Jiffy Lube, Honda, and the Wallet Flush

#21

AJL wrote:

Quote:

SMS <scharf.steven (AT) geemail (DOT) com> wrote:

Actually in my area there was a big to-do about the dealers wanting to
hire those type of people for oil changes to avoid paying the journeyman
union mechanics their normal rate. The mechanics went on strike, and the
dealers capitulated.

Unions have been doing that sort of thing for years. Imagine, full
mechanics wages for an oil changer. Too bad. As the dealers are
currently going broke I wonder if they'll go on strike for better
unemployment wages...

They're not going broke because they're paying qualified mechanics to
perform service. They're going broke because people aren't buying new
cars. People aren't buying new cars because they're worried about their
jobs and because credit is tight. People are worried about their jobs
and credit is tight because of W and his cohorts.

#22

SMS <scharf.steven (AT) geemail (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

They're not going broke because they're paying qualified mechanics to
perform service.

I will agree that the wasteful practice of paying mechanics wages to
someone to change oil (because of union tactics) by itself will not
cause the dealer to go broke. But it and similar practices will
certainly put him at a competitive disadvantage.

Quote:

They're going broke because people aren't buying new cars.

True. But which dealer is better able to better withstand the current
financial storm, a dealer required to pay mechanics wages to an oil
changer or a dealer that is allowed to run his store in a financially
responsible manner?

Quote:

People aren't buying new cars because they're worried about their
jobs and because credit is tight.

That and the earlier gas crunch that made people want cars that
Detroit didn't have to sell.

#23

Thus spake SMS <scharf.steven (AT) geemail (DOT) com> :

Quote:

"http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/flushservices.html"

Despite Honda (and other automakers) issuing warnings against engine
flushes and fuel system cleaning (and refusing warranty work on engines
damaged by these procedures), Some Jiffy Lubes continue to hard sell the
"wallet flush," claiming that the manufacturer _requires_ these procedures.

Now to be fair, it isn't just these places that perform what Click and
Clack used to call "the Bilstein Wallet Flush." I had a Toyota service
department in San Jose (Piercey Toyota) try to push the engine flush on
me (a sure sign to never return to this dealer for service, or sales for
that matter).

My wife got her oil changed today at one. They wanted to give her an
"injector cleaning". She purchased her Camry in Jan 2007 and it has
about 24K on it. They also told her she needs a new air filter.

#24

"Dillon Pyron" <invaliddmpyron (AT) austin (DOT) rr.com> wrote

Quote:

Thus spake SMS <scharf.steven (AT) geemail (DOT) com> :

"http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/flushservices.html"

Despite Honda (and other automakers) issuing warnings against engine
flushes and fuel system cleaning (and refusing warranty work on engines
damaged by these procedures), Some Jiffy Lubes continue to hard sell the
"wallet flush," claiming that the manufacturer _requires_ these
procedures.

Now to be fair, it isn't just these places that perform what Click and
Clack used to call "the Bilstein Wallet Flush." I had a Toyota service
department in San Jose (Piercey Toyota) try to push the engine flush on
me (a sure sign to never return to this dealer for service, or sales for
that matter).

My wife got her oil changed today at one. They wanted to give her an
"injector cleaning". She purchased her Camry in Jan 2007 and it has
about 24K on it. They also told her she needs a new air filter.

She _could_ need a new air filter, but probably not.

I once took car I had just bought to Big O Tires for an oil change. They
came back to me with a list of nearly $5000 in repairs that were needed, and
the car had 30-ish thousand miles and was just over two years old. I never
had the "necessary" work done, and I've never been back to big O Tires. I've
had the car for going on 14 years now.

#25

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote

Quote:

"Dillon Pyron" <invaliddmpyron (AT) austin (DOT) rr.com> wrote in message
news:3grph452vomt8hvml4te5739bjh4gmmhg5 (AT) 4ax (DOT) com...
Thus spake SMS <scharf.steven (AT) geemail (DOT) com> :

"http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/flushservices.html"

Despite Honda (and other automakers) issuing warnings against engine
flushes and fuel system cleaning (and refusing warranty work on engines
damaged by these procedures), Some Jiffy Lubes continue to hard sell the
"wallet flush," claiming that the manufacturer _requires_ these
procedures.

Now to be fair, it isn't just these places that perform what Click and
Clack used to call "the Bilstein Wallet Flush." I had a Toyota service
department in San Jose (Piercey Toyota) try to push the engine flush on
me (a sure sign to never return to this dealer for service, or sales for
that matter).

My wife got her oil changed today at one. They wanted to give her an
"injector cleaning". She purchased her Camry in Jan 2007 and it has
about 24K on it. They also told her she needs a new air filter.

She _could_ need a new air filter, but probably not.

I once took car I had just bought to Big O Tires for an oil change. They
came back to me with a list of nearly $5000 in repairs that were needed,
and the car had 30-ish thousand miles and was just over two years old. I
never had the "necessary" work done, and I've never been back to big O
Tires. I've had the car for going on 14 years now.

There is a chain here in So Cal called Express Tire. I used to take them up
on their oil change special. I finally just got tired of getting the
bullshit laundry list of things my truck "needed" every time I got that oil
change. I am sure they helped drain wallets left and right.

On the last set of tires I bought from them (and the last time I set foot in
one of their places) they decided to be cute and put the old valve stems
back on. I noticed old brake dust and dirt on my fingers when I went to
double check the air pressures the next day.

I drove back down there and had them replace the valve stems. The manager
apologized for the "mix-up." Instead of the small profit for selling me
back my own valve stems, they had to eat the labor for remounting and
installing my tires all over again.

#26

On Nov 13, 4:14*pm, "sanity" <san... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

And what do you do with the waste oil and the used filter?

I take it back to autozone and dump it into their used oil tank.
The filter I just chunk in the garbage. Drained of course..
I've never had anyone change my oil. Ever.
As far as cars go, the Corolla is very easy as I don't
even have to jack it up. I can reach everything from the
front of the car. I let mine drain quite a while also.
I'll pull the plug and go watch TV or something for a while.
The longer it can drain, the more dirt comes out.
Course, it may be a fairly minute difference once you get
down to a drip, but I'm usually in no big rush.

#27

If you believe W was really in control shouldn't you be thanking him for the
$2 gas we have today? LOL

"SMS" <scharf.steven (AT) geemail (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:

AJL wrote:
SMS <scharf.steven (AT) geemail (DOT) com> wrote:

Actually in my area there was a big to-do about the dealers wanting to
hire those type of people for oil changes to avoid paying the journeyman
union mechanics their normal rate. The mechanics went on strike, and the
dealers capitulated.

Unions have been doing that sort of thing for years. Imagine, full
mechanics wages for an oil changer. Too bad. As the dealers are
currently going broke I wonder if they'll go on strike for better
unemployment wages...

They're not going broke because they're paying qualified mechanics to
perform service. They're going broke because people aren't buying new
cars. People aren't buying new cars because they're worried about their
jobs and because credit is tight. People are worried about their jobs and
credit is tight because of W and his cohorts.

#28

In article <elmop-E8A571.07260614112008 (AT) mara100-84 (DOT) onlink.net>,
elmop (AT) nastydesigns (DOT) com says...

Quote:

In article <t05Tk.6170$Ei5.4907 (AT) flpi143 (DOT) ffdc.sbc.com>,
SMS <scharf.steven (AT) geemail (DOT) com> wrote:

They're not going broke because they're paying qualified mechanics to
perform service. They're going broke because people aren't buying new
cars. People aren't buying new cars because they're worried about their
jobs and because credit is tight.

read that "...and because they can't get credit anyway".

Credit is still easy, unless perhaps you're a deadbeat (though even
they seem to still get loans). The dealers have 0% interest deals
(and modest rebates). The availability of credit for purchasing
cars (or homes) has nothing to do with any problems. Or should I
say, any problems haven't hit the personal credit markets.

I'm thinking about buying a car but with a new job and house I would
rather not take any unnecessary risk with another loan or hitting
savings. The manufacturers aren't hungry enough yet to tilt the
balance. If they don't get far hungrier, I'll sit it out.

--
Keith

#29

In article
<a9de702e-a546-4cdf-9a79-45c11c5b54d6 (AT) o4g2000pra (DOT) googlegroups.com>,
nm5k (AT) wt (DOT) net wrote:

Quote:

On Nov 13, 4:14*pm, "sanity" <san... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:

And what do you do with the waste oil and the used filter?

I take it back to autozone and dump it into their used oil tank.
The filter I just chunk in the garbage. Drained of course..
I've never had anyone change my oil. Ever.
As far as cars go, the Corolla is very easy as I don't
even have to jack it up. I can reach everything from the
front of the car. I let mine drain quite a while also.
I'll pull the plug and go watch TV or something for a while.
The longer it can drain, the more dirt comes out.
Course, it may be a fairly minute difference once you get
down to a drip, but I'm usually in no big rush.

You might already do this, but after most of the oil has drained, pull
out the spark plugs (or remove the distributor cap) and turn the engine
over a coupla-three times. That will move any oil pooled in the engine
down to the oilpan to drain out. You will be amazed at how much oil is
left after it looks completely drained. Be sure to have something to
catch the oil that will flow out of the filter hole too, or it'll be a
mess.

#30

Truly Stunned wrote:

Quote:

In article
a9de702e-a546-4cdf-9a79-45c11c5b54d6...oglegroups.com>,
nm5k (AT) wt (DOT) net wrote:

On Nov 13, 4:14 pm, "sanity" <san... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:

And what do you do with the waste oil and the used filter?

I take it back to autozone and dump it into their used oil tank.
The filter I just chunk in the garbage. Drained of course..
I've never had anyone change my oil. Ever.
As far as cars go, the Corolla is very easy as I don't
even have to jack it up. I can reach everything from the
front of the car. I let mine drain quite a while also.
I'll pull the plug and go watch TV or something for a while.
The longer it can drain, the more dirt comes out.
Course, it may be a fairly minute difference once you get
down to a drip, but I'm usually in no big rush.

You might already do this, but after most of the oil has drained, pull
out the spark plugs (or remove the distributor cap) and turn the engine
over a coupla-three times. That will move any oil pooled in the engine
down to the oilpan to drain out. You will be amazed at how much oil is
left after it looks completely drained. Be sure to have something to
catch the oil that will flow out of the filter hole too, or it'll be a
mess.

If you carry the draining process to an extreme, you risk losing oil
pump prime which in turn may negate any gain from the minuscule amount
of additional oil removed.

JT