PUBLIC BEWARE
Economy Lube
## University Ave. East.
Waterloo, Ontario
(519) 746-####
Before letting Economy Lube perform a transmission flush on my vehicle I had the manager (Steve) early March 8, 2003 assure me that their transmission flush would clean the transmission filter and the transmission pan itself.
I then had my vehicle to their shop on March.8.2003 at 12:38 PM for a transmission flush.
Less than 40km after leaving their shop my transmission failed and is now total JUNK. To date Economy Lube (manager Steve) has refused to repair or replace my transmission, even though they signed my bill stating I should have a mechanic look the transmission over and then report the repair cost to them. It seems they now only did that as a ploy to try and get rid of me.
This manager (Steve) even refused to give me the name and address of the owner of Economy Lube so that I could start civil procedure.
In talking to MANY different tranmission shops since, I have learned that Economy Lube's equipment is incapable of totally cleaning the transmission filter and/or transmission pan. The Guelph Economy Lube manager confirmed this for me today, March.10.2003. What their equipment can do though is clog up the transmission filter or other orfices, thus starving critical internal components of vital fluids, thus causing transmission failure.
What is most disgusting is that their Kitchener Economy Lube shop (Shawn) is also telling potential customers that Economy Lube's transmission flush will clean out the transmission filter, the pan and even the torque converter, this is a total LIE.
I urge all potential customers NOT to let Economy Lube do a transmission flush on your vehicle. Take your vehicle to a reputable repair facility and have your transmission pan removed, then the transmission filter replaced and the transmission re-filled will good quality fluid.
If Economy Lube tells you their equipment cleans the transmission filter, pan and torque converter you will know they are lying through their teeth, and you face the real chance that their equipment will clog your transmission thus causing transmission failure.
Found out about this today, March.15.2003
Ford Motor Company's Automatic Transmission Engineering Department research findings prompted Ford to endorse dropping the transmission pan and draining the torque converter instead of using the transmission cooler line to flush the transmission such as Economy Lube did on my Ford vehicle. I sure wish Economy Lube had warned me about this Ford research before my Ford transmission was trashed!! You would think Economy Lube would have no excuse for not knowing about this Ford research, after all Lube is their business one would think. If you own a GM, Toyota, Dodge or any other make you would be wise to consult your dealer to see if their research findings are the same as Ford, it could save your transmission and much $$$$ .
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NOW THEY THREATEN ME WITH PHYSICAL HARM
Just when one would think they live in a civilized country (Canada), they learn different.
Today (March.10.2003 @ 4:50 PM) I was called by Pro-Active Paralegal Services on behalf of Economy Lube and was threatened with physical harm. I was told " I will find out where you live and get you", by some crazed person that said he is with Pro-Active Paralegal Services. Sure enough I checked the phone record and it went back to (519) 568-#### which is Pro-Active Paralegal Services at ### Bedford Ave. Kitchener, Ontario
After the first call I asked him to stop calling or I would phone the police, well that did not stop him, he called 5 more times. Needless to say the police have been called and I will attempt to have a charge of threatening laid against him. It's amazing that Economy Lube would rather unleash an unstable individual on me, instead of dealing with my broken transmission in a rational way. This to me sure states mountains of how Economy Lube conducts business. A sad commentary indeed.
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March.10.2003 Early evening
Well the police have been by to see me and they assure me they will put an end to this nonsense from Pro-Active Paralegal Services, as this IS NOT how reputable businesses should be handling customer complaints. I hope they can talk some sense into these people because I'm now in a state of fright for my saftey, who knows what kind of crazy person this is at Pro-Active Paralegal Services. Do I now have to move to another address to feel safe, what does one do in a situation such as this?
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March.10.2003 Late evening
The police called and said they talked to Pro-Active Paralegal Services and that they were confident that Pro-Active Paralegal services would not threaten me again, nor would they call me again. I can only hope the obviously unstable person at Pro-Active Legal Services has come to their senses. So many times you hear about these kinds unstable people that have gone off the deep end and harmed someone. I'm hoping this was an isolated case and not an indication that Pro-Active Paralegal Services regularily threatens people on behalf of it's clients. This senario would be akin to a strong arm service for hire, much like organized crime in reality.
The police also told me that the manager (Steve) at Economy Lube told them I should call Economy Lube in the moring and the manager at Economy Lube would give me the owners name and contact info. I then thanked the police for their time in this matter.
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March.11.2003 Early Morning
I had another party call Economy Lube and ask for the manager Steve to get the owners name and contact info. Well what a surprise to find out Steve was not in or going to be in this day. I'm not sure why he would tell the police what he did yesterday, unless this is just another indication of avoidence tactics in regards to customer complaints. What I found really odd is that the customer service number (1-800-284-#### ) at the bottom of all bills revert back to the Economy Lube manager (Steve) at the Waterloo location. So all customer complaints go back to Steve and he in turn will not give out the owners name or contact info.
One can only surmise that the owner has put this policy into place as the other 2 locations of Economy Lube (1 in Kitchener/ 1 in Guelph) will also not give out the owners name or contact info. What kind of business is this when the owner will not talk to his customers in regards to a complaint that was not handled by the managar to the customers satisfaction. Why would the owner hide behind his manager, is this what most owners do?
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March.12.2003 Early morning
Another call was put into Steve at Economy Lube to get the owners name and contact info. This time Steve stated he would not be giving the name or contact info for the owner. Wow, should I really be surprised he tells the police one thing then does another. There obviously is no honour displayed by his reaction, can this be called just another LIE by Economy Lube, sure looks that way to me! Oh almost forgot this, the manager Steve offered to refund the cost of the transmission flush. I'm not sure how a $70 refund pays for a $2400.00 to $3000.00 transmission bill.
To add insult to injury Steve stated that maybe he should not have told me that their transmission flush would clean my transmission filter and transmission pan out, wow, what brilliance after the fact, thanks a lot for the costly hindsight. Where I come from you stand behind your words and deliver what was promissed as an agent (manager) for the owner. It's a little late now to try and change things after my transmission has been trashed as I don't recall signing any waiver accepting $70 if my transmission get toasted.
I feel as if I have been totally taken for a ride ever since my first contact with Economy Lube in regards to the transmission failure of my vehicle less than 40 KM after their service performed.
I now am forced to shell out $2400.00 to $3000.00 of my hard earned money because they have refused to take care of this situation. I'm very disgusted that such people are allowed to carry on business in this way.
I also now feel it is my duty to warn other consumers of my situation because they themselves could find themselves in my situation based on what I have seen to date from Economy Lube. I only wish I had never let them touch my vehicle from day one, too late for that now though. It's also only after the fact that I find out the person that did the work on my vehicle is NOT a licensed mechanic.
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To the owner of Economy Lube
(contact info by companies search in process)
I have heard through a 3rd party that you read this webpage on a regular basis, the tracert I think confirms this. You sir in my opinion are the lowest form of a human being I can think of by hiding behind your staff, much akin to a snake in the grass. Most honest business owners respond to customer complaints in an honest fashion. To date in my opinion your non-response says much about how you conduct your business affairs and I think it's paramount that consumers know these facts to protect their hard earned money. You have my contact info, do the honourable thing and take care of this situation in an honourable business like way over lunch, I'll even spring for lunch.
It's Nov.5.2003 and they still have not paid for my transmission!!
Deet
Kitchener, Ontario
Canada
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