…all those who enter here…
A few days ago, while sitting at a traffic light, I noticed a billboard advertisement for a Jiffy Lube in my county.
The text on the billboard said something along the lines of…
We’re not just for oil changes anymore!
Now we do brake work!
Gulp!
This can’t be good…
I took a look at their site and they’re branching out for sure. Equally bothersome to me is their A/C service.
They “visually” inspect for leaks. I can see it now; “Yo Bob, there’s a Freon leak at the accumulator. I already done seen it…”.
They also reference evacuating the existing refrigerant, vacuum testing the system for leaks, and then recharging the system again.
If the system has refrigerant and it’s low then obviously there’s a leak. If not, then why evacuate the existing refrigerant only to refill it I rhetorically ask.
I thought they were “visually” checking it for leaks… 
Visual leak checks typically involve wiping down joints with a soap solution and looking for bubbles. I don’t know what JL does, but that is common for pressurized systems in my business.
Just wait until they get an Audi for rear brakes. I wonder where they are going to get their techs from. I remember there was a chain called Just Brakes that advertised brake jobs for $60. Most cars ending up costing hundreds, got new rotors, calipers and brake flushes. Worst part they used cheap pads that would squeal like crazy. I can see Jiffy Boob doing the same thing.
The 10,000 mile oil change interval must be taking it’s toll on the quick-lube places…They are desperate for more floor-traffic…I wonder how much they will pay their A/C and Brake techs…Will any of them be full-time?
If they want to expand…all the better. But they should stay within the expertise.
Hitch ball polishing
Headlight buffing
Muffler Bearing Torquing
Hubcap rotating
Blinker fluid leak testing
Fan blade sharpening
Yosemite
I had a buddy who worked at a JIffy Lube when we were teenagers. I think they sold more weed than oil changes.
That is chilling news. I just wonder how a company that’s so inept stays in business.
I don’t know, but a lot of local independent shops also tend to use young inexperienced kids for more stuff including oil changes. Makes it more difficult for me to rely on their work. I am still able to do my own change.
The other day, I checked the tire pressure in our Camry, sure enough b/c of a drop in the temp, the pressure was low. I spent a lot of calories with my foot operated pump to bring the pressure to 34 PSI-door jamb says 32 PSI.
Then I remembered it is time for rotating tires and since Firestone sold us the last set of tires, asked my wife to take it in for the “free” rotation (and spare me the back pain). Now I am looking at the receipt, it says “tire pressure IN 34”; tire pressure OUT 28". So they deflated my tires without even looking at the door jamb. Also mind you this is after the car was driven, so I am sure cold pressure is no 26 PSI-back to my foot pump.
missileman I think you know the answer to your question. Motorheads are not JL’s clientele. They are the ignorant vehicle owners who have never opened their manual and use JL because it is convenient and less expensive. They are the same ones who are shocked when their ruined engine and/or transmission is not covered by warranty because they failed to follow the manufacturer’s minimum maintenance requirements.
“They are the ignorant vehicle owners who have never opened their manual and use JL because it is convenient and less expensive.”
I agree about the ignorant (or at least very detached) aspect of their customers’ personalities, as well as the convenience factor, but I question the “less expensive” part. When I get the oil changed at the Subaru dealership, it costs about the same–or less–than what JL charges, and after I pay for 3 oil changes, I get the 4th one free of charge, thus giving me a lower cost overall at the dealership.
I wouldn’t be too surprised if other dealerships also charge the same–or less–than JL charges.
You sure it didn’t say “break work”?
Unfortunately, I think the JL business model is being adopted by a lot of dealers who are trying to suck people into the business with cheap labor prices done by techs with minimal skills.
The local Ford dealer put up a huge billboard on the highway about a month ago touting “QuickLane” coming soon. They’re advertising the same thing daily on the local radio stations.
What is Quick Lane? A cut-rate, no appointment, get 'er done maintenance and general repair system designed to compete with the cheaper facilities. Other car makers are doing the same thing.
Some of the labor rates and times are asinine so one has to wonder about the skill set of the person doing the repairs because no experienced, knowledgeable mechanic is going to work, or continue to work, for peanuts.
Think any mechanic worth his salt is going to put up with a 39.95 oil change (parts and labor inclusive) which includes a tire rotation, brake inspection, 100 point inspection, and what not…
Or a 179 dollar full brake job including machining rotors…
Or free battery checks or installs…
Or free brake inspections…
I can pretty much guarantee you that all or most of the inspections or procedures will get a severe pencil whipping at best. The old saying still stands; you get what you pay for.
No, it didn’t say that, but that is the probable outcome of their brake work.
The lawyers are chompin’ at the bit to bite into Jiffy Lube and chew 'til they hit bone!
@ok4450
Exactly
All that BS you mentioned . . . those are the reasons I don’t work at a dealer anymore
speaking of hopeless and BS . . .
I was driving today, and I saw a large Autozone billboard
The latest slogan is Parts, Accessories, Advice
The first two make sense
But the idea of Autozone employees handing out advice is so crazy, it’s either funny or tragic
I haven’t made up my mind which one
^
I vote for “tragic”…
Wow. I don’t know what to say about the AutoZone billboard and the “Advice” part except to agree with the tragic part of it.
It seems to me this is going to lead to problems. Someone is going to screw up their car and then tear into AutoZone because “the guy behind the counter told me that 50 amp circuit breaker would work just fine in that 10 amp circuit…”.
The blind leading the blind is the phrase that comes to mind.
Fast live places charge more for convenience. If you drop your car at a dealer or other garage, you may have to leave it all day.
@galant, you can buy a powered pump for less than $50 if you can afford it.