EM will have time to make a deal with another company before regular folks get their Elios. We're not going to get them before May 2017 at the earliest.

 

[Hotscoots]

Should not be an issue ....There are many similar companies that can step in immediately . NAPA comes to mind .
And I would not be surprised to read that Pep Boys was acquired by any one of them.

 

[Marshall]

I'd love to see them merged with someone closer. Driving 150 miles to get service on your Elio is cause for concern.

 

[DailyLunatic]

How much longer can Pep boys stay open? | General and Off Topic | Bob Is The Oil Guy

I took my car in for four new shoes this last weekend. As Pep Boys was the Elio Service Center, I went there. Never been so wanted to see whey the place was like.

I got there around 11:00 am and was told it would be about 1-1/4 hours. No appointment, so this seemed OK. Guy ahead of me had an 11:00 am appointment, so I figured I would be behind him.

At about 3:30 pm I was eventually told it was running late. (No #### Sherlock) Bitch and moan session with the guy that had the appointment (yeah he was still there, too) until 4:00 when they told me it was ready. Paid, and then had to look for my car as they had forgotten where they had parked it.

First impressions: Not good.

-sterling

 

[Elf]

I'm not worried and won't until I see cars coming down the production line .

 

[John Painter]

I'd love to see them merged with someone closer. Driving 150 miles to get service on your Elio is cause for concern.

There's no problem having a mechanic of your choice (or yourself for that matter) provide regular service or repairs, though the intent is for Pep Boys to be be specifically trained on the Elio, I think a good mechanic should be able to work on the vehicle without too much problem, though they may need to weld up their own rear wheel jig to get the vehicle up on a lift.

I half expect the "fleet" purchaser in December to be Pep Boys so that they can train up their guys and have a bunch of mechanics drive them around and give some focused feedback. Who knows.

 

[Marshall]

Should not be an issue ....There are many similar companies that can step in immediately . NAPA comes to mind .
And I would not be surprised to read that Pep Boys was acquired by any one of them.

The parts business is broad enough, but I don't see too many parts businesses who also actually service cars. Most simply supply the local auto repair shops and do it yourselfers in my area.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

I half expect the "fleet" purchaser in December to be Pep Boys so that they can train up their guys and have a bunch of mechanics drive them around and give some focused feedback. Who knows.

I don't think so since that would require a large up-front investment from a business that hasn't turned a profit in years in an industry with razor-thin margins. I.e. not going to happen.

Based on what I've read, Icahn is looking to sell the service side of the business anyway, so the agreement will likely go with that and be owned by somebody else before this year is out. By the time Elio begins deliveries, service will likely be provided under the Midas, Jiffy Lube, NAPA, or other national brand.

 

[Jeff Porter]

In my rural area of KS in a town of 2800, there's a body shop that can work on electric vehicles. Apparently you need special tools, knowledge about how to not get electrocuted when working on them, etc.

Since the Elio is ICE, knowledge of how to work on it should be everywhere. Getting parts shipped in shouldn't be more than a few days.

If you don't like Pep Boys, you can take your vehicle to another shop. If you're worried about Pep Boys folding or going away, you can take your vehicle to another shop.

As John Painter mentioned, the difficult hurdle is how to get the vehicle up in the air or get a mechanic under it, with the center rear wheel. But even that won't be a big hurdle.