I want to start this chapter out with a recent personal story. I moved across the country to secure my new government job. This was actually about two years ago.

I got to town before my tools arrived and the long trip put me past due for my recommended maintenance on my newer truck that now had about 6,000 miles on it.

My owner manual states to change the engine oil every 3,000 miles or three months.

My manual states failure to comply with this could void my warranty and I know this is not true and I will explain why in this chapter.

I decided to go to the local dealer and explain to them I was a certified master technician without my tools and needed an oil change.

The dealer service advisor wrote me up and I waited for the vehicle in their state of the art customer conference room.

While I was in the waiting area I read the sales flier of what was to be included in my $34.95 oil change.

Boy all kinds of good stuff. I was tempted to go outside and watch the mechanic perform the service.

But I was comfortable and decided to relax, have some coffee and watch TV. This was a mistake and against my better judgment.

I do strongly recommend that you watch the mechanic perform the service when waiting for your vehicle.

Even if you know what your watching.

The mechanic may not like it but that is to bad it is your right to watch. This usually keeps the mechanic honest. As in he is less likely to skip things like checking tire pressure and filling fluids.

Well I received a page that my vehicle was done and to proceed to the cashier.

I paid my bill and my truck was pulled up to the drive through. I decided to check the service right there.

Oh my god the horror. Nothing in the flier was done except just the oil change and they screwed that up also.

They overfilled the engine oil by more than a quart, which is bad for the engine.

They did not lube the front end; they did not top off the fluids, check the tire pressure or even fill my washer fluid.

They even crossed threaded the oil fill cap and broke it.

My blood pressure went through the roof. I went to the service adviser and asked to see the service manager.

To my surprise he pointed to the service managers office, instead of trying to handle the complaint, as a good service advisor should do.

I knocked on the service manager’s door and he yelled what in a very aggressive manner.

I entered and introduced myself and said I just moved to town and was looking for a reliable dealer and was interested in being a long-term customer of this establishment.

I explained to the service manager my disappointment on how my simple oil change was completely botched. He said why and I went down the long list.

He got defensive and put on his angry face and said what makes you so smart.

I explained my expertise in the field and why I did not do the service myself.

He went out to my near new vehicle and I showed him every last detail that went wrong on the simple service.

After a few more attempts to get tough on me which I immediately used against him he surrendered and agreed the service was done horribly.

There was no defending anything because the poor service was so obvious.

He stated his lube guy was a trainee and he would have the service straightened out by his best master tech and refund my money.

He lived up to his promise but I was there for about 5 hours total.

I know this was a long story but I wanted you to understand I know what you face as a customer and as a mechanic.