Oil Change? Not at Jiffy Lube!

[topspeed]

You will NEVER use Jiffy Lube again after seeing this!


http://mfile.akamai.com/12924/wmv/vod.ibsys.com/2006/0503/9152183.200k.asx

[L.J.]

Wow, that's just dirty! :mad:

Gotta wonder how many people get suckered each day.

[Resident Loser]

You will NEVER use Jiffy Lube again after seeing this!

...some of the reasons I try to do all my own work, I'd rather end up with greasy busted knuckles...at least I know I'm using OEM (or better) parts and fluids...and then, of course, you have the cracker-jack staff...

Obviously, there are some things the average shade-tree mechanic can't do...that's when I try to stay on-prem when I bring my Jeep into the dealership...During one such visit I witnessed another customer being told his simple oil-change was going to require a new oil pan as the last "mechanic" who changed his oil also cross-threaded the drain plug with an impact-wrench...coincidently it was a Jiffy-lube that was responsible for that bit of misery...

jimHJJ(...it just gets better and better every day eh?...)

[noddin0ff]

wow, 5 of 9. That's systematic...

[GMichael]

I used to take my car to Pit Stop. I always said no to their pleas to put in air filters etc. But one day, the guy came in and told me that my oil drain plug had been stripped by who ever did my last oil change. It would cost me $20 to replace it. I told him that they had done all of my oil changes. He said that he was confused. His records showed that they had not changed my oil for 5000 miles. I asked if he was putting in the synthetic oil as I had requested. He said yes. Did his records show that I always got the synthetic? Yes. Isn't it recommended that the synthetic gets changed every 5000 miles? Yes. So where's the confusion. He looked totally pissed off, turned red and replaced it. I never went back.

[kexodusc]

I worked as a service writer for my family' car dealerships - the problem half the time is the employees - they get paid a flate rate/job scheme and it breeds corruption. But they dog it when they get paid hourly. In the GM dealership, I'd have to watch a few techs. Every car over 20 K miles needed front pads and rotors. Easy money job. Wipers and air filters were bad to because of the up-sell spiff GM paid the mechanics.
We had a few guys who'd been there 15+ years, are a bit slower at the newer computer stuff, but are honest workers. Finding young, capable people you can trust is hard.
I cringe every time I walk into a service department for my own vehicles now. Last time I got charged for an oil filler cap - they tried telling me I lost it. I found it in the trunk burried under the winter tires the tech had changed and stormed right back. Worst part is that $12 cost me about 2 hours of my time.

On the flip-side - you get just as many crooked customers who try and pull a fast one on you. It's such a confrontational business these days, people walk in the door with the attitude you're going to screw them and put up their defences.

[SlumpBuster]

People always say don't go to the dealership, that it is too expensive. Bullocks! Once you find a place you trust, you keep going back. My wife recently got entitled to the GM employee discount, so we got rid of our imports and got into Buicks. Great cars, great dealership. Took my wifes car in for a minor warranty repair to the suspension and they drove me back to work, picked by up from work only two hours later, gave the the car back washed and detailed, oil changed, tires rotated and balanced. Cost me $0.00. Why? Because they know that every eighteen months I will come in and buy a new car. Why screw me on a repair?

[ForeverAutumn]

I used to take my car to Mr. Lube. There's one just down the street and it was convenient. I always keep my service receipts. So, during one servicing, I was told that I needed a new air filter. The guy even showed me what was supposed to be my air filter and how dirty it was. So I told him to go ahead and change it.

The next time that I went back there, I was asked whether I wanted them to check the air filter. I told them that it was changed the last time that I was there. The guy working on my car went into the office and asked the Manager to come out and they looked at my engine together. The manager then told me that the screws on my filter cover were very rusted and they were having trouble unscrewing them. He said there was no way that the cover had been taken off at my last oil change. I had the receipt in my glove box and showed it to him. He took one look at it and told me that the guy who did my last oil change had been fired for charging customers for work that hadn't been done.

They got the cover off. They changed the filter and did the rest of the oil change. They didn't charge me for any of the work and they refunded the cost of the filter that I was charged previously.

The Manager did all the right things to make it better, but I'll never take my car to one of those places again.

[Dusty Chalk]

I stopped taking my car there because they don't provide Mobile One anymore.

Oh, and: "Yeezh."

[topspeed]

Peter,

Mobil 1 is very good...and very expensive oil. What do you run?

[ericl]

This really sucks. I get my oil changed here all the time. I wonder how many times I paid for work that wasn't done. Bastards.

[Dusty Chalk]

Mobil 1 is very good...and very expensive oil. What do you run?Now, before I tell you, I have to qualify, because you're going to think I'm one of those people that upgrades carppy cars, and I'm not -- I'm just trying to make it last as long as possible.

That said, Suzuki (stop laughing) Aerio (I mean it) SX (quit laughing).

That said -- how does one phase back in to "normal oil"? Because I really think it's wasted on this car. I'll probably get another one in 3 or 4 years (Mazda3 is the top choice at the mo', perhaps an Acura RSX or a Subaru Impreza).

[topspeed]

Who's laughing? I was behind a Forenza just yesterday remarking what a good looking car that was. Besides, as a rider I have to respect Suzuki for their Gixxer's.

That said, you probably are overdoing it unless you like to leave your oil in there for extended durations. Synthetic is great for high stress, high compression engines and doesn't break down as readily as normal oil. However, if you change your oil every 3-5K, you would do just as well with some Castrol GTX and save a bundle in the process. Stay away from Pennzoil (a bit of advice given to us from some guy with the last name Mears. You may have heard of him.)

As long as you are using the same weight, there's no reason to believe you can't switch out to standard oil at your next change. Consult your service rep. first, but it shouldn't be a problem at all.

BTW, great cars you're thinking of. I'm partial to the Mazdaspeed3 myself, but sure wouldn't turn down a RSX or WRX either!

[kexodusc]

The oil's are interchangeable. no problems substituting one for the other next change, or even adding a quart as needed. The bass stock is more consistent in synthetic and the additives are better, but they both kind of do the same job.
I use Synthetic in my Hondas. 10w30 synthetic works fine at -35 C weather. The shops here believe it works better than 5w30 in the cold, but I can't say for sure.
When I worked for Honda a lot of the employee cars were on the extended oil-change intervals. 8,000-9,000 miles. Some cars swapped the filter every 3000 K others didn't even do that. Mine wasn't one of them (I wasn't high enough in the food chain and had to pay my own oil changes) but I remember a few people telling me the filters started breaking down or got dirty or whatever and changing every 6 months minimum was still suggested.
I just swap both every 3000 miles and sleep easy when I go over (sometimes by 1000 or more if I'm driving across the region for work).

I think Toyota, Honda, GM and Dodge have a several models now that come with Synthetic straight from the factory?

Hey Dusty, how ya like the Aerio? My wife is drooling over the new Suzuki SX 4 thingy...I've never driven a (4 - wheel) Suzuki before...gotta admit, I want to try it out myself.

[topspeed]

You still haven't bought her a car yet?!? Wot'r ya waitin' fer, man? :D

When we were kids, the mantra was to change your oil and filter every 3K. Oil is your car's blood and if it goes bad, everything else goes with it. Today, papa's got a brand new bag. More and more cars have sensors that can tell when it's time to change the oil based viscosity, driving habits, and countless other parameters. Indeed, my car came with synthetic and with the exception of the the special break-in oil, only goes in for an oil change every 12K or so. I just do it whenever the 'puter tells me to.

[Dusty Chalk]

Thanks for the advice all.
Hey Dusty, how ya like the Aerio? My wife is drooling over the new Suzuki SX 4 thingy...I've never driven a (4 - wheel) Suzuki before...gotta admit, I want to try it out myself.I'm underwhelmed -- let's put it this way, if I had it to do over again, I'd do it differently. When my sister is out of town, I drive her car for a short distance (Mitsubishi Lancer) once a month, just to keep it from settling down, and the quality is so much better by contrast. You stomp, it moves, end of story. I wish Mitsubishi would come out with a small, affordable hatchback -- I'd get one in a heartbeat (the Eclipse is a choice, but I don't see it doing anything the RSX can't do, so if I went that way, I'd go RSX ["that way" == sportier -- in reality, I want a more wagony hatchback, like the Golf or the Civic] -- I'm thinking along the lines of a Lancer in a hatchback configuration). I drove the Mazda3 for a month between cars, and it was a fun drive.

If you need something bigger, there's the Mazda6 and the Mazda5. But follow the reviews -- the Mazda6 didn't review as well as the Mazda3 in its respective class, so if you're looking bigger, the criteria might be entirely different.

Dang, I just looked at those SX4 pictures -- it is cute. How big is it? Is it small (Fit, Yaris, Civic), medium (Aerio SX, Mazda3, Golf, xA), large-ish (for a car: Matrix), or outright large (Forester, Mazda5)? Those rear windows are an answer to a blind spot problem mine has.

Don't get me wrong -- I like my car. But I just can't recommend it. It was the perfect compromise on price (I got it for a couple thousand dollars less than the Mazda3 was selling for at the time) and performance (the xA was just too cheap-feeling of a drive for me -- in hindsight, probably wouldn't have been a problem, as I drive like a little old lady now).

It does have an excellent turning circle (the smallest that I have found on any car in its class).

EDIT: ARGH!!! Just found out the Mazda3 comes in purple. The others don't. Decision may have just been decided:

http://images.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/images/build_buy/redesign/2007_configurator/pho_bui_m3h_ext_purple_glory.jpg

Gol-dang! That is one sweet looking gorgeous car...

[kexodusc]

Mazda 3 Sport is high on the list here too. Except they have a really nice greenish/blue/aqua color I dig. Anyone else getting really sick of the silvers and blacks?
o
Topspeed...I'd get the car today, except she's in Australia until Christmas and the lease expires January...I'm shopping early...gives me something to do. We're all over the map though - Fit, Versa, Rabbit, Mazda 3, SX 4, and my $1500 in GM points still want me to cheap out on her. Vibe is the only car she likes there though. I'm leaning towards the Mazda 3 just for the fun ride...though the Versa and Fit are impressively designed cars (they just look funny).

[Dusty Chalk]

The Vibe is based on the Matrix -- I wouldn't rule it out.

[Resident Loser]

Now, before I tell you, I have to qualify, because you're going to think I'm one of those people that upgrades carppy cars, and I'm not -- I'm just trying to make it last as long as possible.

That said, Suzuki (stop laughing) Aerio (I mean it) SX (quit laughing).

That said -- how does one phase back in to "normal oil"? Because I really think it's wasted on this car. I'll probably get another one in 3 or 4 years (Mazda3 is the top choice at the mo', perhaps an Acura RSX or a Subaru Impreza).

...always go for a synthetic mix if you prefer, but there should be no prob going back to straight dino-juice.

I bring my Jeep to the dealership once a year in early spring for any lift work that may be required, but normally it's just a state inspection and I throw 'em a bone with an oil change...they use an OEM filter and I think AIG oil...Come the fall I'll usually do a change myself with Mobil 1 or a synthetic blend with a Hastings filter...I've also used Teflon-impregnated Fram filters...From what I've read, some of the synthetic tends to bond with the mechanicals providing some of its' positive aspects for a while after.

jimHJJ(...but since I have no chem lab, it's all anecdotal anywho...)

[topspeed]

Topspeed...I'd get the car today, except she's in Australia until Christmas and the lease expires January...I'm shopping early...gives me something to do.
My bad. I knew she had gone Down Under, but for some reason I thought she was back. There's going to be a lot of new products hitting in the next few months, so you should have plenty to keep you occupied. The price range you're shopping in is exploding as mileage becomes more and more important to consumers. Good luck in your choice.

[Dusty Chalk]

Argh...the Versa? Hadn't seen that one yet...melikey...