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Steve Riggins 2006-06-27 Uncategorized

Jiffylube, EZLube caught screwing customers

Buyer beware!

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9 Comments

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  1. Hugo Corrie says:
    2007-07-28 at 5:51 pm

    To whom it may concern:

    On July 25th, 2007, I took my Jeep Liberty, year 2004, License plate # X38QK6 to the EZ-Lube store # 61, located at 4359 Sunset Blvd. LA, CA. 90029 for an oil change before taking off on a trip planned to Miami, FL. on July 30th, 2007. Half hour later, the store manager, Miguel Dominguez called me to inform me of the services my car needed. Having explained all these services over the phone, I, trustworthy, gave them the green light and the go ahead to perform the job taking in consideration the 2,300 miles that it takes to travel from LA to Miami, not to mention my safety and my vehicle’s life span.

    After 1 hour 15 minutes had passed they called me from the shop and told me that the car was ready to be picked up. I returned to the store and payed for the services on invoice # 4703940 totalling the amount of $ 541.33 dollars. Somehow I got a red flag from the way all the services were explained and decided to contact my agent at Chrysler Jeep in Miami. He revealed that my Jeep, which had 23,098 miles upon checking the vehicle for an inspection and service quote by EZ-LUBE, did not require all but two of the services that were performed to my car since it had not reached 99,000 miles. It was then that I learned of the fraud committed by the company upon myself.

    The next day on July 26th, 2007 I went back to the store for the unveiling of my recent discovery and to dispute the charges in front of two costumers in waiting or should I say innocent lambs in waiting. The store manager, Mr. Dominguez, in a low voice mode, suggested that we go outside [off the main lobby] to the pleasantly, in full-bloomed-summer-heated and uncovered parking lot for an explanation of the services rendered to my vehicle. I turned down his cordial invitation, sat down on a chair and with a louder/stereo mode voice within the room, I proceeded with my demanding for an explanation of their outrageous, illegitimate and criminal act committed upon myself. He suggested that I contact his regional manager at EZ-Lube´s headquarters but I again, turned down his generous offer for that was a job with an assigned full name and it wasn´t mine but his. He realized then that I was not cooperating or about to quit but linger around so he decided to contact the regional manager at the headquarters. They agreed to subtract $ 249.00 of the total invoice, in addition to installing the new windshield wipers that I knew weren’t working properly but they had listed as checked and in good condition in the invoice.

    Nonetheless, outraged by their ways of conducting business, I later contacted the regional manager for the Los Angeles area, Mr. Baron Peoples, which after identifying myself he literally replied “I’m aware of your case Sir, know that a check will be sent out in the mail to you next Monday so please do not contact me directly since I’m a busy man and with more important things in my agenda”. Having set my blood to boiling mode I then told him about my plan to contacting AMEX to expose the incident and for a dispute of all charges. His response to my disdain literally was “Mr. Corrie, be my guest, I then will make sure that no check is mailed out to you and good luck with your disputing the charges at American Express. Have yourself a great day” and hung up the phone. I could give him the credit for his polite wishes for my having a great day but will not for in my book of life, honesty and being legitimate comes first…

    Sincerely,

    Hugo Corrie Jr.

  2. Gilbert Hernandez says:
    2008-01-15 at 8:13 am

    I read about the fines that the state had imposed to E-Z Lube: $5,000,000 and restitution fund of $6,000,000. Sounds very impressive? Do not be fooled. EZ Lube has 80 stores that will absorb the fine, giving them just a slap on the wrist. If we split the 5 million by the 80 stores give us $62,500 per store, payable in two years, or $31,000 per year.

    EZ Lube is been doing this for many years and they will not stop this practices, the reason is the fine is so low compared with the rewards.

    Some times people look at the big numbers and do not do the math. The people that go to EZ Lube are on denial.

    We run a very honest operation in the city of Whittier CA. We were very upset with the decision on the government side.

    This kind of actions make our industry look very bad. The honest people get a bad reputation and the bad ones get a slap on the wrist and free to do business as usual.

    I have to express my disapproval on the decision taken by the authorities. The correct step must be fine this companies and close them as well as banning them for doing business ever!

    Sincerely,

    Gilbert Hernandez Barsom Automotive.

  3. tony says:
    2008-02-28 at 9:13 pm

    this just happen to me at ez lube #26, 5658 Rosemead blvd., temple city, ca 91780. i request a 32.99 oil change, sales rep insist on giving my truck the 61.99 synthetic oil it dont need. after telling all three mechanics several times “no synthetics!” they end up pouring synthtic oil in my truck and then try to charge me 69.88 for it. i demand to speak with the manager and the sales rep backed down. they also failed to reset my computer like they had promised. they are a lazy, bunch of crooks!!!

  4. David says:
    2008-03-02 at 11:59 am

    Don’t get me started on Jiffy Lube! A few years ago, prior to a big family road trip, I took my Nissan Pathfinder into my neighborhood Jiffy Lube for their “Signature Service” (oil and transmission fluid change, etc.). The next day we set off with the Pathfinder packed to the roof with my wife, kids and a ton of camping gear, including dinner for two other families awaiting our arrival at a remote backcountry campsite.

    An hour down the highway our transmission began grinding badly. It sounded like low fluid. We limped back to town stuck in second gear, drove into Jiffy Lube and cornered the manager. “Let’s take a look,” he said, opening the hood. The next thing I knew, he checked the fluid level and–without a word–filled the transmission fluid reservoir. Then he asked me to direct my complaint to the owner when he returned to the shop in a couple of hours.

    When I came back to speak with the owner, he checked the fluid level and said it was fine. “Of course there’s enough fluid,” I replied. “Your employee filled the reservoir as soon as I returned!”.

    “Really?” said the owner. “Where is that employee who can back up your story?” You can guess the rest: the employee who topped off the fluid was nowhere to be seen, and the owner dismissed my complaint.

    As it developed, my tranny was completely destroyed. I escalated the issue to Jiffy Lube corporate, who refused to be held responsible for their franchisee. So I went after the franchisee, who owned several Jiffy Lubes. His rep came by the transmission shop to examine “the transmission whose fluid we left low”, then he engaged me in what turned out to be weeks of haggling over the repairs, while I drove a costly rented car all the while.

    At one point the rep offered me a junkyard transmission as a replacement. When I held out for a rebuild, he said “our conversation is over, and I never offered you a replacement transmission…you cannot prove I did”.

    Clearly, this was well-practiced stonewalling. So I consulted an attorney, who suggested that Jiffy Lube probably ran a legal machine built around tying up and waiting out claims in the $4,000-$10,000 range, so my best bet would be to get what I could in small claims court even though the small claims limit would still leave me $2,000 in the hole.

    So that’s what I did. Jiffy Lube didn’t even appear to contest the claim. The small claims judge expressed his weariness at yet another such case in his court, awarded me the maximum, then moved on to the next case on the docket…a nearly identical suit from someone made poorer by Grease Monkeys Inc!

    “Never trust your car to these little lube shops,” said the transmission shop owner as I handed over a whopping check. “Their employees were probably flipping burgers a month before; they are not mechanics.”

    Learn from my mistake. Don’t get jiffy screwed.

  5. tom says:
    2008-03-14 at 4:14 pm

    i work at a ez lube in san diego and its true were are told to up sell and told no to do the services

  6. Jane Kay says:
    2008-03-15 at 7:11 pm

    check out http://www.civiltree.com good resource on state-state small claims.

  7. Quincy says:
    2008-04-04 at 3:57 am

    Same thing happened to me 3 days ago On Tuesday April 1st, 2008, I came into EZ Lube on 4365 Genesee Ave., San Diego, CA 92117 for a simple oil change with my VIP membership card that would give me supposedly an additional 10% discount. My car is a barely 2003 Toyota Corolla S, only 5 years old. The oil change was $32.99. The serviceman name was Tony something came into the customer lounge (after about 20 minutes) and asked me to come out so he could show me something. He said I needed an air filter, and a cabin air filter change and he showed me these two old blackened filters claiming that was mine. He also recommended radiator service, fuel system cleaning, fuel filter, power steering flush and claiming that I had minor oil leak. My car is barely 5 year-old I just bought this car a year ago on March 2007 and had a complete tune-up right when I just bought it and have been getting oil changes (full-service/preventative maintenance) every 3000mi or 3mos. My car was parked in our own garage, if there was oil leak, oil spots would have been presence where my car was parked. There was no evidence of oil spot in my parking space. The serviceman opened my radiator cap and showed me on paper how my radiator fluid was dark and it should have been clear and clean. He then proceed to ask me: “Would you like to see how much would it cost if you get those services done today?” “Sure” I said. With my VIP card discount, the bill ran about $350.00 not the $32 I expected when I walked into the shop that Tuesday. I told him I’ll have my uncle look at it later, he said if I do it today he’ll give me an additional 10% but I told him I’ll come back and will ask for him should I change my mind and want to get those service done later. He went back to the computer and deleted the charges and asked me to sign. I thought I was signing a form acknowledge his recommendation only, and forgot to notice that the charge for air filter and cabin air filter was still there. My bill came to be $89.81 included the $8 discount for full service oil change and $2.10 VIP discount (I thought I get 10% of all “additional maintenance service” which was $78.27 of which 20.99 for the air filter, 39.99 for cabin air filter and 17.29 labor not included tax; a 10% discount should be -$7.83) When I told them that I didn’t want the filter to be replaced because my brother could have replace them for me and they’ll just cost about $10-$20 max, the cashier said “but you already signed the sheet!” I told them I want to put the old filters back , the serviceman said they’re already in the trash. Whatever! What’s done is done…too tired to argue, I paid the 89.81 w/my debit card. I drove the car back home and have been using it to go to my school UCSD from Tuesday to Thursday, April 04, 2008. On Friday, it just happens that I didn’t have my radio on that my car engine make really loud noise, louder than usual as if it doesn’t have enough power when I drive. When I parked my car, I hear this clunk, clunk sound and I feel the vibration underneath my gas pedal. When I shift gear into reverse, it was hard to shift. I felt as if the parts are about to fall apart. When I press on the gas pedal to move forward, there it is again I heard the clunk, clunk noise. I got out of the car, there was a streak and a puddle of fluid where my car left a trail from its last position. Red fluid was leaking all over the side of the right wheel cover. I was in a rush to a meeting but when I came back 2 hours later, I opened the hood and noticed that the radiator cap was open. Red fluid was all over the engine. I can see the puddle of fluid at the bottom of the car. Fluid was dripping. The radiator cap was position where should be but wasn’t twisted closed. I can just pick up the cap and the radiator was exposed open. Upset , and frustrated, I was going to the EZ Lube shop but it was closed. At home, I went online to do research on what people say about EZ Lube and what do you know, a KNBC Channel 4 report in 2006 talked about EZ Lube and Joe Grover investigation on EZ Lube 3 yrs prior resulted in closingthe customer/victim story was exactly what has happened to me. Here is the link: http://www.knbc.com/news/9897560/detail.html of that investigation and below is a copy of the report. It was said that the investigation later was handled by the state prosecutor. Why are they still cheating customers and taking advantage of women who knows nothing. We paid the extra dollar to get the full service and preventative maintenance, yet they charged us money to damage our only means of transportation. Not to mention how this unethical business conduct cause us consumer and the lost of time, energy, trust, in our otherwise already hectic life. DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU, IF IT DID PLEASE NOTIFY THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY AND PASS THE WORD OF WARNING TO YOUR FRIENDS, AND FAMILIES. Here’s a copy of the report and posting of another customer who got cheated by EZ Lube that actually raised the awareness of this company’s business conduct. Read and compare how this articles, my story and another ex-customer’s story similar to your experience at EZ Lube. Oh, and did I mentioned that the one of the valve cap to the tire was missing after they’re done “preventative maintenance check-up” on my car…

  8. D says:
    2008-05-07 at 8:40 pm

    i am a close friend the the owner of EZ-LUBE…. when you go into ez-lube and sign the paper you are signing a Law binding form. and if something hapens to your car ez-lube is not held countable.. when you sign the form you are signing a waver…. read the small print… also i would like add that the salesman at ez-lube are basicaly forced to push other stuff on you that you dont need.. i know its crapy but its true its how ez-lube makes its millions… and if you do decide to sue there insurance is going to take care of it… so there is no loss to Mike or Rick..ie the owners of EZ-LUBE…

  9. pancho says:
    2008-11-14 at 6:55 pm

    I take my car to Ezlube and they always show me my old parts and I watch them do my services Ive been going their for years and I trust that their taking care of my vehicle. Plus their prices are way cheaper than when we go to the dealer. Stop crying and take care of your vehicles a car does not survive with just engine oil changes. check your owners manual that shows all intervals.

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