Good post Jim.
In my experience, 1/2 the Pep Boyz I've been to are that bad - or worse. I will not take my car to them ever again, you just can't know who will be working on your car.
Everybody here will be happy to help with all your questions about your car, so build some confidence, knowledge, & do it yourself.
For future reference, great tire deals can be had at tirerack.com for tires. Check their installer list for an installer near you (prices are posted), then use their system to pick the best tires for your car. You can even have the tires drop shipped to the installer (call him first) so you don't have to deal with lugging tires around - NO EXTRA CHARGE.
I got some 80,000 mile touring tires for about what I would have paid for Pep Boys tires. The same tires were minimum $20 more PER TIRE locally. Research your tires with Consumer Reports, too. That always helps.
JimR
