[Recovering_Democrat]

I detest the LameStream Media as much as anyone--maybe more. But this time, this fellow did a good job and exposed some rip-off artists.

I hear Jiffy Lube Corporation, to their credit, has investigated the fraud...but this ought to be a warning to ALL mechanics out there: don't get caught lying.

[discostu]

Ooh there’s a surprise Jiffy Lube, the company that’s never seen an air filter that didn’t need to be replaced, ripping people off.

The bread and butter of these quick oil change places is getting you to let them do unnecessary work, which they probably never did half the time anyway. Never ever take your car to any of them, develop a relationship with a real mechanic, their list prices are higher but in the long run they’ll cost you less.

[americanophile]

This was egregious fraud on their part...I won’t use them again.

[Tall_Texan]

“There are so many tricky garages you can find them in the Yellow Pages under ‘tricky garages’.” - Archie Bunker.

[TampaDude]

I always check to make sure the work was done, and ask for the old parts where applicable. I don’t trust anyone nowadays, it seems.

[Jagman]

I wonder. If you had to lower the tank, you were probably going after the intank filter, which rarely clogs. I wonder if the techs changed the inline filter.

[Clam Digger]

You’ll only get ripped off like this if you are lazy and don’t watch them. I highly oubt this is chain wide, but there are sleazy operators everywhere, in every kind of business. Be proactive, and do your homework, and you’ll never be a victim.

Fawn, pinging you only as a followup to our earlier conversation for further explanation of what I meant, k? :)

[D-fendr]

Don’t try this at Planned Parenthood.

[Deguello]

It's not any different than a major chain tire store that automatically charges for replacing tire valve stems. When they try to do this for my el camino, I say Oh Really?

"What you mean sir"?

Those are screw in valve stems on my Hurricanes.

"Well, we'll just take that off your bill".

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

My engine was running rough. Mechanic said I needed a new MAF (mass airflow sensor) obviously thinking I was going to order one through the dealership. Instead I ordered online ($125) and installed it myself but didn't tell him I did. Problem still not solved. Take it back to the dealership. Once again they hook it up to a code scanner/engine monitor and say I needed a new MAF sensor. Then I told him I already did. For about 10 seconds he stood there at a loss for words not knowing what to say. When he recovered he said "Oh..I told you the MAF sensor could be one of the problems." I replied back "that's not what you told me..you told me at least twice that the MAF sensor needed replacement" It was pointless arguing with him. Needless to say I never returned and left a "feedback" at the dealership's website. The problem turned out to be a vacuum leak on a rubber hose that cost a tiny fraction of the MAF sensor.

[kingu]

Ok, truth time - the only reason to use any of the quick lube style places is to get your oil changed. Anything further should be done by a mechanic you’ve developed a relationship with.

Yes, your air filter is dirty. Ever checked the level of your oil? Noticed that your hands are dirty? It’s dirty because it’s doing it’s job. Now tell the bozo to put the air filter back and get done with the oil change.

People get ripped off because they don’t think. Don’t leave yourself open to the opportunity to get ripped off.

All this being said, JiffyLube and everyone else has been caught with this type of investigation almost every year when KNBC does them. They’ll typically hit up 35-40 stations, and invariably, one will not do the work they were paid to do.

My absolute number one favorite on camera explanation (and the last time KNBC did a live, on the air, confrontation with a mechanic) “I thought that my partner had already changed the fuel filter because the bolts were cleaned off as if they had just been removed and put back.” Right, that was them marking the fuel filter so that they’d know if you did it. (Or fuel pump - thats the other one they love to nail mechanics with.)

Anyway, buyer beware, and JiffyLube, come off it, you get stung by this every year, you end up paying for however many shops KNBC went to to get their ‘repairs’ done at, it always ends up a PR nightmare, come on, tell managers that if this ever happens again, at any shop, the manager as well as the mechanic involved will be immediately fired, and you’ll go after both in court for fraud and theft charges. That’ll be the only way to stop it from happening again.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

People who take their cars to quick-lube places like Jiffy Lube deserve to get ripped off. Their employees are nothing more than post-high school slackers who’s knowledge of cars came from reading a Chilton’s manual. Take your car to a regular auto repair shop instead.

[dragnet2]

Taking your car to places like Jiffy lube is a big mistake.

People don't realize, when changing the oil, after removing the drain plug, one should let it drain for as long as possible, I am taking about 20 minutes or longer.

Ever watch someone from Jiffy? They drain the oil, and within seconds screw the drain plug back in, leaving almost another 1/4 of a quart of dirty oil still in the engine, that would have slowly drained out if they'd left the drain plug out.

If you like your engine, leave the drain plug off for at least 20 minutes and let it drain out.

[bikerMD]

I've used JL many times. I've never had them not take no for an answer when they've tried to upsell me, nor have I have I been asked to leave the shop floor when I've hung around to watch what they were doing.

I was just there Saturday and the manager honored an expired coupon for a FREE oil change for another customer.

AND NO I am not a Jiffy Lube Franchisee. (:^D)

[aruanan]

NBC4 pays $240 and asks the technician what they did. "Oil change, air filter, fuel filter," the technician tells the undercover producer.

I don't believe there's a Jiffy Lube anywhere in the United States that charges more than about $35-$40 for their Signature Service which includes oil change and oil filter plus lubrication and vacuuming. I don't think an air filter and fuel filter will cost another $200, even at Jiffy Lube prices.

[ErnBatavia]

I hear Jiffy Lube Corporation, to their credit, has investigated the fraud...

Well, since Jiffy Lube gets busted for these antics with great regularity, I'm guessing their "investigation" is pretty minimal.

[IronJack]

I took in a 97 Ford Expedition with little more than 5,000 miles on it for its first oil change. They put it on the rack and told me I needed to have the rear differential lube changed. "At 5,000 miles?" I asked, incredulous. The "mechanic" came back with a smear of silverish grease on his finger and a chewed-up metal piece of some kind. "Found this floating around in the pumpkin," he told me. "Common problem with this year of Expedition."

I thanked him for his diligence and told him that I would take it back to Ford for warranty work. The Ford mechanics laughed themselves silly and showed me the real lube from the rear differential. It was fine.

[Right Wing Assault]

240 bucks?! Whoa!

[TexasCajun]

I hear Jiffy Lube Corporation, to their credit, has investigated the fraud...

I hope so, this story is over a year old.

But I understand it is an ongoing problem and not just with Jiffy-lube.

[3niner]

Don’t forget NBC’s record of integrity on these kinds of things. I seem to remember something about en exploding fuel tank...

[C210N]

and marked the fuel filter with a big "four."

"But, we were just saving you some money by replacing just the element. If you want us to also replace the fuel filter casing, that will be another $456.78."