Jiffy Lube — Local services in Hayden

I've had questionable experiences with Tire Rama and a few really sketchy experiences with Les Schwab in the past so I decided to try Jiffy Lube. Upon arrival I was greeted and directed away from the front door to the outside bays by a general service tech. I asked for prices for an oil change and tire rotation. He quoted oil changes started at $100 and $49 for a tire rotation. His demeanor seemed a little off, so I asked him if he was the service writer. He replied no, and the service writer walked over and asked what I was looking to get done. I again asked for prices for an oil change and tire rotation. He replied the same for the oil change, but said tire rotation was $35. The tech was still nearby broke eye contact and walked away. I said let's go with the oil change but hold off on the tire rotation then I was advised to sit in little building while they did the oil change. About 15 minutes go by and I hear someone in the bay say they snapped a bolt head on the skid plate. Then I hear him say they snapped another one. The service writer comes in to explain what happened and says that they'll get a bolt extractor to fix it but that I would need to get new bolts. I asked him to note on the paperwork that they snapped bolt heads and agreed to extract the bolts when the got the extractor. He agreed to. Then a guy who I'm guessing is the manager walks in from the bay and goes into the back office. I asked the service writer if the tech used a rachet or an impact when the bolt heads snapped. The guy in the office hollars from the office saying "it wouldn't matter, they're rusted and whoever did your last oil change didn't put two of the bolts back in to secure the skid plate and cover, so he spread 3 of the 6 bolts back to hold the skid plate and cover on. Then the service tech comes in with my air filter (covered in dirt and debris along with pine needles) and cabin air filter talked to the service writer who turns to me and says we can get these replaced for you with the the oil change and I'd be looking at around $240 - $250. I said no thank you. The service writer leaves and comes back with my keys and says alright, I emailed you your receipt. So I pull it up on my phone and ask him to show me where it mentioned the bolt heads and them agreeing to fix. He points it out where it stated "bolt head snapped PR AR". I asked what "PR AR" stood for. The service writer says, prior to arriving. I said but it didn't happen prior to arrival, you guys said you broke two bolt heads and two were missing. He said ok. So I asked him to correct it and email it to me. He said he would have to re-scan the vehicle and send it. The guy in the back office comes out and says he only broke one but they would order the bolt extractor and call me when it showed up to remove the broken bolts. I said okay and that I would get the replacement bolts so everything was ready when they called. I got the replacement bolts and waited two days for a call back and nothing. So I called and was told they don't have a bolt extractor and they'll contact me or I can call back. After waiting another day I decided to go to a trusted shop I've been to previously and gave them the extra business to drill the bolts out and replace them. They got me scheduled in less than 24 hours, charged mea fair price for drilling the bolts and $25 tire rotation. Safe to say I won't be returning to Jiffy Lube in the future. They spoke to me respectfully but wanted a lot in labor for the air filter and cabin filter and the pine needles and dirt/debris on top of the air filter seemed oddly & intentionally placed considering it's enclosed and sealed with 4 clamps. The incorrectly higher price quote from the tech that was corrected by the service writer seemed a bit sketch. The fact I head someone say they snapped another bolt, then was told they only snapped one and two weren't put back in from the last place I had the oil changed but there were 3 snapped bolt heads in total on the skid plate doesn't add up and I have yet to be...

Originally, I'm in Spokane, about an 45 mins or so away from this location, and I go into a Jiffy Lube there to get a fuel filter installed on a Honda. I called prior and they quoted me $60 to install over the phone. I get there, and they Tell me it's about $108 after tax, that it was more than $60. okay, well of they can do it that works I suppose. After 45 minutes I'm told they don't have the tools, I need to go to a "corporate location" (this one) . I come into this location and I ask them if they can do it when I pull up, offering to give him a quick look as I didn't want to wait in line for nothing. He said I'd have to wait and see. Alright, about 45 mins later my vehicle pulls into the shop, approx. 10 mins later they come in to ask me to show them where my fuel filter is. Not very assuring, I have a Honda Accord which, in my experience, is not an obscure car. Sure, the filter is in a different spot than some other vehicles but pretty common all the same. After over 2 HOURS, the guy comes in saying he can't get it off the bottom hard line and got the top line and bracket off. Fortunately I wasn't offended but he was very unprofessional about it, swearing profusely and honestly not taking any sort of responsibility for it whatsoever, no recommendations, nothing. Literally "You're screwed." Alright, he offers to leave the securing bracket off for the next place I visit, I say no as I want it to be together when I drive, as I wouldn't have time to get it looked at for a few days. I wish they would have communicated or kept me updated instead of working on it for hours and saying that they couldn't do it. Yesterday rolls around, and I get it checked at grease monkey, they can't even get the top line off. They say Jiffy Lube over torqued it, and it can't be taken off, it's stuck on. Another nearby local mechanic checked it out as well, and both had told me that due to that, several other parts would need to be removed in order to work on it, and that potentially one or both lines attached would need to be replaced.

So now, my situation has gotten considerably worse, and I'm just very disappointed. I had no good customer service in either location, no updates as things went on or any sort of assurance, barely any useful info and really just a bummer experience. Some of the employees at this location we're pretty friendly, but that's about it.

(Update) In the end, I found a mechanic who was able to get it off. They said the previous filter was heavily damaged by whatever they did at Jiffy Lube. No lines needed to be replaced thankfully. They said it was very difficult to get off because of the way Jiffy did things.

I'm never going to a Jiffy Lube again. Heck, if it was free I wouldn't trust them. Not upset at any individual at this point, clearly the training and corporate rules...

Upon check in one of the two employees I was greeted by immediately started complaining that since the oil filter was so difficult to access (through the wheel well) he'd have to charge me an extra $100. Sort of joking, but I could tell he wasn't pleased to see me. The oil change proceeded, one of the employees informed me that the cabin and main air filters were ready to be changed, but I declined that option. They pulled my truck out of the bay and there it sat while they pulled in the next vehicle and started the service leaving my truck unfinished. About 20 minutes later they put the filters back in and finished the service. After leaving I checked the wheel well at my next stop, 4 of the fasteners holding in the wheel well had not been replaced. This cost me an extra hour or so in my day driving back to the shop, upon which time I was told by the employee that originally greeted me and wasn't happy about needing to remove the wheel well shroud, that two of the fasteners were missing upon my arrival, of which I was not informed. I'm not sure how that justifies leaving another two of them out and potentially creating a driving hazard where the shroud could get tangled in the tire. He grudgingly replaced the fasteners, which I appreciated but wasn't too happy about wasting my time coming back to have it done. After 24 hours I had still not received my receipt (email) detailing the service I received, so I had to call 3 times before someone picked up (no voice mail is available) over the course of an afternoon. Upon receiving my receipt I noted that they marked that the cab was vacuumed out, which it was definitely not. I didn't expect it to be, but why was it marked as done? I reviewed my fluid levels wondering what else was not completed and noted that the washer fluid was about half a gallon low, another task noted on the receipt as completed. I'm not sure which other fluids were checked or not, but it makes me wonder after two easy to check items were marked complete and clearly not done.

I wasn't going to leave this review, but after 3 emails and a text message nagging me to leave one, here it is. I won't be back to the Jiffy...