Jiffy Lube sucks (probably)

I took my car to Jiffy Lube Monday for an oil change.  When I got out of the car, I asked them to be sure to put on a new drain plug gasket because when they don’t the thing invariably leaks.  After a few minutes the manager comes in and tells me that I don’t have a plug in my drain pan, I have something called a pan saver.  A pan saver is something that looks like a toggle bolt on one end and a large headed bolt with rubber on the other end.  Apparently they are used as a cheap fix when the oil pan gets stripped.

Since the oil was last changed by the dealer (but the previous two changes were at Jiffy Lube), the Jiffy Lube manager suggests that I go talk to the dealer.  I leave there knowing I’m going to get screwed in this deal.  Either the dealer or Jiffy Lube stripped my drain pan and each is going to point at the other and I’m going to be left holding the bag.  I do recall that a couple of oil changes ago (at Jiffy Lube), the car was leaking like a sieve and I had to bring it back to get it fixed.  I’d be willing to bet that’s when it got stripped.

So, anyhow, I make an appointment with the dealer.  When I get there, they pull the records on my car and when they changed the oil last time they noted the car had an “aftermarket drain plug.”  I have to wonder why they didn’t tell me about this when they serviced the car.  They gave me a photocopy so I can go back to Jiffy Lube.  The service advisor says that he thinks they can tap the pan and install an oversize drain plug.  So I go sit in the waiting room and after about 20 minutes he tells me that they can’t tap it and I’ll need a new drain pan ($609 parts and labor).  This pan saver doesn’t seem like a good long-term solution, so I tell them to go ahead.  They have to order the pan and they give me a loner for over night.

So I head back to Jiffy Lube (about a 45 minute drive, the dealer is really out of the way for me) with my evidence that it’s their problem.  I talk to the manager and all he can do is send it to his regional manager.  He wants copies of everything, including the Jiffy Lube receipts, but he doesn’t have a copier.  So I have to run out and get copies and bring them back to him. 

So after that I head home to change and then go pick up my son from school.  While I’m home, the regional manager calls.   He asks a few questions and asks if it’s okay if he calls the dealer and looks at the car.  I agree.  He seemed reasonable and didn’t once deny any responsibility.  This may turn out all right after all.

[side rant] On my way to pick up my son, I stop at the post office to pick up a certified letter.  I get in the lobby, take a number and there are ten people ahead of me and four clerks working the counter (one at the passport window).  One of the clerks then closes his window (despite of 15 people now waiting in line) and the passport clerk finishes with the family that she’s with and also leaves. Grrrr.  So about 15 minutes later, I get my letter and leave. [/side rant off]

While I’m picking up my son at school, my cell phone rings and it’s the Jiffy Lube regional manager.  He basically tells me that since the dealer did the previous service, there’s no way Jiffy Lube can take responsibility.  He says their records don’t indicate that they put in the pan saver.  He doesn’t dispute that the car got to the dealer with the pan saver, but he wonders why the dealer didn’t tell.  I tell him, “so this is how it is, either you, or the dealer, probably you, screwed up my car, but since I can’t prove who did it, I get stuck with the $600 bill? Right?”  I know they did it, he knows they did it, but I get left holding the bag.

So I get off the phone with him and call my insurance agent.  Since a third party damaged my car, I was wondering if my comprehensive policy would cover the damage.  He doesn’t know and says he’ll have to call me back.  He does and says the insurance company isn’t sure either, but I should file a claim and they’ll investigate it and get back to me.  I don’t have much hope here, but I figured it was worth a shot.  Maybe State Farm can bring enough pressure on Jiffy Lube to do the right thing.  Who knows?

So I get home and call the dealer.  I ask them if there’s anything they can do to help.  I’m caught in the middle between the two parties.  One, who probably did the damage and the other who should have told me about it three months ago.  He said they talked to the Jiffy Lube regional manager and there’s not much more they can do.  He said he would ask their service manager if he could give me a 10% discount.  She’s in a meeting and he’d call me back after he talks to her.  I thank him and hang up.  He does call me back and tell me that after telling her my story, she says to give me a 25% discount on parts and labor.  I thank him again and mention that the reason I had the oil changed at the dealer last time was because they gave me a free oil change (for a service screw up, another long story).  It seems like this free oil change ended up costing me $600, (now $450) because if I hadn’t gone there, Jiffy Lube wouldn’t have had anyone else to point at.  I thank him again for going to bat for me and hang up.

I’ll never go to Jiffy Lube again.

and I thought I was having a bad day with slow walkers..

Preach on brother. Solidarity.

In my experience, almost all quick-lube places try to upgrade you to a synthetic oil and try to sell you a $20 air filter.

Spartan, screw the regional manager. You should write to Jiffy-Lube corporate.

Edit: your message was so long, I forgot who posted it. 

In my experience "corporate" doesn't care, and the local manager will tell you "sue me." It's up to you how far you want to take it, but don't expect it to be simple or easy. Decide what your time's worth and go from there.

I did take the car back to JL after the big leak.  Unfortunately, I didn't look under the car after they fixed it.  That's probably when they put the pan saver in.  And since it was a return visit with no revenue generated, they didn't prepare a receipt and didn't note what they had done (if they even would).

I concur with Clive on calling corporate. (That's fun to say out loud). It would be a waste of time and just piss you off more.

Gleek edited his post but I want to know why he was thinking of me in a JiffyLube topic. 

ON TOPIC:  That sucks Spartan. I hope you get some $ back somehow.