Quick lube shop scams

[Cary]

It is because all of the stories, plus the fact that the local 10 minute lube places want $45 to change my oil when I have the oil and filter that I stay away from them. Every time they tell me, well it is a 4 wheel drive so it is an extra $10.

I have found a couple of places that work far better than the 10 minute lube places. The first is the Totyota dealer who for $24.99 changes the oil, filter (with a factory filter), checks the front and rear diffs, tranny fluid and lubes the U joints on the Landcruiser. I bring my own Mobil 1 and they go "using the good stuff," change the oil where I can see and in general are very careful.

The second I use a local gas station shop, where I can watch them do the work. Guy is really nice and charges me $15 to change the oil and filter on the Pathfinder because I bring my own oil and filter.

Finally, my wifes 525i BMW, I do myself, 10 minutes, no mess, easy job. My mechanic resets the service light no charge.

Cary

 

[Night Owl]

Myself being in the business of retail auto repairs, let me make something perfectly clear about why issues like what started this thread happen in chain/retail automotive repair shops and fast lubes:

1)The pressure comes from the top to sell to customers on a "Dollar per car/Ticket average just as stated in this report. That is why an inspection process on each vehicle is required by these companies. And yes people are fired, demoted etc. when they cannot provide this ticket average.

2)The pressure comes from the top because it is almost impossible to be profitable if all you had to sell was oil changes. Competition has pushed the price of oil changes down, and thus if you do not sell profitable items such as tranny flushes, radiator flushes, air filters etc. you will not be in business for very long. Players like Walmart are pushing the price of tires and oil changes down to the point that the rest of the industry is being forced to sell other services to pay the rent. Walmart is great for the customer, but the rest of the industry is paying the price. The other players do not have toasters to sell to make up for the lack of profit margin in their tires and oil changes. By the way, Walmart is in the Tire and Lube business for only one reason: While your oil drops, you shop. That toaster and dog food you just purchased while they did your oil change is a tranny flush to a fast lube. Just 2 different ways of taking money out of your pocket.

 

[msparks]

There is a jiffy lube on the way home. Last year I got caught at a red light with my truck right in front of the entrance to the store. There were standing outside laughing and pointing at my truck.

I'm guessing there were probably upset that I will never go to a Jiffy Lube, or else it was something to do with the 100,000 mile oil change

 

[Spector]

quote:

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Originally posted by pacem:
Nobody has any integrity these days. It doesn't pay to be honest. From quick lube shops to lawyers and anything in between. Theft and fraud is rewarded, honesty is penalized.

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to a large the degree the American public gets what is deserves whether it be politicians or corporate greed. Ask who starts the corporate greed of a Jiffy Lube etc., it is the stockholders who demand better profits every quarter in lieu of good steady growth. they want that huge increase in stock price. This drives the officers to comply as their bonuses are driven off of stock price and the pressure to produce more and more profits goes down the line to the tech servicing the car. To produce the profits creative accounting and high pressure sales are used.

So, we are all to blame. Why does Wal Mart survive, because the American public wants price at all costs over service and integrity. Price rules in this country and until we are willing to pay for service and honesty it ain't gonna happen!

[ November 11, 2003, 09:01 AM: Message edited by: Spector ]

 

[Steve_RI]

I remember back in the early 90's when my Pathfinder was a little newer I went to Jiffylube for an oil change. It was the middle of summer and I was going over to Martha's Vineyard to visit a friend of mine and go riding in the sand dunes. I got all the crap about air filter, differential fluid, etc. I just wanted an oil change before I went and beat on my truck for the weekend. Well, I noticed some techs mulling around my truck but didn't think anything of it at the time. A few weeks later I discovered what the heck they were doing. This was after riding around in sand and dust, mind you

. They lost my wing nuts and rubber gaskets for my air filter and didn't bother to tell me. They put the clips back on and let me drive off with a clear path right to my intake with no filtration. I've done my own maintenance ever since. Never again.

 

[edwardh1]

the local iffy lube guy came out to the waiting room with my Honda air filter in his hand, he showed it to me and said "we suggest you change these every 10,000 miles".

I said, the car is new this is its first oil change (3500 miles )

i do it myself now

 

[MikeySoft]

More horror stories

I opened the hood after an oil change by a local oil change place.

The dipstick was lying on top of the valve cover. ! ! !

 

[badnews]

They pump oil into your vehicle from those bulk tanks, who knows what they really have in them, no thanks. I can put the best oil around in it myself and a darn good filter for what they charge to do with the cheapest available.

 

[Jimbo]

My dad now goes to the Toyota dealer for oil changes because he was getting fed up with all of the extras that the quick lube places constantly push. The price is almost as low at the dealer.

They make up the difference by earning his trust for oil changes and then really sticking it to him on tuneups and such.

 

[dagmando]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jimbo:
My dad now goes to the Toyota dealer for oil changes because he was getting fed up with all of the extras that the quick lube places constantly push. The price is almost as low at the dealer.

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You also have to watch out for the dealer, they are the business of making money too. The Jeep dealer I used to go used Citgo bulk because it was the cheapest at the time and now they use Formula Shell oil because they beat the Citgo pricing this year. This is right from the Service Directors mouth, my friend. As long as they meet the require API or whatever certification, whom ever is cheapest wins the contract that year. I am not saying that Citgo or Formula Shell is bad oil, but it was not picked for what is best for the vehicle. On the other hand, when I was with BMW, BMW-NA had a deal with Valvoline to supply all authorized BMW service center in NA that made Valvoline the best price without sacrificing quality.

 

[Mic]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Spector:
to a large the degree the American public gets what is deserves whether it be politicians or corporate greed. Ask who starts the corporate greed of a Jiffy Lube etc., it is the stockholders who demand better profits every quarter in lieu of good steady growth. they want that huge increase in stock price. This drives the officers to comply as their bonuses are driven off of stock price and the pressure to produce more and more profits goes down the line to the tech servicing the car. To produce the profits creative accounting and high pressure sales are used.

So, we are all to blame. Why does Wal Mart survive, because the American public wants price at all costs over service and integrity. Price rules in this country and until we are willing to pay for service and honesty it ain't gonna happen!

---

So, you are telling me that it starts with the rich stock holders. They are sticking it to the consumer, through means they do not want to now anything about. The means finally make their way down to the service tech. He or she is then forced to use the means to increase sales from services that are not wanted or maybe not required.

I am trying to figure out how the little guy, working to stay alive, deserves to be cheated.

I wish to exclude myself from your statement "So, we are all to blame".

Regards,
Jeff

 

[Spector]

No one deserves to be cheated.

And,most stockholders are not rich but they sure would like to be with quick stock value growth spurred by huge profits.
By the statement that we are all to blame I was generalizing about the American public in general and their desire to always purchase a product at the lowest cost regardless of other factors, that is, until something happens. Then they want service too! That is also a generalization.

Glad to hear that you do not own any stock in any company, mutual fund, pension plan, IRA etc. If you did then you and the rest of us would all be to blame for idly standing by and demanding higher profits next quarter when this past quarter was up 100%. Notice how few companies now pay dividends, all stock value now.

[ November 11, 2003, 08:43 PM: Message edited by: Spector ]

 

[Mic]

quote:

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Originally posted by Spector:
Glad to hear that you do not own any stock in any company, mutual fund, pension plan, IRA etc. If you did then you and the rest of us would all be to blame for idly standing by and demanding higher profits next quarter when this past quarter was up 100%. Notice how few companies now pay dividends, all stock value now.

---

Ok, you have a valid point. I do own stock in one way or another. I am guilty by default.

I would also have to say that it is not your average investor with a few shares that is going to influence the board of directors recommendations for making a company profitable.

By the way, I am glad to meet you. I am new to the board and find it very informative.

Best Regards,
Jeff

 

[Spector]

Welcome. By the way, what does a tooling manager do and what type of company?

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Isn't it the American way to sell you stuff you don't need?

 

[mobilelube]

quote:

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don't let them wear skirts, and tell em' to stay in the car. Pit monkeys are pervs. [/QB]

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When I was a lube tech for Jiffy Lube it was unreal what people said and did behind a female customer's back (or underneath her skirt). It was almost a locker room mentality, each guy trying to prove he was a man by being disgusting. I would never "let" a girl I knew go to an oil change place wearing a skirt...

 

[mobilelube]

At Jiffy Lube, we were required to maintain a $50 ticket average. When you're selling a $30 oil change, you've gotta' sell a lot of extras. I got so disenfranchised with the process that I quit and started my own oiling changing service. All we do is change the oil. No extras. We inspect the vehicle, but our recommendations include the line, "go somewhere to get _____ taken care of."

 

[therion]

quote:

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You shouldn't be letting your wives/girlfriends go to these places anyway, but if you do... don't let them wear skirts, and tell em' to stay in the car. Pit monkeys are pervs.

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****! thats one of the reasons i applied to NW Oilers

j/k

 

[Bob Woods]

"Notice how few companies now pay dividends, all stock value now"

Thats because on dividends you pay income tax(15% and up) on stock value increase you pay a 5 or 10% capital gains tax when you sell.

 

[tom slick]

one thing to keep in mind with the iffy lube places;
if those morons wern't changing hot oil in your car they'd be changing hot oil in the deep friers at McDonalds, same class of moron. none of them are mechanics or even have a real ASE certification.
with that said, the place my dad takes his vehicles to is excellent. yes they do the usual marketing things but their service is good to him and they are honest. they are an independant shop in a small town though.
if you are not going to change your own oil why not take it to a local, independant, reputable garage and get a real mechanic to change your oil, support the small guy and your local economy.