oil change place stories (mods move if in wrong pl

[wavinwayne]

Until I came to BITOG, I always took all my vehicles to quick lube shops for oil changes. This was from the late 80's when I was a teenager until 2004. I have never had a quick lube shop try to over-sell me on anything.

Dealers and tire shops, now they're a different story for another day.

 

[eljefino]

When I was in college and not doing my own work I went to a nice-enough corner gas station/garage for a $15.95 OC special. Sat in the waiting room, early morning, snow falling, saw my car exiting the facility into traffic with the front wheels spinning wildly through the snow. Asked the clerk about it and she said they needed to test drive it (for an oil change!).

Relax, they're professionals.

Just moved to my 1st place after school and chose a dingy hole-in-the-wall for my next change. Wanted mobil 1, they said no problem, bring it in. Had M1 on the passenger seat and leftover syntec blend in the trunk. They used my syntec despite the work order saying... use customer's M1. I asked the apologetic clerk if I could have some syn blend and all they had was bulk dino so I let it be...

 

[The Critic]

I take my friend's car to various tire shops for service, usually the cheapest one.

I haven't had a problem with them yet.

 

[typ901]

Guess I am the only one who used to get the windshield wiper upsell? Think my worst besides, the typical B.S. of needing an air filter was when I had power steering fluid put into my brake master cylinder...no idea how that could have been done, but it did.

I stopped going to the oil change places when the manager told me that they could not change the diff. fluid in my Land Rover as they did not know how to do it, nor what it 'took.' It takes a 3/8" ratchet head to remove the plugs in the diff's and the owner's manual in the truck reads 80w-90 gear oil. I am lazy too, but man I mean really? It is not tough, and it takes very little time.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: typ901
Guess I am the only one who used to get the windshield wiper upsell? Think my worst besides, the typical B.S. of needing an air filter was when i had power steering fluid put into my brake master cylinder...no idea how tha tcould hae been done, but it did.

At the tire shop that I went to, they "undersold," if anything. Maybe it was because the assistant manager and I were talking about tools and car parts the entire time, maybe they thought that I'd notice?

The car needed windshield wipers, they didn't upsell that.

The car needed an ATF service, they didn't upsell that.

The car also needed a 4-wheel alignment (outside shoulder of the tire was gone), and they didn't notice! They even told me to wait until 2/32 to replace the tire.

 

[mpvue]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Wanted mobil 1, they said no problem, bring it in. Had M1 on the passenger seat and leftover syntec blend in the trunk. They used my syntec despite the work order saying... use customer's M1. I asked the apologetic clerk if I could have some syn blend and all they had was bulk dino so I let it be...


years ago I drove my '70 nova to the body shop to get painted and have a new rear valance installed (I provided the new piece, and removed all the trim and taillights myself). when I picked it up, I saw they reinstalled my taillights but something looked wrong. sure enough, they swapped them from side to side so they were both upside-down. you would think that when they didn't fit in the new valance they would have a clue something was wrong. no problem, they drilled new mounting holes!

 

[Saab9000]

I went to Jiffy Lube for a while.

One day, as I go to pick up the car after an oil change, the mechanic comes out of the pit and with a very concerned look tells me that the last place that changed my oil were "idiots" because they lost the drain plug washer and had used plumber's tape on the drain plug instead.

You should have seen the look on his face when I told him that his shop had done the last oil change!

 

[SuperDave456]

I worked in a place when I was in high school where some of the guys were downright dangerous.

Stripped drain plugs that required a prybar and air wrench to get off. Engines FILLED with oil (gallons, not quarts of oil).

The classic double stacked filter gasket was my favorite. Where you pull the old filter, dont check to see if the old gasket was stuck to the engine, you install the new filter and the gaskets double up and dont seal. When you start the car you get a large spray of fresh oil everywhere.

I never saw anyone who belonged to the shop destroy and engine, but I wouldent be suprised to find out that someone did.

The only dead cars I ever saw where made that way by the owners not changing their dino oil for 20-30,000 miles, and the classic driving the car when the temp needle was in the red "past the little red H" cooking the engine and all the gaskets.

 

[peterdaniel]

i used to work in a pseudo jiffy lube place when I was in college. I was one of those car nuts and took my work seriously. So much so I got fired for pointing out that out of every 10 Group 7 oil filters I looked at, 2-3 were garbage, defective, warped, rusted etc..

One time I was in the pit and I had just dropped the oil and removed the filter. I spun on a new Group 7 filter ( if you think fram orange filters are garbage.. sheesh.. they look like Amsoil filters compared to these royal POS's) I tighten up the drain plug and the proper thing to say was " OK, Fill'er up!"

Now, you would think the next thing the upstairs guy would do would be... I dunno.. Fill it up with oil?? Noooooo... he goes and starts the car!!!!! and he;s not just starting it, he's revving it up!!... I start screaming and banging on the car's underneath with my wrench STOP STOP STOP!!!!

Luckily the dumb f stops the car but then starts yelling at me. I wanted to take my wrench and fix his wagon so bad..

Never again would I work in a place like that and never again would I ever bring it to one.

 

[Jaymus]

No offense to anyone that does get their oil done in jiffy lubes, but I could never take my vehicle to any quick change place. I have this thing where I must change my own oil myself. And I usually change all my family member's oil, too.

I just love knowing exactly what oil and filter I'm getting, and that it was done 100% correct.

 

[SuperDave456]

I was reading through the previous posts and remember another story.

About 3 years ago, before I was changing my own oil, I went to a oil place down the street from my folk's place.

The guy in charge said "Today and today only we are having a special. We will change your oil and filter for $20 cash only."

Cash only? Cant beat that! So I went down the street to Walmart, got a coke and $20 back and went to have my oil change.

I watched them and they changed the oil and filter, and when the guy took my $20 he just put it in his shirt pocket.
I think the manager was out for the day and they were trying to make some real money other than the $7-8 an hour they are normally making.
I asked the guy if I could bring in my parent's car for the same deal. He said "Today and today only."

 

[dishdude]

When I worked at Pepboys in the 90s we had an 89 Camry come in for an oil change. Apparently when it was written up the wrong engine was entered into the computer so the wrong oil filter was pulled. The kid doing the oil changes that day didn't seem to care that the filters were totally different sizes and the threads were different between the 4 cyl and V6, but the filter threaded on. As the guy was going down the highway the filter blew off and he drove it until is seized. V6 engines for '89 Camrys are expensive! We ended up buying the car.

I took a 05 Cobalt with an Ecotec for an oil change to Mr. Tire and I hear them saying they are out of Ecotec filter and who is going to go get one. I decide to keep an eye out and I don't see them change the filter, but I am looking from the rear so the hood is blocking. I mention something to the tech and he says "oh yeah of course we changed it, we found one in the back" he shows me a used ecotec filter so I was like ok. Of course it bugs me, so the next day I pull the cap off, and there is an AC Delco filter inside, so I was [censored]'d. I do my own oil changes now.

I had a company truck 2003 GMC Sonoma that I took to VIOC. You sit in the garage with them and they have you drive the car in, start the car, etc. I like this since they won't get dirt all over the interior and you can verify it is done properly. I walk back and see this girl in the pit cranking like all [censored] on the drain plug, trying to loosen it but turning clockwise!!! I said hey I think you are turning the wrong way! My drain plug was destroyed and I had to fight with the manage to type what happened on the receipt.

After working at Pepboys, I decided to start doing as much work as possible myself. I saw way too many major screwups there. 2 wheels left loose that came off while the customer was driving, a battery hooked up backwards on a Renault Alliance, a tech once jumped a solenoid on an old lincoln while it was in drive and the car jumped forward pinning someone else against a tire balancer...it was a mess!

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
I was reading through the previous posts and remember another story.

About 3 years ago, before I was changing my own oil, I went to a oil place down the street from my folk's place.

The guy in charge said "Today and today only we are having a special. We will change your oil and filter for $20 cash only."

Cash only? Cant beat that! So I went down the street to Walmart, got a coke and $20 back and went to have my oil change.

I watched them and they changed the oil and filter, and when the guy took my $20 he just put it in his shirt pocket.
I think the manager was out for the day and they were trying to make some real money other than the $7-8 an hour they are normally making.
I asked the guy if I could bring in my parent's car for the same deal. He said "Today and today only."

Haha! Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet! Sounds like the same kind`ve deal I got when I bought the OEM bra for my 3000GT. I got it for basically nothing and the guy behind the counter had me make the check out to *him* and not the dealership. BUT,the deal was good for that day and that day only