Car Repair Service Complaint

On Saturday, May 18th, I visited Pep Boys located at: * White Horse Pike, Absecon, NJ * to have the front belt of my car replaced. I was charged $*.* for this service and was assured that my car was now in proper working condition. However, on Sunday, May 19th, as I prepared to return home to Bordentown, New Jersey, my car broke down on the Atlantic City Expressway. Smoke started emanating from the hood, the speed declined, and the steering wheel began to lock. This quickly became a life-threatening situation due to the facts I was in the left lane and the traffic was extremely heavy. I managed to safely pull over to the right side of the expressway. I immediately contacted Pep Boys and informed them that the belt they had replaced less than * hours prior had fallen off, leaving me stranded * minutes away from their shop. The representative on the phone instructed me to bring the car back for inspection. I had to hire two tow trucks at a personal cost of $* to get the car back to Pep Boys. When I arrived around *:* PM, the front desk attendant, who I had spoken with earlier, informed me that the technician had left at * PM, despite the store's closing time being * PM. This left me extremely frustrated and confused, especially since I had informed the representative of my imminent arrival. A phone call to notify me of the technician's departure would have been appropriate, as I do not live locally and had no place to stay until the technician's return. The manager's attitude was dismissive and rude both on the phone and in person. As a result, I had to spend an additional $* for a motel nearby, causing my little sister to miss school. I ended up incurring a total of $* in additional expenses within * hours of paying $* for a repair that was not properly executed. This situation is unacceptable. If the car had been correctly repaired and thoroughly inspected, none of this would have happened. Despite being informed that my car would be serviced at 8am, I did not leave the premises until 6pm. During this extensive wait, I contacted the PEP Boys customer service line and was initially quoted $* for the necessary repairs. Upon further discussion with a supervisor, I was told that the towing cost would be reimbursed, reducing the total amount to $*. However, this adjustment did not address my dissatisfaction, as I had paid nearly $* for an inspection less than * hours prior that was not properly executed. I was subsequently informed that the tension pulley and starter of my vehicle were damaged due to the serpentine belt coming off, which led to my engine overheating and becoming unusable. PEP Boys is unable to replace or rebuild the engine. If the initial inspection had been conducted properly and the serpentine belt had been correctly attached and tested according to company standards, my engine would not have overheated. I am deeply dissatisfied with the service provided and the resulting condition of my vehicle. I am seeking compensation for the damages incurred. The cost of a new engine and installation for my make and model ranges from $*,* to $*,*.

I am being told that my claim is being denied without reason . what should i do ?

thank you