Needed to get the oil changed in the truck. 95F outside, hot engine, didn't feel like dealing with it myself. Went to an oil-change shop. I won't mention the name, because if I did, you would already know how this story will go.

Had them do the typical LOF, even sprung for synthetic and the "upgrade" filter. Figured I ought to treat that ***** like a princess, for once, since she's closing in on 150k miles (very trouble free miles may I add).

Paid the ticket and left, had to go pick up a case of beer and fill up the gas can that was sitting in the hatch. Destination was a gas station, appx 1/2 mile ahead. This particular road is 5 total lanes; 2 each way and a center turn. Gas station was on the left, so I decelerated in the center turn lane and came to a stop. When a heard a bad sound, just barely over the radio. "CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK" OP Gauge shows pressure. Gas station was to my left, but the road was slanted so the station was downhill from my position. Gave her a little bit of gas to get me rolling and turned the truck off, allowing it to roll into the station. That thing sucks w/o power steering.

Parked, got out of truck, and looked underneath. Oil spray everywhere, appeared to be coming from the filter, but there was so much it was tough to know for sure. Filter was on tight, like King Kong spun it on. No oil on stick. Ran across the street to AutoZone, borrowed a filter wrench and funnel, and bought 5 qts of oil. Ran back across to the gas station. Removed filter, found one o-ring. Found a second o-ring. *******!! Reinstalled filter, checked for oil on stick. None of course. Added 2 qts. None on stick. Added another qt, and it barely touched the bottom of the stick. Added another 1.5 qts to make it full.

Started the truck back up. CLICK CLICK CLICK and 0 OP on the gauge. This is when I start to curse. After what felt like forever, but was probably only 10 seconds, the OP gauge shot up to its normal position. But the motor was still clicking. After another forever, but really about 1 minute, the clicks got softer and softer and went away. Phew.

So after all of that, I got to pay for 2 oil changes, and still had to do 1 myself. Still got my hot oil on my hands. Had to lay down in a gas statin parking lot in a white shirt. And had to borrow tools, though I was VERY lucky to have pulled over across the street from AutoZone. That is the second time I've borrowed tools in an "emergency" type situation from that same store. Last time I an IC tube popped out of its coupler right before passing that store, and I rolled in, borrowed a plier, and was on my way.

Returned the tools, and went back to the quick lube. Told them what had happened, showed them the oil spray on the chassis, and asked to be refunded for the cost of the synthetic change minus the filter--as I kept the filter. That's fair, right? They were incompotent, but my motor was spared. They refused to refund me, said I should have called them out to the scene. So I showed them the receipt from vatozone for 5 qts of oil, and showed them the 5 EMPTY containers in the back of the truck. They still refused to refund my money. At this point, I could feel my lip start to twitch and a little spasm in my kneck. That happens when I get really angry. I looked down and my right fist was balled. And that's when the "manager" called me a lying mother ****** and said he was going to kick my ***. I laughed at him and replied with something like "bring it you gaptooth redneck ****. I'll knock your last 2 teeth right outta your stupid head." One of the techs at the shop picked up a crow bar and slowly approached the area where the manager and myself were standing. Another had a big wrench or something. The third ran to a storage closet of some kind and came back with something, but I couldn't tell what.

I put my right hand behind my back, and casually slipped my fingers around the grips of my holstered Sig 10mm. "Hey now, I don't want this kind of trouble," I said, "Let's be friendly, no one needs to be hurt today." I walked slowly and casually towards my truck, they monkies all walked towards me as I walked away, at my pace, keeping an even distance between us. I kept my hand on my piece, opened the truck door with my left, got in and drove away.

Drove a couple minutes up the road, started to shake and feel sick, from the adreneline rush. Stopped and got a beer, then went to the courthouse. Got all the paperwork to file against the shop in small claims. Suing for the cost of the oil change + the 5 qts of oil + the court fees. First time suing anyone, and no the recovery isn't worth my time. This is strictly for the principal of the matter.

Moral: change your own oil or risk having to shoot someone.

/rant
Ben

 

Don't forget to call the Better Business Bureau and report them I recently dropped my car off for an A/C leak (caused by my intercooler munging the AC dryer and had them change the oil (they stripped the oil pan.... %^$%#nk stupid) and they refused to replace the AC dryer since the car was moded... lame (it took me ~1hr to change the part and recharge the system). Seems you gotta do everything yourself these days as a good shop is hard to find. I could see myself in the same situation (cary a compact 45 and get annoyed by useless ppl too). Good luck with the court ****.

 

guns are bad.



and I keep mine in my front right pocket so it's easier to grab without looking suspicious.

 

Perhaps you should speak to my lawyer, Mr. Molotov... maybe sit down, have a few cocktails with him.

 

Wow...glad you held off on using your "piece." Things could've been uglier than they already were. I feel for you, man. Sorry that you had to endure a situation like that.

 

I just heard a very simliar story from my nieghbor.

Has a 240 with an sr20det swap. Had the oil change and he even told them which oil filter it required as it wasn't the same.

Drove a bit down the road and the same thign happened, but unluckily it burnt up his turbo.

They sued the place and got the full dealer cost of the turbo $1800. Then in which they proceeded to buy a $300 one of ebay or something and pocketed the rest.

 

call the corporate office. Hopefully they'll take care of you.

 

Damn remind me not to buy stuff in atlanta sounds almost as bad as how they act in KY GL Ben

 

Thanks fellas. Really didn't want to do anything that would land me in the news or in a cell. I try to be even keeled and collected at all times, and try very hard to never show anger or other emotion in situations. Don't like showing my hand, so to speak.

I was very worried though, 1 on 4, and still recovering from both knee and shoulder injuries. Under GA law, one may legally use a deadly weapon if one feels their life, or the life of another, is threatened. Since 3/4 appeared to have fairly serious weapons, I probably would have been vindicated. But I am very glad that the issue did not escalate to anywhere near that degree.

The SIG is large, so I carry it on my back under my shirt. I still need to pick up something pocket size.

 

sounds like a great day. I'd be furious after a situation like that, but i've been through the court system before and it takes so damn long that by the time anything gets done about it you're not really even mad anymore and it becomes more of a hassle than it's worth.

 

dont lie Ben you where gonna **** them up then they pussied out. The gun is just so you can look gangster you do the real damage yourself. As my daddy always said never underestimate what someone in pain will do to eliminate another potential source of pain.

 

damn dude thats a fucked up story.

Oh yeah, earlier this year, I did a brief stint of work at the local BBB. Don't bother BBB is a joke and probably nothing will come as a result of complaining to them.

 

yeah acutally calling the corporate office and filing a complaint of your story will not be taken lightly.

 

Dang man...I was just thinking of saving some time on my next daily driver oil change and take it in...sounds like I better do it myself. I don't have a gun, and I don't hold my tongue as well as you.

 

let me guess Jiffy Lube?

I worked for Oil Can Henrys (dunno if those are out that way)

and after we took off the oil filter we had to check to make sure the o-ring came off and then scream it up to the person up-top before they would yell down what type o oil filter they needed.

Call corporate they come down like a huge mother ****** on places when **** like this happens.

 

I know that feeling but I am weird and tend to carry a throwing knife in my miata.

So so true... I have 3 face piercings and I always laugh when someone remarks about ripping them out, cause I don't see anything stopping me after that much pain and adrenaline rush through my blood

Good luck with everything Ben....

 

****... you guys are all crazy. The only thing I have ever kept in my car was a big *** breaker bar.

Sorry to hear about all that, stores never admit that they fucked up. Good luck.

 

****! Call their district manager, you ALWAYS have to check for the o-ring on the old filter!

I usually do my own oil changes, but can't balance my own tires since I don't have the machine. So before I left to come over to the sandbox, I had a well-known chain store balance my tires. Asked for all 4 to be balanced, and specified "dynamic" balance since sometimes they do that lazy static balance when sticky weights are involved.

So I come back, only the front 2 are done. Fine, they pull it back into the shop and do the rears. I walk across the street to shop.

Come back, they're done, but.. what's this? Two big rows of lead, one DIRECTLY ACROSS from the other on the inside lip of BOTH rear tires. Mad now. Someone doesn't know what the **** he is doing or is being extremely lazy.

Call him on it, tech starts in with "you said you wanted a dynamic balance, that's what that is!" And threw in something about "I've been doing this for 15 years." I told him it didn't show.

So I called his district manager and got the ticket refunded and a new balance done by a good tech at the next closest shop on the house. Tipped the good tech $20 for a job well done.

 

The fact that the crew was instantly in place with weapons means that they probably go through that **** a lot. I bet there are a lot of people who come back with problems and then are simply intimidated out of the store.

I'd start with their corporate help-desk, you can find the contact info on their website. Don't let it go until you talk to a VP of something... maybe customer relations. If you get any grief from the customer complaint dept, tell them you're going to do this:

Call a local news station, and see what they can do. Most news stations have an "on your side" segment where they go out and pose as regular customers, then catch guys in the act of ripping you off. Nobody likes publicity. By all means, continue to pursue the suit, but it would be awesome if (through a news report), you could find others who were poorly treated, threatened, and just kept quiet.

 

Yeah really now that I read through this whole thread I would like to hear what happens if you call corporate. I think it would make good closure to this story.