Jiffy Lube Oil Change Scoop

From a branded oil change to a $19.99 Jiffy Lube oil change discount, everything you need to know.

Where can I find a Jiffy Lube service center?

With over 2,000 service centers located across the country, Jiffy Lube is a nationwide oil change and auto service franchise giant known for convenient oil changes as low as $19.99 through various coupons and promotions. Advertising Jiffy Lube promises a quality and fast oil change at affordable prices.

Jiffy Lube services range from tire care to glass repair. But Jiffy Lube's best-known service is their signature oil change, which includes new oil, oil filter, fluid top-up, and a vehicle inspection like most standard oil changes.

Is a discounted oil change from Jiffy Lube really worth it?

Timely oil change is the key to the health and safety of your car. For the consumer looking for affordable pricing and convenience, the Jiffy Lube ad sounds like a great deal. Oil changes are one of those tedious tasks that car owners have to cross off their to-do lists if they want their cars to continue to perform well, and the idea that Jiffy Lube can solve this mundane task cheaply and quickly can be appealing. . busy car owners.

Jiffy Lube coupons offer big discounts, and at select Jiffy Lube locations, oil change prices are as low as $19.99. According to our own investigation and research sourced from numerous media outlets and consumer protection websites, Jiffy Lube's advertised prices and service quality vary in quality and consistency with each individual store.

How do you prepare for your Jiffy Lube oil change?

Clients should receive quotations for services in advance to avoid overpayment. For decades, Jiffy Lube has been bringing customers to its service centers with the promise of quick and correct oil changes. Because Jiffy Lube Service Centers are franchised businesses owned and operated by individual owners, the customer experience is not always the same. Some Jiffy Lube service centers get rave reviews on sites like BBB and Yelp; others are a source of frustration and consumer complaints.

Since the 2000s, customers have been tracking their experience on JiffyLubeProblems.com, where they express sympathy for their experience. The customer stories on the site echo many of the concerns reported by customers who have given some Jiffy Lube service centers an “F” or one star rating, such as BBB or Yelp, sometimes because they are frustrated at being promised a certain price. , but end up being charged a significantly higher price at the end of their appointments.

How much should a basic oil change cost?

According to AvtoTachki's ASE-certified Chief Technician Randy B., a heavily discounted oil change may be too good to be true because the consumables alone cost more than the $19.99 promotional price. "You don't want an oil change as low as $19.99 because the oil itself - if it's a quality oil - should cost about $25 for five to seven liters, and you want the person doing the oil change to be qualified and get a fair price." payment. so it's almost impossible to do a good job at rock bottom prices,” says Randy B.

“A quick lube is based on people’s desire to make a deal, and because people don’t know much about oil changes, they pay attention to price and brand awareness,” says Randy B. Ask where they are saving on costs and they may be missing out on important steps or use not the best materials.

Does Jiffy Lube use quality oil?

We cannot confidently speak for all Jiffy Lubes. Each Jiffy Lube store is an independent franchise. However, Chief Technician Randy B. notes that in order to cut costs and offer competitive prices, most quick lube stores only stock a few common types of oil in bulk and therefore may not necessarily use the optimal oil recommended by the OEM. Basically, it's the difference between ordering a coffee with the amount of cream and sugar you prefer, or a regular, ready-made coffee that might not suit your taste. Both technically contain caffeine, but one is brewed to your liking and the other is just enough to kick you up and should be avoided to ensure the longevity of the car.

What is the real cost of a Jiffy Lube oil change?

We went ahead and tested the Jiffy Lube oil change experience ourselves to make sure all the bad rumors were true. We found a $16.99 discount coupon on the Jiffy Lube website. We couldn't find oil change prices on our local Jiffy Lube site, so we called Jiffy Lube in Mountain View, CA and asked if we could use a coupon that hadn't expired yet. The people who worked there said they didn't know, but that we should come and see, and then they'll figure it out. We told them the make and model of our car, the Audi Q3, and asked them to estimate the price of the fully synthetic oil that runs the car.

Service employee Jiffy Lube said, "This will cost $99.99 for 5 liters, but your car will probably need six to seven liters of oil for a full oil change, so it will cost $10 for every additional quart we need to use." ". This means our oil change would have cost $120; had they ended up accepting the coupon, it would have been reduced to $103.01. To prepare for the meeting, car owners can check here before the meeting.

Why is Jiffy Lube more expensive?

In our test, Jiffy Lube in Mountain View, California would charge us $120 for a synthetic oil change. AvtoTachki's price is $89.94 for the same service, plus more convenience - we come right to your house and change the oil on your driveway, so you don't have to waste time driving back and forth to the store. And our platform will help make sure you're notified when your next oil change is due.

According to reporter and auto insurance expert Lacey Glover, a Jiffy Lube oil change is usually the most expensive of all other oil change options. In addition, few oil change service providers are transparent about their services and prices on their websites, making it impossible for customers to compare the price and quality of available services.

How not to fall for the bait of the seller of lubricants?

Our advice is to call ahead and find out how much it will cost you to get all the services you need for your particular vehicle, and then ask the company to stick to that price and use a coupon if they advertised one. And be sure to check if parts, labor and fees are included in the price. many online customer complaints state that Jiffy Lube was unexpectedly charged at checkout when it was too late to dispute prices.

How to avoid selling unnecessary services?

Let's say you called to confirm your quote before scheduling an oil change to make sure Jiffy Lube stuck to its advertised price. You are ready to go, right? Perhaps not, because most auto shops don't make money off discounted oil changes, they often use it as bait to lure you in the door. And, according to Complex Magazine, Jiffy Lube can pay customers for every little "extras" like refueling.

Jiffy Lube specialists are known to sell services and parts to customers that do not necessarily need to be replaced, things like air filters, batteries, and belts can all cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

Lawsuits and customer complaints against Jiffy Lube.

The issues that plague Jiffy Lube's customer service history are revealed in this lawsuit against the company. The plaintiffs who sued Jiffy Lube International allege that they were mistakenly charged a "service fee", that their car was damaged as a result of the company's inadequate training of technicians, and that they were subjected to unnecessary pressure from vendors to purchase unnecessary services. or items. The lawsuit is just one of many filed by California lawmakers over the years.

How to avoid reselling brake fluid?

According to Randy B., oil change shops often do a fake brake flush test using alkaline strips that they know will look dirty once they're pulled out of the fluid. "The mechanics will say, 'Look, this stripe is supposed to be pink and yours is the color of dirt, and I wouldn't want you to drive with that shit,' but these tests are unscientific and always come up brown," Randy B said. Thus, the client receives an additional service from 60 to 100 dollars, which he does not really need. A thorough, genuine brake flush test entails a brake sag test and reduced system performance. We recommend asking for more evidence than a simple alkaline test before agreeing to a brake repair.

How to avoid reselling unnecessary services?

To make sure you're not selling services you don't need, you might want to consider asking a full report of your mechanic's findings and even ask for photographic evidence before your car is run. This way, service managers know that you are serious. It's also important to become familiar with your car's interior noises so you have an idea of ​​what those sounds might indicate before you take your car to a repair shop so you can communicate effectively with your mechanic.

What is the cost of owning and operating a Jiffy Lube?

Running a Jiffy Lube franchise is expensive. According to Entrepreneur magazine, the initial investment to start Jiffy Lube as a franchisee starts at $207,000 and can go up to $422,650. After this upstart fee, the franchise owner must pay Jiffy Lube an ongoing fee of 3-4% and an advertising fee of 4%. These fees come from the profits of the franchisee, so franchisees may be forced to meet certain revenue targets.

How to make sure your mechanic has completed the services you were billed for.

Jiffy Lubes in many parts of the country - and an alarmingly high number of Jiffy Lubes in Los Angeles - have been caught charging for services their mechanics never performed, such as changing the air filter, which is even more worrisome than selling customers services they don't need.

How journalists caught Jiffy Lube overpricing hundreds of dollars.

NBC Los Angeles went undercover at Jiffy Lube in Lynnwood, California. Service consultants for Jiffy Lube said the reporter's car needed $649 worth of repairs. Hidden cameras of reporters found that many services that were charged for were not actually provided.

During a meeting with an undercover news reporter, the technician removed the car's old air filter, but when the client wasn't looking, they reinstalled the same dirty old air filter. A reporter was erroneously billed $26.99 for a bogus "new" air filter.

The service consultant also charged $200 to change the transmission and differential fluids because he claimed they were dirty. The truth is that the fluids in the car had just been replaced by another Jiffy Lube during an investigative report.

At the end of the meeting A. A $22 Jiffy Lube oil change appointment cost $600 after all fictitious services and repairs were added to the appointment. at the request of a service consultant. NBC reported on the same troubling tactic in Jiffy Lubes back in 2006. At the time, Jiffy Lube president Luis Scoffone promised to make sweeping changes, but former managers, whose names were not released, said the problems had become more glaring in recent years.

What to check after an oil change?

We advise customers to keep in mind that Jiffy Lube service centers are franchised businesses, so not every location is a bad player. You can check your local Jiffy Lube's rating on the BBB, as some get 'F' ratings while others get 'A' and 'B' ratings.

To avoid false accusation, ask to see any parts you have replaced before the job is done. Then ask your service providers to show you the new part they are installing in your car, be it a hose or a filter.

How is Jiffy Lube working to keep customers safe during COVID-19?

Jiffy Lube promises that all of its offices are now providing precautions to prevent the spread of covid-19, such as frequent cleaning of surfaces and social distancing measures, which have become the standard in the automotive industry. However, in the franchise model, the franchisee must comply with and enforce corporate rules, so the level of compliance will vary from location to location.

Jiffy Lube's reputational issues are not unique to the brand. Finding a reliable mechanic has always been a challenge for consumers, regardless of the brand they choose to work with. Ultimately, franchise managers and store owners need to create an environment that promotes honesty, not short-term gain.

How do you know you can trust a car repair provider?

To be consistent, auto repair service providers need a robust process that guarantees accountability and consistency for every customer. Trust issues have plagued the automotive industry for decades.

That's why the AvtoTachki platform has been built to leave nothing to chance, from upfront, instant web pricing to a mechanics app that requires photographic proof of needed repairs and completion.

With no field service consultants, AvtoTachki knew it was important to create a trusted approach so that customers could get the service their vehicles needed at a fair and transparent price—no less, no more.