Just spent $344 at Jiffy Lube

[PumpPusher]

Originally Posted by Lubener
Originally Posted by Stelth
But not my money. Also, this isn't a complaint, more of an observation, so please don't attack me for complaining. Anyway. I have a company truck that I drive, a 2015 Silverado 2500. I like it, it's nice, and it's nice not having to buy tires, gas, etc. to drive to work. The boss has a Jiffy Lube account, and he wants his vehicles maintained by the schedule. So I go in when the oil life monitor shows less than 10 %.

Today I went by, expecting a $110 oil change like last time (Pennzoil Platinum). So the guy says hey it's time for an air filter. Sure, fine, whatever. If it was my truck, no dice, it was probably just getting good. Then he says, it's time for transmission fluid, and it's approved. I guess they have some guidelines from my employer on when they can do things. So sure, do that too. It's kind of hard to read the invoice, but it looks like the fluid exchange was $189. Oil was 11.99/qt. Air filter was $29.99.

The truck has a little over 91,000 miles on it, runs well, and doesn't use oil. So I guess things are working ok.

In any case, I thought you might like to know some cost figures.

In any case, I would have treated someone else's money as if it were mine and would not have fallen for that sucker deal. Those guys knew they had the green light and took advantage of that.

The company we contract our maintenance to have to follow a prescribed schedule. Any deviations from it have the be approved by our fleet manager, otherwise it won't be paid for. We just drop the truck off.

 

[javacontour]

Apparently a thread killer too.

I drive my own vehicle and get reimbursed mileage above the daily round trip commute mileage from my home to the office. But I just need a sedan that will carry my laptop and occasionally a part box that fills my back seat. No need for a truck nor nice luxury sedan to entertain clients.

So a Mazda3 with a manual transaxle is my daily, unless I'm driving the '99 Grand Marquis. Silly cheat to run either of them, so I bank money on the mileage reimbursement.

Originally Posted by PumpPusher
Originally Posted by javacontour
This is a time is money deal here.

Not the OP's truck, but a company ride. It's not making money if it doesn't run and/or takes half a day at the dealership.

Would most of us spend that sort of coin on our own ride at a quick lube? Nope, we would do it ourselves. But it's a hobby for us. For the company, this is an asset.

Probably in and out in a hour, so the employee's time is minimized. Remember, the employee is also getting paid while the truck is in the bay. Pay for an hour of employee at quick lube or half a day at the dealership.

It's not so expensive when you figure the value of time of a reasonably well compensated employee. Even more of a relative bargain when you consider the value of the time the truck is available for work.

Probably not a good business move for a private individual, but for a corporate vehicle, probably not bad economics.

This is the best response.

 

[thooks]

For the people complaining, how much of your own work do you do? I try to do all of mine.

I try to use OEM parts except motor oil. I have been using Mobil-1 but I'm going to switch to Kirkland Full Syn. Yes, because it is about 1/2 the price of Mobil-1 at Wal-Mart pricing.

It takes me about an hour to do an oil change on my Tundra and that's if I have everything laid out and ready. That's from the time I get all the tools, a small table, trash can, oil, filter, bucket, etc., all out and then put back up.

If I had a $60,000 building with power, lights, HVAC, a lift and other special equipment/tools, it would still take 30-40 minutes.

Materials cost me about $40 with the Kirkland oil. I would value my time and shop space to be at least $60-some odd, so $110 for an oil change isn't out of line.

I had my transmission serviced at a real transmission shop that used OEM filter, gasket and Toyota fluid - they drop the pan and refill for $145. So the $180 that doesn't remove and replace a filter is out of line IMO.

My air filters at Napa (Napa Gold) are about $23, less with their semi-annual 40% discount.

All in all, I'd say the pricing was fair. Like many have stated, the service was without an appointment, fast and convenient. It kept the owner's employee at minimal down time, it keeps his truck maintained and somewhat of a fair price. If anything is out of whack, Jiffy Lube is responsible.

I'm sure a locally owned non-franchise garage would love the work, but they are probably booked up more than a dealer if they are worth anything and they are like every other service business - they are having a tough time finding entry-level people that want to do a good job and want to learn. The owner can't pay oil change jockeys $25/hr when everyone is expecting an oil change for $8 in labor.

 

[talest]

Did they cross-thread the oil pan fill bolt?
Did they put the oil filter on so tight a young Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn't get it off?
Did they loosen the tire lugs so they fall off down the road?

Hold JiffyLube accountable. It's only $344.. pocket change, right?

Quote
And yes, they sucked it out through the dipstick.


Heh. That's some fine service right there. Nice and speedy, why do all the extra stuff, right? But, let's not knock it.. It worked, just surprised they didnt charge you an extra fee for that superb, proper, Top Tier service, unless that is how it is done . What is it, the Marines that say, whatever works?

Fluid extractor or pump by hand?
$11.99 a quart fluid in a pail like a Homer's All Purpose Bucket from Home Depot, or opening up X number of quarts for recycling? Or from the bulk oil drum they charged you that $12 a quart

out of ?
Oh wait.. but it wasn't your money!
So it's fine.
So the process was okay.
Got it..