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I deliberately locked the glovebox in my Sonata one time and told them the cabin filter does NOT need changing, so please don't try....
Of course, they brought me the cabin filter a little later and said it DID need changing.....
I was so disgusted, I never went back to that one..... when I asked WHY they did that when I told them not to and the glove box was locked, they just said that that was part of their job......
Quote:
Originally Posted by mym
you ever sit in the lobby and listen while you wait?
one place in the time i waited i saw two guys come in complaining that the oil light came on two miles down the road. turns out they forgot to put back the plug after changing the oil.
another place, every woman that walked in was told she needed her timing belt replaced.
i had to replace a radiator once. the next day i got my oil changed and the kid tells me that its time to replace the radiator fluid - i believe they are going thru a script. its just up-selling you can say no to but the screw-ups are scary.
I'm a woman and was told nearly every time I went to one that my serpentine belt needed replacement. Fortunately, at that time I had a mechanically inclined 22 year old fella working for me and I would just have him inspect it and say yay or nay..... figured those 22 year old eyes would see things much better than my 50+ eyes did!!
I don't like the way they constantly try to upsell me on services I don't want or need. "We recommend a transmission flush/wiper blades/radiator flush, etc. . . " I get that they need to make money, but I'm there for an oil change and that's all.
I had a bigger problem at the place I went the time before last. I was looking for a new place, since I had moved and my old place, one I really liked, was too far away. I found a Groupon for an oil change for $24.99. After checking the good reviews and reading the fine print, which listed an expiration date and nothing else, I went to the oil change place.
When I got there at noon on some weekday, I found it odd I was the only customer there. I told them upon arrival I had a coupon for $24.99 for a conventional change using Valvoline and presented it to them. The service guy was nice and they started to work on my car, a 2006 RAV 4 V6. 10 minutes later they were done and when he rang me up, he announced it would be $47! I was dismayed. What happened to the $24.99? The man said my car took 6 quarts of oil, thus they charged more, and I had an oddly shaped filter, and somehow that cost more as well. I told them the coupon said nothing about these upcharges. He said, "That's just how we do it." I said, "Well you're not doing it that way today." When he saw I refused to pay that much, he retrieved the manager, who reluctantly agreed to honor the coupon. I never returned to that place.
I have done research and found that my car takes 6.1 quarts. If I'm using a coupon, I'm fine with paying what the coupon says and I know I have to abide by a coupon's conditions. But I'm not cool with an oil change place upcharging me or using bait and switch tactics and expecting me to swallow their BS just because I'm a woman.
Very glad you did what you did in this situation. More people need to do this. In today's busy schedules and lifestyle, most people don't even argue and just pay it so they can get the heck outta there.
I usually change my own oil, but once had shoulder spasms and went to Oil Can Henry's. At the next oil change I did it myself again, and discovered the filter they used was 1/3 the size of the proper filter. With so little filter medium, it had to be bypassing the whole time between oil changes. I have never been back.
I get mine changed once a year. I have it done at my local mechanic when I get my yearly inspection. I had it done a few years ago at a local STS and they never tired to sell me extra services. They simply changed the oil and that was that. Don't forget that oil changes are loss leaders designed to get you in the door for additional services.
I have heard too many bad stories about the oil change gophers at these places leaving the drain plugs loose or off and engines blowing up.
I do my own maintenance!
+1 I pulled the dipstick and checked the oil before I leave and one time found that it was 2 quarts low.
I brought it to their attention and they told me that since my car was a 4 cylinder, it only took 4 quarts of oil. I asked them if they knew about counting the spark plug wires and he looked at me wierd.
I took him over to the car and counted 6 of them for him. Obviously they hire people with absolutely no car engine experience
OK I'm a little concerned now. Up until recently, the owners were doing the actual work so I was a bit comfortable with getting some quality work, my area is still not so busy where they can't find good help.
I'll think about going back to DIY but getting old and dont like to crawl under the car anymore even with the rhino ramps.
I don't use them due to bad experiences in the past. I have done it twice in my life. The first time the oil monkey must have used an airgun on the pan plug because the next time I changed the oil all the threads were stripped and it barely stayed in the hole. I had to buy an oversize self tapping plug to replace it. The second time was about a year ago and decided to let the tire place (Firestone) change the oil. Next oil change I noticed the head was rounded off and over tightend. I barely got it off. I am going to have to but a replacement for that plug.
All the drain plug needs to be is snug. You should never try to turn it more than a quarter turn past it being hand tight.
I was in car service business years ago. Knowing what I know now. I don't trust any big name franchise, or dealer. I think the dealer is the worst.. It's not the shop. It's the newbie they hire, and they will hire anyone... The problem is they hire these fresh out of high school or Uti trade school. Pays them minimum wage. These guys have no experience whatsoever, so they do the simplest work. Oil change, checking filters, tire rotations, etc.
So by working on your oil change is how and where they earn their skills and experience..
Not having experience is one thing, but a lot of times. These newbies FORGET!
When they forget a drain plug, unsecured air filter, fill oil, or a loose lug nut.
It's costly for management, then you have managers that cares and some just don't give a damn..
I highly recommend, learning to do it yourself, or find a trust worthy I dependent shop to do it.
Note: please please please do not ever go to wal mart for oil change.
I was in car service business years ago. Knowing what I know now. I don't trust any big name franchise, or dealer. I think the dealer is the worst.. It's not the shop. It's the newbie they hire, and they will hire anyone... The problem is they hire these fresh out of high school or Uti trade school. Pays them minimum wage. These guys have no experience whatsoever, so they do the simplest work. Oil change, checking filters, tire rotations, etc.
So by working on your oil change is how and where they earn their skills and experience..
Not having experience is one thing, but a lot of times. These newbies FORGET!
When they forget a drain plug, unsecured air filter, fill oil, or a loose lug nut.
It's costly for management, then you have managers that cares and some just don't give a damn..
I highly recommend, learning to do it yourself, or find a trust worthy I dependent shop to do it.
Note: please please please do not ever go to wal mart for oil change.
This.
I worked in the car service industry for years as well a while ago, and I share the same perspective as you do.
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