A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Jiffy Lube

So here I am, out running errands and stuff, and I thought to myself, "well crap, the state inspection is due."

I swing into the nearest inspection bay, which happened to be a Jiffy Lube. No biggie, the shop had one other car, I figure this would be the usual 15-20 minutes in and out. Nope, not 5 minutes go by, they back the truck out and hand the keys back. "Yeah, uh, your truck passed, the paperwork is on the dash. This isn't worth it to us so, no charge."





Thanks, I guess?

For context to non-Texans, the county mandates a price for these things based on state regs. No matter where I go to get it, it has to be $25.50, no more, no less. Twenny five dollars fiddy cents. My truck has to be plugged into a networked computer, which then reports it to the state while generating a paper copy for me to keep. This then gives me the green light to renew registration.


I've never seen anyone eat the cost before (fairly sure its technically illegal), and I've never seen a computer spit out an emissions test in less than ten minutes, let alone the three minutes it was actually plugged in today. Plus, its Jiffy Lube. I have never, ever walked out of a Jiffy Lube without them trying to sell me an oil change, new wipers, blinker fluid top off, a dingle-line-flush, or a fresh pine scent.

So what did I walk into and then get booted out of? Is this a front for the mafia? Did I interrupt their ocean's 11 heist? Was the technician offended my my radical hood scoop?

What's going on here?

 

Did he slip you his number? dunno i figured they charge the minimum at least

 

Nobody cares about their job anymore because noone gets paid a living wage anymore in 2023.

Dude prob gave everyone free tests that day lol

 

A funny thing also happened to me with my 1st Gen on my last visit ever to Jiffy Lube- I got free stuff also!

When I got home, my skid plate almost fell off in the driveway because there were only two loose bolts on opposite corners holding it on! I tried remounting it but it wouldn’t fit because something was blocking it. So I dropped it and found an oil filter wrench on top of the skid plate! I like getting free stuff, so I went back and ‘thanked’ the manager for it.

 

Maybe the tech just likes Tacos.

 

Sounds to me like it's the place to go. (Just don't let them change your oil/filter)

 

The shop probably agrees with most drivers that the whole process is a complete waste of everybody's time and $25.50.

 

Actually I overheard the bill for the Titan that was ahead of me. Oil change plus inspection - $230 and change.

Maybe the tech made his nut for the day and wanted a karma offset credit.

 

Absolutely! Especially since it's not even like the old days where they stuck the probe up the tailpipe and actually measured emissions. Now, they just plug it into their computer (Which I assume just sees if there's any codes show up .... Like what you can do yourself with a $40 code reader) and send you on your way.... $25.50 lighter.
It's nothing more now than just padding someone else's cash register with your $$. A complete and unnecessary rip-off. Thankfully, I now live in a place where I haven't had to do or pay for this scam.

 

Were you wearing your daisy dukes or something when you waltzed right in there??

 

They weren't willing to clog up the bay for 20 mins for the chicken scratch they were getting paid. Boot you out and get another sucker willing to pay for a $230 for an oil change and inspection that takes them 30 mins. Your inspection was simply bad (state mandated) business, take your paper and move along.

 

It was like that in VA back in the day. $20 state inspection that would take about an hour and a half if done by the book. Shops made no money doing them so I had a buddy who kept the books and stickers in the top of his box. He pretty much sold stickers for $20. LOL.

 

If you don’t have the internal fortitude to do the job you accepted and voluntarily agreed to do for the wage provided, feeling justified to do that job poorly due to inadequate compensation does not bode well for future success or the opportunity for such a promotion to be provided. In the last three years I have doubled the wages I pay and I get this bullshit everyday.
Do people bring more to the table, of course not. I don’t want to give a fuck attitude while expecting more. My wages have not increased, my profit margins have shrunk. My cost are soaring at every level yet the general worker should make more and more. Fuck right off!

 

damn, maybe i should hit up a Jiffy Lube for inspection once i get my windows tinted too dark

 

i don't think you realize how hopeless it is in some areas. people should be paid a living wage, until that happens, deal with it. they pay $9.50 an hour at the Jiffy Lube in my area. that's for experienced technicians. they start at $7.50. They don't have air conditioning, and rent is $1200 a month. millenials only own 4.6% of the wealth in the United States, and most of that is Zuckerberg. boomers had the gravy train and they love to call younger people lazy when they had every advantage possible.

https://www.newsweek.com/millennial...times-poorer-baby-boomers-were-age-34-1537638

 

I’m surprised that Texas of all places has mandatory auto inspections. Isn’t it the land of the free?

 

My point is that if your wage is not sufficient to cover your expenses it is your responsibility to find employment that does. Not the employer to pay more because your lifestyle does not match the position. Using this as justification to do a poor job only cost the employer more and makes it tougher to provide the increase required. The lack of understanding this basic principle is why that demographic has no wealth.

 

so just get a better job? easy for you to say. there's only so many high paying jobs available. all the cards are stacked against young people these days. and older people just continue to shit on the younger generations.

 

I paid my dues and started off struggling just like your generation. It takes time and effort to get comfortable and build wealth. It’s not automatic. It was not given to me and you would not know what to do with it were it given to you. Put in the work and pay your dues. Your time will come.

 

Many shops have a requirement that the tech sells a minimum amount of dollars of work on every vehicle that comes through. If he must sell every customer $150 in additional sales and you don’t do it, the amount gets added to the next vehicle. Work on 10 cars, must sell $1500 in work. If not, they can loose their job. Get caught selling you not needed work, they can loose their job. It is a no win situation. The method is common at many/most front end/ tire/ brake shops, and others. By not charging you anything he may have saved himself from getting fired.