Mechanic Blunders

[LINUS]

In a way, they sort of set up Jiffy Lube. If you don't know grand cherokees, you might not realize that you can't change the filter without dropping the tank, and I think you might even have to change the whole fuel pump assembly. 'Definitely beyond the scope of a 12 minute service. After they figure out that they can't do it, I guess they couldn't resist the temptation to tell the customer that it was done rather than admit that they couldn't do it.

You summed it up best in the last sentence. It's not a setup if you were raised to do the right thing. Maybe I just am old enough to not care if I have to wear a little 'egg on the face' and simply tell the customer "Hi - I didn't know all the facts when I told you $$ for a fuel filter change - Jeep engineered your vehicle so I have to drop the tank and that changes the charge to $$$$. Let me know if you want to do this or if the cost changes your mind."

I sort of live in a vaccuum, since I could leave a wad of money on my workbench and KNOW that every last dime would be there 2 days later. The company I work for only has 45-50 employees, but hiring is all personal referrals, job postings are done just to stay legal. Back on point, I was pretty blown away that over 50% of the Jiffy Lube locations took the bait. I would have thought the number to be more like 10%.

Guess people should paint bolts they know would be turned to perform a job. Or go to Trent's house and pay him to do the work.

[ping65810]

Not too long ago I went to a local Jiffy Lube like shop, to have a tranny flush and filter change done on my Jeep. Well, they started, then came up to me with two pages of stuff it needed. Lets see, oil change (I changed it 500 miles ago), fuel filter (have to drop tank), and they said it also needed a fuel injector treatment (it ran perfect). After dealing with that, they got half way though, then wanted an additional $150 in labor to finish up the tranny filter change!
They told me u have to take the skid plate completly off to do it. Well, you dont, not only is it not neccessary, but its the cross member for the transmission and transfer case. If you do, you hva eto have a support jack under it or else you damage it if it hangs free! Well, they claimed no such thing, etc, and then told me that I had no idea what I was talking about, they are the professionals, etc.
After letting them know how long I worked for DaimlerChrysler for, they still said that I didnt know anything about Jeeps. Seeing how I changed the tranny filter myself last time w/out and trouble, I was obviously agitated.
After they told me they were the professionals, I got so pissed that I told them to put the fucking thing back together, and wrap it up. They did, then gave me a bill for labor. I politely told them that they need to get their heads outta their ass, and hire people who know what they are doing, before they really screw something up. They gave me a blank look, and gave me an even funnier look when I opened the bay door, and drove the jeep out!

[joshh]

Personally, I cannot believe you two have gone on for so long like this.

Sorry, I got caught up with the whole "will the plane take off thing"...just couldn't let this one go.
But i still have to disagree. That's why shops have an hourly "shop rate".

[JGood]

Sorry, I got caught up with the whole "will the plane take off thing"...just couldn't let this one go.
But i still have to disagree. That's why shops have an hourly "shop rate".

I'm gonna make an attempt to see where your coming from. I haven't heard of this garage you were talking about. Was it a full service garage, that does anything? Like the dealer? If so, that's a much different story, and I would retract everything I said. I was speaking on behalf of quick lube shops and the like which only have specified services and are not allowed to do extra services.

[joshh]

I'm gonna make an attempt to see where your coming from. I haven't heard of this garage you were talking about. Was it a full service garage, that does anything? Like the dealer? If so, that's a much different story, and I would retract everything I said. I was speaking on behalf of quick lube shops and the like which only have specified services and are not allowed to do extra services.

Well then we've been wasting storage space. Because I can't counter that...and that's why I hate those shops.
I have to hand it to you, I wouldn't have given up if you hadn't taken the "high road".

[JGood]

Well then we've been wasting storage space. Because I can't counter that...and that's why I hate those shops.
I have to hand it to you, I wouldn't have given up if you hadn't taken the "high road".

Yes I think you speak for most people on this board when you say you hate those shops. They are anti-DIY. Hence one of the reasons I quit.

It's all good man, I'm here to learn and have fun, not to make enemies. Arguments and debates, when done properly, are good for everyone. We did have a good run though.

[kommissar]

Wow, the first debate in r3v history to not end in a lock. Good job.

[LINUS]

Wow, the first debate in r3v history to not end in a lock. Good job.

Don't worry - It's just the Christmas spirit, come the 26th it will be business as usual at r3v.

[91Saleen#15]

You summed it up best in the last sentence. It's not a setup if you were raised to do the right thing. Maybe I just am old enough to not care if I have to wear a little 'egg on the face' and simply tell the customer "Hi - I didn't know all the facts when I told you $$ for a fuel filter change - Jeep engineered your vehicle so I have to drop the tank and that changes the charge to $$$$. Let me know if you want to do this or if the cost changes your mind."

I sort of live in a vaccuum, since I could leave a wad of money on my workbench and KNOW that every last dime would be there 2 days later. The company I work for only has 45-50 employees, but hiring is all personal referrals, job postings are done just to stay legal. Back on point, I was pretty blown away that over 50% of the Jiffy Lube locations took the bait. I would have thought the number to be more like 10%.

Guess people should paint bolts they know would be turned to perform a job. Or go to Trent's house and pay him to do the work.

You're right.. the difficulty of the task does not in any way justify Jiffy's action. Further more, in the case of the transmission oil changes, it was just blatant fraud. I was actually just wondering if the news people were smart enough to realize how much more difficult a jeep fuel filter change is than 99 per cent of the rest of the cars.

BTW, I like the stripes on your car. I'm thinking of putting something like that on mine after I install the S50 that I just recently acquired. What kind of racing do you do with the car?

[joshh]

Don't worry - It's just the Christmas spirit, come the 26th it will be business as usual at r3v.

I was going to say something about this but I'll wait till after Christmas.8-)

[LINUS]

BTW, I like the stripes on your car. I'm thinking of putting something like that on mine after I install the S50 that I just recently acquired. What kind of racing do you do with the car?

I need to change my pic - that current shot is in no manner my car. It's a pretty famous pic from the 'M3 - Szenen einer Karriere' book. Like pg. 174 or so.
My car is a beaten to death D-schwarz US car with a empty bay at the moment. My S52 is about 10 ft. away from where it should be to make the car run.
I guess my general description of my car leads people to think the photo is my car (it's reasonable I suppose), but I'm not trying to mislead anybody, it's just a nice shot of a DTM M3 that isn't being used by anybody else in their sig.

[91Saleen#15]

I need to change my pic - that current shot is in no manner my car. It's a pretty famous pic from the 'M3 - Szenen einer Karriere' book. Like pg. 174 or so.
My car is a beaten to death D-schwarz US car with a empty bay at the moment. My S52 is about 10 ft. away from where it should be to make the car run.
I guess my general description of my car leads people to think the photo is my car (it's reasonable I suppose), but I'm not trying to mislead anybody, it's just a nice shot of a DTM M3 that isn't being used by anybody else in their sig.

It's definitely worth keeping in your sig until you have a shot of your own car to take it's place. At least you have an E30 M3..... mine is just a 325is. I do have an M3 but it is a 98 E36......easier to come by than yours.