Check this out: JL charging for services they don't perform.

I don't use them on my TL, but my wife uses them for oil changes on her Yukon. I'm going to start marking the oil filter and make sure she never lets them perform any other work.

 

my buddy took his pretty much brand new Mercury Cougar to a JL (When that car had just come out) for an oil change. He picked the car up and drove 4 blocks down the road when the engine seized. Ultimately, they had drained the old oil but not replaced it with ANYTHING.... He had to sue them as they claimed he "Drove off the lot" Took him over two years for a settlement....

 

I use the one here in Vienna, VA. They are Ok, but I do watch the entire transaction personally. I bring my own oil and filter as well.

 

the same thing happened to a friend of mine. it was a 7 year old BMW 325i. Drained but did not fill with oil. She got a half mile and the car was dead. They tried to sue but it was very costly, more than the cars worth. I would never go a Jiffy no lube.

Another friend would check the oil after each visit and once it was still dirty. they didn't even to the change.

Buyer beware.

 

I stand right outside the garage and stare at them when I have to use them... I make it perfectly obvious that I am watching every move they make......

 

Not surprised, when I used those guys, they got more oil inside my car than in my engine.

 

I do my own fluid changes but keep in mind that flat-rating probably happens in dealerships more than Jiffy-lube type places... Check ur shit before you leave if you can't do it yourself...

 

I used them in the past years ago when they wer cheaper than doing it yourself until one day I saw a kid who was not able to get the oil plug off and he started using a pair of vise grips....I got up from my chair and yelled right accross the bays to stop, he was stunned and I yelled at the service manager who was another kid, since then (1988) I've doing all my oil changes and other service maintenance on all my cars...

 

Dont go to one that isnt corporate owned. The training process is entirely different and not as good. Also, most Jiffy Lubes have a high turnover rate so its hard for a lot of the employees to really get a feel for working on a car. Its really hit or miss with them, there are some great ones and some god awful ones out there.

And Houstun TL is right, this isnt just isolated to Jiffy Lubes...they just get the most ink because there are a ton of them in the US.

 

You know I was going to close this thread but this seems pretty important. Thanks for the post bluenoise...

 

Come on, people.. do you own oil changes. With the TL, this is a very simple and quite clean operation, and most importantly, you KNOW how it was done.

 

I have never done my own oil changes... but I have done everything else on my car... How easy is it to do your own oil change? What are the dangers of doing it yourself?

 

^-Aside from the major ones, such as forgetting to fill up the oil after you drain it, probably the most common "danger" would be stripping the drain pan threads. Probably wont happen to you but there isnt much that can really go wrong if you are comfortable using tools.

 

I usually go to the dealership for my oil changes because of back problems. I've gone to SpeeDee oil once & may go this next time because scheduling an appointment at the dealer is tough. Good idea to watch, mark things, maybe even take a sample of oil before/after so you're certain they changed it.

 

I used to do my own oil changes, but just don't have the time anymore. Disposing of the oil is a hassle too. IOt's just no fun anymore climbing under the car.

I go to the local equivalent of Jiffy Lube - Speedy Oil Change, and have never had a problem. I've been a customer for so long that they even know my name.

The car always comes back clean, and their waiting room is set up where you can watch everything. Since I use Mobil 1, they have to use the bottles, not the bulk tank of 10W30.

For every nightmare story of ineptness, there are probably tens of thousands of satisfied customers. I don't doubt any of those stories for a second, it just hasn't been my experience.

 

wow, now that's some good investigative reporting! Glad I've always gone to an Acura dealership.

 

Here's the first one from the 3G Garage to get you started, and you can check out the rest of them when you get there.

C-004: DIY: Oil Change Checklist with Service Manual Scan
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80273

 

That's unfucking believable. What a scam. And what about that lying sack of shit DM? What a turd.

 

I am thinking about getting the 'extended emissions warranty' work done - spark plugs / wires / free oil change/ tune up etc...

What's the chance they'll hand me the car without doing it. I don't know how to check to see if stuff has indeed been done...

 

Best to just go by word of mouth rec. There have been tons of news stories on different mechanic shops (I would assume dealers as well) where they have either been caught charging for work that has not been done or rec. something that doesnt need to be replaced.

 

Part 2

 

I feel better going to the dealer or a good reputable dealership... I had a friend that went to a jiffy lube somewhere in philly and they forgot to screw the oil cap on and oil was all over the engine... When i had my accord i went to the jiffy lube in s.philly and they overfilled the oil.. i was at a tollbooth going to Atlantic City and the car started smoking like crazy. pulled over. had to get towed cost me 120 for that.... then when i got to the mecanic, he told me that nothing was wrong with the car and that the oil was overfilled and the oil came out of some vent.. then he charged me 150 for him to tell me that.. so it cost me 270 even before i got a chance to blow it on Blackjack... sorry for rant..

 

I used to do all of my own car maintenance many moons ago. Then I got an Acura Integra. I bought a new oil drain container, slid it under the car, the container clunked and stopped against the Integra's oil pan, which was too low (or the drain container was too high). I returned the damn drain container and then was referred a good independent Honda/Acura shop which has since done all of my maintenance.

So one day my shop was booked up, and Integra needed an oil change. I went to an oil change place not far away, which I saw change my oil & filter. However, I forgot to look under the hood after the shop was done.

I drove home and noted oil drops going under my car. I opened the hood, and yes, the oil cap was sitting between the cam covers; oil had splashed onto the underside of the hood and over the engine compartment. Well, at least it was clean oil, and I had only driven a mile or so.
I now always check underhood and under engine compartment afterwards, even though my shop/mechanic does everything right.

 

I did that once, but drove a lot further. Had to replace the liner under the hood as it was SOAKED with oil.

 

I certainly understand your position, but I just can't bring myself to taking my car in for an oil change someplace. I'm too anal for this, for one thing. In fact I'm so anal, just this past Saturday, I had new tires installed on my '04 TL.. on the rims, that is. You see, I jacked the car up and put it on jack stands, then removed the wheels and tires and took them up to the tire store in my truck. That way it was ME who put them back on, torqued them with a torque and not a torque stick, washed the wheels and tires (inside and out), cooled them off and properly inflated them, and drove the car back out of my garage with clean clothes and hands.

 

Piece of cake. Somewhere on this site, I did a writeup of my process.. probably a year or more ago.

I would advise you to get a short torque wrench (it will probably be metered in inch/pounds but that's Ok). I take my time and it takes me about 45 minutes, which includes set up and take down. I use my own ramps that I built since the Rhino composite ramps tend to slide on my asphalt driveway. I made my ramps from 2 x 10's, stacked 4 high and going from maybe 3 feet to 18". They even have handles on them.

One thing I would definitely recommend (this idea is from Road Rage). When you remove the old filter, loosen it with a filter wrench just enough until you can do the rest by hand. Then get a 1-gallon ZipLock bag and slip it completely around and over the filter and pickup. Now finish removing the filter. The remaining residual oil will all into the ZipLock bag. Hold it in that position after the filter is off, for about a minute to catch drips, then move the bag and pour the old oil into your drain pan. This is one heck of a good recommendation since you will have virtually no spilled oil on your suspension parts, driveway, or you.

 

I fing it easier to remove the front passenger wheel and right there in front of me is the filter and when I lay down on my creeper within my arms reach is the oil plug...this makes it easier to clean up the drops that hit the axle and also any other oil that may drip on other parts...

 

I let em change my oil, i watch the whole time they are working on my car. Ive heard several horror stories about them. I make sure they put in the required amt of oil (Mobil 1), and make sure they put on a filter. You guys know its a bunch of kids with no knowledge of cars, heck they prolly dont even have an education. You gotta watch em'

 

I worked for my father's garage and subsequently have given up do it yourself oil changes (especially for cars under warranty). Granted there is a sense of of knowing its done right and choosing your own oil and filter but on my last few cars I have allowed the dealer to do it.

Given the current cost of oil, it not really a significant cost savings to me to do it myself. By having the oil changed by the dealer, I make a presence there every 2-3 months or so and check in with my salesman and service manager. I have found this to be quite effective in establishing a good relationship with the dealer and being deemed a good customer. People remember you. I know how my father treated those "valuable customers". Subsequently, I think it helps if/when warranty work is needed. It certainly helped when my sunroof shattered. Just my

 

Up until about 4 years ago, a friend of mine owned an Exxon station in Paramus, NJ where I was able to do all my own oil changes and other repair work. Since I've got the TL, the 1st 2 oil changes were done by the dealer N/C as part of the deal for the car. Now, I get my own oil and filter and go to a local garage I've been doing business with these last 4 years or so and they do it for me for $10. These are the same guys that did my GM trans fluid change and Comptech RSB.
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