Another quickie oil change horror story.

[WMSmotorhead]

his could have ended better if the service manager would double check dipsticks.

I run a computer shop, and sometimes my sidekicks will bug me with what I consider simple questions that they "SHOULD KNOW"... but I field them with a kind word and the understanding that it's better to inconvenience myself for a moment than to have a job botched.

We do our own car work here... I learned from my father... and I teach some of our employees who are looking to save a few dollars.

I'll usually demonstrate how it's done, then let them do it, and inspect. Works out OK.

 

[zerosoma]

My wife got her oil changed at a WM on her old Ford Escort before she met me, in college.

The

left the oil fill cap off, or lost it, and closed the hood. About a day later smoke was rolling out of her hood because the oil had sloshed up out of the fill hole and landed on the engine.

She went back and complained, and they pulled a video. She knows for a fact they did this but they came out and denied anything happened.

We haven't gone there since (obviously). I have had other problems with other shops pulling junk on my vehicles (Tires Plus, those bstards!) and denying it.

That's why I decided to start learning on my own. Now I know EXACTLY what is done and I don't have to fret. What a nice thing that is.

 

[WMSmotorhead]

I always like to be able to claim success or blame failure on myself... thus, just do it myself. I can guarantee it has the grade/spec stuff I wanted in it... and that everything is done to my own standards.

 

[oldmaninsc]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Incompetent service on a vehicle from a kid who was stocking ladies underwear last week?

Surely it can't be true.

I have to put part of the blame on the vehicle owner for actually being foolish enough to have a vehicle serviced at a WalMart.

Pop - it sure must be nice to be as perfect as you! Pure snobbery at it's finest!

Many people in the world don't know a thing about their vehicles. The person in this story no doubt at some point saw an ad by a major company to have their vehicle serviced. How are they to know the quality of the work? Perhaps even they had taken their vehicle there before and never had a problem! Who knows?

Personally I wouldn't take my vehicle to Wal-mart or just about any other "chain" type place and as long as my old hands can grasp a wrench I will continue to do my own work on my vehicles. But I understand not everyone has the space, ability, the time or the knowledge to do so.

Obviously a mistake was made - for whatever reason. Stuff happens. Personally it bothers me more that a big company is slow to fix a mistake.

I'm not going to cast stones at this employee because about 5 years ago I accidentally poured anti-freeze into the windshield washer fluid of one of my vehicles (both of the fill tubes are right next to each other and it was getting dark). Like I said - stuff happens, at least for us mere mortals.

 

[zerosoma]

Originally Posted By: oldmaninsc
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Incompetent service on a vehicle from a kid who was stocking ladies underwear last week?

Surely it can't be true.

I have to put part of the blame on the vehicle owner for actually being foolish enough to have a vehicle serviced at a WalMart.

Pop - it sure must be nice to be as perfect as you! Pure snobbery at it's finest!

Many people in the world don't know a thing about their vehicles. The person in this story no doubt at some point saw an ad by a major company to have their vehicle serviced. How are they to know the quality of the work? Perhaps even they had taken their vehicle there before and never had a problem! Who knows?

Personally I wouldn't take my vehicle to Wal-mart or just about any other "chain" type place and as long as my old hands can grasp a wrench I will continue to do my own work on my vehicles. But I understand not everyone has the space, ability, the time or the knowledge to do so.

Obviously a mistake was made - for whatever reason. Stuff happens. Personally it bothers me more that a big company is slow to fix a mistake.

I'm not going to cast stones at this employee because about 5 years ago I accidentally poured anti-freeze into the windshield washer fluid of one of my vehicles (both of the fill tubes are right next to each other and it was getting dark). Like I said - stuff happens, at least for us mere mortals.




^ this.

And I think the consumer is smarter than most people because other people would just think, "oh, it's just a thump, must be the vehicle adjusting".

And that she confronted the guys and didn't take their word for it. Some people just don't look into it and really get hosed. So kudos to this woman - most women don't change their own oil anyway so they wouldn't know the difference & think nothing of it.

 

[buster]

I wonder what % of Quick Lubes and Dealers:

1. Overfill/Underfill
2. Use incorrect oil

?

 

[2James1]

Originally Posted By: buster
I wonder what % of Quick Lubes and Dealers:

1. Overfill/Underfill
2. Use incorrect oil

?


Excellent question especially the overfill/under fill part.