Complaint Review: Jiffy Lube Car Tec

I brought my 1998 Toyota Camry to Jiffy Lube #1118 for an oil change. While I was there, I decided that I would have a transmission flush and engine cleanse performed on the car, as I intended to keep it for the next few years.

During the engine cleanse, the technician put too much fluid into my engine, then turned the car over and stepped on the gas. The pressure built up and the rod flew out the side of the engine with a big bang, as smoke emersed from the hood of my car. There were pieces of metal, bolts, etc. everywhere.

I am a real estate professional, and had an appointment with an executive professional which had to be cancelled. Coincidently, this was the only day this person could look at property. I lost the sale, equaling close to a $20,000 commission check.

The Jiffy Lube managers were having their annual retreat in the mountains, so the assistant manager said that I would have to wait for two days until they returned, as she was not authorized to do anything without the manager's permission. She told me to go to Budget Rent-A-Car to get a cat and things would be handled when the manager returned. I told her that I would not use my credit card to get a rental car without knowing if Jiffy Lube would reimburse me for the car. I sat two days without any car.

The assistant manager apologized profusely and offered to rent me a car with her credit card. However, her card was over limit, and Budget will not rent a car to anyone without the driver's credit card on file.

The other technician and assistant manager were questioning whether or not it was Jiffy Lube's fault. They kept saying, "This is a Toyota Camry!"

During this time, the assistant manager had been trying persitantly to get a hold of someone at corporate and the store manager. After a couple of hours, she reached them and was instructed to take the car to Car Tec, located just across the street.

My husband and I went to Car Tec to see the car and talk to the manager. He said they would tear into the car the next morning to determine what happened, and see if it was Jiffy Lube's fault. The conversation again ended with "This is a Toyota Camry."

It took 10 minutes for Car Tec to say it was Jiffy Lube's fault. Car Tec located a junk yard engine with 70k miles and quoted $2,400 to fix my car. I told them that my car was well taken care of, and that not all engines are the same. Then, supposedly, Car Tec found a rebuilt engine for $200 more, and got the okay from Jiffy Lube to istall that engine. We all agreed and the work was done.

After completing the work, I took my car to the dealer where I typically get my car repairs done. The dealer found problems with the engine that was installed. The spark plugs were bad, it had the wrong kind of oil for my car, the wrong kind of coolant, problems with the timing belt, etc. I called Jiffy Lube and Car Tec's manager. It turned out that Car Tec installed the junk yard engine, not the rebuilt one, even though the receipt stated that the rebuilt engine had been installed.

Car Tec and Jiffy Lube started having words and threatening law suits between themselves. I kept my car in my garage until things were sorted out. I told them that unless they agreed to complete the work and pay for the Toyota dealer to test the engine after it was installed, then I did not want them to touch my car. They said there was absolutely no way that they would stand behind their work and let it be tested by the professionals at the dealership.

During this time, Jiffy Lube tried to tell me I had my choice of where to take my car to get fixed, and that I chose Car Tec. I told them that if I had been given the choice, I would have taken the car to the Toyota dealership or my other favorite Japanese auto repair company.

At this point, the manager at Jiffy Lube said that I could take my car where ever I wanted. I called the dealer to find out if they installed rebuilt or junk yard engines, due to the liability problems of them in the past. The Japanese auto repair said that they would install a remanufactured engine in my car. Both places said that it would be about $5,000 to complete the work. Car Tec's solution was $2,400, and the supplier of this so called "rebuilt engine" is a back yard mechanic and the engines are known to have future problems. Of course, Jiffy Lube then reneiged on where I could go, and insisted that I must work with Car Tec.

Through all of this, I called the owner of Jiffy Lube three times with no return phone call. I called the head of customer service with no return phone call. I called the lowest level of corporate manger with no return phone call for several days. I called the manager of the shop who said that I needed to speak with upper level management.

I did get Jiffy Lube to agree to paying for a rental car, but when I picked it up, the rental company knew nothing of Jiffy Lube paying for it. All four people that worked there had a bad Jiffy Lube story.

After the "rebuilt engine" was installed in my car, I returned the rental car. This was when I had my car checked out by the dealer. At this point I needed another rental car until the problem was solved and the work had been completed on my car.

Jiffy Lube then said that they would give me $2,400 to go do what I wanted with. They knew I was leaving for vacation for 10 days and needed a car. They pulled the rental car the day before I left for vacation at 3:00pm. I had no vehicle for the trip. Car Tec said they were not responsible and that they had an engine to put into my car if I brouhgt it in that day, August 13th, and would have it done by August 18th.

As of September 21, I have my car back and it is parked in my garage. Car Tec has never given me anything in writing to document what work was performed on the car or what specific parts where used. While waiting for the repairs to be completed, I had to purchase another vehicle.

Damages to date: 1 week of no car to continue with my real estate business, loss of income due to losing a client, $2,000 devaluing my car, $2,600 of money out of pocket expenses to get my car back into good shape, and 30 hours of negotiation and telephone conversations to no avail.

Jiffy Lube and Car Tec have messed up big time. They fail to have the integrity to make things right. It is very important that when people do business with these people that they do so at their own risk. If anything goes wrong, Jiffy Lube and Car Tec will do everything in their power to deny responsibility for thier actions. If they do accept responsibilty for repairs, they are only interested in getting away with the cheapest fix, not actually fixing the problems.

The technician that blew my engine is still employed there, the assistant manager has moved to another shop, the store manager has also moved to another shop, and the district manager has changed to a new job description. Tha manager at Car Tec walked off the job.

Coreen
Renton, Washington
U.S.A.

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