OT: Anyone seen this video about Jiffy Lube

[Microman]

Scaming people.

Looks like it is the way they do business!


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

[jdc]

wont play for me =(

[Effin Haole]

I never use these types of busineses, this goes way back to the 70's and Andy Granatelli's Tune Up Masters scam.

[davester]

I think that it's foolish to put your trust in a business that relies on poorly paid workers, fast turnaround and razor thin profit margins. The people that work in these places have every incentive to cut corners and almost no incentive to do a good job. Sure, there are exceptions, but that's what they are...exceptions.

It's like going to a chain restaurant that is run by bean counters in some faraway corporate skyscraper and expecting to get high quality food...it'll never happen.

[M A V I C]

I love how they used video ipods to playback the video to the culprits.

I once went to a jiffy lube and had oil leak all over the bottom of my car. They said it was because the seal on the filter was folded over. When I was 10 my dad taught me how to change the oil. One of the parts was inspecting the filter before buying it. Irked me that these "professionals" knew less about the process than I.

Unfortunately I lived in the city and the apt I was at wouldn't allow me to work on my car in the parking lot.

It's not as bad as what happened to a friend of mine's new car, under warranty at the dealer. The had their oil changed at the Campbell-Nelson dealership in Seattle. The dealer "forgot" to fill the car back up with oil after draining it. Several miles down the road, the engine locked up. They refused to do anything about it until an attorney was brought in.

[MacMagus]

I had to download the .asx file and open it in the Windows Media Player to watch it. It took nearly 5 minutes to go from connecting to playing, but it went.

Direct link:
http://mfile.akamai.com/12924/wmv/vod.ib...3.200k.asx

As for Jiffy Lube...

The quality of their service varies considerably with geography. But they're usually okay for a cheap oil change.

It's great (and super cheap) in upstate NY. I'd trust some of the places in Albany for a full transmission service. I miss the pricing, the courtesy, the discounts and the free car washes from upstate NY (Count the services bundled with an oil change -- sometimes 22 points instead of 14 or 17!).

It's a rip off (and can get bloody expensive) in Los Angeles. I've actually been to 4 of the Jiffy Lubes they talked about and I wouldn't trust them to do anything more than a basic oil change. I've had to bitch a few times when I caught them skipping items from the 14-point service.

Where I'm living now, it's not too hard to find a coupon and they provide more services with their oil changes and for less money than the dealership, so they get my business for the basic 3,000 mile oil change.

Wherever you go, they usually have a glass window between the waiting room and the garage so you can watch them work. Use it.

[kap]

15 years ago we took three of our family's cars to JL in Lompoc for an oil change. All of these less than 4 year old cars had always been in tiptop care. Afterwards the work done, all three had oil leakage! JL shifted the blame to the prior oil leakage. We told them all three cars ended up with the same problem on the same day? JL refused to fix the problem. We spearded the words to relatives and friends. Never used that type of service again.

Kap

[chas_m]

I think it's a VERY poor idea to judge an entire chain from one video. All that video proves is that THAT STORE isn't ethical.

I've been to two JLs in my area -- one which did a TERRIBLE job, one which did an EXCELLENT job.

My advice is to a) learn to do this yourself and then b) find a good place (could be JL or some competitor) that you can check on their work if need be. Oil changes ain't rocket science, it shouldn't be hard to get it right.

[Effin Haole]

The Burbank JL forgot to put the drain plug back on my truck in 97.

Then attempted to refill my truck with oil. The look of the guy underneath was priceless when the oil just came flying out.

They put the drain plug on and filled it, all was well.

But it was the last time I went there.

[Racer X]

[quote chas_m]I think it's a VERY poor idea to judge an entire chain from one video. All that video proves is that THAT STORE isn't ethical.

I've been to two JLs in my area -- one which did a TERRIBLE job, one which did an EXCELLENT job.

My advice is to a) learn to do this yourself and then b) find a good place (could be JL or some competitor) that you can check on their work if need be. Oil changes ain't rocket science, it shouldn't be hard to get it right.
I agree 100%.

I managed a local Jiffy Lube between '95 and '97. If the employees adhere to company policies and procedures 100% each and every time, there will be no surprises for anyone involved. yes, we had a few "oops!" and an "Oh, Sh*t!' once or twice. But not even watching that video, I can tell you that anyone involved no longer works for Jiffy Lube. They don't tolerate violating company policy a tiny bit.

I actually talked a lawyer out of suing Jiffy Lube because his car had to be towed to a dealer when it wouldn't prime after an oil change. So many people have a negative expectation going into a place like that, that the employees have to try even harder just to come out looking competent, much less like a pro. Not everyone working in a shop like that is an idiot, or dishonest.

I left to start up full time as a pro photographer, and that store went down the toilet after they brought in someone from outside to manage it. A former Taco Bell manager, no less! Because, let's face it, someone who ran a Taco Bell must be an expert at oil-based products, and their proper dispensing to customers! He got no respect from my crew, as he hadn't done anything to earn or keep their trust and respect. A managers badge is worthless, unless there is a decent boss wearing it.