That time I let someone else change my oil.

I took my 4runner to the equivalent of jiffy lube yesterday. I know. I have regrets. The oil needed changed, it was 8 bucks more than doing it myself, and it was faster. Seems like legitimate reasons right?

I paid my 28 bucks for their services. I even opted for the premium package because I knew a tire was low, and the package included checking the tire pressures. When I walked out to my car, I could see it was still low. Grabbed my tire pressure gauge, 20psi. Other tires? 33psi. Oh hell no.

I walk back in. "premium package includes checking tire pressure right? Yes it does. Well, he never checked it. Yes he did. One tire is at 20psi, he didn't check it. grabs my keys and goes to tell him. They pull it back in, and proceed to actually check the tire pressure.

"do you know what your tire psi is supposed to be?"
its on the door
30psi.
okay.
he said it was at 26. he checked them all.
well that's a lie, because it was at 20. and 26 is not 30.
he checked all the fluids as well
yea, maybe. just like the checked the tires?

You know what? don't f'ing lie to me. Also, don't steal from me. If I pay for a service and you don't do it, that's stealing. And when you get caught stealing from me, don't be rude. never again.

Just be grateful they re-installed the drain plug!

I worked at a Jiffy Lube once for a week in the summer between high school and college. On my last day I threw a co-worker in the dumpster for stealing my lunch and taking a swing at me when I caught him. That is the sort of person who they hire. The entire staff and management were half a step above a work release program. I suppose one could make the case that the type of person who throws another person into a dumpster over a PBJ is also not the best temperament for dealing with the public but... that furthers my point :)

DO NOT USE

The local law enforcement officers won't use them because most of the staff have a lengthy record and the police don't want them sabotaging their personal vehicles.

In a moment of haste, I once let a Jiffy Lube change my oil. I had a leak after that, so I stopped by my local Nissan dealership. They charged more to put a new filter on (properly), than Jiffy Lube did to change the oil. I never went back to another Jiffy Lube, and that my friends is why I still change my own oil 30 years later.

Did they bring you an air filter with a bunch of crud on it in an attempt to get you to pay to have that changed too?

The previous owner of our Highlander always used those places. First thing I noticed when I change the oil is the splash shield (small panel) under the oil filter canister was missing. After I changed the oil it leaked. The gasket on the plug was missing (seriously?). Had to drain the oil again to fit the gasket. The gasket cost a buck. I'll never go to one of those places.

I've been considering doing just this lately because even with a 6ft breaker bar I can't get my drain plug out on the P71.

I'm more torn between incompetent shop not doing the work, causing failure and being forced to fix it, or more professional indy mechanic that would be bothered with just an oil change.

I rarely change my own oil. I have a jiffy lube in town that is actually very well run, with an old guy who will go through the "recommended services" with me and say "that's not needed, that's not, you could do this one and it would be money well spent, but I wouldn't do it myself"...

Otherwise I go to the Ford, Chevy, Honda, Toyota, or Acura dealer with a coupon. On a rare occasion I'll pay $40 and drop it off at the shop next door to my in-laws, but that is out of convenience only--I can leave it there in the morning (and only go 50 feet out of my way) and pick it up at night (same thing).

Oddly, I've had a bad experience with a trusted shop changing my oil. They messed up. But the thing is, they admitted to it and there really was no harm done. I mess up a lot more when I work on my own car (and by mess up, I mean I have to go very slowly and it just takes a long time) so I just take it in.

trucke wrote:

LOL.

I rarely have a car serviced elsewhere. But whenever I get my car inspected, I get back in and the seat is moved back like 8 inches. I'm 6' tall. I didn't realize all the service techs are 7'4"

mtn wrote: Oddly, I've had a bad experience with a trusted shop changing my oil. They messed up. But the thing is, they admitted to it and there really was no harm done. I mess up a lot more when I work on my own car (and by mess up, I mean I have to go very slowly and it just takes a long time) so I just take it in.

So much this. How you handle your mistake makes a monumental difference. I screw up more than my share. we're human, it happens. Continuing your lie isn't going to correct the problem, and its not going to convince the person who caught you lying. Own it, make the situation right, and make sure your customer isn't leaving pissed off. Reviews matter today.

ProDarwin wrote: LOL. I rarely have a car serviced elsewhere. But whenever I get my car inspected, I get back in and the seat is moved back like 8 inches. I'm 6' tall. I didn't realize all the service techs are 7'4"

They move the seat back looking for your weed and spare change because they know if they steal it you won't report it.

Never do business with an establishment that can't keep its working force more than six months. If the staff is new every time you go in, it's a McDonald's. walk out.

I spent 3 months in the pit at a McQuiks oil change place. Some of the E36 M3 the top-side guys would do to make a sale.... like every night we swept the floor... and kept hte pile of dirt in the corner to roll air filters in before showing the customer. we put the date and our initials on the filters before installing them. I can remember some filters that hadn't been changed in YEARS because they were just too hard to get to.

I will not let anyone do that E36 M3 to me.

Either I change the oil myself, or I pay the dealer an arm/leg to do it. At least they do it correctly.

Screw those little lube places.

Huh, never had an issue with multiple places and vehicles over nearly 20 years of driving. That includes dealerships and oil change places.

But I always went to the "decent" ones, not the cheapest, crummiest ones either.

When I was working for AutoZone about 10-15 years back, we used to get all sorts of horror stories from customers about these quick lube places. My favorite was when a guy came in one afternoon with a Ford Econoline work van. His hood was popped a little bit, and he couldn't get it closed, or opened, for that matter. He had just left the Jiffy Lube up the street from us after getting an oil change. I helped him get it open, and the reason why it was messed up is because the lube tech took the old, full-of-oil filter and put it on top the engine/core support! Also, the engine was knocking. That's because they forgot to reinstall the drain plug, and all of the oil had leaked out between leaving there and getting to our store.

That was one expensive oil change for that guy. I think I learned some new expletives that day.

I can't say I've ever let anyone else work on my fleet of vehicles unless I just don't have the tools (until recently, alignments, for example) however I also don't have a family so my time isn't worth that much. I'm sure there will come a day when I pay someone else to do it, but it's going to be really hard for me to let go...

I stopped at a Jiffy Lube once in the late 80's desperate to find a replacement for the stripped oil drain plug for my Honda. They had a hand-written sign on the door that said "We no longer reuse oil filters". I'm sorry, but if you ever reused oil filters, you just became an idiot in my mind. Never been back since.

trucke wrote: Just be grateful they re-installed the drain plug!

Your statement would imply that they actually remove the drain plug in the first place.

Actually, many of these places are franchises. As with any franchises, YMMV very much holds true. I have plenty of experience with them as their insurance carrier. There are some that are...uh...not so good, and some that I'd have no problem taking my car to. You just have to do your research.

In reply to Huckleberry:

Isn't that a little unfair on work release people? They deserve a second chance after all

Trackmouse wrote: Never do business with an establishment that can't keep its working force more than six months. If the staff is new every time you go in, it's a McDonald's. walk out.

I was at the local menards about a year ago to pick up a small special order. No one could locate it at first, so I sat there and chatted with the 'delivery manager' for a little while. He use to work baggage handling at O'Hare (like a 20 year united employee or something), but the menards was 2 minutes from his house vs 1 hour plus in traffic to the airport.

He said he had been there about 3 months and that he was the 3rd longest tenured employee at that menards location.

JoeTR6 wrote: I stopped at a Jiffy Lube once in the late 80's desperate to find a replacement for the stripped oil drain plug for my Honda. They had a hand-written sign on the door that said "We no longer reuse oil filters". I'm sorry, but if you ever reused oil filters, you just became an idiot in my mind. Never been back since.

If there was a sign, it sounds like maybe they re-used oil filters at the customer's request... Customer is always right you know.

My teenaged pinhead wigger neighbor kid told me he learned to drive a stick at Jiffy Lube.

you act surprised . . . yet you knew what you were getting into.