Complaint Review:
Chevron Oil Stop Company Ps1 INC. OilStop
On Wednesday, June 5, about 6pm, my husband and I drove in to a Chevron Oil Stop Service to ask for an oil change. We were one of the two last customers that day. Their service was to change the oil and fluid of the car and check a few other parts while we wait in the car. They recommended us their transmission services so we agreed, and we drove off when we are done.
7:30 pm, approx. 90 min after we left the place, the gear slipped while driving. It was undrivable. We had it towed back to the Oil Stop. The shop was already closed so we left our car in their parking lot over night.
The next day about 1pm, we went back to the oil stop and talked to Ken, the manager. He said that very rarely but sometimes when they pour fluid to the transmission, it might SHOCK the system....we weren't warned about this at the time they serviced the transmission, nor did he professionaly explain what "Shock" meant.
Does my transmission have feelings??? He suggested that he should try to change the transmission filter. Since they don't offer this service there, he had to order the filter somewhere else. No progress was seen. He recommended us to take the car to the transmission specialist down a few blocks so we did. Ken followed us.
2pm, At the transmission repair shop Aastro, we talked to the head mechanic, Mike. He saw the old filter and immediately stated that when a car had as much as 105.000 miles (like our car did),they SHOULD change the filter AND flush the system. Because an old transmission deposits the debris on the magnetised bottom, changing the fluid without filter change and flushing cause the debris to be stirred up and clog the filter.
This was the professional explanation of the word "SHOCK." Additionally, Mike said that he had been seeing about 6 cars every month with the same problem. Ken or anybody else in the Oil Stop obviousely didn't know this.Our transmission was fried because it was starved of fluid, due to the clogged filter. Mike kept the car to determine the details.
2:30pm we were back at the Oil Stop. Ken issued a letter of guarantee, and this is the quote;
Oilstop will be 100% responsible of diagnosis and teardown and repair from AAstro Transmission if it shows that the failure of the transmission was caused by Oilstop's evacuation and refill of 5.75 Quarts of Dexron III transmission fluid. If the diagnosis show that is due to the fault of the transmission or due to normal wear on a 105.000 transmission Mr. McGregor (my husband) will be the responsible party in the teardown and diagnosis of te transmission.
3:30pm, we rented a car.
Friday, June 7, We received the call from Aastro. Mike stated that the transmission had some wear and tear, and the second gear band was broke. He agreed that could well be from the bad services from the Oil Stop.
We called Ken that afternoon. He told us to wait for a call from Matt, the general manager in California. He never called us that day.
Sunday, June 9. No calls at all.
Monday, June 10, AM, We finally recieved a call from Matt. He stated that the report from Aastro souded to him as the damage was due to the old transmission, and they coudn't do anything about it. He was implying that we took in already-broken transmission and we are trying to make them pay. This is rediculous, since first of all we DROVE INTO the Oil Stop THAT DAY, with no prior transmission problem WHAT SO EVER! If the transmission was already broke, how could we drive in?? Second of all, we went in for an oil change, and THEY SOLD US a transmission service!
about 1:30pm, we called Aastro to assure Mike's statement. He said that the gear band could have broke as a result of Oil Stop Services..."they SHOULD HAVE CHANGED the filter."
2:00pm, We called back Matt but he was unavailable. We left a messege and told that we had no prior problems with the transmission.Also we told that the Oil Change place replaced the filter the next day of their initial service, after we found out the problem.If they didn't do anything wrong, why do they have to change what they did????
Tuesday, June 11. We received a call from Aastro. They want to know what they should do about the car. We had no idea since Neither Matt nor Ken are unreachable. Oil Change said Ken was at a meeting, and he never called back.
I cannot believe that they are so irresiponsible about their profession. First of all, the transmission specialist stated (and he is willing to testify) that their improper service could have caused our transmission to break. A several mechanics we know also stated that it is a standard procedure to flush and change the filters when the car has a certain milage. They cut this procedure from their protocol...otherwise it wouldn't be a "quick service" that they are selling. This means the same problem can happen to any older cars. There is no sign that says "We don't service the transmission with more than 80.000 miles."
I think THEY have learned a valuable lesson here, and THEY should PAY FOR THE VALUE, which is our transmission repair, rental cars,tow truck and all other suffering that we didn't have to go through if they did their job right the first time. We are not experts, and if they sell their product or services, we assumed they would obviousely know what they were doing...which they didn't.Now they are calling us Liars. We are a couple of honest poeple with no ill will. The most offensive thing we did to them was raising voice, but no yelling or name calling.
We were polite on the phone, just asking for what we deserve. We need our car back to go to work, and provide a ride for our elderly grandmother in case anything happens. She has a severe virtigo and there is no telling when it is going to happen, and the fact of having no cars is distressing us really badly. We are running out of our nominal savings from the cost of all these troubles and we are having hard time finding a lawyer who would represent this case pro bono.We are having a week of sleepless nights.
We paid over $80 for the initial services. That should SAVE us from $3000 of future car troubles, not GIVE us a $3000 problem.
KOKO and BRYAN
Marana, Arizona
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Shadowmage69666
TO,California,
U.S.A.
You guys are idiots
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, November 21, 2007
Ok, first of, Oilstop Doesnt flush transmissions, they drain and fill them...
second oilstop doesnt change transmission filters on cars, except on diesles, they never said that they do any of that, so dont even say that you got ripped off or anything... and any mechanic could tell you, changing the fluid will not break your 2nd gear band... next time try getting a second opinion from another mechanic shop not related to that Aastro place...
Koko
Marana,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Chevron Oilstop, the president Larry Dahl and Matt Webb.... We Won't Forgive!
#6Author of original report
Sat, June 21, 2003
It's been over a year. We lost the car to Aastro, and still no words from the Chevron Oilstop. They have a new site and we have been trying to reach some one but no responses of course. I still see cars going into the place and I feel guilty not notifying the unsuspected people what they could done to their cars. We never stop telling whoever we can though. We should have told over 1000 people directly or indirectly. If you have Chevron Oilstop in your local area, support the NEAREST oil change competitors!!!
Chevron Oilstop Broke My Car...Tried to Contact The President of Chevron Oilstop...They Use False E-Mail addresses on Their Official Website!
#60
Wed, June 19, 2002
It's been 2 weeks since Oilstop broke our trasmission. I was conducting the search on the web, and found a case so similar to ours. They had a different model of car, but their transmission broke 20 miles after they left Chevron Oilstop. They had told us that they never had this problem before.
Last Friday, we heard that the destrict manager was visiting the Tucson Oilstop. We went to talk to him. His name is Matt Webb. He couldn't answer ANY of our questions straight. He kept on with his professional nonsense talk that has no relevence to our case. He just kept us confused. When we asked, where in their manual states to do what they did to our car. The manufacturer's recommendation did not say anything about what they did, and what actually said in there was not performed...which is changing the filter and fluid. When we pointed this out, he said, "Our service EXCEEDS THE RECOMMENDATION." Now wait a minute. I saw their website stating the company policy, "Our service is no more or no less than the manufacturer's recommendation." Matt's statement was a big conflict to the company policy.
After all of these argument, he offered us $500...as a partial responsibility. The transmission job is about $2200, and we've already spent $600 on the rental car. $500 is an insult. We were outraged. Additionally he stated, $500 is almost a charity because his insurance company would likely to estimate the prorate value of our transmission as $250.
When I think about this "Partial responsibility"...it doesn't make sense. He just admitted the WHOLE responsibility! If the value of the tranny is $250, he just offered us the double responsibility!! Now we have a letter that if they are responsible, they will cover the repair (and assume the rental car). Then why are we still fighting about this????? We refused his insulting offer. Now at this point, we didn't know about the other case on the net with the same problem. He probablly did, and tried to shut us up with $500. We told him that we would report this case to the media. He snickered and said "that's fine."
Allow me to go back to their website. I found this website from the panphlet they gave us the first time we went to the Oilstop. I assume every customers get one. This website and Tucson Oilstop are full of conflicts. They don't serve some of the services stated on the website. Here are the list.
1) Transmission Service ....including flush.
*They did not perform this, and the transmission expert at Aastro stated that he won't do service without skipping this procedure.
2) our Service is no more or less than what manufacturer's recommendation recommends.
*They did not perform what the recommendation said, and performed their own method that broke our car.
3) Contacts.
When we wanted to speak to the president, Larry Dahl, the secretary always tries to connect us to Matt Webb. We refused this and left numerous messages and voicemail. He never called back. The indivisual website posted aren't valid.
4)Comments.
I tried to post a comment. The link does not work, and there are no other posts that can be viewed. Probablly they are all complaining the same case?
See for yourself!! http://www.Oilstopinc.com
Chevron Oil Stop and PS1INC are RUNNING FROM US and from THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES!
#60
Thu, June 13, 2002
Wedsnesday,June 12.
In the am,we have received a call from a local news station. I called them yesterday to have them follow on our story. Jenny, the lady from "On Your Side" segment called us this morning. She stated that she called Ken, Matt and Mike. According to Jenny, they all told her that our transmission was OLD to begin with, and they can't take the responsibilities to the damage.
About 5:30, we visited Chevron Oil Stop and talked to Ken. My roommate asked him if he had ever recommended their customers to get services at AAstro Transmission.He said, "Yes, 3 or 4 a month." And right away he added, "people go there for different reasons." First of all, when we went back there the next day of the service, he stated that customers never had transmission problems before from their services. This sounds like the conflict of the statements. Second of all, we found Mike from transmission shop wasn't reliable to us since Aastro and Oil Stop have a certain relationship... perhaps referral. We are under the impression that Mike is telling both parties what each wants to hear. He might not be able to point his finger to the Oil Stop, because that would surely lose "3 or 4 businesses a month" from the Oil Stop.
When we visited the Oil Stop today, we ALSO noticed their sign that states their services. The fifth service stated, " Check Transmission for service needs." They have OBVIOUSLY skipped this process, because IF the transmission was OLD and about to break LIKE THEY ARE CLAIMING, they are obligated to tell us right then, ACCORDING to their posted sign! This is included in their BASIC service. If the condition of our transmission was as bad as to break only 90 minutes after the fluid service, that's a BIG TIME Transmission NEEDS! Instead, they took $33 extra and prceeded to a service that damaged our car.In addition, when we asked if they would keep the same procedures to the other cars just like ours that broke, he replied "Yes, we haven't had any policy change at this moment." This means, they can do this to ANY CAR. They might have done this before and recommended them to AAstro!
We visted another reputable lube service to get their opinions. The manager brought up the Manufacturer's Recommended Service document, according to the Model, year, and milage of our car on his computer. It said, "Automatic Transmission...Change Fluid & FILTER Every 50,000 miles." Now, the recipt of the initial transmission service says, "TRANSMISSION SERVICE AUTO, $33.99." It doesn't just say "Fluid Exchange." When we heard the word "Service," we assumed that the Oil Stop would follow and work according to the Manufacturer's Recommendations. There is nowhere stated where partial evacuation is recommended nor neglecting to replace the filter. Again, the sign, "Check transmission for service NEEDS" assures that if we had any problems, they would let us know.They informed us of NO NEEDS of our transmission services,the article on the recipt "Needs Service" isn't circled, nor did they recommend us to go change the filter as the Manual stated, before they exchanged the fluid. We had no idea that they skipped the process which the Manufacturer stated plain and clear.
Here is yet another outrageous fact we have found. The next day of the initial service, after we complained about the broken car, the Oil Stop explained what they did to our car. Ken said that they have "suckd up" the old fluid and refilled with new fluid. A few mechanics (including Mike)has already said that sucking up of fluid could be harmful to the seals, and it couldn't completely evacuate the old fluid. Ken has learned this fact as well. Yet the Oil Stop still practices this method of partially evacuating fluid to both new and old transmissions.The manufacturer's recommendation did not say "Partially replace the fluid." It said, "Change." This is our transmission's "Service Needs," that they are obligated to inform us, because it is stated on the sign. Nowhere on their recipt states "sucking" of any oil or fluid. Instead, they use the term, "Drain." Our impression from specialists is that draining is the proper way, and sucking is harmful. Oil Stop uses this "quick, cheap(for them),and HARMFUL sucking method" and cover it up using the word, "Drain."
I'd make this point more simple.
"Sucking" causes the debris to get stirred up and clog the Filter. Could be Harmful to the seal. May not evacuate all the old fluid. Well the filter was unexchanged, so the certain amount of residual (and debris) remains.
"Draining" drains the debris outside of the system.
They practice "Sucking" and state on the documents that they practice "Draining." This cannot be ethical.
Chevron Oil Stop and PS1 are running from us. They do not even try to listen to us. They are just hunging on to their one and only point, "Your transmission was old," Yet they still service any transmission, new or old, with the same procedure that broke our car. We uncovered their neglects, unhonesty,and unethical practices...yet THEY are calling US LIARS! Even if we did not win this case, we are responsible to inform all the fellow consumers of their irresponsibilities. We want the Oil Stop to carry a sign that states, "We do not service the old transmissions" or "We do service old transmissions but it could cause possible side affects such as ...$3000 damage!"
Chevron Oil Stop and PS1INC are RUNNING FROM US and from THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES!
#60
Thu, June 13, 2002
Wedsnesday,June 12.
In the am,we have received a call from a local news station. I called them yesterday to have them follow on our story. Jenny, the lady from "On Your Side" segment called us this morning. She stated that she called Ken, Matt and Mike. According to Jenny, they all told her that our transmission was OLD to begin with, and they can't take the responsibilities to the damage.
About 5:30, we visited Chevron Oil Stop and talked to Ken. My roommate asked him if he had ever recommended their customers to get services at AAstro Transmission.He said, "Yes, 3 or 4 a month." And right away he added, "people go there for different reasons." First of all, when we went back there the next day of the service, he stated that customers never had transmission problems before from their services. This sounds like the conflict of the statements. Second of all, we found Mike from transmission shop wasn't reliable to us since Aastro and Oil Stop have a certain relationship... perhaps referral. We are under the impression that Mike is telling both parties what each wants to hear. He might not be able to point his finger to the Oil Stop, because that would surely lose "3 or 4 businesses a month" from the Oil Stop.
When we visited the Oil Stop today, we ALSO noticed their sign that states their services. The fifth service stated, " Check Transmission for service needs." They have OBVIOUSLY skipped this process, because IF the transmission was OLD and about to break LIKE THEY ARE CLAIMING, they are obligated to tell us right then, ACCORDING to their posted sign! This is included in their BASIC service. If the condition of our transmission was as bad as to break only 90 minutes after the fluid service, that's a BIG TIME Transmission NEEDS! Instead, they took $33 extra and prceeded to a service that damaged our car.In addition, when we asked if they would keep the same procedures to the other cars just like ours that broke, he replied "Yes, we haven't had any policy change at this moment." This means, they can do this to ANY CAR. They might have done this before and recommended them to AAstro!
We visted another reputable lube service to get their opinions. The manager brought up the Manufacturer's Recommended Service document, according to the Model, year, and milage of our car on his computer. It said, "Automatic Transmission...Change Fluid & FILTER Every 50,000 miles." Now, the recipt of the initial transmission service says, "TRANSMISSION SERVICE AUTO, $33.99." It doesn't just say "Fluid Exchange." When we heard the word "Service," we assumed that the Oil Stop would follow and work according to the Manufacturer's Recommendations. There is nowhere stated where partial evacuation is recommended nor neglecting to replace the filter. Again, the sign, "Check transmission for service NEEDS" assures that if we had any problems, they would let us know.They informed us of NO NEEDS of our transmission services,the article on the recipt "Needs Service" isn't circled, nor did they recommend us to go change the filter as the Manual stated, before they exchanged the fluid. We had no idea that they skipped the process which the Manufacturer stated plain and clear.
Here is yet another outrageous fact we have found. The next day of the initial service, after we complained about the broken car, the Oil Stop explained what they did to our car. Ken said that they have "suckd up" the old fluid and refilled with new fluid. A few mechanics (including Mike)has already said that sucking up of fluid could be harmful to the seals, and it couldn't completely evacuate the old fluid. Ken has learned this fact as well. Yet the Oil Stop still practices this method of partially evacuating fluid to both new and old transmissions.The manufacturer's recommendation did not say "Partially replace the fluid." It said, "Change." This is our transmission's "Service Needs," that they are obligated to inform us, because it is stated on the sign. Nowhere on their recipt states "sucking" of any oil or fluid. Instead, they use the term, "Drain." Our impression from specialists is that draining is the proper way, and sucking is harmful. Oil Stop uses this "quick, cheap(for them),and HARMFUL sucking method" and cover it up using the word, "Drain."
I'd make this point more simple.
"Sucking" causes the debris to get stirred up and clog the Filter. Could be Harmful to the seal. May not evacuate all the old fluid. Well the filter was unexchanged, so the certain amount of residual (and debris) remains.
"Draining" drains the debris outside of the system.
They practice "Sucking" and state on the documents that they practice "Draining." This cannot be ethical.
Chevron Oil Stop and PS1 are running from us. They do not even try to listen to us. They are just hunging on to their one and only point, "Your transmission was old," Yet they still service any transmission, new or old, with the same procedure that broke our car. We uncovered their neglects, unhonesty,and unethical practices...yet THEY are calling US LIARS! Even if we did not win this case, we are responsible to inform all the fellow consumers of their irresponsibilities. We want the Oil Stop to carry a sign that states, "We do not service the old transmissions" or "We do service old transmissions but it could cause possible side affects such as ...$3000 damage!"