# RE: Dishonest Oil Changers



## PDQ GTO (Jun 21, 2007)

*RE: Dishonest Oil Changers*

I know there have been numerous threads on dishonest oil change shops and here is another one. My wife takes her 07 Tacoma to Tassajara Tune Up & Brake for her oil changes and up until 12/20 all was cool. She comes home and shows me the printout stating the transmission oil is “badly burnt” Bull Chit. I checked and it’s as pink as, well it’s pink, no sign of any overheating whatsoever. She will not be going back to that place ever-ever again…They are so stupid. If they would just be honest they would get far more repeat business and loyal customers in the long run…Rich







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## alsgto04 (Nov 21, 2007)

Thats really messed up, Rich. You know why they do it, they think since shes a woman that she dont know sh*t about cars, good thing she told you about and, you checked it out.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

A quick lube place around here did that to one of my customers. They showed her the stick and said it was burnt, showed her what clean fluid looks like and upsold her the tranny service. 3,000 miles later at the next oil change here comes the guy again with her dip stick and some clean tranny fluid saying hers was burnt and need to be replaced. She went ballistic on his butt! And she's a very vocal person, I would have hated to be that poor slob. The way she made it sound he was almost crying when she was done with him. :willy:


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## 400 4spd. (Dec 26, 2008)

Last week my sister took her Mercedes to the nearby MB dealership in Va. for a state inspection and oil change. She is retired and rarely drives it, so the miles are low. 
It was "ready" several hours later than they had promised, plus her vehicle failed inspection. Among other items, they told her her brakes were worn out and her BATTERY would not pass! Car starts, charges and runs fine, btw. When she argued that her brakes were replaced last year, they said "not according to our records." She said, "That's right, I had them done somewhere else, not here."
She refused to let them do any "repairs" and asked for her bill. It was over $120 for an oil change and rejection. 
The next day her husband took it to someone else and asked for an objective inspection. The brakes were within specs and the inspector said he had never heard of a battery causing a vehicle to fail state inspection. Nothing that was cited by the dealership was legit. It was all bogus to upsell my sister a bunch of stuff that she didn't need. 
I advised her to contact MB of N. America and file a complaint. When I worked for them 20 years ago they would have taken action, maybe they still do.
I've worked for other dealers since, and this is very common. Franchise tire dealers do it, too. I've seen it. Even the "Good" ones will do it, shocks, struts and brakes.


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## fergyflyer (Apr 18, 2005)

I had an offer to manage a quick lube place here and shortly move into an Area Manager position for them. I turned it down, but was really impressed with the place. Mobil One Express Lube center. They also operate some Shell Express Lube centers here in Florida. 

During the interview they asked if I ever used their oil change place. I told them that I usually changed my own oil and if I didn't, I had a mechanic that I took it to. 

Long story short they told me to go get my oil changed and report back on what I thought of the service. I told them I had just changed my oil about 400 miles ago and it didn't need changed. They said even better, pull up and see if they change it. If they did I should bring the invoice and the Area Manager would pay me back for it. 

I went in 3 days after I talked to the guy and went to a store out of the area. Sure enough, when I pulled in they pulled the dipstick and brought it to me and asked how many miles I had since my last oil change. When I told them they suggested that it was too early and that I should come back when it needed the oil changed. 

The guy underneath then asked how long it had been since my fuel filter was changed since it looked like new. It had been done about 3000 miles earlier and when I told him that he asked for the mileage it was changed at. He then took a marker and worte the mileage on the filter to help keep track of when it needed changed next. 

There are some good ones and some bad ones. It's a shame when you run into people like the place you trusted Rich.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Take the car back and summon the manager and tech, then have the manager check the dip stick and have him explain to you the findings. I did this with a 96 Ram I had when it came to a master cylinder they said I needed that I proved they were wrong.

Watching the back pedaling they do as the try and worm their way out of is worth the effort to go back.


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## LOWET (Oct 21, 2007)

PDQ GTO said:


> I know there have been numerous threads on dishonest oil change shops and here is another one. My wife takes her 07 Tacoma to Tassajara Tune Up & Brake for her oil changes and up until 12/20 all was cool. She comes home and shows me the printout stating the transmission oil is “badly burnt” Bull Chit. I checked and it’s as pink as, well it’s pink, no sign of any overheating whatsoever. She will not be going back to that place ever-ever again…They are so stupid. If they would just be honest they would get far more repeat business and loyal customers in the long run…Rich
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I hate places that do this ****. I have been taking my car to the same place for years and my new Sahara goes to the dealer. One of the guys who does the oil changes on my car once told me , the owner of the shop tells them to try and get the customer to buy into as many different services as they can. Push for Air Filters, wiper blades to everyone also try to get them to purchase Full Fluid changes like differential changes and trans fluid also.Stated the owners really break their balls when the don't sell other crap. Most of the oil changers look like young kids who are affraid of losing their jobs if they don't do what the boss says


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Rich, tell em you work for Date Line NBC and your last name is Hanson and they were recorded. Ask them if there is anything else they'd like to add before you go to the State Atty's office.


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## GTOsarge (Oct 9, 2007)

It's hard to find anyone you can really trust anymore. I've been changing the oil on my DD Ford Ranger for 4 years. I got a coupon in the mail from a local Ford dealship for a synthetic blend oil change for 19.95. So I said WTH that's a good deal. Took the truck in and they did the oil change. I paid the bill. About 24.00 with tax ect.. I decided to pop the hood and take a look before I left. What do I see? A bright orange Fram oil filter like the one I used last oil change. So I went and asked the service advicor what type of oil filters they use. Well Motorcraft of course. I said come take a look. He freaked out and had them take the truck back in again wasting another 20 minutes of my time. He apologized and gave me 2 free oil change coupons but how can I trust them again? I won't be going back.


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## Aramz06 (Mar 2, 2008)

GTO JUDGE said:


> Rich, tell em you work for Date Line NBC and your last name is Hanson and they were recorded. Ask them if there is anything else they'd like to add before you go to the State Atty's office.


Once the serviceman who told you its burnt comes out, tell him.. "Hello, would you have a seat right over there please? Why did you decide to come here today?" 

But really thats pretty dumb of them, 1 less long term customer for them.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Aramz06 said:


> Once the serviceman who told you its burnt comes out, tell him.. "Hello, would you have a seat right over there please? *Why did you decide to come here today?" *
> 
> But really thats pretty dumb of them, 1 less long term customer for them.


I drove 4 hours just to talk and tell her what she is doing is dangerous. The 40 cartons of condoms I brought with me are for filling up with water and throwing at oil change technicians.


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## Aramz06 (Mar 2, 2008)

GTO JUDGE said:


> I drove 4 hours just to talk and tell her what she is doing is dangerous. *The 40 cartons of condoms I brought with me are for filling up with water and throwing at oil change technicians*.



LOLLLLLLLLL thats terrible.


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## PDQ GTO (Jun 21, 2007)

I guess I am in “good company” everyone seems to have an oil change nightmare story. So much for integrity at some of these places. I found a different shop where they let you go under the car while they are working, small 2-person shop, father & son.

She will be writing a letter to the place and contacting the local town office to file a complaint. I would have handled it differently, but this is her battle. The important thing is that we will never dawn those doors again, no 3 strikes here…


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