Jiffy Lube?........(Think Twice!)

[Tim]

This video may change your mind about where you change your oil.


http://mfile.akamai.com/12924/wmv/vo...52183.200k.asx

[WiredHonda]

I remember seeing this awhile back and getting just as furious this time around.

And some wonder why we always question the auto mechanics about the necessity of the work!

[Jacques]

I haven't trusted oil change places for years and always did my own oil and oil filter changing. I stopped going to one when a Jiffy Lube I had gone to regularly didn't close the oil plug properly and it popped out, draining oil all over my garage floor. Fortunately, this happened while the car was stationary, otherwise I would've had a seized engine on the road somewhere. If I were really lazy and decided to have a place do it for me, I'll only go to the Honda dealership near my house...I know most of the service guys there, so I can trust them to do their job.

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by Jacques
. . . Fortunately, this happened while the car was stationary, otherwise I would've had a seized engine on the road somewhere. . . . .

Only if you did not pull over when the "oil" light came on.

You have plenty of time to safely pull over before and damage occurs.

[prijo]

Originally posted by N_Jay


Only if you did not pull over when the "oil" light came on.

You have plenty of time to safely pull over before and damage occurs.

or, your wife could be driving, on the cell phone, asking you (me) "the red light is on, what do i do?"

after yelling 3 times to pull over and stop the engine, she seizes the engine while sitting at a red light waiting to turn into a parking lot......

$4000 and a remanufactured engine later....

sigh....

I had a jiffy lube not tighten my oil plug before, luckily I checked it when I got home. I don't go there anymore.

[Jacques]

Originally posted by N_Jay


Only if you did not pull over when the "oil" light came on.

You have plenty of time to safely pull over before and damage occurs.

Ah, good point. Probably also a good idea to check oil levels in between changes. Not sure how the Pilot's oil consumption is like, but I'm assuming its fairly mild as long as it's maintained on a regular basis. prijo, that sucks what happened to yours. I worry about my wife not noticing (or acting on) things when warning lights of any kind turn on.

OT question (to prijo)...I noticed your sig says something about 70mph vibration. Have you checked alignment? Or condition of the wheels? What about the wheel hubs?

[BubbleSparkxx]

I had an ex-girlfriend that took her nissan sentra to k-mart for an oil change. Later that nite, we went out and she wound up seizing the engine b/c the bolt was loose and there was no gasket. It took 4 weeks before K-mart took ownership of the issue and agreed to re-imburse for a new motor. Convinced me from that day that I would overpay the dealer to have a mechanic making $30+ an hour change my oil, than a part time high school grease monkey making $7 bucks an hour to change the oil in any of my vehicles.

[Roger]

Originally posted by BubbleSparkxx
I had an ex-girlfriend that took her nissan sentra to k-mart for an oil change. Later that nite, we went out and she wound up seizing the engine b/c the bolt was loose and there was no gasket. It took 4 weeks before K-mart took ownership of the issue and agreed to re-imburse for a new motor. Convinced me from that day that I would overpay the dealer to have a mechanic making $30+ an hour change my oil, than a part time high school grease monkey making $7 bucks an hour to change the oil in any of my vehicles.

Who do you think does oil changes at dealerships? Hint, he doesn't make $30/hr.

[tgrimes]

WARNING: Do not take your car to Jiffy Lube...ever! They are scammers as directed by corporate. It is a well documented fact. Problems or damaged caused to your Pilot will invalidate the warranty, and good luck getting restitution from Jiffy Lube. Stay away!

[robottik]

Did you guys know Jiffy Lube is owned by Shell

(although most of the stores are franchised)

Not really related to the thread topic but I thought I'd throw that out there

[skyking]

Regardless of who owns them, their mechanics (and I use that term very loosely) are mental midgets. In 1998 I had (and still do own) a 1987 Toyota MR2. Meticulous condition, restored, runs like a bat outta hell, gets compliments everywhere etc. Anyway, one October day in '98 I was driving past a Jiffy Lube in Branford, CT and figured I'd stop in for an oil change because I knew I'd be too busy in the next few weeks to do it myself usual, and besides, it is just a oil change, RIGHT! Anyway, after I paid, the bozos drove the car out, left it running for me, and left the door open so I could just get in and go, which I did. About five or six blocks away I noticed a thick blue smoke coming out of the engine bay vents behind me. I quickly pulled over and popped the engine lid and flames immediately shot up with a tremendous amount of smoke. I grabbed the fire extinguisher I always have in all my cars (AAA kit) and sprayed the motor to put out the fire. I then noticed the oil cap was missing and the entire hot engine was coated with motor oil. When everything cooled later on, I found the cap jammed under the alternator bracket. I then checked the oil and lo and behold, the level was on FULL. Those clowns must have put at least one QT extra in and forgot to put the cap back on the valve cover. Fortunately, after replacing the distributor cap, ignition wires, two hoses and one harness, the car was just fine but Jiffy Lube refused to address the issue because as they said, "the car still runs". Jackasses

[deparson]

"...well documented fact..."

Could you provide some of it?

-D

Originally posted by tgrimes
WARNING: Do not take your car to Jiffy Lube...ever! They are scammers as directed by corporate. It is a well documented fact. Problems or damaged caused to your Pilot will invalidate the warranty, and good luck getting restitution from Jiffy Lube. Stay away!

[Tim]

Originally posted by deparson
"...well documented fact..."

Could you provide some of it?

-D

???......will this suffice?

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/jiffylube.asp

[deparson]

Nice. The last time I went to a JL they left the drain plug 'hand tight' resulting in minor oil leaking. Never went back and don't think I ever will again.

Another quick service local place (not a chain) did not tell me they don't stock 5W20 in bulk and thus charge more until they drained the oil. Never wen't back.

The place I go now; another quick service local place is great. They always stock M1 5W20, charge a fair price for it, and give me a $3.50 credit for supplying my own Honda filter. And a 'free' car wash. Never had a problem there.

-D

Originally posted by Tim
???......will this suffice?

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/jiffylube.asp

[krygny]

I only went to JL once about 20 years ago when they first started showing up around here and they hadn't yet gotten a rep.

I always changed my own oil but it was winter, the weather was bad, and I just didn't feel like crawling under my '82 Subaru; so I gave JL a try. That was my first mistake. My second mistake was telling the service manager "I usually change my own oil, so please don't over-torque the drain plug".

If you're familiar with older Subarus, you know that there was a full spare and it was stored in the engine compartment between the air cleaner and the firewall. I can see through the window into the service area that the knuckle-dragger takes the tire out of the car.

After the job was done, I pay, go out to my car, check under the hood and sure enough the spare is not there. They made some lame excuse about having to remove it to get to the filler tube which was just nonsense.

Naturally, when I get home, I check the oil as I always do even when I change it myself (who doesn't). Now, you know how fresh oil can be a bit difficult to see on the dipstick? Well, this was BLACK!! I had a case of oil and some filters so it turns out I have to crawl under the car and change the oil anyway.

At least they didn't leave the drain plug loose. No, the bastard probably maxed out the torque on the air gun at about 300 lb-ft. I failed to break it away with a 1/2" drive impact driver that can get up to 200 lb-ft. I rounded out the nut with a vise-grip on the first try. Then, I really mashed the vise-grip onto the plug and finally got it to break away with a large brass ball-peen hammer. I felt lucky the plug didn't shear and have to be drilled out. There was a crush washer that was cold-forged into a flat-washer. I $hit you not.

The oil that drained into the pan was not multi grade motor oil. It looked all the hell like 90W gear oil.

I think that's the closest I've ever come to committing pre-meditated murder.