Actually Had A Good Experience At Jiffy Lube

O

oilpsi2high

Joined
Dec 18, 2014
Messages
1,899
Location
NY, USA, etc.
I needed a NYS inspection today and the dealer was closed.

Went to Jiffy Lube since they were the only place open. The kid working there stalled the car about ten times driving it into the bay, but whatever.

I stayed in the car the whole time (too many bad experiences. I don’t let the car out of my sight if I can help it.) They do require their staff to drive in and out though.

They even used rubber pads on the lift when raising the car. They even torqued the lugs with a torque wrench when reinstalling. I was shocked. They didn’t check the lights or horn though, lol.

I still wouldn’t let them change the oil or touch anything else, but I was done with the inspection in about 30 minutes. Pretty good service for Jiffy Lube.
 
gregk24 said:
Thankful we don't have state inspections here in Florida.
Click to expand...
We had safety inspections in Utah-then the Legislators in their all knowing wisdom decided "they were not needed". Consequently ever year during winter, after the first snow-the Utah Hwy. Patrol says there were so many accidents-and a certain percentage were due to excessive speeds and bald tires. NOT UNCOMMON to see bald tires on mini vans in the dead of winter in the local "Big Box" store parking lot.....so yea, the inspections are evil. IMHO-the inspections protected some people from themselves-and for the rest of us bad equipment off the road.
 
gregk24 said:
Thankful we don't have state inspections here in Florida.
Click to expand...
Up to the 70s Pa had inspections every 6 months then at some point went to yearly. We moved to Az and I was surprised at no vehicle inspections. And shocked at the absolute unsafe junk on the roads. Almost got run over by a lady with 1 working brake on a rear wheel. In Pa I had no issue with having my trusted indie mechanic put our vehicles up on the lift and give everything important a look every 12 months for $20.

It's not about the inconvenience to guys who take care of their stuff, it's a bit of protection from those who don't. Sure some people cheat and find shady shops that sell stickers but not all.

Funny that the OP's good experience had nothing to do with oil.
 
good riddance to checks, safety & emissions.
last emissions check, I made it five miles down the road & had to turn back.
The gas cap was still there, they forgot to screw it back on after the seal inspection.
I'm sure I let copious hydrocarbons loose on the loop back. Paid $16. for verification my ride was 'clean'-ish.
To be fair, I should've checked my side mirror more carefully, the open gas flap indicated I had a problem.
 
Not Jiffy Lube but, the Valvoline Instant Oil Change facility near me is now the only place that I take all of my cars for NY State Inspection.
 
Went to see son in college town and he was at OCI … little time for either of us. Used a new Jiffy while we visited inside watching through big windows … They were actually good and used PG 5W30 …

My inspections get done at Goodyear and they go over things thoroughly … I’m sure it’s an opportunity for them to sell tires - BC fee is just $7.50 so I tossed him a $20 (they worked me in on a busy day).
 
I'm in VA - our outgoing governor almost got rid of inspections, after we went extra months for covid anyway, then the backup all due the next month (DOH!)

In our area:
They are yearly.
They do nothing for actual smoking cars.
You can skip them after 25 years (?).

I do not like them, just a opportunity to get jacked.
All the equipment laws apply anyway, just need to be 'stoppable'.

It would make sense to me to have an original then skip 2 years at least.
Get rid of the stupidity of antiques do not need inspections, but brand new does.
Give a smoking car 3 years to save up, then rebuild!

It is quite a burden on single, one car folks just getting there and back, even if perfect car.
 
I’m in NH, the live free or die state is horrible with state inspections. They do OBD2 checks for all vehicles going back 20 years - Even Massachusetts isn’t that bad (15 years). They pull wheels and check brakes...suspension, and you will fail for rust. Whatever amount of rust, I don’t know. My son‘s car passed last year, and failed this year...had to get the rocker either replaced or covered. I covered it. It also failed for a bushing in the rear, and in this particular car THIS bushing fails five minutes after you drive it off the lot. Couldn’t believe they snagged me on that one. The power steering pump was weeping a little fluid...the guy said he could fail me for that too because it would be a component failure. That one surprised me. This particular car (older Jeeo Liberty) has power steering pump seepage. Pretty common. So, I replaced the power steering pump too.

Unless your car is less than five years old in NH, you definitely can fail inspection pretty easily here. I dread it.
 
oilpsi2high said:
I needed a NYS inspection today and the dealer was closed.

Went to Jiffy Lube since they were the only place open. The kid working there stalled the car about ten times driving it into the bay, but whatever.

I stayed in the car the whole time (too many bad experiences. I don’t let the car out of my sight if I can help it.) They do require their staff to drive in and out though.

They even used rubber pads on the lift when raising the car. They even torqued the lugs with a torque wrench when reinstalling. I was shocked. They didn’t check the lights or horn though, lol.

I still wouldn’t let them change the oil or touch anything else, but I was done with the inspection in about 30 minutes. Pretty good service for Jiffy Lube.
Click to expand...
I think quick oil change businesses like Jiffy do a good job. Most everyone I know uses them and the vehicles are doing fine. The bulk oil they use meets spec and cars last longer than ever. They do try to up sell however, your air filter is always in need of replacement.

As for state inspections...
www.theamericanconsumer.org

Do Mandatory Vehicle Inspections Really Make Us Safer? - The American Consumer Institute

Most state laws that require regular safety inspections for passenger vehicles were passed more than 75 years ago, at a time when motor vehicle fatalities per mile traveled were about 8 times higher than in the 21st century and vehicles lacked many of the safety features we benefit from today. A...
www.theamericanconsumer.org www.theamericanconsumer.org
 
I agree with AZJeff. I also live in PA and don't mind the yearly inspections. You cannot believe what they find. My daughter-in-law's dad ran a service station that did inspections and his mechanics tales are wild. Brakes worn down to the metal, completely rusted through rocker panels on unibody cars, etc. Inspection keeps me safe from other people!
 
In Louisiana , the process isn't too bad . As long as all of your lights , turn signals and horn work , along with good brakes , tires and no engine codes , you're usually good to go . Don't even THINK about pulling into the place with a CHECK ENGINE light or a recently cleared code though .
 
I had to take my '85 Laser to Kwik Kar to get an inspection. Watched them like a hawk, as some body panels and bumper trim are extinct for that car. Took them a minute to find someone that could drive it into the bay. Not sure why they bothered, as cars that old only get a 'safety check' in Texas.

I haven't been to Jiffy Lube since they failed to tighten the oil filter on my brand new 2001 Sentra (first oil change), and tried to blame the oil leak on a cracked block. After they said that, I just left, went & got a new oil filter and a quart of oil and remedied the situation myself in my apartment building parking lot. I shouldn't have to do that, considering I just paid someone else to do the job....which is why they'll never see me again.
 
Good to hear you were happy with the inspection. Fortunately we do not have state inspections in South Dakota. We had them in the late 60's but the state did away with them. A lot of people would go to a gas station where they knew the owner or boss and they would just slap on the sticker even if the car had problems. :) That's how my old 1958 Oldsmobile passed!
 
Massachusetts requires inspection stations to have video cameras installed in the inspection bay. During a vehicle inspection, the cameras are activated, and the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) records the video that shows the inspector checking out everything on the vehicle, including jacking up each front tire to check steering and suspension components and checking the gas-cap seal.

There's also an option for RMV officials to watch inspections in real time, but there's no audio because there are no microphones with the video cameras. That means "big brother" never knows if the horn actually works or the if the exhaust system is too loud.
 
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