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SlowNeasy
Guest
no wonder they work (don't) so fast. <g> we get serviced at the car dealer. even there we request the old parts back.
dpkimmel2001
Team Owner
Bad thing is, this kind of crap is probably going on about everywhere.
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SST55
Guest
I've always done all the work on my cars including those of my family. I've since passed the torch, I mean wrench, to my son. I'll never go to a chain.
Following the passing of my Dad my Mom took her car to Midas, she wouldn't drive my Dad's Caddy. Almost $700 for a muffler for a freakin' Dodge Dart!!!
After a discussion with the manager Mom got a refund for more than half of the bill.
Following the passing of my Dad my Mom took her car to Midas, she wouldn't drive my Dad's Caddy. Almost $700 for a muffler for a freakin' Dodge Dart!!!
After a discussion with the manager Mom got a refund for more than half of the bill.
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Guido
Guest
I don't often use the quick lube places but when I do.........
Any time and any where in the country I have had my company dually serviced at a quick lube place, I always stand just outside and in front of my vehicle when it is being serviced. I also bend down and watch that old oil filter being dropped in the catch drain as well as check to see a new one being installed.
I never even go into the waiting room until it is time to pay the bill.
Any time and any where in the country I have had my company dually serviced at a quick lube place, I always stand just outside and in front of my vehicle when it is being serviced. I also bend down and watch that old oil filter being dropped in the catch drain as well as check to see a new one being installed.
I never even go into the waiting room until it is time to pay the bill.
I do not let anyone else touch my cars.
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SST55
Guest
or your can (s)
Whizzer
Gig'em
A good idea! Traveling through the NE in 1988, I had a new Dodge Dakota and remembered the truck was due for an oil change. Like Guido, I watched the process through the window provided for that purpose. I saw the guy drain the oil, replace the filter and add new oil. I noticed he never started the engine to check for leaks or oil pressure. He did put the sticker on the inside of the windshield before coming into the office where he handed me the invoice.
I asked him if he was finished and he replied, "yes."
I then asked if he replaced the drain plug. He said he did and I said, "show me."
This angered the guy but took me out to show me, grumbling as we went, his reaction catching the attention of the manager who followed along. The guy had NOT replaced the oil plug and fresh oil ran into the drain pan. There was no oil in the engine. Talk about falling over each other making excuses, between the manager and the guy changing the oil, it was a circus.
On the plus side, they did not ask me to pay for the oil change.
That was the first, and only, time I ever used a franchise oil change outlet.
Another thing...I'm not comfortable with the manufacturer's recommended oil change intervals. I know that the synthetic or synthetic blend oils do not break down as quickly as conventional motor oils but I get peace of mind changing my oil every 3,000-3,500 miles.
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SST55
Guest
I know just enough about chemistry and oil composition to be dangerous.
But I've seen the innards of engines with 200,000+ miles that used synthetic oils changed at 8,000+ miles. Not much difference between those that used dino oil changed at 3-5,000 miles.
Oil of today is vastly different from what it was 15-20 years ago with all the new additives.
Oil and filter every 3,000-3,500 miles here in every vehicle. My truck has that oil monitor, don't know if it works though.
But I've seen the innards of engines with 200,000+ miles that used synthetic oils changed at 8,000+ miles. Not much difference between those that used dino oil changed at 3-5,000 miles.
Oil of today is vastly different from what it was 15-20 years ago with all the new additives.
Oil and filter every 3,000-3,500 miles here in every vehicle. My truck has that oil monitor, don't know if it works though.
I have the oil changed in my Lincoln every 5,000 miles at the Ford dealership.
The new car says every 7500, but since I had such good luck with the old one, I stick with 5000. Plus, it's easier to remember. LOL
The new car says every 7500, but since I had such good luck with the old one, I stick with 5000. Plus, it's easier to remember. LOL
Bucky Badger
Go Kyle Go
My truck is the same way...plus it only costs 20bucks at the dealer AND they rotate the tires at the same time free
I do the same thing as Guido. I go to Kwik Kar- but I don't go in the waiting room. I stand right there and watch them, will even chat with them so they know I'm there. Last time the tech and I talked about HID's versus Silverstar Ultras, since I have both. I had them lower the bay door and he couldn't believe the difference in shoulder coverage- the HID's are 160 degree and true white, the silverstars about half that and still yellow.
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SST55
Guest
Silverstars *&^%$#@ big waste of money. Put them in my truck as I felt the OEM bulbs weren't bright enough. I put the OEM bulbs back in as they all burned out one after another within a year.
Before you say something is wrong with the truck, the same thing happened to my buddy who has the "sister" ship, both are 05's, mine's a Chevy and his is a GMC.
Not one of the OEM bulbs, that's every bulb in the truck, has blown.
Before you say something is wrong with the truck, the same thing happened to my buddy who has the "sister" ship, both are 05's, mine's a Chevy and his is a GMC.
Not one of the OEM bulbs, that's every bulb in the truck, has blown.
That's why I put the hid fogs on mine. The silverstars were 10x better than Bosch, but not enough for dark roads. I've had the HIDs on for about a year I'd say, have only been flashed once.
I'n the left lane of a 2-lane-and-bike-lane-each-way, they light up from house to house, 50 feet in front. VERY wide beam.
These are when I first put them in. I had everything aligned, and I can see an easy 300 feet, reflective tape and signs from 3/8 mile or so. Even missed a dog in the road going around a corner, HIDs lit him up before headlights did.
I'n the left lane of a 2-lane-and-bike-lane-each-way, they light up from house to house, 50 feet in front. VERY wide beam.
These are when I first put them in. I had everything aligned, and I can see an easy 300 feet, reflective tape and signs from 3/8 mile or so. Even missed a dog in the road going around a corner, HIDs lit him up before headlights did.
buckaroo
Here kitty, kitty, kitty
I remember years ago when either 60 Minutes or 20/20 did a report similar to this at truck stops in the south. They showed guys crawling under the car and dropping some fluid on the floor and then telling the customer that he needs new shocks or other things. I don't care what business it is, there will always be shady characters who will try to cheat their customers. People just have to check out the business before using it...if they can.
Benevolent One
Team Owner
I was a service manager and store manager at Goodyear and then Firestone tire and auto service centers. There are some pretty shifty people in the industry. I ended up with a few of them working for me from time to time. They didn't like it when I asked certain questions. I had guys who had what I called their "pet jobs". One guy pretty much never saw a certain type of truck that he didn't think needed ball joints, because the job paid several hours more than it took him to do it. I had several guys who loved to do manifold gaskets on mostly 3.1L GM engines. They leaked on virtually every model that had over 30k miles or so. It was easy to show customers where it leaked and the job paid like 6.1 hours and took them 2-3 hours or so to actually do. A lot of times the job needed redone in another 30-50K miles again because it was really a design flaw.