Oil change scam

[Josef161]

Hey, on wednesday last week i was going to mazda south in orlando for an oil change, they had a great offer for a full synthetic oil change. Si i was there. On the next day i thought that i should check the oil bc i often hear stories that stores don't change the oil but charge you for it. So i checked the oil and it was BLACK (less then 100 miles from the oil change). So i confronted the service center manager but he refused to confess BUT he offered me a free oil change. I tooj the offer, but i wanted to see the video of my oil change. An asociate showed me parts of it but i couldn't see the guy drain or fill the oil and then i saw the manager storming towards us and he made his worker stop the video. So i am 100% sure that this is a scam sheme and i want them to stop, where should i report them (other then at the mazda HQ where i already filed a complaint)? I am from europe and it really bothers me that evereyone in the USA tries to scam you (even mazda dealership service centers), in germany that (almost) never happens.

 

[974X4BLACKSPORT]

Complain to corp. headquarters if the store is no help at first to rectify the problem. If corp. headquarters cant help, then report to the BBB (Better Business Bureau).

 

[Mbrooks420]

Not everyone in the US tries to scam you. I’m certain there are German mechanics that are less than ethical.

After I was charged for an oil changEh I got scammed out of, the last thing I’d do is complain AND then let them have my car again.

Hopefully these crooks didn’t do something terrible to it.

 

[Donystoy]

This is exactly why I still do the vast majority of my own repairs. My own experience is that at least 75% of the time you at a minimum do not get what you are paying for. Went to Sears one time to get the alignment checked under their warranty. Had them replace a parking brake cable and do an oil change at the same time. Got it home and noticed a rattle in the rear brake. Removed the drum and found the separator bar not installed and loose. Thought I would check the oil and it also was not done. Took it back and got it all rectified. Sold the car immediately after this and failed inspection due to a broken front coil spring. So much for my free alignment check. I could literally write a book on what I have seen over the last 50 years

 

[Josef161]

Yes probably not every german mechanic is honest but hole germany is "smaller" meaning smaller cities and most people don't move. If you scam 5 people you will lose a lot of future customers (the hole town you live in will know that you are a crook). They might want to try to sell you new brakes to early but then they really will replace them. Here in the orlando area there are a lot of tourists, i guess that is why they are even worse.

I just went there bc they offered the full synthetic oil change cheaper then i would pay for the oil plus filter at walmart, but now i highly doubt that they put full synthetic in my car.

Yeah i first refused to let them work on my car again but i decited to watch them the hole time and let them do it. The service manager was really mad at me bc i cought him.

I reported them to the HQ in california, i hope that will have consequences but i doubt it. Can i report them to the DMV or somewhere too?

 

[Mbrooks420]

Better business bureau. You could have called the police, but they made it “right”. An oil change place can typically change it cheaper than you because they buy the oil by the drum.

 

[JungleSkunk]

If you were using standard traditional oil before switching to full synthetic oil the detergents in the synthetic oil could have turned it black very quickly especially with a higher mileage vehicle.. Color is not always an accurate way to tell if oil is ready to be changed. Its hard to believe anyone would pull this kind of scam especially with the low cost and profit margins of an oil change.

Are you 100% sure the oil wasn't changed? If you are adamant about pursuing some type of action to be taken you probably should have saved an oil sample to be analyzed to prove it was not synthetic or new oil.

 

[Gary Crist]

In Cali it is the B.A.R. Home Page
People are people and crooks are crooks it makes no
difference, just like America. We are chocked full of all
types!

I did customer satisfaction in S.Cali, I was always busy fixing
the type of mess you stated!

Do not fall for loss leaders!

 

[Josef161]

If you were using standard traditional oil before switching to full synthetic oil the detergents in the synthetic oil could have turned it black very quickly especially with a higher mileage vehicle.. Color is not always an accurate way to tell if oil is ready to be changed. Its hard to believe anyone would pull this kind of scam especially with the low cost and profit margins of an oil change.

Are you 100% sure the oil wasn't changed? If you are adamant about pursuing some type of action to be taken you probably should have saved an oil sample to be analyzed to prove it was not synthetic or new oil.

The manager argued with me that "i didn't pay (myself) for it so i can't complain", then he refused to let me watch the video (which he watched before and he must have seen that they didn't change the oil

If you were using standard traditional oil before switching to full synthetic oil the detergents in the synthetic oil could have turned it black very quickly especially with a higher mileage vehicle.. Color is not always an accurate way to tell if oil is ready to be changed. Its hard to believe anyone would pull this kind of scam especially with the low cost and profit margins of an oil change.

Are you 100% sure the oil wasn't changed? If you are adamant about pursuing some type of action to be taken you probably should have saved an oil sample to be analyzed to prove it was not synthetic or new oil.

Yes i am sure. He argued with that i "didn't pay [myself] for the oil change so i can't complain". He also didn't let me watch the video of the oil change (bc he saw it first and knew that they didn't perform a oil change on my car). After the second oil change the oil was golden again.

 

[Josef161]

In Cali it is the B.A.R. Home Page
People are people and crooks are crooks it makes no
difference, just like America. We are chocked full of all
types!

I did customer satisfaction in S.Cali, I was always busy fixing
the type of mess you stated!

Do not fall for loss leaders!

Thats why i normally do all the work on my cars myself. How much would it take for someone like me to open my own home garage car fix store (3 year experiance on my own vehicles. I was very handy already before (fixed almost everything at home with my dad since i hit 10)? In general i learn very quick and doing those jobs is easier then i thought it will be (but sometimes it takes forever to diagnose the problem e.g. the fuel injector o-rings that didn't cause a CEL).

 

[donalds]

the fuel injector o-rings that didn't cause a CEL).

p

 

[Josef161]

Better business bureau. You could have called the police, but they made it “right”. An oil change place can typically change it cheaper than you because they buy the oil by the drum.

Yes i would have called the cops but it is hard to prove that i didn't put old oil back in myself. I guess they could have checked the security cams but that would have been a long way to go.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Yes i would have called the cops but it is hard to prove that i didn't put old oil back in myself. I guess they could have checked the security cams but that would have been a long way to go.

It has to be a “reasonable doubt” in a criminal case, and a “preponderance of evidence” in a civil matter which this is. There isn’t enough for you to gain for it to be likey that you’d drain out new oil, and put old oil back in. You weren’t asking for a large sum of money. Best case scenario you got what, a second unneeded oil change, and 5 quarts of newish oil that was removed?

Far more likely:

1. The shop is knowingly scamming people.
2. The mechanic was supposed to change it. Was lazy/behind/just didn’t do it.

 

[94Eddie]

If you were using standard traditional oil before switching to full synthetic oil the detergents in the synthetic oil could have turned it black very quickly especially with a higher mileage vehicle.. Color is not always an accurate way to tell if oil is ready to be changed. Its hard to believe anyone would pull this kind of scam especially with the low cost and profit margins of an oil change.

Are you 100% sure the oil wasn't changed? If you are adamant about pursuing some type of action to be taken you probably should have saved an oil sample to be analyzed to prove it was not synthetic or new oil.

I also find it hard to believe a dealership would do this type of scam. They just typically overcharge for nearly everything. Doing this type of scam isn't worth damaging their reputation and could cost them dearly in other areas of their business. Especially if this would hit the local news.

 

[sailin4]

Hey, on wednesday last week i was going to mazda south in orlando for an oil change, they had a great offer for a full synthetic oil change. Si i was there. On the next day i thought that i should check the oil bc i often hear stories that stores don't change the oil but charge you for it. So i checked the oil and it was BLACK (less then 100 miles from the oil change). So i confronted the service center manager but he refused to confess BUT he offered me a free oil change. I tooj the offer, but i wanted to see the video of my oil change. An asociate showed me parts of it but i couldn't see the guy drain or fill the oil and then i saw the manager storming towards us and he made his worker stop the video. So i am 100% sure that this is a scam sheme and i want them to stop, where should i report them (other then at the mazda HQ where i already filed a complaint)? I am from europe and it really bothers me that evereyone in the USA tries to scam you (even mazda dealership service centers), in germany that (almost) never happens.

post on facebooklocally

 

[Blackhawkxx]

I too agree that most dealers wouldn't do this because there would be very little gain and a lot to lose.