Topic: Women and OverCharging

[JohnM]

My gf took her '09 Fit with 48,000km into a Mr. Lube for a simple oil change.  She wanted to save money by avoiding a Honda dealership.

20 minutes later she emerged $404 lighter after she was swarmed by a pushy service manager and his staff.

Aside from oil, cabin and engine air filters she was dinged $100 for undercoating and (the best) $120 for gas line cleaning.

Over the past 5 weeks, I've managed to get a commitment by Mr. Lube to refund the $120 for the gas line cleaning.  GLC btw is something Honda service recommends against.

The fast talking Mr. Lube guy claims this is all normal service and maintained this for 4 weeks.  Only under pressure from head office did he agree to the partial refund.  They still made plenty on this service though.

I wanted to go to court and the media but the gf is sick of it. 

If this is "normal service", think of all the women who are being bilked across the country by these pressure tactics.

So just a warning to make sure the women in your circle are well aware of this kind of scam and prepared to fight it.

Cheers,
John M.

[5 Wheel Drive]

$404???  WOW!!!  I know the last time I took a car to Mr. Lube they tried to upsell me a bunch of cleaners and detergents.  Even without all the extra's my oil change was still more $$$ than if I had just taken it to the dealer.

[bridgecity]

Good for you for fighting the charges, even if you didn't get what you wanted.

In my experience, dealer oil changes are usually priced better than the Jiffys, LubeX, etc.

[CanuckG35]

Holy crap, that's ridiculous!!      I'm glad you are getting a partial refund but I would still be p!ssed!  I trust that you won't be going back there in the future. 

[tpl]

For me any car that has steel threads screwed into aluminium does not go to Jiffy, Cdn Tire or any of those sorts of places... and steel threads on spark plugs into allow cylinder heads count.  

[Jaeger]

I gotta say that this is one of the reasons I find comfort in my wife taking her Fit to the dealer - none of that BS.  Same with my sister when she had her CR-V.  I don't doubt some dealers can be just as bad, but I have found the independent shops and quick lube chains to be WAY more variable in terms of service.

Jaeger

[richink]

Your GF's mistake was to take her Fit to Mr Lube. Them and all of those express oil changers are swirling scum of the auto service industry.

OK undercoating and the half dozen filters they changed unecessarily aside, everybody has their snake oil for those, but a "gas line cleaning" WTF is that??? Good for 4 weeks??? So you're telling me I need to "clean my gas lines" every month? What a load of schyte. I'd be doing more than complaining to head office, I'd be in small claims court if anything to raise holy hell over that!

The solution for this is something I preached for my years in the auto industry and it worked - ALWAYS have a bay open so that a customer can come in for whatever quick service that needs to be done and tell them that they can. Things like oil changes, lighbulbs, quick this and that are part of the founding principles for running a good service business.

[Fobroader]

This is common place, my fiance got a qoute for over $500 from the dealer she bought her Jeep from, for them to "flush" the differentials. I use those Jiffy Lube/Lube X kind of places all the time, but come out leaving with an oil change. The fiance always calls me from the dealer/quick lube place and asks if she really needs a fuel injector cleaning/power steering service/transmission flush.......its common knowledge, for the most part, women will get screwed royally, or they will try their best, when it comes to servicing vehicles. Good on ya for going after Mr. Lube like that man, I like hearing when the little guy actually gets a fair shake against a big corporation like that.

[Thinking Out Loud]

FWIW, I've always figured that part of being an 'easy mark' is your general appearance....true story:

The MPV's rear brakes are groaning when wet/damp usually.  As noted, Mrs. TOL is not comfortable going to the regular local dealership I use which, UP UNTIL THIS TIME, had been incredibly forthright and honest with it's service.  Only time I can get into the shop in on the way home so I take the van into work and stop in on the way home.....in my suit.

They can look at it, but need some time, so the family and I pick up for dinner. An hour later I get a call from the advisor...all new pads and rotors all around based on the technician report.  What's the likely damage?  $1,100...they have stock to do the front, but not the back, should they get started?  I said to put it back together and I'll pick it up.  $50 inspection fee.

Given I had the rear rotors done AT THAT DEALERSHIP 30,000 kms ago (all the service records are there), I call BS in my head.  Go to local the Midas where I have had my non-warrantee work done, $25 inspection fee with the same explanation of issue (no mention of what the dealer said).....prognosis was a loose parking brake cable, $30 fix and a refund of the inspection fee.  And they mentioned (as unsolicited part of the inspection) I had 50% of the pads left and the rotors were holding up great.

I NEVER go anywhere in business attire if service or buying, because that sort of nonsense happens regulary - to me anyway.  The Midas people recognize me by name....the dealership has a new advisor every 6 months....

Moral of the story....find a good mechanic or shop, and develop a relationship.  When Mrs. TOL goes to Midas, she knows they are good on their word.  If the people you deal with are 'transitional' in their role, you'ld get that level of investment in your repair or service.

[DKaz]

Mr. Lube charges just as much if not more for an oil change compared to a dealer. There was a time they were cheaper but now they're just selling convenience and upselling those who don't know better.

[Cord]

I don't think this is a women's issue. In the car buying public, men are just as ignorant about newer vehicle requirements. They do, however, pretend they know all about it.

[Brigitte]

I don't think this is a women's issue. In the car buying public, men are just as ignorant about newer vehicle requirements. They do, however, pretend they know all about it.

Thank you.

[Jaeger]

I don't think this is a women's issue. In the car buying public, men are just as ignorant about newer vehicle requirements. They do, however, pretend they know all about it.

I disagree.  It is a womens' issue to the extent that women are perceived to know less about cars than men, making it more likely that they will be targeted by unscrupulous service technicians (the vast majority of whom are men).  Gender bias is real - it matters not that the perceptions themselves aren't valid.

Jaeger

[DKaz]

They still try to upsell everyone regardless.

[Fobroader]

I don't think this is a women's issue. In the car buying public, men are just as ignorant about newer vehicle requirements. They do, however, pretend they know all about it.

I disagree.  It is a womens' issue to the extent that women are perceived to know less about cars than men, making it more likely that they will be targeted by unscrupulous service technicians (the vast majority of whom are men).  Gender bias is real - it matters not that the perceptions themselves aren't valid.

Jaeger

I agree, most dealers/repair shops wont try to BS men just in case they actually know and call them on their BS. Its an unfair practice and the main reason why the fiance is really apprehensive about going to get her Jeep fixed without me being there.

[Cord]

While the majority of technicians are men, it is the service salespeople that the customers are dealing with. And women make up a large part of the service sales force at both dealers and at quick lube places (at my store, 3 out of 4 service advisors are women).

[life in the slow lane]

They still try to upsell everyone regardless.

I think they push harder with ladies and I would think seniors (regardless of sex) also.

Have to admit that I used them, but always stuck to oil change only.

 Quit going because they screwed up the oil drain plug, oil was leaking out on driveway. They tried to blame it on a damaged oil pan, turned out that the new drain plug was not compatible with Subaru's. Dropped in to the Subaru dealer to get new drain plug, explained what happened to the service advisor, and he said they can do the job just as cheap as Mr Lube. Well their service board didn't advertise a basic oil change, (typical of many businesses), so now I go to the Subaru dealer and ask for the basic oil change only. Npo problems with shoddy work or parts.

[DKaz]

Oil filter and absolutely nothing else? How much does that cost?

[The Mighty Duck]

The last time I got my oil changed was at Midas. In and out in 40 minutes, no tricky attempts to up sell me on anything (to be fair, the car only has 20,000km on it, so it might be a tough sell...). YMMV, but I don't think you can universally say that dealers are good and third-party shops are. It always comes down to who's running the shop.

[JohnM]

"I don't think this is a women's issue. In the car buying public, men are just as ignorant about newer vehicle requirements. They do, however, pretend they know all about it.

Thank you. - Resident Hag"

Dear RH,

As an incipient OG (old guy) I think that these places pick on the vulnerable who, when it comes to cars, are more likely to be women.   When I went to talk to the Mr. Lube guy he basically lied straight to my old white face giving me no regard for what should have been perceived as a higher level of knowledge.

I suspect that as men get older, we are more likely to have scams tried on us but for women it never stopped.

Con men size up their mark and auto service is just one area and where middle aged men are less vulnerable whereas they might be more vulnerable in other sectors.

Cheers,
John M.