JIFFY LUBE EXPOSED

Steady Mobbin · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 8:19 am Post subject: JIFFY LUBE EXPOSED

click on the video. these guys are ripping people off in the worst way.

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/8881193/detail.html

golden armor · Starting Rotation Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 845

Can't watch the video right now. What did they do and which J.Lube was it?

The Dagger · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:09 am Post subject:

Uh, yeah, it's not like the entire world didn't already know that mechanics do this all the time. That's why you always ask for your old parts back and watch them service the car if you have the time. Find a mechanic you can trust and stay with him forever or until he dies - no matter the cost.

I don't know how many times I took my car in for service and get a ridiculous quote, only to take it somewhere else and find out I don't need any of that crap.

Canadian Laker · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 4:08 pm Post subject:

The Dagger is right! Find a mechanic you can trust and never leave them. Unfortunately, it's easier said than done.

lakez34 · Star Player Joined: 24 Apr 2001 Posts: 6077

I'm usually more annoyed with these consumer reports, because nothing ever gets done about it. The companies go on doing their thing, and the reporters go on acting like they accomplished something.

Unless these news reporters make a legitimate effort to not just expose, but follow up with these issues, it's pretty much going to continue to happen. THe more reporters expose and follow up, the less it will happen.

In the meantime, stick with a mechanic that you know and can trust. And, it's always a good idea to get parts back.

venturalakersfan · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:11 pm Post subject:

uberzev · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 11:09 pm Post subject:

I know a good mechanic in San Diego if anyone needs one.
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The Dagger · Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 3:45 am Post subject:

It's actually easy to find one you just have to spend a lot of time. Next time you get a problem with your car take in to one of the big shops first. They will ALWAYS try and rip you off. Get a written estimate showing exactly what is wrong and what needs fixing. Then take your car to a bunch of smaller shops. The one that tells you, for example, you just need to tighten your radiator belt and that's it. That's the one you can trust.

I've done this many times, every time I move. The big shops will always try and replace everything possible. And after you leave, you start to get random problems with other unrelated things, hmmm? In my experience the smaller the shop the more honest.

SenorJefe · Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 11:15 am Post subject:

Happened to me last week. Was sitting in the lobby of one here in san diego getting my oil change done. I said regular weight - no synthetic please. Nothing else, please. Gave the dude my keys and waited. While sitting there, I saw two customers come in at different times complaining about being overcharged or having services performed never asked for. Becoming extremely skeptical, my turn was up - my truck was ready. As I was being rung up, the guy says "ok you got a synthetic oil change, air filter replacement...that'll be 87 bucks". I told the guy my dilema and asked to see his boss. I knew what was going on, but wasn't getting upset...I just wasn't want gonna pay for anything other than a simple oil change...if indeed that was done at all. Funny this story comes out, 'cause I wrote a letter to Jiffy Lube this week about the experience.

Bastads
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LakersChamps04 · Star Player Joined: 06 Oct 2003 Posts: 3737

soo...anyone else agree too...smaller shops are more trustworthy??

chef · Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 11:48 am Post subject:

Right now, I'm just going to the dealership. They've been fine and I'm still under warranty.

postandpivot · Retired Number Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 36822

Bergamotichek · Retired Number Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 16777206

Been using the same mechanic (small shop) for 12 years now. He was recomended by my mom's neighbor. My wife and I have taken every car we've owned during that period to him and other than a faulty EGR valve (which wasn't his fault and was replaced for free)... everything he's ever done to our cars, only needed to be fixed that one time.

He's had plenty of opportunites during that time to make a whole more money off of us, than he has. Several years back, with my wife's old Blazer, was making a loud knocking noise... a couple of shops had told us that the engine needed to be rebuilt/replaced. It probably wouldn't run for 30 more days (one even told us, we'd be lucky to make it home). To me, it sounded like a stuck lifter, which really isn't that big a deal. Its just loud. I took it to our guy (this was after only using him a few times), didn't say anything about my suspicions and asked what he thought... stating a couple of shops said it needed a rebuild. He just chuckled and said, it wasn't needed... it was a stuck lifter. So I played dumb and said, "that's not a problem... how long can it run like that?". He told us, it'd probably run just like that, as long as we had the car. Well... 4 years later... until we finally got rid of it... that lifter was never replaced.

hybridsw20 · Starting Rotation Joined: 20 Jun 2004 Posts: 346

If you go to Jiffy, ask for your old parts or to see them. Or check your fluids when your car is done to make sure its all new stuff.

LakeShow09 · LG Multimedia Team Joined: 07 Jan 2003 Posts: 4801

Once when we had oil leaking, Jiffy Lube told my wife and I the engine in our car "had a cracked head and would have to be completely replaced". We took it to the dealership and found out a simple valve had to be replaced.. screw jiffy lube we will never go there again

gildedgirth · Starting Rotation Joined: 06 May 2006 Posts: 421

Yeah I'm not surprised. One of my high school buds became a mechanic and he'd tell us all these shocking stories, about how they would re-use parts they got from another car and charge new for them, etc.

My friend got pretty fed up and left. And he wasn't working at a chain like Jiffy Lube, but at a pretty big Ford dealership, so you just gotta watch out everywhere.

lakersfreak · Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 1:58 am Post subject:

Scammers all over, here's one.

A few years back the electricty would go out in half of the rooms in the house. Off, on, off, on at random but always the same rooms.

Called the people with the biggest ad in the yellow pages.

Dude comes out, looks at the breaker box, gives me this song and dance how these breakers are know to cause fires, have to replace them all, $1,200.

Now I am no electrician but I know 10 breakers don't cost $1,200. Told him to hit the road before I turned the dogs loose on him.

Talked to a home inspector on the phone. Told me to check where the 2 big fat wires come in from the street.

Sure enough there is a clamp that holds these 2 big wires and one side was corroded.

Found one at Ace for $5, replaced it myself, problem solved.
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Alpha · Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 10:40 am Post subject:

I hate hearing these crud stories

Socks · Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 11:51 am Post subject:

Thank god for the internet.

Before I make any sort of large purchase or get service of any kind I search the internet and try to find chat rooms or forums to help with recommendations on things. No matter what you're going through someone else has probably been through it before, so it's always helpful. I've gotten recommendations on electricians and car dealerships as well as all kinds of input on products. I wish there was a better one-stop resource for local small businesses, etc, but I won't complain.

I just don't know how people managed before the internet....