Emailed to Jiffy Lube
Mar. 7th, 2007 06:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jeriendhalDear Sirs,
On Saturday, February 24th, 2007 I brought my car to my local National Tire & Battery location on Oak Hall Rd. in Columbia, MD to have my front tires replaced and my oil changed. To my dismay, the mechanics at NTB reported that they could not complete my oil change, as the normal plug on my oil pan had been replaced by a “Helix Plug”, a temporary replacement that had been put in some time before, apparently to repair a stripped out screw. This had been done some time previously without my knowledge. I could only conclude that it had been done at my local Jiffy Lube on Dobbin Rd. in Columbia, MD some time previously. The practical result was that my car was rendered un-drivable, as the manager at NTB said company policy did not permit them to replace the plug with any sort of temporary replacement.
I had been aware that my car had been leaking oil for several months, but as it was twelve years old and had over 185,000 miles on it, I believed it was a case of natural wear on the engine. Until that moment I had not suspected it was because of duplicitous practices at the Jiffy Lube, a facility that had serviced my car some nineteen times previously. I had not been made aware of the Helix Plug (or Helix Screw) in the previous times I had serviced the car. Indeed, I have no knowledge of just how long I had been driving with it in place, as it could have been installed well before the last time I had serviced my car at Jiffy Lube prior to it beginning to fail.
Upset by this, I called Jiffy Lube’s customer service line when I got home that afternoon demanding that whatever repairs that would be required would be paid by Jiffy Lube, and was told that the matter would be brought to the attention of the district manager, who would have to inspect my car to confirm my claim, and I was to expect a response within 48 to 72 hours. Requiring a car to get to work, I subsequently called Budget Rent a Car to rent a vehicle to allow me to go to work until I heard from Jiffy Lube’s representatives, anticipating being able to get my car repaired by Wednesday at the latest.
By Tuesday the 27th I had heard nothing, so I called the customer service line again, and told the 48 to 72 hour response would be in business days (a curious notion, given that Jiffy Lube is open seven days a week). As this was not made clear to me, I had not set my car rental for that long, and was forced to extend it to Thursday, since I thought that was likely the earliest I could expect to have my car repaired.
Thursday the 1st of March I called once again, informed them of my irritation, and was told my claim would be given priority, and expect to hear a call from the owner of the Jiffy Lube where my work had been done. Once again I was forced to call Budget and extend my rental.
Thursday evening, at last, I finally heard from Cameron, the manager of the Jiffy Lube. He downplayed my need to have my car’s oil pan repaired, insisting a rubber plug could be used that would replaced at every subsequent servicing. At no point did he actually apologize for causing the original problem by his deceptive business practice of putting in the Helix Plug without my knowledge. Indeed, he insinuated that NTB’s recommendation and refusal to put one in themselves was actually an attempt by them to drum up business, a ridiculous charge given that repair is not something they offer. My request to have my rental claim was not encouraged, as Cameron stated I should have it authorized first. When I pointed out that I may have had to wait five days to have it authorized, going by my experience so far, he had no adequate answer.
In the end, being faced with mounting rental costs of my temporary vehicle and the possibility of having to pay for the oil pan repair myself, I accepted his offer. In the end I was denied the use of my vehicle for five expensive days, as I had to continually extend my car rental and subsequently watched the fee for this balloon form $154 to over $400 as the penalties mounted.
In conclusion, I am most certainly not satisfied with Jiffy Lube’s handling of this situation, either from the local manager, Cameron, his district manager (whom I never heard a word from), nor the operators of the customer service line, who failed to make the expected response time clear. I am out [amount] for the car rental, which I am now requesting reimbursement from Jiffy Lube. I ask for [amount] in compensation, as the last day of rental could not be blamed on Jiffy Lube itself, since I had my car by then, but was not able to return the rental to Budget immediately due to a scheduling conflict.
Attached you find scans of my rental bills for reference.
I would appreciate a timely response to this letter. If compensation for my rental is refused, I will take the next step and bring the matter to Maryland’s Better Business Bureau, and then small claims court.
Yours sincerely,
Royce Easton Day
On Saturday, February 24th, 2007 I brought my car to my local National Tire & Battery location on Oak Hall Rd. in Columbia, MD to have my front tires replaced and my oil changed. To my dismay, the mechanics at NTB reported that they could not complete my oil change, as the normal plug on my oil pan had been replaced by a “Helix Plug”, a temporary replacement that had been put in some time before, apparently to repair a stripped out screw. This had been done some time previously without my knowledge. I could only conclude that it had been done at my local Jiffy Lube on Dobbin Rd. in Columbia, MD some time previously. The practical result was that my car was rendered un-drivable, as the manager at NTB said company policy did not permit them to replace the plug with any sort of temporary replacement.
I had been aware that my car had been leaking oil for several months, but as it was twelve years old and had over 185,000 miles on it, I believed it was a case of natural wear on the engine. Until that moment I had not suspected it was because of duplicitous practices at the Jiffy Lube, a facility that had serviced my car some nineteen times previously. I had not been made aware of the Helix Plug (or Helix Screw) in the previous times I had serviced the car. Indeed, I have no knowledge of just how long I had been driving with it in place, as it could have been installed well before the last time I had serviced my car at Jiffy Lube prior to it beginning to fail.
Upset by this, I called Jiffy Lube’s customer service line when I got home that afternoon demanding that whatever repairs that would be required would be paid by Jiffy Lube, and was told that the matter would be brought to the attention of the district manager, who would have to inspect my car to confirm my claim, and I was to expect a response within 48 to 72 hours. Requiring a car to get to work, I subsequently called Budget Rent a Car to rent a vehicle to allow me to go to work until I heard from Jiffy Lube’s representatives, anticipating being able to get my car repaired by Wednesday at the latest.
By Tuesday the 27th I had heard nothing, so I called the customer service line again, and told the 48 to 72 hour response would be in business days (a curious notion, given that Jiffy Lube is open seven days a week). As this was not made clear to me, I had not set my car rental for that long, and was forced to extend it to Thursday, since I thought that was likely the earliest I could expect to have my car repaired.
Thursday the 1st of March I called once again, informed them of my irritation, and was told my claim would be given priority, and expect to hear a call from the owner of the Jiffy Lube where my work had been done. Once again I was forced to call Budget and extend my rental.
Thursday evening, at last, I finally heard from Cameron, the manager of the Jiffy Lube. He downplayed my need to have my car’s oil pan repaired, insisting a rubber plug could be used that would replaced at every subsequent servicing. At no point did he actually apologize for causing the original problem by his deceptive business practice of putting in the Helix Plug without my knowledge. Indeed, he insinuated that NTB’s recommendation and refusal to put one in themselves was actually an attempt by them to drum up business, a ridiculous charge given that repair is not something they offer. My request to have my rental claim was not encouraged, as Cameron stated I should have it authorized first. When I pointed out that I may have had to wait five days to have it authorized, going by my experience so far, he had no adequate answer.
In the end, being faced with mounting rental costs of my temporary vehicle and the possibility of having to pay for the oil pan repair myself, I accepted his offer. In the end I was denied the use of my vehicle for five expensive days, as I had to continually extend my car rental and subsequently watched the fee for this balloon form $154 to over $400 as the penalties mounted.
In conclusion, I am most certainly not satisfied with Jiffy Lube’s handling of this situation, either from the local manager, Cameron, his district manager (whom I never heard a word from), nor the operators of the customer service line, who failed to make the expected response time clear. I am out [amount] for the car rental, which I am now requesting reimbursement from Jiffy Lube. I ask for [amount] in compensation, as the last day of rental could not be blamed on Jiffy Lube itself, since I had my car by then, but was not able to return the rental to Budget immediately due to a scheduling conflict.
Attached you find scans of my rental bills for reference.
I would appreciate a timely response to this letter. If compensation for my rental is refused, I will take the next step and bring the matter to Maryland’s Better Business Bureau, and then small claims court.
Yours sincerely,
Royce Easton Day
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*Comforts*
And hopefully some extras, too.
mjkj