An EZ Lube store in California overcharged Timothy for a new cabin filter when he went to get his oil changed. The mechanic managed to do this by quizzing Timothy on his knowledge of air filters, then using that info to make vague assurances that sounded good but didn’t convey the actual, final price. Timothy admits that he let his guard down, but when he was hit with the final bill, he regained his consumerist footing and began to take steps to remedy the situation—and he succeeded.
mechanics
Jiffy Lube Pulls Dirty Filter Trick On Unsuspecting Customer
By 2.14.09
Josh has been paying $30 extra to change out the air filter each time he brings his car to Jiffy Lube for an oil change. This time, to save money, he decided to do it himself—and that’s when he discovered that Jiffy Lube lied to him about the filter.
Enterprise Tells Post-Op Patient To Drive 400 Miles On A Faulty Tire
By 8.23.08
Enterprise wouldn’t replace Melissa’s rental car even after a mechanic declared the tire on her current car “unrepairable,” and warned that it would be unsafe to drive 400+ miles back to New York from Rochester on a donut spare. Enterprise told Melissa to spend the day repairing the car at a garage at her own expense. Melissa, who was recovering from surgery, asked to swap her broken car for one that worked, a request Enterprise repeatedly denied.
Demystify Car Repair Prices With RepairPal.com
By 8.4.08
Now you never have to wonder if the mechanic is scamming you on repairs. RepairPal.com lets you punch in your make, model, year zip, and repair and then they’ll tell you the normal range of prices for it are. A graph shows the range of costs, broken down to whether you are going to an independent shop or a dealer. The source data, which the site has never been publicly available before now, goes back to 1990. A good resource for getting general numbers for what you can expect to pay for basic auto repairs.
Caliber Collision Center Damages Car Brought In For Repair
By 4.19.08
Sean’s car had a blowout over the Easter weekend, and he had it towed to Caliber Collision Center for repair.
Sears Automotive Tries To Charge You For Work They Didn't Do
By 1.22.08
I’ve been an avid reader of Consumerist for quite some time. Reading the good/bad experiences other readers had and the shortcomings of some companies is an eye opener. Unfortunately, my recent experience at a nearby Sears Automotive Department is worth mentioning. I’ve noticed my car would pull to the left while driving on a straight road. My initial thought was to get the wheels aligned. I decided to have it done at Sears.
Dollar/Thrifty's Unwritten Rule For Mechanics To "Find" Problems Covered By Warranty And Bill The Manufacturer
By 5.24.07
An unverified reader report has an interesting claim that should grab the attention of every auto-maker. Dudes, Dollar/Thrifty Group car rental is totally ripping you off.
The Used Car You Are Looking To Buy May Have Been Totaled
By 4.30.07
Most states prevent totaled cars from re-entering the market without a salvage license, so consumers know that the used car they are looking to buy was once a complete wreck.
What bugs dealers and consumer advocates is that the tangle of state laws makes it possible to move a vehicle across state lines and apply for a “clean” title that makes no mention of its checkered past. The fact that some states don’t even require salvage titles stretches the loophole even wider.
The practice has become so prevalent, particularly in states affected by the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes, that Congress is considering a measure that would establish a national database of totaled vehicles. Before you buy a used car, especially in the south, first ask your mechanic to give it a once-over. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER
Dealership Wrecks Customer’s Corvette, Won’t Compensate Him
By 12.28.06
Poor Mr.Williams. He brought his 2005 Corvette into San Rafael Chevrolet to have a bad antenna and a jammed trunk fixed, and instead he got a wrecked ‘vette. It seems that “Gene B.”, an employee of San Rafael Chevy, took the car of the lot (against the owner’s specific instructions) and smashed into a big box truck. The ticket issued for the accident says that Gene was driving too fast for conditions, and as if that wasn’t damning enough, Mr. Williams found a bottle of codeine/acetaminophen under the seat. Now Mr. Williams wants the dealership to replace his car or compensate him for the loss of resale value. They’ve said no.
Jiffy Lube Begs For Forgiveness
By 12.20.06
Jiffy Lube is now running an ad asking customers to give them a second chance.
Built-In Gypping: Auto Mechanics Paid On Commission
By 11.6.06
Auto mechanics are always finding extra things wrong with your car is because they work on commission.
Jiffy Lube Up For Double Reaming
By 8.1.06
Yesterday, within 58 minutes of one another, we got not one, but two stories about Jiffy Lube trashing two separate customers’ cars in different ways. Neither accusation is provable; by themselves, mere coincidences. Together, though? Too strange a dark alignment of the illest stars.
Jiffy Lube’s Scam is Sand in its Own Vaseline
By 5.24.06
NBC4 in LA put hidden cameras under their car hoods and took them to nine different Jiffy Lubes, They found six out of the nine didn’t do any of the promised work yet charged for services in full.
Congress Moves To Protect Honest Car Mechanics, Chupacabras
By 5.18.06
Congress is considering a “Right to Repair” bill. The idea, basically, is that car manufacturers’ proprietary systems give them a monopoly on many types of car repairs, making that walking, oil-covered ass crack at your local garage impotent in gouging you twice as much money for a simple repair than its actually worth.
Mechanics’ Hubris in Humble, Texas
By 3.28.06
Margaret L. writes in an all too typical complaint of car mechanics taking the elderly for a ride.
Red-i-Lube is ‘The Smoking Engine’
By 3.14.06
Melissa writes in a a comedy of car errors, a spiral of compounding auto troubles and escalating costs. A simple oil change ends up as an engine getting replaced and several hundred dollars. Now she wants to know if she should take Red-i-Lube to small claims court. You be the judge, after the jump.
