Jiffy Lube Scam
#2
08-07-2011, 09:38 AM
Yikes! That's why I like to have my car worked on at non commercial (ma and pa style) shops. My mechanic knows all his customers by name, and then I feel confident that I'm not getting stiffed. And B, it's not a chain, so a lot of people are referred by word of mouth, so good incentive to not screw over your customers.
#3
08-07-2011, 09:41 AM
Yikes! That's why I like to have my car worked on at non commercial (ma and pa style) shops. My mechanic knows all his customers by name, and then I feel confident that I'm not getting stiffed. And B, it's not a chain, so a lot of people are referred by word of mouth, so good incentive to not screw over your customers.
I am lucky becuse my mechanic is the husband of my wife's best girlfriend and I work on their computer.
#4
08-07-2011, 11:00 AM
The whole Jiffy Lube scam things reminds me a thread we had on the Torino forum a while back... I posted this whole post in the "Do you cahnge your own oil" thread that's running along in the Off Topic section wtih this one... lots of oil for thought right now.
TorinoCobra.com - Torino and Cyclone Technical Forum - View topic - So I went for an oil change and...
I think my favorite is one on the second page where a guy has a 4 speed and they try to tell him his pan gasket is leaking, and they can put one on with a new filter for like $85... he had a manual, no pan gasket or filters....
Also, Ford had a 4 wheel drive once where the bolt that held the reverse gear in the transmission or something was right by the drain plug, and people who didn't pay attention would take the bolt out, something would go thump (the reverse gear), they'd wonder what just happene,d then take the other bolt out. The car will drive, but it won't have reverse. And you'd better not drive it so that gear doens't get it in the other parts of the transmission and wreck havok. IT costs $400 to get it fixed a LONG LONG time ago ( I think this was the 80s?)... and my Uncle Jerry took the bill down to the Jiffy Lube and the manager wrote a check... while he was there, a guy came out who had just done an oil change on one of those trucks and the same issue... the owner came up, and my Uncle told the manager he better just write that man a check for $400 as well.
The truck was brand new... first oil change.....
Also, I really think the whole 3000 mile oil change is a myth. Especially with synthetic. I have a 1968 Ford Torino owners manual, and the sticker for maintenance under the hood... both call for 6 month/6000 mile oil changes. The 4 cylinders were the ones that got hot quicker and needed more oil changes. Then, the quick lube places turend up, and the whole sell it as cheap insurance thing just caught on.
My parents ahd a '95 Suburban... changed hte oil whenever they dad felt like it or felt like telling me to do it.. I know he went 10,000 miles between some changes, yet it still went that far... engine was getting weak and gas mileage was gone by around 225,000 miles. All you can expect out of any vehicle in my opinion.....
Also, I do all my own maintenance.... as I always say, "If you let someone else do it, you don't know if they did a bad job or not, whereas if you do it yourself, you know."
TorinoCobra.com - Torino and Cyclone Technical Forum - View topic - So I went for an oil change and...
I think my favorite is one on the second page where a guy has a 4 speed and they try to tell him his pan gasket is leaking, and they can put one on with a new filter for like $85... he had a manual, no pan gasket or filters....
Also, Ford had a 4 wheel drive once where the bolt that held the reverse gear in the transmission or something was right by the drain plug, and people who didn't pay attention would take the bolt out, something would go thump (the reverse gear), they'd wonder what just happene,d then take the other bolt out. The car will drive, but it won't have reverse. And you'd better not drive it so that gear doens't get it in the other parts of the transmission and wreck havok. IT costs $400 to get it fixed a LONG LONG time ago ( I think this was the 80s?)... and my Uncle Jerry took the bill down to the Jiffy Lube and the manager wrote a check... while he was there, a guy came out who had just done an oil change on one of those trucks and the same issue... the owner came up, and my Uncle told the manager he better just write that man a check for $400 as well.
The truck was brand new... first oil change.....
Also, I really think the whole 3000 mile oil change is a myth. Especially with synthetic. I have a 1968 Ford Torino owners manual, and the sticker for maintenance under the hood... both call for 6 month/6000 mile oil changes. The 4 cylinders were the ones that got hot quicker and needed more oil changes. Then, the quick lube places turend up, and the whole sell it as cheap insurance thing just caught on.
My parents ahd a '95 Suburban... changed hte oil whenever they dad felt like it or felt like telling me to do it.. I know he went 10,000 miles between some changes, yet it still went that far... engine was getting weak and gas mileage was gone by around 225,000 miles. All you can expect out of any vehicle in my opinion.....
Also, I do all my own maintenance.... as I always say, "If you let someone else do it, you don't know if they did a bad job or not, whereas if you do it yourself, you know."
#6
08-07-2011, 04:19 PM
From another oil change thread..
Was at a Jiffy lube when I had a company car. I could watch the entire operation from the waiting area while sipping the free coffee that must have been 4 hours old.
I watch the progress, waiting to see them finally get to my ride. At least since it's a fleet account there's no pushy offers for overpriced wipers or the like. The oil tech is finishing up the Camaro in front of my car. He lowers the hood and tries to close it gently. It does not close. He pushes down on it with all his weight. Nope. Then he raises the hood, looks here and there and gives it a good slam from about halfway open. Nope. Then he asks for help from another oil tech. Tech 2 comes over, pushes down on the hood that won't close, opens the hood, looks around, picks up the oil filler cap from the radiator support, screws it back where it belongs and closes the hood.
Driver of Camaro was next door at a JITB and missed the show.
I go to a quick oil change place about every five weeks that has had mostly the same workers for several years. You stay in your car while the techs work. Kind of like getting a pit stop. I feel the filter getting wrenched off. I can see the work under the hood from the driver seat, watch the oil get filled, wait for the signal to start the engine so they can check for leaks.
I watch the progress, waiting to see them finally get to my ride. At least since it's a fleet account there's no pushy offers for overpriced wipers or the like. The oil tech is finishing up the Camaro in front of my car. He lowers the hood and tries to close it gently. It does not close. He pushes down on it with all his weight. Nope. Then he raises the hood, looks here and there and gives it a good slam from about halfway open. Nope. Then he asks for help from another oil tech. Tech 2 comes over, pushes down on the hood that won't close, opens the hood, looks around, picks up the oil filler cap from the radiator support, screws it back where it belongs and closes the hood.
Driver of Camaro was next door at a JITB and missed the show.
I go to a quick oil change place about every five weeks that has had mostly the same workers for several years. You stay in your car while the techs work. Kind of like getting a pit stop. I feel the filter getting wrenched off. I can see the work under the hood from the driver seat, watch the oil get filled, wait for the signal to start the engine so they can check for leaks.
#7
08-07-2011, 04:33 PM
Glad i'm going where i go now, it is a chain but privately owned and operated. Garage owner knows me and my dad by name and you either deal with him or his wife. Unlike another chain garage i went too where there was always someone different running the place.
#8
08-07-2011, 06:13 PM
Not sure how people can just trust these dime a dozen "shops" with their repairs. People flock to these places too. Alot of the time they employ people who have never even worked on a car. These big chains show no accountability. They can just push the responsibility off to someone higher up. Then these places give everyone else a bad rap because people assume every mechanic is a cheat now. Most of the time when I work on someones car, not only do I take delivery of it but I am the one there giving it back to them. If they have any problems I am the one who has to deal with it. There is no incentive for me at all to do bad work or cheat the customer. Just not worth it. It makes life so much simpler to just do the job you are paid to do and do it right.
#10
08-07-2011, 09:42 PM
I liked how the one guy didn't even take his iPod buds out of his ears when the people are tearing his @$$ up in front of the whole viewing area.
By the way, I'm running a special... come down get an oil change at my car port, and I'll flush your exhaust fluid for free!!
By the way, I'm running a special... come down get an oil change at my car port, and I'll flush your exhaust fluid for free!!