Econo Lube & Tune

I took my 2002 Grand Am to the Econo Lube N' Tune here in Olathe, KS. About 5 months ago, I had Econo replace my timing chain because he said the timing chain guides were worn out and I may as well change the chain while they had the motor open. I agreed after much haggling on price and ended up paying them around $1,200, including an oil change after the work was done.

Two weeks ago, my wife was driving home from work and the car made a sort of pop, then dead car. Long story short, I towed it to Econo and they said the timing chain was broken due to the car losing oil pressure, **! Even if the oil pump completely failed, it would not break the timing chain. We would have heard ticking, slapping, knocking or something, but the only noise was that pop. So they are saying my car needs a new motor now and it really does, but I will make sure Econo foots the bill. This is ridiculous.They can't even prove to me that the chain got replaced. They said they don't keep the receipts, whatever. Maybe they should have on this.

So, needless to say, I'm not even sure that I got a new timing chain the first time and because of their lack of workmanship, I have a car with a bad motor and they are trying to blame it on me. I even called corporate and those dumb dumbs weren't any help either, same as the shop, "Let me take your number and I'll have someone from customer service contact you." Still no call. I can see a lawyer and a small claims suit in my near future! This is only one of many, many problems I've had with Econo and it will be the last. Warning! Never take your car or truck to Econo Lube N' Tune!

I had Econo Lube and Tune on Main Street in Grandview, MO do a transmission service on my 2006 Camry. They did transmission flush, filter and gasket. The manager asked me to come back in a couple of days to let him check the fluid levels just to make sure it was at the correct level. I thought it was odd, but I returned and he said it was as it should be. A couple of weeks later, they were gone.

I am doing this for my fiance. He took his 1997 Chevy Blazer into this Econo Lube 1 month ago exactly. They did an oil change, among many other things they ripped him off for, and now his engine has seized up. He has a regular mechanic work on his car now since he bought it. He keeps it running and always gets things fixed as soon as possible. He drove it to work this morning and made it half way there and had to get it towed back to our apt because the engine seized.

He had his mechanic look at it as soon as it got back and that was when he told him that the oil filter was not tight! So then he contacted Econo Lube and of course they will not take responsibility for it! I am so upset because his job is seasonal and I am pregnant and without a job! This is something we cannot afford nor can we afford a **** lawyer to sue the **** out of them!

I have seen some other complaints on this website and even my own mother had a problem with hers leaking but I am not sure of the details so now I will be sure to get her story too! I just wish they would accept they made this mistake and fix it because now he has to replace his engine! That is $1700 we do not have!

We are getting a lawyer but it will probably go to small claims court so not sure if they are needed there. I am extremely upset at this and would like to go there but I know it won't do any good. Hopefully people will see this and not take their car there. Also they do have false advertising with their $9.99 oil change because I took my car there then turned around when they said something different because of the type of oil I have. But after paying more elsewhere, I went back a few months later thinking that is just life and was cheaper there. Of course they always tell you that you need something else done to your car. It's so frustrating that they rip people off like this. Why can't they just be honest?!

It's the old bait and swap. They advertised an oil change with tire rotation for $9.99. But the oil was only a specific weight. So I ended up paying 29.99 for my oil change. AND because they did not have an after market lift, I wasn't able to get my tires rotated BUT they took my $32.24 after taxes and parts & labor.

This is a sham. How could an auto/brake repair shop not have adequate equipment?

I will never go back, the only reason I went was because of the advertised price. I typically pay $14.99 at Econ Lube, now it's up to $29.99. They got me but will never get me again. I know its because I'm a woman that they did this to me. No man would put up with this type of business. When I complained about it they acted like nothing was said. They actually did not respond!

Foolishly, I went to this place thinking they were helping me with my car. Each time I went to have my Oxygen sensors replaced, they insisted that was not the problem and fixed something else. First timing belt (ok sooner or later I would have needed this done so I let it pass), then returned for same oxygen sensor problem, again no that's not what you need you need a mass air flow sensor and that was to solve my problem....it didn't. I had the Oxygen sensors replaced else where and saw still not fixed the problem, took it to them they said sensors were not new (I have the receipt for VW that says they are). Insisted that I needed a catalytic converter and that would solve all my problems....not 10 miles out of the $1300 repair the light comes back on. They never fixed the problem. Finally took car to a REAL VW mechanic, $10 for mass air flow cleaner (which the econo lube folks had replaced less than a year prior) needed cleaning. The light went off .......Never had any of these guys tried the easiest fix, just the most costly.

I took my car for an oil leak repair in June 2009. They said they had fixed it for $420.00. I took it back for oil leak issues in 12-2009, and was charged $ 329.00 for it. I took it back in Feb. 2010 for the same problems, and they said they would have to pull the engine to determine the leak. I didn't leave it. The store has been taken over by corporate, and they said they wouldn't do anything for me. I am 66 years old and on a limited income. Please help. The car runs terribly, and uses gas at twice as much as before.

The old bait n' switch. I brought in my coupon for a $16.98 oil change and he told me that he didn't have the type of oil for that deal. He could do it for $25. I even offered him $20 because I didn't want to have to come back but he said no. I asked him when he would have the right oil and he said in a few days. I decided to give it one more try so I went back in two weeks and got the same story. Faulty advertising. What a rip off! I'll never go there again.

I took my 2002 Nissan Frontier Truck for a tune up. My truck was in good condition. my tags are due on 12/31/08 and it needs to be Smoged and I'm also going to start working in San Bernardino soon. so that is why I took it in for a tune up. When I drove up a man came to me and i told him I want a tune up on my truck. He looked under the hood and told me it would be $400.00 because some spark plugs were hard to get to. Then he told me he would charge $350.00 out the door. Sense I don't know what a tune up cost I said O.K.

It took from 2Hrs. to 2 1/2 Hrs. for them to do the tune up. He charged me $200.00 to replace the Cap, Roter, Plug Wires and Spark Plugs. $150.00 was for Labor. I took my kids across the street because they were hungry and when we returned he told me that the truck was ready. He also said that he added something to the fuel or something I don't remember exactly what it was that he added and this was without my permission. He also told that it was running a little hard. As I walked out I could see that a mechanic was stepping on the gas and revving the engine very hard a lot of smoke was coming out from under the engine.

The first man I did the transaction with told me to go on the freeway and drive it hard so all the carbon can come out. The mechanic told me to come back the next day so that he can reset the check engine Light. I took the truck and it was running very rough it was shaking a lot and back firing a lot. I was embarrassed because every one was looking at me. So I went to the gas station because it was about to run out of gas. I went home and it was still the same. So the next day was Sunday and I had to go to Church thinking it would be O.K. by now but it was still the same. It was embarrassing going to church with my truck backfiring. after church I took it to my dad who is not a machinac he told me he thinks they crossed the wires.

The next day I went to work for six hours and went back to the Econo lube N' tune. When I pulled up the man who helped me asked what's the matter I told him that my truck is messed up and it didn't get better. He opened the hood and checked it out then an other machinac came and checked it too. He looked at the cap and plugs and even touched the cap and they looked from the side of the truck and looked under they checked the tail pipe and said the muffler is clogged and I need to take it to a muffler shop. Their is a Midas Muffler and a Mineke Care Center down the street and he told me not to go their. He told me to go to a friends shop about 4 miles away. I told the other mechanic I was not going to take it 4 more miles so he told me to take it to Mineke.

I took it their,When I arrived they heard the back fires and they checked under the engine. The wires were crossed number 1 and 3 were crossed. Then they picked the truck up to check under it. The rear universal converter was blown open and it was melted inside. When they checked the Front Pre Cat Converter it was also melted he showed me what good ones look like, So i left it to be fixed at Mineke.

I took my truck in to get a smog check, but my engine light was on. They said they would do a diagnostic for $50 to see why the light was on. The guy then told me all I need to do is change my battery, which will cost $85 more. Not a big deal, I had him change the battery out. But it was taking him so long. I had my baby with me, so they dropped me off at home. My wife receives a call later that night and all of a sudden its more than just the battery. This guy claimed that the O2s were shot and there were 9 other problems. I found it to be very strange that when doing the diagnostic it was only the battery, but when I left some other guy works on my truck and there are so more problems. Its fishy.

My wife calls them back and tells them not to touch the truck. The guy replies, Fine, I will take out the new O2s. Its funny how neither I nor my wife gave permission to touch anything but the battery. The next morning, they gave a deal to change out the battery, diagnostic, O2s, and smog check for $225. I asked them will this take care of the engine light. Their response was yes. A few days later the light came on. We took the truck back in to do the smog check and turn off the light. Just last night the light came back on again! I called and they said to bring the truck back in. Now they are saying theres something wrong with the vacuum.

The truck was running smoothly before we took it in for a smog check. After all that money spent, the engine light is still on. They just want us to spend more and more money. Why didnt the diagnostic pick up this stuff in the first place? I had to cancel work appointments, wasting 4 days and the engine light is still on.

Have been going to econolube for a year, they exclusively do my oil changes as i purchased their platinum membership. I went in for an oil change in January. They did not tell me that they had to replace the bolt. I went in for a general inspection at my regular mechanic. They told me that i had an oil pan leak. I returned to Econo lube where they said that the bolt had been replaced and asked who did it. I said they were the only ones doing any oil changes. They said the oil pan was striped and that they would order a heloplex ring and temporarily put in a rubber oil pan bolt.

I returned to them in two weeks for another oil change and also asked how much it would be for a tune up. They removed one plug, they said to get the part number and quoted me $250. for the tune up with irridium plugs. They tried to pressure me into doing something, acted like they were desperate, (all the employees were standing around with nothing to do) they tried to get me to change the fuel filter, the mechanic said that he knew what he was doing, after i replied well u work for this company and want to sell me something, they got aggravated, so I decided not to have them do anything. They never said anything about the oil pan bolt.

As I drove off my van drove like it was going to stop. I immediately took it to my mechanic, where he said that they did not connect the plug wire. Then they showed me the oil pan bolt and I about flipped out. I don't know what they used, but it looked like a plastic washer with a wing nut on it. My mechanic said that with the pressure from the engine that it could have blown that out from the oil pan and dropped all my oil, possibly causing engine failure. The pan was stripped so bad that he had to replace the oil pan and bolt to a cost of $200.00. My platinum membership expires in April, but I wont go back. I cant afford to take the chance of them damaging any other parts. I don't trust them anymore. I know that karma has already taken Econo lube's profits, if they have to stup this low.

Replace oil pan $200.00

We took our 2001 Ford Focus in to get the oil changed on 7/17/2006. The store manager, James, was working at the time. After changing our oil, James took off the air intake valve, propped open the butterfly valve with a tool, and asked my husband to come look at it. He showed my husband that it was dirty, and asked if we wanted it cleaned. My husband declined this service. The car was put back together, and we went to pay. The manager told us that this one is on me, and let us go without paying. We thought it was our lucky day, and left. James did not give us a receipt, as we had not paid.

Upon leaving, the car acted a little funny-it misfired twice. We knew it needed a tune-up, and resolved to get one that week, as it was late in the day. The car was driven very little on the 18th and 19th. On the 20th, I drove my husband to work. It stalled twice, and missed several times. After dropping him off at work, it died completely.

Upon trying to start it, it made a horrible grinding noise. My husband looked at the car on the 20th and 21st. Upon opening the butterfly valve, he pulled out approximately 40 small metal pieces with a long magnet. The car still would not start.

We had it towed to Randy's Downtown Garage on 7/24/06. He determined that a metal object had been dropped into the engine via the air intake valve. He was not able to determine what the metal object was.

The engine was destroyed, as a result. The new engine and repairs cost approximately $3000. We are college students, struggling to raise our children, and had to borrow the money from my father.

The ONLY way that anything could have been dropped into the engine, was when James at Econo Lube 'n Tune propped open the air-intake valve with a tool. A part of the tool may have fallen in. No work was done on the car after having the oil changed.

When I informed James at Econo of my concerns, he laughed. He said I had no proof that I had gone there, and that their company would counter-sue us. I had no where to go, and dropped the matter.

On 06/09/06, I took my vehicle to this place for oil replacement & tire rotation and I paid $39.34. When I was talking to my husband about tire rotation in that afternoon, my husband was so positive that no tire rotation was done. So I called them back to ask about it. The employee who worked on my vehicle told me that he did not rotate my tires because it was not needed and he told his boss about it. I got confirmation to get the credit back via phone conversation.

Then I went back on 06/13/06 and the owner suggested that he would leave it as credit for next visit. I felt cheated, but I agreed to do so, by giving them a benefit of doubt for miscommunication.

On 09/11/06, I needed oil replacement service on the same vehicle, but my husband took it to another place while he was waiting for minor surgery on my foot.

On 10/17/06, I took the vehicle to this Econo Lube for tire rotation service to use my credit from previous over-charge. An employee was working on another vehicle and I informed him about the credit I have and I asked for tire rotation & left my car (No paper work was done). When I went back to pick up my car, the owner explained that he did not charge for the tire rotation, but asked to pay for oil replacement. I told him that my car did not need that service yet and I did not asked for it. His employee & his wife claimed that they heard me asking for oil replacement. I had my co-worker with me at that time and I told him that I could bring her to prove that I did not ask for oil replacement. I told him that he could check the Next Visit Sticker from the other place. He said he threw it away and he told me to dig the trashcans because he would not look for it, by pointing one of the trashcans in their property.

On the way to the trashcan to see if I could prove him that I did not lie, I fell on the ground due to oil residue. No body cared to see if I was okay. I could not find anything in the trashcan. So I told him that I would provide him the receipt from another place next day. He declined by saying he could not trust me. He would only release my key if I paid for the oil replacement service. I had no other choice, so I paid for it. Then he asked me if I were a Korean. Before I even had a chance to respond (the question caught me by surprise), he said that he regretted to have me as regular so long because he seems to have the problems with Koreans all the time.

On 10/18/06, I went back to the place with my co-worker to provide the verification that proves that I had oil replacement service done on 09/11/06. He kept on apologizing my male co-worker saying there are a lot of people who try cheat on them for that kind of situation.

However, he failed to apologize me for his wrong doings.

After all, I got my money in cash since he did not want to leave a record of refunding credit to my credit company.

He charged me for the service it was not done and the service it was not asked for. He humiliated me & defamed Koreans.

I'm trying to sell my Ford pickup truck and needed to do a brake job. I went to the Econo Lube near my office and had a brake job done. I also asked them to run the code on my check engine light, which was on. They called and said it was running lean and needed a fuel injector cleaning, which I agreed to. I picked up the truck (this was a Wednesday) and made it about 10 miles befor the check engine light came back on.

I went back on Thursday and they ran the code and said it now needed an EGR valve to fix the problem. The truck is 9 years old, so this didn't bother me. I picked up the truck later that day and made it one mile before the check engine light came back on. I went back Friday morning and this time they said it needed left side oxygen sensors, but because it was their third try, they wouldn't charge me any more labor. I picked up the truck at noon and made it about 50 feet before the check engine light came back on. They then re-seated the EGR valve, cleaned the vacuum lines, etc.

The check engine light didn't come back on until the next day. So, this is where I sit - about $400 in repairs for a problem that still exists. At this point, it needs to go to Ford, but meanwhile, I'm out this money. I called the store and the manager isn't in and they won't tell me his name.

On 5/29/04, I took my 2003 Chevy Impala in for a brake inspection, because my brakes had a slight pulsating feel, When I was told by Pete, the mananger, that the brakes pads seemed fine, but they would turn the rotors. I was charged $80.00 for that. The next day, I noticed the same problem,I went back and mentioned this to the manager, but told that I could not bring in the car right away, due to prior commitment and vacation. On 6/13/04, I returned the car to the shop, only to be told that I should go ahead and have the front brake pads replaced and that would solve the problem, charge for that,$84.55. When I drove off I noticed the same problem only worse, so I returned the car on 06/15/04, Where it stayed all day. I picked up the car that evening. I drove it that night only to notice that it was worse then ever.

This morning, 06/16/04, I took the car to Brake Check. The manager there showed me the mess that Econo Lube had made. They cut the rotors far beyond maufacturer's spec, replaced them to the wrong wheels,didn't repair anything. The rotors were cut so much that I had to have them all replaced at my expense. It cost me over $600.00 to fix the mess that Econo Lube created.