Oil Change Customer from Hell or Hoax; You Decide

Evacuation, "E-Vac" Oil System for Oil Changing

How do most mobile oil change companies remove the used motor oil from the crank case? Well they "Evacuate it" or in the industry we call it "E-VAC" and this means we suck it out of the dip stick tube with a thin tube which is pushed into the crankcase. Many wonder will this get all the oil out? The answer is not all the oil. In many cases there will be some oil left, not much, but 100% is difficult even using the oil plug on the bottom of the pan.

Since it will not get all the oil out some consumers wonder; will mobile oil change companies be putting less oil in? This is the wrong question because even places like Jiffy Lube or Wal-Mart cannot get all the oil out and if you did your oil change yourself same thing. A properly used "E-vac" system gets nearly all the oil out. How do I know this? Well when we take the oil out if we loosen the oil pan drain plug we barely get a drop out after evacuation technique. If a consumer has a problem with 'E-vac' systems it is because no one has educated him correctly or he is unaware of the process. Most mobile oil change companies will remove the oil he old fashioned way if the customer requests it, thru the oil plug on the bottom of the pan. Oil change companies whether mobile or fixed are service companies and service is what we must do for the consumer.

I remember one gentleman requesting this and I had told him if that is what he wants, we will do it his way. So this gentleman said; "Well yes I would prefer that." So I said fine no problem let the operator know and it will be done by your request, "You can have it your way." I felt like a Burger King commercial, but what the heck, we claim we give good service so why not? Then the gentleman said; "Well I have two cars one is a Diesel Mercedes 300D and it takes 7.4 quarts of oil, so you are not going to charge me more are you?"

Well it does take 2 quarts more than most cars. So the price would be $2.00 per quart extra. Our cost at the time was $1.79 per quart most likely considering this guy would want some special oil, with oil prices up motor oil is also up a bit. Then he said; "I want Synthetic Oil." The conversation got lively then since he wanted the lowest price and synthetic and then a special job. I tried to explain to him on a Diesel Mercedes that the "E-VAC" system would take more oil out than draining through the oil pan plug. In the Mercedes 2.5L Diesel draining from the plug would remove 7.4 quarts including the oil in the filter, meanwhile the "E-VAC Systems" will remove 8.25 quarts. "OH," he said?"well then use the E-VAC thing, but I do not want to pay for the difference in oil between the 7.4 and 8.25 quarts." I am thinking to myself, this guy probably wants a free oil change. I said "Okay Sir, what is the other car?" He said "It is a Lincoln Marquis and I want the oil to be drained from the plug, but it is lowered with 16 inch rims and sits only three inches off the ground and I do not want you to jack it up, also the skid plate is bent and I am not sure you can get to the plug?"

At this point I am thinking this guy is so full of it, I cannot believe it. You cannot jack that car anyway it has self levelers and you have to turn the system off, meanwhile he said he would leave the car hood open for us? Usually in this case we would drive the car up on ramps. But how could we without the keys? Besides the "E-VAC" system would do the job fine anyway. After explaining this to the guy, he asked if we had a guarantee if the cars motor blew up after we worked on it? This whole time I am being cordial but thinking to my self I will be glad when this year is over. After having this belligerent customer harass me for ten minutes.

We asked him, can I schedule your cars for service. He said no, I just wanted to hear if you knew what you are talking about and he hung up. Now mind you, I was personally answering the phone and the only person that did not know what he was talking about was he himself. He must have been a competitor or something, there must be 100's of oil change companies in the Dallas Fort Worth area, but it just seems like a real waste of time for someone to be spending their holidays calling competitors?

If he was a real potential he was for sure the 'customer from hell' with a ten gallon hat and probably no cattle or two cars. When dealing with hard to deal with customers in the automobile business, remember be nice and cordial, you can complain to yourself later, no sense in making enemies. Think about it.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

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