So a 04 Forester XT goes to valvoline and gets it's oil changed...customer drives it down the road and the drain plug falls out...now with his oil all over the road, and the underside of his car, it starts making a terrible clacking noise then quits running all together! It goes to another independant shop where new oil is added and the drain plug re-installed...still with no new drain plug gasket... and the vehicle is started back up. It runs, but not so well,and that terrible noise...yeah its still there! Now it gets towed in to me! Equipped with mechanics stethascope, me finds knock at the front of the engine...ooopsss...needs a short block, but being it's not apart yet, and I couldn't see the cams, valves, or any other fun parts, the estimate goes through with 2.5L DOHC Turbo Short Block, Both Cylinder Heads, Turbo, And Gasket Kit...uhmmm Thanks Valvoline thats $4500.00 Lesson here...Don't go to Valvoline Rapid Oil Change, unless you know who's working on your car!
LOL My friend worked at an oil change place in HS. He said it was unbelievable how many times peple did crap like that. Of course not him. :roll:
lol, the same thing happened when i worked at jiffy lube. the manager kept bugging my co workers to get the car in and out in 8mins.....which imo is a crappy job and always take my full 15mins during an oil change to insure quality. so they rushed it in and out, put in the wrong oil filter, it shoot out...but the owner didnt know, kept driving, BOOM engine blows! but yah! being i've worked at fast lubes, never go there...they do ****ty jobs to get you in and out and come back asap.
i have heard many horror stories about these places. i heard that once they filled the car up w/ coolant isntead of oil. that did nt go over so well.
Hey we replaced an engine in my store this year.. I WAS NOT impressed... 05 Dodge Stratus... the young tech was a know it all who took more interest in chattign on his cell phone then working on a car, not to mention on his cell while working on his car... HE IS NO LONGER WITH US.... the issues was he never double checked the engine... there is 2 options for oil filter dependign whether it is a 2 door or 4 door... we spoke with the dealer and they said they have done the same thing multiple times... so in our defense it was as much bad workmanship just not carefull workmanship (which I guess is bad)... the oil filter loosens itself off over about 200miles... it tightens up and fits perfectly... so yeah unless you know this little detail then you are SOL.. now corporate has sent out a memo about it.. ha ha thank God for insurance... we took care of it for the customer... the problem with rapid il change facilities is they hire monkeys (most the time) who take NO pride in what they do.. then stores like mine get the stripped out pans adn plugs etc etc...
I went to a valvoline quick lube once and told them to put a crush washer on there under the plug. They acted like I asked them to do something special for the car, and said they dont put them on anyone else's car. the manager came out, put it on and apologized for the tech, then yelled something in hmong at him. IT'S SUPPOSED TO GET A NEW ONE EVERY TIME YOU CHANGE THE GODDAMN OIL!
When that sort of thing happens like oil plug dropping out or washer fluid in the tranny case, or whatever, the oil change shops will take care of all damages?
We get that issue from these quick lubes at least 3-5 times a year. My father-in-law got his nissan pickup done at jiffy lube and they drained the tranny fluid instead of the engine oil and quickly plugged the tranny fluid, but forgot to refill the tranny fluid back. So his pickup sounded like a chainsaw when he got home. Cost them a pretty penny $3500 replace and install new tranny.
Agree, but it's quite amazing how many people on Nabisco insist that they have gone 7 or 8 changes reusing the same crush washer each time. Cheapskates!
To answer krees23, sometimes, they always try to get out of it somehow, and as for the $4500, that is just parts, not labor to install the new engine.
I have gone 3-4 changes many times....it is good insurance, but that is all it is...insurance. I have no issue that I have done this, BTW.
i always think "$0.25 washer, or new engine...." Its not the most uber important thing in the world, but its cheap enough that I do it for the sake of peace of mind.
also on many cars the oil light comes on when there is about 1 quart or less. and by then, you're fubared anyways.
Within 4 months of working at a Mazda dealership we have had 3 cars needing new engines because of those quick oil change places. STAY AWAY FROM THOSE SHOPS, unless of course you want a new engine lol.
I believe on the WRX the oil light is triggered by an extremely low oil pressure if 2 or 3 psi...meaning you were farked long before the light comes on. I never got the impression it was triggered by volume, but obviously there is a relationship there.
Years ago when I worked at Crown Auto they used to publish a report every year of vehicle damage. Cars without oil, cars falling off lifts, lugs not tightened and wheels falling off, old rusty frames which broke on old Novas when put up on the lift, interriors starting on fire after torching the exhaust and roofs caved in from the shop celing not being tall enough. When I worked for Audio King it was cut harnesses, damaged pannels, screws through evaporators, heater cores, computers, engine moduels, fuel and break lines. As an installer for 13 years I even did some damage in cars. It happens, even when you are careful, just watch out for those who aren't. There are hacks everywhere.
its caled Winter and not wanting to lay on your back on a block of ice to drain your oil... the advantage of having a FULL service store change your oil (ie somehting like MEINEKE) is while it is being done they can do a decent safety inspection over your car at teh same time, and help you to keep an eye on things on your car... besides most people can barely operate a vehicle yet alone do their own maintenance... Its like I know how to turn on my computer, install/remove programs, send emails, install some hardware etc... but when it comes to crashes and the like I am not competant to fix them... so I go where they know how... its all relative to what you are comfortable in doing.. and lets all note although I am a direct COMPETITOR for rapid fluid change places, NOT ALL OF THEM SUCK... it comes down to the integrity, the competence and honesty of the people working there.. most of the time they are there for a paycheck and the owner isnt around... where at my shop I am there 95% of the time, and my guys love customers cars as much as the customer loves their car.. if you couldnt care less then they arent gonna take extra time to maintain it, but if you love you car they will treat it as good as you do... as my senior tech says "why should I care about his car if he dont give a crap about it??" and when the owner works at the store he cares about how things are done down to EACH CUSTOMER that comes thorugh cause it is HIS livlihood and the future for his kids.. well it is at least for me...
So what happens to the junked motor in cases like this? Do the guys at the dealerships pick over the remains or is the whole engine just thrown away?
