Do you use Jiffy Lube?

I'm sure this is probably happening a lot of places, maybe even at your Toyota dealer's service shop, because like the former mechanic said, why do the work if it's so easy to get away with not doing it?

By the same token, I'm sure the vast majority of auto service shops aren't trying to rip off the customer in this fashion... in this fashion, anyways.

 

They're doing it because they can.

The Prius is one of the easiest oil changes on the planet, but how many people here do their own? Not that many.. It's 'easier' to pay someone to do it.

These Jiffy lube type places are popular, everyone brings their car here, so it must be ok... I guess... if you're a sheep, follow the other sheep.. it might be off the cliff, but as long as all the sheep are doing it, just keep doing it too..

How many people (out of 100) can identify the common parts on a car. how many would know if their fuel filter was changed? Do you know where your spark plugs are? (people in general, not anyone on here specific)

The shops are ripping off the customers because the customers don't have the first clue about their cars.

Glad I'm not in that boat, it's expensive enough when I do the work myself. Paying someone to do the work would be painful, but then finding out I paid $300 for them to do absolutly nothing would kill me.

This is likely to turn into class action... should be interesting..

 

hmm. makes me even more glad to know the person who does all the work on my car...

stuff like that does get people fired, but there are some crooked people in the industry, that's for sure.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mehrenst @ Jul 11 2006, 12:16 PM) [snapback]284455[/snapback]</div>

For what

 

It would be nice to save money this way but I lack the hand strength to perform the task and space in my condo parking lot to do it if I could manage the hand strength issue. I hate those chains, many try to bump up stuff that does not need repairing.

 

only an olde fashisioned RETARD would take their Pruis to anywhere other than an Authorized Toyota Dealer for any kind of service.

 

only an olde fashisioned RETARD would take their Pruis to anywhere other than an Authorized Toyota Dealer for any kind of service.

 

I'm just in for a couple of days to attend an Aunt's birthday bash. Auto repair ripoffs happen in Canada too. CBC's consumer affairs program "Marketplace" ran some stories where they took a car in otherwise perfect condition, rigged it with hidden cameras, and then did something very simple: pulled a spark plug wire.

Naturally they got a woman who could act like a real ditzy blonde to take the car in for "service."

A few garages actually did damage ON PURPOSE to the car. One "mechanic" actually used a screwdriver to poke holes in the CV boots! Others came up with extravagant stories to explain the cars mild misfire: needs new fuel injectors, needs new motor, needs major tuneup, etc etc

By far the worst offenders turned out to be the national chain Canadian Tire. They didn't actually try to do major damage to the car, but they also grossly inflated the repair estimates. In contrast, most dealers quickly and easily found the disconnected plug wire, and usually didn't charge to fix it

 

Took mine to Jiffy Lube for its first oil change.

First - I kept hassling them about the oil - telling them to be sure not to overfill it. YES, WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING.!..they said - Result? = Overfilled!

Second - I worried that they would let air out of my tires since I run at 42/40. This is part of their "service". I never saw them touch the tires, so I asked - YES, OF COURSE WE CHECKED THE TIRES AND THEY WERE FINE!...they said - Oh yea, I said, then what did you set the pressure to?....AHHHHH, UMMMM...they said...I had caught them in a lie.

Bottom-line, I did not pay for that service and I have and will never go back. I did find a smaller Goodyear store, with a mechanic I can trust, who is very careful and makes sure the oil is never overfilled. He loves the car and treats it like his own...and a synthetic oil change is only costing me $20!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RichBoy @ Jul 11 2006, 01:21 PM) [snapback]284579[/snapback]</div>

I hope you really don't believe that the dealer is any better! I have many friends who work at dealers...and I have spent many hours watching them. They are so busy, they do not have time to be careful...and constantly cut corners. Since they have zero interaction with the customer, they also have very little respect for the customer's car. The things I have seen them do in a customer's car...

I agree that at least they are using Toyota parts, and hopefully they have a little more training on Toyotas...but don't be blinded into thinking that this is where the "honest" mechanics work. It is just not true!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RichBoy @ Jul 11 2006, 01:21 PM) [snapback]284579[/snapback]</div>

Being an old fashioned RETARD I have never had a car serviced "Professionally" by a dealer. I've had warranty work done without ever a hassle, but for minor things like oil changes, tire rotation, minor tune-ups, it isn't really that hard. The hardest thing about DIY is standing in line at Walmart, Costco, or wherever to buy the oil, filters, etc. In over 40 years of old fashioned driving, it has worked for me.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RichBoy @ Jul 11 2006, 01:21 PM) [snapback]284578[/snapback]</div>

And you think that some ham-fisted Toyota tech won't ever harm your car? B) B)

You have more faith in car dealers than I

 

complete retards actually do get hired at toyota dealers, ya know. not everyone who gets in at the dealer is a good tech.

 

I am a little annoyed that my Toyota dealer's service shop doesn't provide any way for me to observe the work being performed. Yeah, the lounge area and the TV are nice while waiting for them to complete an oil change, but all the same, I'd find it more interesting to watch the mechanics work on the car!

I'm sure the mechanics and grease monkeys don't like the idea of customers like me watching them do their work because it may make them feel like I don't trust them, but, well...

 

I took my old Civic to Jiffy Lube once. They wanted to do all kinds of work that was totally unecessary when I had my oil changed. I declined. Needless to say, will never go there again.

 

There once was a jiffy customer,
who got their jiffy wallet lubed,
while their jiffy auto was done.

The jiffy auto got jiffy brake fluid,
that they put in their jiffy anti-freeze,
that ruined his jiffy water pump.

He got his jiffy butt
out of their jiffy garage
jiffy quick.

He said he'd never go back,
Jiffy good I said!

 

I've used Jiffy Lube (boy that sounds bad! :lol: ) ever since my first car when I was 16 back in 1990. In total, I've probably gone there AT LEAST 100 times, over a bunch of different locations up and down the east coast, over more cars than I care to count when I didn't feel like changing my own oil, and have NEVER had a problem.

Thing you have to remember about places like Jiffy Lube is, they are places that specialize in oil changes ONLY. Even though they have a million preventative services, they're really not a "shop" per se. You use those places for oil changes ONLY, nothing more. You need to be firm from the second you pull in, "I want an oil change (insert type of oil and grade here if you know it), ONLY". Yes, they're probably going to try and angle more business out of you, by telling you it's time to replace your, for example, differential fluid ( ), get your injectors cleaned, blah, blah, blah, or you car is going to grenade at any moment...

The best is when they bring your dirty air filter into the waiting room, and tell you, glumly mind you, how terrible it is, how it really needs to be replaced, and how they're doing you such a great favor by going above and beyond to bring this to your attention. Sure, if you don't feel like driving down to the auto parts store, getting a filter, and replacing it yourself (usually cheaper too), then go ahead and say, YES. Of course, don't be surprised if they try to get more 'yes"'s out of you.. :lol: Usually, the best thing to do is to JUST SAY "NO!!!!", and stick to the oil change ONLY.

Better yet, go to their website (they MUST have one), and learn the types of oil they have, then you can roll in, and firmly say, "I want an oil change ONLY, please use the high milage oil (or "synthetic" they have a few options other options too), 10w 40 (or whatever your grade is, if you don't know, don't worry about it too much, as they're pretty good about that, just makes you sound better...)".

 

We only have Prius certified techs work on the ones that come in. Not all the techs get to touch them at our dealership.

 

There are good and bad everywhere.

With my own Prius I had a dealer service department tell me three times they had installed the GBS I paid for.

I did the tests...it wasn't there. Looked for it myself it wasn't there. Finally, they admitted it wasn't there and gave me my money back. (I got it installed elsewhere).

JiffyLube has had a bad reputation for years. In fact, it used to be they couldnt' get insurance because a lot of their "techs' were so poorly trained that they kept forgetting to put oil drain plugs back in place. Customer drives out...1/2 mile later they need a new engine.

There have also been reported cases of the supposed oil/synthetic oil in a container not being what was advertised. Not that anyone at an oil company would ever engage in fraud.

Unfortunately, in our society laziness and greed are becoming the rule and not the exception.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ken S @ Jul 23 2006, 07:01 AM) [snapback]290890[/snapback]</div>

Sorry, but what the heck is "GBS"? :huh: