Dateline Oil Change Investigation

[Crazy5711]

Did anyone see the report on the investigation of women getting oil changes and the shops swindling them out of hundreds of dollars for repairs they don't need?

I thought it was very interesting. One of my favorites is when they told the undercover reporter that she needed a new fuel filter, she paid for it and they never even changed it.

The bait vehicle was a 2000 Explorer, I can't remember what trim level, but it was a 4door. They had a team of experts fix it up to perfect running order before they took it to the shops, so all that it would have needed was the oil change. Many of the shops were on the up and up, but the report focused on the bad apples, and mostly Jiffy Lubes.

 

[Billy177]

i wish i did see it sounds intresting. that is why i do all my own work that warranty does not cover

 

[EBInterceptor]

I've seen one of those before a while back. Not all of them are swindlers, but they typically will tell you that you need their special cleaner because your oil is dirty no matter what. I've only went to an oil change place once, and they charge through the roof! Luckily I didn't pay for it, but most places will start at close to $30.

I know a girl who went to get her oil changed, and before she went her mom told her to not listen to their recommendations about getting other things fixed. She was telling me that they told her that her air filter was dirty (telling me in a way that she was kind of proud for not listening to them, like she avoided their scam)....well I decided to check out her airfilter for her and they were right...it was filthy!!!! I'll listen to people's recommendations, but typically will get a second opinion if I'm not sure about something.

that is why i do all my own work that warranty does not cover

I like to do everything I can on my own unless it's major. I can't justify paying other people to do something that I can do myself and enjoy doing! They can't take that joy from me.

 

[Crazy5711]

They said that if you get work done somewhere, the best idea is to ask for the parts they replaced when you are done, that way you know it was replaced, and you can find out if the old one was really bad or not.

Oh, and one of the guys did the dirty air filter, and it was clean until the guy took it out and put dirt in it.

 

[DocVijay]

Originally posted by Crazy5711
...the best idea is to ask for the parts they replaced when you are done...QUOTE]

By law they have to give you the parts they replaced. Good advice.

 

[EBInterceptor]

There usually are the big signs that say by law they give you the parts unless they are too big. I always get mine back, but sometimes I don't know why I want some of the parts back that I know for a fact are broken, like the hoodlatch and cables that I had replaced...now they are clutter since I haven't thrown them away.

 

[sk1er17]

I know some places do that, but it really ticks me off.

i work at an STS and i can say that in my shop we have NEVER tried to sell anyone things they dont need. We have gone as far as dicounting products instead of overcharging people: say i sell a brake job for $400 but the parts place give me the wrong part and the correct part makes it a $300 job, we charge them $300. But say the parts place gives us the wrong part and it turns into a $500 job... well i just lost my labor pay becuase we still charge them the $400 quoted.

Another thing i hate is when people flip out at me for saying they need something. I did a tire rotation one time and the guys brakes were littlerally like a week away from metal on metal, so i priced everything up and the guy went off on me "damnit i came here for a LOF and rotation and you F*(&#$ people are trying to rip me off with brakes now...."

my only response "Its our job. 90% of the people out there dont know when its time for brakes until its too late, we try to save people money because if we catch it in time we can usually save the rotors and cut them before the metal grinds into them- hence saving money"

ill never forget that guy because he came back a week later wanting his brake job (my quote was the CHEAPEST there was)... needless to say i told him to screw himself and told my manager if to have someone else do it and if there was a problem with that to fire me.

 

[Billy177]

ya i had an iccident like that at the volvo shop i worked at over the summer. the guys transmision oil was darker than his oil and i reccomended that it be completly flushed i forget the price. the guy storms out says all i wanted was an oil change now you guys are telling me i have transmission prolblems. i also work there on after school a few days a week. the other day his car was in for a new tranny

 

[sk1er17]

yea, i mean i dont mind if people question me about wether im just trying to sell them something. id be happy to show the guy his brakes (i usually do anyways so they know what im talking about), or sometimes they say "let me think about it" and come back another time and i have no problem with that.

but when a customer starts cursing and yelling... no no no- nobody has the right to do that, thats why i had no problem stickin it to the guy when he came back.. and thats also why my manager didnt fire me; if i recall, i think he told the guy to take his car somewhere else because we dont need customers like that

 

[rfuree11]

i do all my work. about a month ago i needed an oil change bad because i was going to be doing a lot of driving. It was during Christmas break so i couldnt use the HS auto shop (i was one of the shop kids when i went there last year) which was nice and heated and it was 0* outside (-20 with the windchill), so i brought my x to jiffy lube because i had a coupon. i pulled in and was like "i came here because its cold and i have a coupon. my air filter is a K&N and i just cleaned it a month ago. My transmission doesnt need a flush. can i please just have an oil change?" i was real polite. when most of these places see kids, all they see is $$$$. needless to say, i was in and out in 10 mins

whenever my mom needs work done, i come with her and they have tried screwing her, but i saved her and we have never returned to those places again.

 

[sk1er17]

just please dont label us all as "those places". i cant speak for jiffy lube but i can vouch that the STS's around me are good.

 

[Crazy5711]

Like I said before, MOST of the places they went just gave them an oil change and said the X looked great, but then there are those few bad apples. One of the places they went ended up costing them $900+ for a $37 dollar oil change.

 

[Billy177]

what is sts is it just franchised repair shops

 

[rfuree11]

Originally posted by sk1er17
just please dont label us all as "those places". i cant speak for jiffy lube but i can vouch that the STS's around me are good.

oh yeah, i know that, i didnt mean to come off that way. there are a bunch of reputable shops, in my area and one or two bad apples. i worked at my friends shop on and off this summer (its a hike from my house, when you have no time, you get desperate for an oil change) and we were completely honest, so i know where youre coming from, hell, we even got that a lot in the not for profit HS auto shop.
And im with billy, ive never heard of STS.

 

[sk1er17]

STS

and i know a few of those bad apple places around here too. i hate how they give us such bad names.. its hard to be legite nowadays-- kinda scary thinking you can only trust a dealer (yet they're usually the worst!)

 

[00XLS]

Intresting this topic is up, I came home today and my mom said when she took her van in for an oil change that she needed antifreeze because its low, hmm ok, go out and check it. between the min-max line. look on the slip and it says its rated to -60 and the corrosion level is 3.2. NOTHING about being low.

 

[rfuree11]

did they charge? a lot of places will top off no charge

 

[sk1er17]

yea they should top off free of charge. our rule is to top off the coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid, powersteering, and then check the tranny fluid.

 

[00XLS]

nope not that it was listed, i highly doubt its low tho, a new rad was just put in this summer.

 

[Billy177]

some of the crappy places think it is low unless it is at the max.

the level on the brake fluid will awlays be a little low because of the pad wear