Jiffy Lube

[ALLSKIING]

I have never used Jiffy Lube..now I know why.

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

 

[ChileMass]

Yikes - I have a company car and have to use them. Glad it's not my money.....

 

[NYDrew]

wow, I use jiffy lube but only for oil changes (my mechanic "doesn't have time for oil changes"). I always watch. Being I could easyly do the oil change on my own, I know I'm not getting stiffed. Actually by me Jiffy Lube is pretty good, often fixing little stupic annoying things for free...won't trust them with anything bigger though.

 

[bvibert]

I guarantee you that doesn't just happen at Jiffy Lubes. A good mechanic is a hard thing to find.

 

[BeanoNYC]

Wow!!!!! Something else. I have some friends out in the L.A. area. I'm going to forward the link. Thanks Dave.

 

[SkiDog]

This is old news...many different stations have done this type of expose. If you go to a "lube it all" or a "jiffy lube" JUST DO OIL CHANGES...

At those places they are NOT CERTIFIED MECHANICS....no ASE in those locations...DO NOT HAVE THEM TOUCH ANYTHING EXCEPT THE OIL...maybe an air filter....certianly not transmission bleeds and or fuel filter changes...they aren't qualified for those repairs..

Keep an eye on them...they are great for quick "drive up" oil changes.

M

 

[hammer]

I'd second the opinion that a good mechanic is hard to find...

I took my car to a Toyota dealer for an oil change because their price was OK and I thought that going to a dealer would be a better bet. It worked out fine for a number of times, but after an oil change I noticed oil leaking from near the drain plug. I took the car back and found out that they had stripped the thread on the oil pan and that it would have to be replaced (cost over $400...:-o). On top of that, I had to argue with the service manager to get them to cover the repair cost...:angry:

If your local Jiffy Lube does a good job on oil changes, then I'd agree that going to them just for that would be OK. If they tell you that something else is needed, thank them for pointing it out and then get it done somewhere else yourself.

One thing that gets me is the push for a new air filter...even I have enough mechanical skills to go to a parts store, but a new one, and replace one of those.

 

[Greg]

One thing that gets me is the push for a new air filter...even I have enough mechanical skills to go to a parts store, but a new one, and replace one of those.

No kidding! That and wiper blades. I actually can probably pull off a lot more car repairs than I do (used to drive a lot of POS cars as a kid that always needed work), but I don't have the time or desire to climb under a car anymore. Air filters, batteries, wiper blades and stuff like that I still will do myself.

 

[cbcbd]

This is why it pays off to learn more about your car. Many people know diddly about cars. If they only took a small effort to know some simple things about how they work then it would be easier to tell if something is fishy and the guys at the shop will be less likely to pull a fast one on you.

Also, you don't leave your car at Jiffy lube and leave... you stay right there and watch the guys do the work - and that's assuming that you also follow the rule that you only take it there for oil changes - if that's your last resort.

Find yourself a local European mechanic (one from an EU country )