LAist: EZ Lube Still Sucks

Drew Geary

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:32:45 -0800

Drew Geary 1944 South Bon View Avenue Ontario, CA 91761 Telephone (909) 994-4423 January 25, 2008 EZ Lube Corporate Office 3506 West Lake Center Drive Suite B Santa Ana, CA 92704 714 556 1312 / FAX 714 556 1562 To Whom It May Concern: On September 8, 2007 I took my truck (mileage 24,573) to EZ Lube on Monte Vista in Montclair (receipt 4352574 and 4352575 attached). For a complete service, including engine oil, new oil filter, transmission fluid service, rear differential service and windshield wipers. During this service the EZ Lube service technician over tightened and sheared off a stud in the third member of the rear end (differential). Then the EZ Lube Store manager “Art” and the assistant manager “Angel” – (I am not positive of the names) advised me to take the truck to David at MD Auto Sales – 1466 East Foothill Blvd., #F – Upland, CA 91786 telephone 909-931-9949. Which I did, MD fixed the problem and EZ Lube paid them. On EZ Lube’s computer records it will show that prior to this service in September I took the truck to EZ Lube for an oil change and for the recommended rear differential service at 15,000 miles. After I picked up the truck and arrived at home I noticed the rear differential was leaking oil. I called EZ Lube, they sent out a technician and he fixed the problem at my house in the driveway. When I took the truck in on September 8th I reminded them to tighten the bolts so we could avoid this problem. NOTE: The rear differential was not leaking until EZ Lube serviced it. A week prior to January 17, 2008 I noticed the rear differential was leaking oil again. I took the truck to EZ Lube on January 17th for an oil change and reminded the technician to double check the rear differential fluid because it had been leaking, again. When the technician told me the truck was ready to go, I asked him again if he had checked the rear differential fluid and he looked me square in the eye and said, “yes, it’s full and you are good to go”. January 18, 2008, Friday night I was driving westbound on the 60 freeway at Central, the rear end locked up, causing me to loose control momentarily, then the rear end freed itself and I was able to exit the freeway at Central and Philadelphia, called AAA and they towed me home. Today January 19, 2008 Saturday I towed the truck (mileage 31,442) again to Crown Toyota Ron Broussard, Service Manager, in Ontario (receipt attached) Customer #1092535. They are checking the problems and will provide and estimate. It is my opinion that whatever damage there is to the differential of this truck is the responsibility of EZ Lube. Drew Geary Repair Order Detail • RO Number: 608358 RO Status: OPENED • Customer: GEARY,DREW Customer Copy • Phone(s): Contact: Main: (909)994-4423 Cell: (909)994-4423 • Vehicle: 5TETU62NX5Z039716 2005 TACO 0040/WHITE • Mileage: 31,442 Payment type: CASH Waiter: No • Service advisor: 294 Promised time: 05:00 PM Estimate: 2,356.61 • Tag number: T571 Promised date: 01/25/2008 Customer Comments: No ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A TOW IN - C/S DIFFERENTIAL LOCKED UP ON FREEWAY. CK & ADVISE - HAD E-Z LUBE SERVICE VEHICLE THURSDAY. MISC CP ENTER DESCRIPTION 0.00 0.00 41110-35B20 0 CARRIER ASSY, DIFFER 0.00 42181-60130 0 GASKET, DIFFERENTIAL 0.00 90310-58003 0 SEAL, TYPE S OIL 0.00 Parts: 0.00 Labor: 0.00 Other: 0.00 Total Line A: 0.00 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ B CELL 994-4423 MISC CP ENTER DESCRIPTION 0.00 0.00 Parts: 0.00 Labor: 0.00 Other: 0.00 Total Line B: 0.00 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Customer Pay Labor 0.00 Parts 0.00 Lube 0.00 Sublet 0.00 Miscellaneous/Shop Charge 0.00 Total Charges 0.00 Less Insurance/Adjustment 0.00 Sales Tax 0.00 Total 0.00 Page 1, Created: 01/22/2008 03:05:28 PM Copy of email from Crown Toyota Green Team Service Manager Ron Broussard Service Direct Line : 909 390 3311 1201 Kettering Drive Ontario CA 91761 800 276 9699 ext 274 FAX 909 390 9751 Copies of this letter have been sent to: Drop Joel a line: Joel.Grover@nbcuni.com EZ Lube 3506 W. Lake Center Drive #B Santa Ana, CA 92704 Phone 714 556 1313 FAX 714 556 1362 (714) 964-7110 EZ Lube #113, 8949 Monte Vista Avenue, Montclair, CA 91763 (909) 399 0515 MD Auto Sales – David – 909-931-9949 1466 E. Foothill Blvd., #F – Upland, CA 91786 Green Team Service Manager Ron Broussard Service Direct Line : 909 390 3311 1201 Kettering Drive Ontario CA 91761 800 276 9699 ext 274 FAX 909 390 9751 BUREAU OF AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR 10240 Systems Parkway Sacramento, CA 95827 (866) 799-1332, (916) 255-3176 Fax David Drier, Congressman 510 East Foothill Blvd. San Dimas, CA 91773 Phone: 909 575 6226 FAX: 909 575 6266

thecoloured

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:11:19 -0800

This is hilarious because my cousin works at the EZ-lube on Highland and La Brea. wah-wah

1atech

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:54:40 -0800

I read about the fines that the state had imposed to E-Z Lube: $5,000,000 and restitution fund of $6,000,000. Sounds very impressive? Do not be fooled. EZ Lube has 80 stores that will absorb the fine, giving them just a slap on the wrist. If we split the 5 million by the 80 stores give us $62,500 per store, payable in two years, or $31,000 per year. EZ Lube is been doing this for many years and they will not stop this practices, the reason is the fine is so low compared with the rewards. Some times people look at the big numbers and do not do the math. The people that go to EZ Lube are on denial. We run a very honest operation in the city of Whittier CA. We were very upset with the decision on the government side. This kind of actions make our industry look very bad. The honest people get a bad reputation and the bad ones get a slap on the wrist and free to do business as usual. I have to express my disapproval on the decision taken by the authorities. The correct step must be fine this companies and close them as well as banning them for doing business ever! Sincerely, Gilbert Hernandez Barsom Automotive.

Liz

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 11:34:07 -0800

They tried to do this to me twice. I've got a nice long testimony on what they did to me. You wouldn't believe that they even left my car unattended on Sunset Blvd. with the keys in the ignition. My EZ Lube Story

FAITHFUL CUSTOMER

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 18:00:43 -0800

i dont know if anybody has been paying attention but whole thing is a bunch of bulls@*&$. i work for the state goverment. i have seen all the reports and the bar has no authority to shut down EZ Lube, and all the allegations are based on assumptions. they recommend by time and mileage if you didn't know thats how services are to be recommended by manufacturers recommednations you should shut your mouth and stick your nose into business you know about. the main reason for all this controversy is that Jiffy Lube was hit by the media in a bad way si they came after a competing company. i have been a customer for manay years, i have a 1991 ford mustang that i took there since brand new, and now to this date has 298,000+ miles on it from constant traveling and when i take to other places besides EZ Lube when there is not one around they say they never seen a vehicle that has this high of mileage run so well. i am pro Ez Lube i have inside sources on this scandel i will proceed to go to Ez Lube.

cindylu

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:25:24 -0800

They told me something I had fixed by my mechanic had not been repaired yet. It's a good thing I run everything having to do with my car by my dad first.

joe

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 03:36:03 -0800

practically ALL oil change places like EZ Lube do this. they always tell you your transmission fluid needs replacing. when i was younger i fell for that stuff. there's no need to replace your fluid outside of your regular scheduled maintenance.

JK

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 22:12:06 -0800

I was an EZLube customer, but after a few trips I suspected that they were trying to rip me off. I was never able to get out of there with just a simple oil change, there was always something that needed replacing or flushing. I'm sorry to say that I while I know enough to change the oil and air filters, I'm ignorant about anything else on my car that might need service; until it breaks I don't worry about it -- in other words, their target demographic.

sam

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 12:44:45 -0800

and when it closes all 76 stores...the mechanics will go and get jobs at the other auto shops...

Kitty

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 19:46:03 -0800

I'm happy to give someone 30 bucks to do the job so I don't have to! But not if they've been caught scamming, and especially not if they can't even spell my name.

hollywood

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 18:04:59 -0800

The big issue with changes is where to put the old oil. Can't just dump it in the back yard or down the drain. Nothing new on this kinda scam. IIRC, various units of Aamco and Mark C. Bloome used to specialize in this sorta stuff.

Gregg Fuller

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 16:25:41 -0800

Changing one's own oil is a fairly simple task that should be covered in the manual that came with your vehicle. All it takes is a little time, and a little more patience than you're usually willing to give (especially that first time) but once you've done it for yourself, you'll never want to pay someone an exorbitant amount of money to do it.