Why are we surprised? (Jiffy Lube TV exposé)

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

Hey - do you think that maybe DC ought to sue Jiffy Lube and some of its
own dealers over sludged up 2.7L engines?

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

I'm not surprised, but it's still shocking to see documented evidence.

The average person would probably never know if their oil & filter had
not been changed. Can you imagine running a 2.7 L engine on inexpensive
oil for 8 or 10 or 15,000 miles.

 

Some time ago I was in another major chain where the service tech told a
woman that she needed a complete break job and motor mount change. When her
car was on the lift they did not even pull her drums or remove the wheels.
I took her aside and told her what had happened and then she called the
police. Well I told the service manager I do not need tires and also I was
a whiteness to the lies they told. The police took the guy away and locked
him up.

More than likely rip-offs happen more than we expect to unsuspecting
customers. Another time my wife was told at another chain that she needed a
new rear motor mount and struts with springs on her Shadow when she was just
in for tires. She only had 30K on the car at the time. Well she called me
and I told her not to have the work done because she does not have a rear
motor mount underneath on the fire wall and her struts were fine. She
wakled outside with the service ticket called the police and presented the
ticket to the officer. The officer confronted the guy and the guy said he
got her auto and another mixed up. So the ooficer asked which vehicle when
the guy had no answer away he went to the crowbar hotel.

Other than tires I do my own service and repairs for thoes who cannot and
have to rely on the major chains or local mechanics, I would go with a good
local persom you can always ask for referances.

Coasty

..

 

More horror stories

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/jiffy_lube.htm

Coasty

 

Surprised? I'm not.

I used JL a couple times years and years ago when I didn't have any
space to change the oil in my car (then an old VW) other than at the
side of the road.

1) even after specifically requesting 20W50 oil and being charged extra
for it, about 50% of the time I would get 10W30 because that's what
their computer said my car should have (even though the owner's manual
disagreed.) I could tell the difference because of the raucous lifter
clatter.

2) The very last time I set foot in a JL, as a part of their "service"
they topped up all the fluids in my car. Unfortunately, they either
were out of windshield washer fluid or else they were diluting it with
water. I guess I should have told them that I was leaving for PA in a
couple of days (was near Xmas.) The tank froze about halfway to my
destination and I had to keep stopping and manually cleaning the
windshield. I got to spend xmas eve looking for a VW dealer that was
open so I could get a new grommet for the WW tank (it disintegrated
when I removed the tank to thaw it out inside.)

Since I never authorized any of their upsells and always watched them
change the oil from a respectful distance, I never got really screwed
but I will likely never be back. I found a good independent mechanic
within walking distance of my office shortly after the last incident
that had no problem using oil/filters that I brought myself.

nate

 

Im all for it but the people that are doing the investigation should know
alittle more about the product. For those who watched the Link that Bill
posted. The part about replaceing the fuel filter on the jeep..... when
they put a paint mark on the "supposed fuel filter" . That wasnt the fuel
filter they put a mark on, it was the fuel pump regulator that is mounted
on top of the tank. The fuel filter is at the bottom of the fuel pump. But
either way, im glad it got exposed.

My opinion
Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

Wow! I'd pay good money to have seen that.

We helped my daughter purchase a 2000 Jeep a year or so ago. The used
car dealer that we bught it from gave us the name of the previous owner
(with their permission). I talked to them to ask about maintenance and
to tell them how well they had obviously taken care of it. The woman
told me that they had religiously had the oil and filter changed every
3000 miles at a local Amerilube that their next-door neighbor owned. A
couple of weeks later, I did our first oil change on it. What I found
was a Mopar-brand filter on it that was so old that the unpainted crimp
area at the base had heavy surface rust all around. I called the woman
back as a courtesy to tell her what I found and that she had obviously
been defrauded by her nice neighbor so that if she were taking her new
vehicle to him for service, she might want to re-think that. I offered
to mail the filter to her as evidence.

Also, caught the local DC dealer charging my elderly mother for the very
first oil/filter change on her brand new Concorde about 5 years ago - I
checked the filter and oil before she took it in - had a black filter
that had a paint stamp on it that said "ORIGINAL FACTORY FILTER", and
checked level and color of oil. When it came back, it had the same
filter and oil color and level.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

You sure about that Glenn? You sure you're not thinking of the screen
(pick-up filter) on the fuel pump inlet? I know that the actual fuel
filter on the LH car is built into the regulator on top of the fuel tank
like the one they showed. Oh - almost forgot - I have an alldata
subscription on my daughter's '00 Cherokee - here's the labeled sketch
of entire fuel pump module out of the Jeep's FSM:
http://images16.fotki.com/v303/photos/4/42816/3591700/84798427-vi.gif

I'm thinking that the TV station got it right.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

Yep saw it last night and laughed I emailed News 4 in Baltimore about their
screw up no reply yet.
Coasty

 

Sure looks a lot like the combination regulator/filter used in the LH
cars *and* the diagram of the fuel pump assy. out of the FSM for my
duaghter's '00 Jeep Cherokee. See my other post on this with link to
sketch from the Jeep FSM. I'm still not convinced that the TV station
didn't get it right and that you guys don't have egg on your face.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

I helped a friend replace one on an 02 and it said the same thing in the O&M
but it was actually part of the fuel pump and could not be removed. The
screen on the fuel pump was actually the fuel filter.

Coasty

 

The station that did the report is the NBC affiliate in Los Angeles,
which is broadcast on Channel 4.

The folks in Baltimore probably won't know what you are referring to.

-KM

 

Well - I may have to eat crow (sorry for all the clichés), but I'm not
convinced yet. While I have certainly noticed enough errors in the
FSM's, there's just way too much detailed explanation in the FSM about
the inlet screen (which I'm thinking is what you're talking about) and
the fuel filter proper located in the pressure regulator enclosure at
the top.

Present any evidence/proof if you have a desire to (you're certainly not
required to).

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

Me also, since it is almost certainly an urban legend. It is highly
unlikely that the cops would "lock someone up" for petty theft.


Matt

 

I'm with you, Bill. No way that the only "filter" is an inlet screen.
Your fuel injector wouldn't make it 10,000 miles if that were the case.


Matt

 

Coasty - did you take a look at the FSM sketch from the FSM that I
posted a link to? Here it is again:
http://images16.fotki.com/v303/photos/4/42816/3591700/84798427-vi.gif

Again - are you maybe talking about the inlet screen (item 2 in the FSM
sketch) while what I think the TV station and I are referring to as the
fuel filter is incorporated in item 4)?

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

A complete break job is over $500.00 I do not know where you are from but
that is not petty to me. In our county the cops do not put up with the
liberal crap other areas do they even have a armored troop transport fresh
from the National Guard.
Coasty

 

I guess it depends on what you are breaking. A brake job around here is
typically less than $200, unless you need new rotors and drums and a
rebuild of all wheel cylinders. If all you need are pads and shoes,
then $500 is outrageous.

You must have a huge jail if you haul every petty thief to jail. Do you
jail jaywalkers and parking violators as well?


Matt

 

Correct, a break job depending on your terminology is relevant to the
definition, replacing shoes and pads is just that. A break job is shoes,
pads, rotors, drums, master cylinder, calipers at least in my neck of the
woods.

I did a complete break job on my Ram last weekend parts $350.00 if it was
done at a shop you are looking at $600.00 for all four wheels.

Coasty

 

I'm still not sure why you want to keep breaking your vehicles, but that
is your choice. If your local shops routinely replace all of the parts
above when only shoes and pads are needed, maybe you should put them all
in jail and find some competent mechanics that will actually assess what
is needed before doing the work.

What all did you break on your Ram? If you broke the engine, that could
cost a lot more than $600.

Matt

P.S. Do your police officers also haul you off to jail if you don't
know the difference between break and brake?