One more reason not go to Jiffy lube - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

hs_300e · #1 07-09-2006, 09:43 AM

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

Mike Murrell · #2 07-09-2006, 10:44 AM

Jiffy Lube horror stories are widespread; however, this sort of thing is industry-wide and not limited to just them.

t walgamuth · #3 07-09-2006, 10:47 AM

once, i took my mother in laws car to a place like jiffy lube, i am not sure the name, and i watched, which i always do or i dont go there, and they drained the oil and put on a new filter and after a while one of them came along and told the other one to start it up.
i said, "whoooooah there, you havent put any oil in that yet".

there is a place i use all the time here, where the manager was one of my wife's students in grade school. this guy just loves my wife. after he was an adult he used to come by at least once a year to her classroom and visit. he brought his first born child by to show her. you get the idea.

so a couple of years back they were doing my car and had it all done and i checked the oil. it was a quart below the bottom mark on the dipstick. i said hey john! you didnt put enough oil in. he said "you know you cant ever drain out all the oil in an engine, there is a quart and a half in there that you cant drain out. i dont want to over fill it." i said, 'that is just crazy. john you have got to stop doing that. they put the dipstick here for you to check the oil with. you fill it according to that. dont ever send a car of mine out with it low like that!'

after thinking about it i realized that six months earlier i had sent my daughter by with one of my 240ds to have the oil changed there on her way back to ball state. and later that car blew a rod from being low on oil. i bet he sent it out three quarts low.

another time i had this 65 reo with a 166 cummins in it. i took it to a big truck dealer to have something fixed and got the oil changed at the same time. then i took it to michigan to pick up a load of lumber for my house iwas building. on the way back i stopped for fuel and checked the oil. nothing on the stick. i added thirteen quarts. (how much does that damned thing hold?) so first i was worried that it was burning it like crazy. but it wasnt, so the truck repair had charged me for 32 quarts or whatever it held and only put half of it in there.

so i never let anybody change my oil unless i can watch. except my indie, and i seldom have them do it cause they charge too much.

so always make them show you the dipstick before accepting the car.

tom w

Hatterasguy · #4 07-09-2006, 11:10 AM

If you take a Mercedes to Jiffy Lube, you shouldn't own a Mercedes.

They are absolute idiots.

Peter Guenther · #5 07-09-2006, 12:32 PM

Not to say that MB does not make errors, they are reasonably competitive on oil changes, but have you ever considered the technical/focus that is exhibited at the bargain joints. Its in out sell you wiper blades, a trans or radiator flush, and maybe a belt. They run around, yelling "clear, plug in, and other words". If you cant afford it, do it yourself, use the proper filter and oil.
My MB dealer does not use "MB certified" for oil and tires to be competive, but they are a step above the bargain joints.
My shop forman has 40 employees, 10 or so are "lead" techs, the majority are MB trained that ask for help from the "lead" when they just need an opinion, and some are hired with "good mechanical skills"

t walgamuth · #6 07-09-2006, 12:40 PM

well, when i have my benz oil changed there i take in a mann filter,usually and watch while they put in rotella 15w40 oil. i dont see where i can go too far wrong.
at the dealer i wouldnt be able to watch and so who knows if they put in the oil specified or not?
i have changed my own oil enough there is not a lot of fun in it anymore, especially if it is cold and snowey or rainey out.

tom w

Bob G · #7 07-09-2006, 06:58 PM

I just brought my 300-E to a mechanic in West Los Angeles I used to use when he was personally doing the work. Know he has a two young kids and a service writer greet the customers . All he does is sit in his office and act unobtainable to people who call in by phone.
I had to take the car in twice because the kit overfilled the power steering resivore and had the nerve to say it must of been some blow back off the bottom engine cover. Which I had cleaned the day before.
Be ware
these guys don't want you as a customer just your wallet.

Bob Geco

kramlavud · #8 07-09-2006, 07:39 PM

For many years I changed the oil in whatever car I had. But after my 50th birthday and 4 cars, mine, wife, daughter, and son I said 'enough'. I'm closer now to 60 than to 50 and every 3,000 miles +/- each car goes to the local Jiffy Lube; even my 94 e320, although I bring a Mann or Knecht filter for the Benz. I have even been under the car with the guy who empties the oil a few times. Never had any problem with their work. I don't think I'm lucky.
regards,
Mark

ctaylor738 · #9 07-09-2006, 08:37 PM

I have had a good experience with our local Jiffy Lube. For $40, it certainly beats doing it yourself and disposing of the oil and filter. I have always kept an eye on the oil fill part. They have done my euro models, after I gave them the US equivalent for the filter (e.g. 280SL = 280E).

When our 1982 300D went over 100K, I started taking it to Jiffy Lube every 2500 miles, and to the dealer for the 15000 mile service. That worked out really well. They vacuumed the car and threw in a car wash and as near as I can tell, did everything the dealer or and indy would have done for about 25% of the price.

Kestas · #10 07-09-2006, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

... six months earlier i had sent my daughter by with one of my 240ds to have the oil changed there on her way back to ball state. and later that car blew a rod from being low on oil. i bet he sent it out three quarts low....

another time i had this 65 reo with a 166 cummins in it.... on the way back i stopped for fuel and checked the oil. nothing on the stick. i added thirteen quarts. (how much does that damned thing hold?)... the truck repair had charged me for 32 quarts or whatever it held and only put half of it in there...

It's amazing how few problems I have with my cars compared with others who have their cars serviced by "professionals". And it really frosts me when my sister tells me to "take it to a real mechanic" when I'm working on a tough problem with my car.

davestlouis · #11 07-09-2006, 10:28 PM

I used to work for an adjusting company that did warranty claim work for a local Jiffy Lube franchisee. They did some huge number of oil changes in Metro St. Louis, 40,000 a month as I recall. They also allowed roughly $1 per oil change for screw-ups. Statistically, they did very well, but $40K a month would buy roughly 8-10 engines or transmissions, and 1-2 "oops" where they drove a customer car through the glass doors.

Let's not forget the guy with the Ford Expedition. He had a 4 year lease, it was coming due that day, he had never changed the oil, so he ran it through J-Lube. They should have shooed him away, but they went ahead, changed the oil, and sent him on his way. The thing blew up and he wanted them to pay for an engine.

People also get a trans service only after 70k miles, when it starts acting up and shifting funny. The Lube place changes the fluid and the thing goes kaboom several days later...whose fault was it? I'm not condoning the lack of training, but the customer bears some responsibility for maintaining his vehicle too.

t walgamuth · #12 07-09-2006, 10:47 PM

i remember when i was a young pup i once remarked that some auto related part was foolproof. my dad said "yeah but it is not damn fool proof".

that has always kindof stuck with me.

no matter how much you imagine how foolish folks can act they can always top it.

tom w

90mbenz · #13 07-09-2006, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kestas

It's amazing how few problems I have with my cars compared with others who have their cars serviced by "professionals". And it really frosts me when my sister tells me to "take it to a real mechanic" when I'm working on a tough problem with my car.

It is extremely rare for me to take my car(s) to anyone else. It has to be something that I don't have enough of the right tools to do (and I have a lot of tools), know I don't have the technical knowledge, or something I just don't like to do (like exhaust work). I decided a long time ago that I could completely botch many repairs and still be ahead money-wise compared with paying others to do the work. My difficulty now is that so many friends and family come to me for help that I'm forced to say "no" sometimes. I'm over 50 now, and got a lift for the garage because I just don't have the strength to do some things that used to come easily. Undoubtedly, the best tool purchase I've ever made.

Recently, a former co-worker called me begging me to look at his son's car (2001 Chevy Impala). He'd had a long-term coolant leak and the dealer had already replaced the intake manifold gaskets, which are known weak points for that engine. Still losing coolant, and dealer diagnosed leaking head gasket and $2000 estimated repair bill. I didn't want to tackle this job because he wasn't necessarily a close friend, and it's a major undertaking for playing sport mechanic. I rarely take money for helping folks out, but would have charged for this one. He has the car flatbedded to the house and I get it in the garage. It's late, but I figure might as well take a quick look and begin diagnosis. Hook up a cooling system tester, and it's definitely showing a leak somewhere. I start looking around for anything external - and find a small puddle forming on the transmission housing. Some time ago, someone installed one of those plastic TEEs in the heater hose to make flushing easier. It was leaking at the TEE because the cap was not tightened enough! I snipped a replacement hose (always keep lots of hose sizes in a box) and threw out the old hose with the TEE. System tested fine.

I have other stories like this, with completely wrong diagnosis from folks who should definitely know better. Oh......fair compensation for me was a new jug of coolant kept in the car.

trueog · #14 07-10-2006, 12:11 AM

If you really hate someone, you should recommend this place to them as being great and top of their game.

Otherwise we've all known for years that these minimum wage wanna be mechanics at Jiffy Lube are simply a scam. I've known some teens that have worked their during summer holidays, and they've told me how incentive laden it is to get the customer to spend money. For each tranny flush, wiper blade set, on and on...they get a bonus on top of their minimum wage. So its in the workers best interest to sell you the most stuff and then not do it and collect their bonus! and quickly move on to the next car so they can make more money. What this story uncovered, i've known for over 10 years now.

Usually the teens i know that worked there, use to ring all these extra's through, not change them, and take all that stuff home at the end of the shift and sell it.

That why never get any serving done where you know they pay minimum wage to some employees and the rest is a bonus to earn, because you're the one biting the hand that feeds them.

Strife · #15 07-10-2006, 12:59 AM

If you really can't afford to have work like this done professionally (even a Goodyear, etc), you should have the mechanic you trust most do it - that is, you. The problem of completely unskilled people f$@# with your car is not unique to Jiffy-lube. In the 80's a friend got a new oil pan on her newish BMW after the missle scientists at a (now-defunct) quick-change place stripped the threads out of the pan.