Kim

the master mechanics there forgot to put the cap on my radiator, and my durango overheated. I haven't seen such smoke since my neighbors car was on fire. I'm SO glad my hungry, sick, and oh-so-grumpy son was with me while we were stalled on the side of the road. I'm SO glad the master mechanics came when I called and then claimed that it was my fault, and that regularly scheduled maintenance would have prevented the problem. Grrrrrrr

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DankNstickY

wtf... why was it your fault?

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attgig

when they start blaming it on you is when we all wish you would just kick them in the balls (of course that wouldn't be right but...)

they figured you were a girl, didn't know anythinga bout a car and could just pass the blame. yarg!

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DarkFury

Personally, I stay far far away from Jiffy Lubes.... especially since they didn't deal in Valvoline products by default.

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bachviet

[Self reminder]
Do not go to Jiffy Lube for service.
[/Self reminder]

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johnnymk

They have the most incompetent jerks available.

A guy I worked with had an 88 Honda. He took it to Jiffy Lube for an oil change. Well, they either didn't tighten or stripped the oil drain plug. He lost all but about a pint of his oil. Fortunately, the car still ran for another 100,000 miles with no problems.

I tell everyone to avoid them.

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Kim

Oh, they thought they were dealing with a silly girl, until I called them, made them come to me while I was on the side of the road, fix the problem, reimburse me for the coolant I had to buy, Replace the radiator cap, then re-open the shop to clean up all the sprayed antifreeze that was all over the engine compartment, and agree to pay for any engine damage that may have occured. I also called my X to come down, just in case they tried to get away with anything.

OC

Taking your business elsewhere would have prevented it too. Stupid people.

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But what is adulthood except a delayed end-run around our parents' better judgment?
-- Peter Egan

*cough*

LegendKiller

I had something similar happen to a mom and pop oil place. They forgot to put the dipstick in and me driving caused the oil to shoot out. I had oil everywhere and didn't notice it until I had driven 30mi to school and my car was smoking like a Rasta concert.

I brought it to the place and the guy started saying "Its only an old crappy car, its not worth much...blah blah blah". Its an 89 camry, ok, I know, it as 130k mi, but that doesn't make it crappy. Its my only car!!

Then the guy went off and asked "What are you going to do if I don't check your car, find a gun and shoot me??" I just shut up and left and never went back. Calling the cops would have done nothing and his boss was probably a dill hole too.

Since JL is a national company you can probably do more, the higher you go on the food chain the more responsive they get.


LK

Kim

I'm sending them a letter today. I understand that mistakes can happen, but I don't appreciate the implication that it was my fault.

rasetsu

This is why you stay away from quickie lube places. NBC 4 just did a story last night on Jiffy Lube for ripping off people. They had a young blonde girl bring a Ford Explorer in for an oil and filter change after it had been inspected by an independant mechanic to confirm that all it needed was an oil change. Well, the lube places told her she needed this and that changed and repaired as well. Not much better than a dealership if you ask me. At least when they rape you at the dealership, they use OE parts.

OC

I would totally do my own oil changes if my apartment complex allowed such things. Pisses me off.

Kick some ass Kim.

Paymaster

JiffyLube left the cap off my power steering fluid reservoir. Wherever they set it, it disappeared shortly after.

I went back down there, and of course, they tried to tell me it was my fault. I pushed back and eventually the guy asked to see my paperwork so that he could find out who to blame. I told him that *he* had worked on my car, and showed the paperwork to prove it.

At that point, he said "Hmm... I'm already in enough trouble around here. If you go buy a replacement cap, I'll pay you back in cash. Just don't tell the manager."

Of course you can't just go out and buy a power steering fluid reservoir cap for a 1966 Dodge Charger at Kragen. I ended up getting one off one of my parts cars. End result was that it didn't really impact anything, but yeah, they suck.

I've got another JL story (yes, I went back to them!) but I've got to run to a meeting... tune in later...

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rasetsu

You let Jiffy Lube touch a '66 Charger?!?!

mcs328

I'll avoid Jiffy Lube now just for you Kim. . So the dealership isn't much better? They give me the oil filter back after they're done.

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Kim

Yeah, on the first visit they told me that my serpentine belt needed to be replaced, or I would be putting my life in danger if it broke while driving. I also supposedly needed a new air filter, but I told him I would just have my husband change the belt if he thought it needed it, and I'd buy a lifetime air filter.

chrissy

I used to work for JL (10 yrs ago, right after Audie was born). They will always tell you that this and that needs replaced. They do not work for commission, but if it is a corporate store (not a franchise), the extras are rated against others and if I remember right, mgrs get bonuses. They are trained to say you need crap replaced.

As for what happened, yeah, it happens. I remember someone forgot the oil pan plug and blew up an engine (not our store but another in the district). Mgr was fired, employee was fired, and all mgrs had to go to a refresher training over the weekend. Not to mention where the money comes from to pay back the customer (the store and it's bonus) They were not a happy lot. Most likely, they know what can happen and will deny it because of this.

Call the store and talk to mgr or his district/regional mgr. If they are independent, take it to the owner and corporate in either case (they don't want their name to be smeared). GL and I am glad they didn't do more damage!

Bires

Here in LV we have "Purrrrrfect Auto Service" garages. I took my wife's 200sx in for a simple oil change, and when I came back three hours later, they had opened the hood and had the hoses and air filter out - claiming they were all bad. (they weren't)

two weeks later, I noticed the car started leaking oil.

I've learned my lesson. These cheap franchise mechanics are slightly worse trained then monkeys.

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Five years...

gear02

yeah...i've been to a jl right across the street. But I'm wary now. Where should I go to get my oil changed?

Bires

I've had good luck with brake/muffler garages.

aznaphrodite

If you have your own garage, learn to do it yourself. It really isn't much harder than pumping your own gas as long as you don't mind getting your hands a little dirty. All the instructions should be in your little owner's manual that should be in your glove box. Otherwise, ask around for recommendations to an independant mechanic.

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ladyrebecca.com/moonprincess.com/popples.org

Paymaster

Yeah... it was the first and only time. I was away at school with no garage, and didn't want to make the 4 hour round-trip home just change the oil.

Ended up having to schedule a trip home anyway, to get the new power steering fluid cap.

Paymaster

OK... so I promised another story.

Took my '96 Chevy Blazer to JL for an oil change and fuel filter change.

They did the job, and returned the car to me. On the way home, it was driving like crap. No power, running hot, and with a very rough idle. I call the JL, and they tell me that they are just closing, and that I need to come back the next day.

I nurse my car to work the next morning, then to JL at lunch. I spoke to Master Mechanic "Gunner", who wouldn't even pop the hood on my car. He stated that they would not have done anything to affect my car's performance, and suggested that I take it to an engine shop.

I asked to speak to the manager, but was told that he was not in. He would be available at the open of business the next day.

I was first in line at the door the next day, and told the manager my story. He was actually very concerned and starting asking lots of questions. He sent a tech under the car to check the fuel filter installation and insure that everything was OK. He looked over all the hoses and wires under the hood to see if anything had been knocked loose. He then declared he couldn't find anything, and suggested that I go to an engine shop, but added that if the problem was determined to be related to their work, he would re-imburse me.

I questioned the fuel filter again and asked if maybe it was a bad filter. He was reluctant, but at my request he sent a tech under again and replaced the fuel filter again. It didn't help. I started questioning the oil, oil filter etc, but he didn't think that would cause the problems I was seeing. He checked the dipstick (for the first time!) and noticed that it was a little bit over-full. He said that wasn't likely to cause a problem, but just for good measure he sent a tech down to drain some out ("a 5-count")

The tech said he was done, and the manger checked the dipstick. He then got a little angry with his tech. "Did you drain a 5 count? It's still at the same level". The tech replied that he had indeed done so, and the manager told him to do it again. This time the tech counted aloud.

The manager checked the dipstick. Realization was setting in.
"Give it another 5 count..."
"Give it a 10 count..."
"Another 10..."
"Another 5..."
"5 more..."
"5 more..."

Each time, the tech counted aloud, and the manager checked the dipstick. Finally, he instructed me to start the car. It purred like it was supposed to.

They had filled the oil *twice*.

He then wanted to see my paperwork, and noted the name of the tech who worked on my car. He was pissed. He then scrawled a message on my receipt. "$10.00 off next oil change." and signed it. He told me to simply show that the next time I came in. He said that the employees would know *exactly* what it meant, and would not argue it.

I still have the coupon. I didn't want to go back for fear of retribution by whoever it was that worked on my car originally. Now I just take it to the dealership ("stealership" as DF would say). If nothing else, I get a little bit more piece of mind.

So was this story worth the wait?

ray

Note to self: don't bring car to JL

Kevster

Mrs. Kevster used to go to a Jiffylube in Manhattan Beach. They forgot to put the washer on her oil drain plug and it dripped oil for a while until it was almost gone. She finally let me know something was wrong when the "check engine" (aka the Oh ****! light) but by then there was engine damage done to her car.

Now her car burns a quart of oil about every 1000 miles. I will never ever ever go to Jiffy Lube again. Since I now have a garage, I change the oil myself and perform other regular maintenance on my cars (I have the shop manuals for them too).

__________________
I think over again
My small adventures, my fears.
The small ones that seemed so big,
For all the vital things I had to get and to reach.

And yet there is only one great thing, the only thing:

To live to see the great day that dawns,
And the light that fills the world.

-old Inuit song

gear02

Grr...so...the dealer is the place to go if you don't have a garage?

cheapie

not imho. more times than not they will get it right. the dealership might be better but will take forever. i take mine to wal-mart for a $30 Mobil One Full-Synthetic oil change every 7k or so.

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attgig

I do it myself, right in the parking garage in my condo. I'm surprised nobody has complained about me doing that yet, but I don't give a crap. I do it once every 5-6 months or so (mobil 1 synth), and it takes me less than 20 minutes. totally worth doing it myself.