KNBC investigates Jiffy Lube!
 

http://www.nbc4.tv/video/9152183/detail.html#

I can honestly say I'm not surprised... :rolleyes:

Why on earth would you go to one of those places anyway? I use Sears or Meineke and have NEVER had a problem.

Simple routine maintenance I do myself - always have. I just don't trust those large chains - too many horror stories.

+1

i try to do ANYTHING i can to avoid teh labor charge, and wondering if it was done right.

Who owns the name anyway? It was Pennzoil, then Quaker gobbled them up, (or was it the other way around?) then Shell gobbled up the whole pie. I lost count after that.

After they drastically overfilled my 94 transmission some 9 years back, I don't go near them.

I'm shocked! (not!)....all of the "oil change" places are not making money on the oil changes, they're making it on all the "you really should change X now because the manufacturer says so...") work.
Your best bet, if you use JiffyLube or the like, is to hang around the bay while they're doing the work.
-Bill

to our defence (Tires Plus) we often recomend things when it is needed... and people have seen so many of these damn reports that they never believe us any more when we say things like "Ma'm your tie rod is about to fall off!" and no no thanks I don't think its needed... its just money first off... second off your helping pay someones pay check and third off its MUCH better for every one out there to over mantain your car then undermaintain

That looks pretty bad...
 

...but, having worked at a Jiffy Lube for over six months, I can honestly say, at my store, we never stiffed anyone like that. Several times, something was missed, but it was always an accident, and it was always fuel system cleaner; an additive in a bottle that was simply missed. Each time, we put the bottle aside after realising the mistake, and called the customer to tell them it was missed and that we have the bottle for them next time they are in the neighbourhood.

Now I will contrast that with where I work now, a Subaru dealership. At the Subie dealership, the garage is staffed with licensed mechanics, unlike the lube shop, however, because of the standards that were used at Jiffy Lube, I can honestly say that I'd feel more comfortable going there than to some dealership garage. If nothing else, at the lube shop it's consistently done the same way every time. They want to make sure it gets done right because the margins are so thin, they can't afford to have customers coming back. The garage, well, I was told that they make more money back there than the sales department... Now, that's not to say that we do a hack job at the dealership, because I don't believe that's the case either.

I guess my point is, the intent of that "exposé" was to make it look really scandalous, that every shop is out for your money. But you can't pass blanket judgement like that. The best thing you can do is find a shop you can trust. Build a relationship with them. Get to know them. Every industry I've had the displeasure to work in suffers a bad rep like this, and newsies looking for a good scoop don't make things any easier.

I agree you can not judge all on the basis of one. Not too long ago, with some trepidation, I had a hole in the exhaust of my FFI welded up by a shop belonging to a well advertised chain. When I asked how much I was told "we can't charge for such a small job". The job was expertly carried out and I was very impressed and they were nice guys. I will go there again, which is the point of their exercise.

is that why you mow teh lawn wit your teef? :p

I disagree with the under maintenance part. :eek:

If you under maintain your car than you will pay, let see, more to the mechanic to fix, the tow truck driver, the EMT's, the hospital, fire department, and the other people that you killed or almost killed for being stupid.

That is such a hard decision to make 100 bucks now of 500,000 later. Should we take a poll?

Remember Suby Fan that you can not say "Ma'm your tie rod is about to fall off!" that is a scare tactic and is illegal in some states. The correct saying is " Ma'm you tie rod is showing sign of wear and it is highly recommended that it be replaced. Would you like to have this service preformed today at the cost of 100 dollars?"

Steve