Update 3:20pm
Just got home from the Quickstop Oilube. Would you believe it
if I told you they lied to me again? I pulled in and the worker asked me
if I needed an oil change. I told him I was in 5 days ago for an oil
change but didn't have any time to get anything else done. I
proceeded to tell him that I don't really know what I'm talking about
because I'm not a mechanic, but last week the shop had advised me to
get one of my fluids changed because it was very high and black.
The guy said "Oh, probably your transmission fluid. I can get this
car done in 5 minutes for $27.99". I said "Well, if it really needs
it then I'll go ahead and do it, but please check it out first before
you do anything." He agreed.
I waited in the lobby for about 5 minutes and he came and said "You
want us to go ahead and do it?" I said "Well, does it really need
it?" ... He answered, "Yes, it's very bad." I asked, "Can you show
me?"
He paused for a second and walked out into the garage, I followed. He
pulled out my transmission dipstick and told me that good transmission
fluid is clear, and mine is not clear. I then told him about how I
had my transmission professionally serviced a few months before and
the same shop told me that the fluid should be a reddish clear
fluid, which mine is, and I checked the level myself and it's perfect.
He just looked at me.
I kept going and told him I was very insulted that they lied to me
twice in a row. I asked him his name and position, and his managers
name. He gave me the info and I was on my way. He never apologized
or acted the least bit concerned. The owner and corporate
headquarters will be hearing from me this afternoon or tomorrow.
--------
Original post:
1st little bit o' info: This was the first time I've had my oil changed by a business, rather than myself, in about 1.5 years. I would normally buy 5W-30 Mobil1 and a non-Fram filter from Walmart and do it myself, but it was really cold and didn't have time... Having said that...
On Friday I stopped into a local oil change place. A pretty busy one... it's newer, it's very clean, and located at a busy intersection, so it gets a lot of business. I pulled into the garage, they got me setup in the computer since this was my first time, and then they asked me to wait in the lobby.
While waiting in the lobby, one of the guys comes in and walks over to a young girl (high school age) waiting on her car and the guy was like "Ma'am, my mechanic inspected your car and he said that we really need to change your transmission fluid. We also need to change your air filter since it's extremly dirty. We can put in a new airfilter for $13.99 and change your transmission fluid for $39.99." To my surprise, she said yes to both. The oil change itself is $29.99, so she ended up paying over $80 for her service there. It answered the question that I always wondered (how do these places stay in business?).
Anyway, so I figured there is no way these guys are to pull something like this on me. But sure enough, after another 5 minutes, the guy comes out and was like "Sir, my mechanic said that we need to change your transmission fluid ASAP. The level is REALLY high and the fluid is BLACK. This is very unhealthy for your automatic transmission. I can fix this for $39.99. You also need an air filter....." yada yada. This got me worried because I just had my transmission serviced in June at a transmission shop for $100 (drop the pan, new filter, new fluid, etc). I told them no, and that I would have my mechanic (me) check the fluid later on today and I'd come back if it needed it.
Sooo, sure enough, I checked my fluid when I got home. Perfect! Perfect level, still rosy and perfectly clear.
That got me fired up that they would LIE to my face. So, today I have contact Cincinnati's largest news station, they have a reporter that does nightly stories on how to avoid ripoffs, save money, etc. Today I am going back to the oil change place, and I am going to act like I really don't know about cars and be like "Hey guys, I had my oil changed here on Friday and the guy was saying I needed some other fluid changed because it was black and too high. Trans fluid or something. Could you check it for me and see if I need it done?"
And I'm hoping they LIE to my face again so I can ask for the owner / regional managers name and contact the news station again because they want to get my findings. Hopefully they will stop lying to customers faces.
CLIFFS NOTES
1. Quick lube place told me my transmission fluid is level is dangerously high and its black, so I need to get it changed for $39.99
2. Contacted news station. Said to see if they do it again because maybe the mechanic simply got confused the first time.
3. Going back to ask them if they still think its black / too high.
4. If they lie again then I will demand some type of reparation (tons of free oil changes?) and will be contacting the reporter who covers these types of rip off stories.
Just got home from the Quickstop Oilube. Would you believe it
if I told you they lied to me again? I pulled in and the worker asked me
if I needed an oil change. I told him I was in 5 days ago for an oil
change but didn't have any time to get anything else done. I
proceeded to tell him that I don't really know what I'm talking about
because I'm not a mechanic, but last week the shop had advised me to
get one of my fluids changed because it was very high and black.
The guy said "Oh, probably your transmission fluid. I can get this
car done in 5 minutes for $27.99". I said "Well, if it really needs
it then I'll go ahead and do it, but please check it out first before
you do anything." He agreed.
I waited in the lobby for about 5 minutes and he came and said "You
want us to go ahead and do it?" I said "Well, does it really need
it?" ... He answered, "Yes, it's very bad." I asked, "Can you show
me?"
He paused for a second and walked out into the garage, I followed. He
pulled out my transmission dipstick and told me that good transmission
fluid is clear, and mine is not clear. I then told him about how I
had my transmission professionally serviced a few months before and
the same shop told me that the fluid should be a reddish clear
fluid, which mine is, and I checked the level myself and it's perfect.
He just looked at me.
I kept going and told him I was very insulted that they lied to me
twice in a row. I asked him his name and position, and his managers
name. He gave me the info and I was on my way. He never apologized
or acted the least bit concerned. The owner and corporate
headquarters will be hearing from me this afternoon or tomorrow.
--------
Original post:
1st little bit o' info: This was the first time I've had my oil changed by a business, rather than myself, in about 1.5 years. I would normally buy 5W-30 Mobil1 and a non-Fram filter from Walmart and do it myself, but it was really cold and didn't have time... Having said that...
On Friday I stopped into a local oil change place. A pretty busy one... it's newer, it's very clean, and located at a busy intersection, so it gets a lot of business. I pulled into the garage, they got me setup in the computer since this was my first time, and then they asked me to wait in the lobby.
While waiting in the lobby, one of the guys comes in and walks over to a young girl (high school age) waiting on her car and the guy was like "Ma'am, my mechanic inspected your car and he said that we really need to change your transmission fluid. We also need to change your air filter since it's extremly dirty. We can put in a new airfilter for $13.99 and change your transmission fluid for $39.99." To my surprise, she said yes to both. The oil change itself is $29.99, so she ended up paying over $80 for her service there. It answered the question that I always wondered (how do these places stay in business?).
Anyway, so I figured there is no way these guys are to pull something like this on me. But sure enough, after another 5 minutes, the guy comes out and was like "Sir, my mechanic said that we need to change your transmission fluid ASAP. The level is REALLY high and the fluid is BLACK. This is very unhealthy for your automatic transmission. I can fix this for $39.99. You also need an air filter....." yada yada. This got me worried because I just had my transmission serviced in June at a transmission shop for $100 (drop the pan, new filter, new fluid, etc). I told them no, and that I would have my mechanic (me) check the fluid later on today and I'd come back if it needed it.
Sooo, sure enough, I checked my fluid when I got home. Perfect! Perfect level, still rosy and perfectly clear.
That got me fired up that they would LIE to my face. So, today I have contact Cincinnati's largest news station, they have a reporter that does nightly stories on how to avoid ripoffs, save money, etc. Today I am going back to the oil change place, and I am going to act like I really don't know about cars and be like "Hey guys, I had my oil changed here on Friday and the guy was saying I needed some other fluid changed because it was black and too high. Trans fluid or something. Could you check it for me and see if I need it done?"
And I'm hoping they LIE to my face again so I can ask for the owner / regional managers name and contact the news station again because they want to get my findings. Hopefully they will stop lying to customers faces.
CLIFFS NOTES
1. Quick lube place told me my transmission fluid is level is dangerously high and its black, so I need to get it changed for $39.99
2. Contacted news station. Said to see if they do it again because maybe the mechanic simply got confused the first time.
3. Going back to ask them if they still think its black / too high.
4. If they lie again then I will demand some type of reparation (tons of free oil changes?) and will be contacting the reporter who covers these types of rip off stories.
