Public Service Announcement

Every once in a while I think ... what good is a blog if it doesn't do good?  So today I'm going to provide you with a Public Service Announcement.  Please do not have your car's oil changed at Jiffy Lube ... or Jippy Lube as I will now and forever refer to it.

I'm no car mechanic, so for years I have had my oil changed at one of the many "oil stations" around the city.  Typically I alternate between Jiffy Lube and Oil Can Henry's ... depending on which one has the oil filter for my car.

I had never put two-and-two together on my experiences with JL until yesterday.  I'll let the past issues remain in the past, but I have to share the experience I had yesterday. 

I was planning on having my oil changed, so I felt really lucky when I pulled up and saw a "Next Car $10 off" sign being twirled at the entrance.  YEA!  Chore done ANY money saved.

During the car inspection, I was told that I was low on coolant.  I thought that a bit weird because I had just topped it off 4 days before and questioned the attendant.  He insisted it was low ... so what could it hurt to have him top it off ... maybe I didn't fill it all the way.  Because of the activity under the hood at the time, I could not see the coolant reservoir to check for myself (there is a gauge that rises out of the reservoir when it's full) so I agreed to have him top it off.  When he moved to fill the reservoir I could see the gauge sticking up quite a ways so was anxious to see just how low it was. 

I watched intently as he pulled over a hose and literally did a 1-second squirt of clear liquid before the reservoir overflowed.  It wasn't low at all!  And why was the liquid clear?  I've never seen clear coolant before.  Oh well.

Next was the light inspection.  I turned on signals, stepped on the brakes and turned on the high beams.  At the end, the attendant tapped my car on the rear passenger's side then proceeded to tell me I had a bulb out, which they would replace for $6.99.  First, I have a box of bulbs for my car at home ... which I paid about $1.50 for each set.  So there was no way I was going to agree to paying $6.99 for one!  But second, my car is a hypochondriac and will use it's on-board computer to tell me if it doesn't like the weather.  So to not get a "light out" alarm was suspicious ... or weird at the very least.  But I had declined to have it fixed ... so no harm, no foul.  Right?

Then came the "you need a new rear wiper blade" announcement (when had he checked that?).  Yes, they had them for $23.99.  Hm.  Because I know I haven't changed them I said "go ahead."  However, and luckily, the supervisor informed my attendant that they can't change the rear blades on my car due to the housing ... or some such thing.  I thought it weird when the attendant actually said "damn" when he heard that news, and then never told me they couldn't do it (I had just overheard their conversation). 

And finally was the "your A/C needs to be charged."  Really?  Why?  How much is that going to cost?  I think he said something like $79.99 ... so I said no.  It's the middle of the winter!  No, I don't need my A/C charged.  And if I did, I certainly wouldn't have you do it.

So when the attendant came to get my money I said 'I didn't see you do the rear wiper."  It was only then that he told me they hadn't been able to do it and I wouldn't be charged.  When the final invoice came I asked if it included my $10 discount for being the "Next Car" ... ooops, he forgot that.  So 5 minutes later I had the updated invoice and was on my way.

As luck would have it, I had to swing by my mechanics to have the on-board computer updated.  We got to chatting and I told him I had just had the oil changed.  He asked what they had charged, which caused me to really look at the final invoice.  Much to my surprise they had charged me $8.99 for a quick squirt of "coolant!"  I was pissed and called them right away to complain.

Here's where it gets really interesting.  I got the manager on the phone and explained what had happened.  He asked what bay I was parked in, and when I told him he said "We don't even have a coolant hose in that bay."  That would explain the clear color to the "coolant."  The attendant put in water and charged me $8.99 for it!

I then learned that they get a kick-back on every up-charge thing they sell ... like wiperblades and lights.  We then checked the light that they said needed replacing and it's working fine.  But unless I had gotten out of my car at the oil station to check it, I would have never known and they would have made more money.

So what started out as a quick oil change has turned into an additional 15 minute telephone call and another stop-in to get my refund.  I am sure they're hoping I don't take the time for $8.99 ... but boy will I ever!  These people are trying to rip you off left-and-right! 

I have to add my "not everybody is bad" statement and say that maybe not everybody that works there is as deceitful, but I got the feeling when I spoke to the manager that they do refunds a lot, when customers actually take the time to read their receipts.

Yes, they're going to make it right ... but there is no way this was an innocent mistake and it's the principle of the deceit that matters.  If you find yourself with no other option but to use Jiffy Lube for your car's oil change ... please, please, please ... be sure to decline their add-on items unless you know for yourself it needs to be replaced.  If they say a bulb is out, ask to get out of your car and see it before you agree to fixing it (although bulbs are easy to replace and can be purchased at an auto supply store for cheap).

This has been a Public Service Announcement from Cheri's Blog.  Thank you for your attention and have a nice day.