Valvoline Instant Oil Change VIOC : Damage To My Vehicle Occurred During Course of Oil Change Service Conducted at , Belfair, Washington,
...... MY TALE (nightmare) UNFURLS AS FOLLOWS (via letter sent to VIOC service location manager): Dear Belfair VIOC Manager Kenneth, Due to a series of recent health setbacks and attendant concerns, I have not been able to visit your office as yet in order to speak with you in-person regarding issues encountered with my vehicle following service performed at your facility on 2/5/2021. Therefore, in lieu of a personal visit -- and in the interest of timeliness -- I have elected to send you this correspondence detailing my explanation of experiential grievance for your edification and consideration.
Sans further ado, the remainder of this communication rolls-along as follows: Whenever I bring my car into a professional automotive services business of any kind for service attention, I expect it to come out in better shape than it was before it came in. Examples of my dissatisfaction with Belfair Valvoline Instant Oil Change facility are herein listed:
(1) The video cam/monitor screen was cut-off (cold-dead, no image-feed, just total screen blackout) at about the 10-minute mark into my service viisit, leaving me essentially "flying blind" for most of the procedure, so I could not see what the service technicians were doing and/or not doing. Although I could not see, I did clearly hear bottomside technician Casey and another technician coversing a number of times with one another, mostly saying that they were having trouble with finding locations of certain things on my vehicle (a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix), so when I inquired about the lack of video monitoring, CSR Reiley informed me that the monitor display screen had been "acting-up" and that a work order to have it fixed had already been submitted ..... but, of course, that excuse -- as unbelievable as it was -- did not help me one d**n bit at the time in terms of my being able to depend upon video playback evidence to support my claims ..... so it sure as hell seemed to me as if Reiley and the other technicians within earshot were all kinda caught-off-guard by my "loss-of-video-monitoring" complaint, and so just ended-up sorta like B.S.'ing their way through an awkward embarrassing moment they found themselves suddenly immersed and struggling within.
* Why not shut-down the service bay until everything is fully functional, as should be the case in the very first place, per customers' reasonable expectations? * The total service time expended on my vehicle (time-in / time-out) was a whopping 38 minutes (more than twice the 15-minute typical oil change time proudly touted on the Valvoline website), and I am therefore inclined to believe that the reason for such a protracted service time figure is due to the service technicians' combined difficulties with locating components and lubrication points, etc., on my particular vehicle ..... along with perhaps other servicing difficulties encountered ..... as their conversations among one another -- while in the midst of performing the overall service -- seemed to indicate.
(2) I believe that the topside technician Steven may have performed the battery checking test procedure either incorrectly, or problematically, due to the fact that the car computer failed and had to be reprogrammed just a few minutes after I left the premises.
(3) My service report stated that some fluid levels were not checked due to the inlet access ports being "sealed" ..... I found these claims to be questionable. Not too happy at all with ostensibly being denied those important services, and associated fluid top-offs, should any have been necessary.
(4) Another post-service issue I have discovered is sadly that -- for some reason, or reasons -- the vehicle is running hotter, as the temperature gauge is now registering a significantly higher quiescent operating temperature indication, even rising at a faster rate when idling in heavy traffic and at stop-lights, etc., and this new troublesome quirky thing is disturbing me greatly of late.
Due to the influences attributable to my degree of senior citizen-accumulated life experience -- coupled with a firm grasp upon reality -- I quite confidently believe that you, Sir -- as a good company man, and thus loyally beholden to favoring and carrying-out activities protective of corporate interests over those of customers -- will exercise a first instinctive tendency to try and find a way in order to do nothing to resolve my issues, thus protecting yourself, your store -- and your corporation entirely -- while leaving poor insignificant customer ME out-in-the-cold; thus hangin' & twistin'-in-the-wind, as per chapter-and-verse of the trusty vaunted universal corporate playbook.
So that initial approach may perhaps be a given, though I certainly hope that will not be the case. I need "a breath-of-fresh-air" in the form of a fair-minded and reasonable response from you at this important point in the grievance resolution process. At this messy juncture I will go ahead and cede listed items #1 and #3, because I believe entirely full well in my heart & soul that your technician staff will conveniently not admit to any wrongdoing re: anything I have reported .... thus leaving me dead-in-the-water with no hope of being believed and/or having things made right by you for me. In light of this exasperating circumstance, I realize that it is not worth my time, waste of effort, nor frustrating energy expenditure to continue pursuing. As for remaining listed items #2 and #4, those issues still remain yet worth pursuing, even against all odds. With regard to voluntarily sacrificed items #1 and #3, please do realize that the reason they have been brought to your attention is to simply serve as a means of communicating to you what really truly happened -- whether you choose to believe it or not -- during my 2/5/2021 service visit experience at your Belfair facility, and thus also serves as a rationale for my not returning there for future services.
All of that falls duly, deservedly, and squarely upon you and your staff. So yeah, that's all on you guys!!!! Please just admit it .... then own it and live with it. Should you even consider responding at all, and then actually decide to do so, please direct such response to me via Email or snail-mail -- regarding, of course, the aforementioned ostensible comedy-of-errors -- at your earliest convenience. Thank you most immeasurably, Sir. Brightest Blessings, Michael Donovan P.S. Please do not consider reprimanding or terminating the employment of either Casey, Reiley, and/or Steven over all this .... as such a mess becomes a golden "teachable moment" opportunity in which to help them to improve as employees -- being trained and retained as such -- while also easing my conscience that no drastic overreaction overkill actions will occur on your part as any result of this complaint letter .... and finally, to prevent any likelihood of possible angst-driven retaliation coming-my-way as an unfair tragic outcome of the simple innocent exercise of my right to complain and file legitimate grievance accorgingly; therefore naturally and acceptably, as entirely apropos in a free society. --
1. Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy!
2. Ascribe and adhere to the Golden Rule!
3. The Cycles of Karma do exist and function throughout the entire universe!
4. In a similar vein, "Murphy's Law" does indeed exist and functions throughout the entire universe!
5. Just because one CAN, does not necessarily mean that one SHOULD ! ! !
6. The more one knows, the more one knows that there's always more to know ! ! !
7. The time is long overdue for all of us to wake-up and get-a-clue ! ! !
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Michael
Belfair,Washington,
United States
Troll Alert? Yes, I Believe So.
#7Author of original report
Thu, February 02, 2023
Your mean scathing overkill rebuttal statement well represents that of an irresponsible bad juju spreading hit-job. I do not believe that you are actually officially representing VIOC, but perhaps you would be a perfect fit for such an infamous organization. Perhaps you should look into that possible opportunity. As it presently stands though, I think that you have ostensibly minimal -- if any -- credibility, standing, or value to add to this matter, so therefore it may become the best course of wisdom, civility, and overall action for you to simply back-off, step-off, and then just go away. Thank you extraordinarily, Sir.
Flint
Rolla,Afghanistan
Rest assured
#7Consumer Suggestion
Wed, January 25, 2023
Low mileage has very little to do with anything. By the time a vehicle is 10 years old, mileage is largely meaningless -- things start to disintegrate due to age, even on a high-quality vehicle. And GM does not make high quality vehicles. They use the cheapest grades of rubber and have poor quality and poor design throughout. Their vehicles barely outlast the (very short) warranty period. Like I said, the issues you are describing are typical for a vehicle this old, and don't have anything to do with an oil change. I'm not sure what you think an oil change involves, but it sure as hell can't mess up a computer or cause your headgasket to start leaking. Most likely your vehicle was just parked for so long that you didn't notice all of these issues, which cropped up the first time you took it out.
Michael
Belfair,Washington,
United States
***TROLL ALERT*** Ostensible VIOC Supporter & Sympathizer "Flint" Seems An Abusive, Disrespectful, Bully/Hater Misfit (Via Contents of Misguided "POS" Rant-Assault)
#7Author of original report
Sun, May 02, 2021
Hey There Mr. Angry POS Bully/Hater Guy, In your uncontrollable urge to lash-out at me personally, you carelessly neglected to exhibit any class, decency, respect, and objectivity required in order to qualify your petulant rant as a legitimate meaningful distinguished rebuttal discussion of worth, credibility, and thus actual value. Your presentation of what you believe are facts, ended-up being nothing more than a vicious "hit-piece" issued for your own infantile personal amusement and trolling trouble-making nasty pleasure. You're is all disgrace. I have taken liberty to expose a few things about your desperate attention-seeking unstable venom-vitriol rant: (YOU SAID) "I'm not sure what you expect, given that your vehicle is a 15-year-old GM piece of crap from a brand that doesn't even exist anymore (in no small part because it had such an odious reputation for atrocious quality). The average life expectancy for anything made by GM is about 5-7 years, so your vehicle is way past that.
It's like a 97 year old complaining that they have aches and pains. On a car that old and as poorly made as yours, doing any kind of service is risky, because most of the time things are barely holding together as it is." (I SAY) WHAT DO I EXPECT? I EXPECT GOOD COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL VEHICLE SERVICE, NO MATTER WHAT THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. MOREOVER, A 97 YEAR OLD LIKEWISE EXPECTS EXCELLENT MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS AND CARE IN ORDER TO BEST DEAL WITH ALL THOSE ACHES AND PAINS. HAVE-A-HEART, BUDDY!!!! FURTHERMORE, WHILE YOU HATE-ON GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES AND BADMOUTH THEM WITH SUCH VICIOUS INTENSITY, YOU KNOW NOTHING AT ALL ABOUT MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE; ITS SERVICE HISTORY, HOW WELL MAINTAINED & UPGRADED IT HAS BEEN .... AND, OR COURSE, THE PRECIOUS FACTORS OF LOW-MILEAGE & LIGHT WEAR-&-TEAR -- FOR ITS AGE -- THAT APPLIES TO MY WELL-CARED-FOR GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES ..... THEREFORE MINE STILL RUNS VERY WELL, AND IS BY NO MEANS A RUN-OF-THE-MILL CAR AT ALL. (YOU SAID) "The oil change techs were probably having problems because somebody else stripped out the drain plug or damaged somethingand it of course takes extra time to deal with that.
15-year-old GM plastic and rubber parts disintegrate if you look at them sideways. And if you are having coolant problems, you most likely have a bad headgasket, which has absolutely nothing to do with the oil change and has everything to do with your vehicle being old and poorly made." (I SAY) HOW HOLD-ON, MAN ..... YOU HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENED DURING THE COURSE OF THE OIL CHANGE (ETC), SERVICE EVENT -- ONLY YOUR HYPER-OPINIONATED, THEREFORE MISGUIDED SUPPOSITION. HOW DARE YOU DICTATE TO ME WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THAT SILLY PRESUMPTION OF YOURS IS FOOLISH. I WAS THERE DURING THE WHOLE VEHICLE SERVICING EVENT .... I OBSERVED & WITNESSED EVERYTHING IN-PERSON .... FIRST-HAND ..... ENDURED THE ENTIRE FLAW-PLAGUED TROUBLESOME EXPERIENCE. MY ACCOUNT OF EVENTS IS FAR MORE RELIABLE THAN IS YOURS. YOU ARE WRONG. CASE CLOSED. BTW, THE OIL DRAIN PLUG WAS NOT STRIPPED ..... HEAD GASKET IS FINE ....... IT'S A SIMPLE MATTER OF TECHNICIAN INCOMPETENCE, COUPLED WITH A LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM, WORK ETHIC, INTEREST, AND CONCERN. (YOU SAID) "My advice would be to do the absolute bare minimum to your vehicle and to start saving up money for a new one.
It's ready for the junkyard." (I SAY) PLEASE KEEP YOUR MEAN-SPIRITED, DEMEANING & DISRESPECTFUL ADVICE TO YOURSELF AND STOP BEING A DREADFUL BULLY. YOU ARE WRONG (ON MANY LEVELS), AND YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ALL THIS, THEN OWN IT, AND LIVE WITH IT. PLEASE GO SOAK YOUR HEAD, THEN WITH GREATER LUCIDITY, DECIDE TO ACCEPT THE SHORTCOMINGS YOU'VE EXHIBITED HERE, THEN CEASE AND DESIST. THANK YOU, ANGRY SIR.
Michael
Belfair,Washington,
United States
Thank you, Flint, for taking the time to provide such a condescending reply. If you're not already VIOC-affiliated, then you've missed your calling, as you seem a perfect fit for employment therein
#7Author of original report
Sat, May 01, 2021
Amen to contents of aforementioned comment rebuttal title, as entirely apropos. I remain confident that The Valvoline Corporation is always on-the-lookout for a consumer & GM hater like the ostensible stone-cold compassion-bankrupt individual you seem to represent so well, unkind Sir.
Flint
Rolla,Afghanistan
Your vehicle is a POS
#7Consumer Suggestion
Sat, May 01, 2021
I'm not sure what you expect, given that your vehicle is a 15-year-old GM piece of crap from a brand that doesn't even exist anymore (in no small part because it had such an odious reputation for atrocious quality). The average life expectancy for anything made by GM is about 5-7 years, so your vehicle is way past that. It's like a 97 year old complaining that they have aches and pains. On a car that old and as poorly made as yours, doing any kind of service is risky, because most of the time things are barely holding together as it is.
The oil change techs were probably having problems because somebody else stripped out the drain plug or damaged something, and it of course takes extra time to deal with that. 15-year-old GM plastic and rubber parts disintegrate if you look at them sideways. And if you are having coolant problems, you most likely have a bad headgasket, which has absolutely nothing to do with the oil change and has everything to do with your vehicle being old and poorly made.
My advice would be to do the absolute bare minimum to your vehicle and to start saving up money for a new one. It's ready for the junkyard.
Michael
Belfair,Washington,
United States
Valvoline Instant Oil Change Is Definitely No "Oil Can Henry's" (By Any Stretch-Of-Imagination -- IMHO)
#7Author of original report
Sat, May 01, 2021
...... and the dreadful story continues. What follows is the VIOC Corporate Customer "Swervice" response to the ludicrous debacle: Valvoline Customer Care: Maintenance checks Ticket= CC-301112 ItemType= 679 WS= 678V Valvoline Customer Care to me Apr 13, 2021 Michael, I certainly apologize for the frustration this has clearly caused. We have everything documented as far as the communication with Kenneth, it also shows that you have already contacted our corporate office and a claim has been filed and investigated by the management team.
Any claim or damage we document, is escalated to the store manager. They are responsible for investigating and finding the appropriate resolution. With Kenneth advising that your claim is denied, we cannot reverse his findings. If we are ever at fault, we are always happy to resolve the issue. Unfortunately since Kenneth has found that no fault was done on our part, we will not be able to move forward with the claim. Again, should you like to address any further questions regarding the claim denial....please call us here at Customer Care at 800-327-8242, as we are trying to help resolve your concerns, Michael.
Valvoline Customer Care -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO WHICH I REPLIED: Michael Donovan to CustomerCare@valvoline.com Apr 13 I am compelled to advise to that I do not believe -- nor trust -- Manager Kenneth and the VIOC organization. I feel abused, neglected, disrespected, gaslighted, unappreciated, run-through-the-milll and summarily discarded by said organization. I do have options available to me for exercising escalation in fair manner outside the bloody draconian self-serving corporate-clutches of the routinely perfunctory VIOC machine. Thank you for your participation in at least attempting to help me in the face of such huge odds against me. Sincerely, Michael
Donovan ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ........ and then the following occurred: Valvoline Customer Care to me Apr 14 Michael, Understood....that is absolutely your right to do so. Sorry we could not help resolve your concerns. Again, please don't hesitate to reach out to us should you decide to speak with management regarding their decision. Our Customer Care Department can be reached at 800-327-8242. Thank you. Have a great day! Sincerely, Brittany W. Valvoline Customer Care -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ......
to which my closing comments became: Michael Donovan to CustomerCare@valvoline.com Apr 14 Dear Brittany W., Thank you for providing your observation regarding my right to exercise options for grievance settlement pursuits outside of the biased confines of the VIOC organization. I too remain sorry that said organization has been ill-equipped to resolve my concerns and likewise unmotivated due to the negative impact generated via the mechanism of internal corporate suppression. Thank you again for your recognition and attendant honesty re: the aforementioned untoward condition. Brightest Blessings, Michael Donovan