My Opinion

I have to take a long trip and want to be sure my vehicle is in good order before I go. My transmission service is coming up shortly so I figure I will just get it done now.

So... I took my vehicle into Jiffy Lube for a transmission service. I am immediately greeted by a man who I later find out is the newest manager. He asks if I would like an inspection and I say no just a transmission service. He says okay. I get out and give him my keys. I go into the waiting room and sit down for about 10 minutes. The other guy comes part way in the door and motions for me to come over there. They can't find me in their computer. This is strange because I am a long time customer of that particular store. As with any other fast paced business this store has new employees who do not know me from any other person on the street. They seem to find every vehicle I have owned and brought into their store except the one I am currently driving. Yes, it has been serviced by them before. We go through the computer and I give them all my information again. They can't just use the account with one of my other vehicles. They have to start over from scratch as if I am a new customer. I start to notice that the guy under my vehicle is taking a very long time to get the machine hooked up for service. I have been out in the pit area for a while now as the guy is telling me all the things he wants me to buy from him. He thinks I should get a fuel filter, air filter, windshield wipers that he says won't pass inspection and on and on... I tell this salesman that the guy seems to be taking a long time getting the machine hooked up. He says it is because he has to take a plate off the van. I said okay, as long as he knows what he is doing.

Over 30 minutes later, I am finally sitting in the cool waiting room with a couple other clients. The new manager who just started at the store last week comes into the waiting room and calls to a couple to come pay for their service. They begin to pay and realize they are being over charged. I listen to see if this is going to be something that will possibly effect me as well. The manager states that he forgot to apply the discount that they are giving. It is labor day weekend and they are running a special on several services. I see the male of the couple is getting angry and he believes that he has been charged twice because they had already swiped their credit card. I asked the manager if I will need to remind them of my discount as well. He said yes. The customers are getting more upset because they do not know if they have been charged and the manager can not figure it out or cancel their ticket. He leaves and gets another man who I later find out is just the assistant manager. He is polite and explains to the customers that they have not been charged and that he can fix their ticket. They finally leave with the male still unsure if he has or has not been charged twice. He was told that if it ends up being charged twice they will refund the money.

I am now sitting in the waiting room with a male and a female. We have been reading magazines. I hear the manager yell across the pits of the lube shop that he has lost pressure in bay one. Well, bay one is me so I of course pay close attention. I am sitting only 3 seats away from the door to the shop and can see everything from the windows. I said to the people in the room with me that something was going on with my van. I don't wait for a reply and get up and go to the window. The two men, manager and assistant are looking at the machine. They are talking back and forth but I can not hear what they are saying at this point.  The assistant starts to walk away and he is saying something about getting the pressure up to pull the fluid through. I look at the other people in the room with me and state that something is going on. The man says he hopes they don't have any issues with his truck. The assistant manager gets into my vehicle and starts it up. I am wondering why they are starting my vehicle if it is not finished. He starts to rev and rev and rev my van. I am watching him and he is going through the gears now.

I immediately get onto the phone and tell my husband what is going on. I ask if he can hear him reving my vehicle and he can. He is P.O.ed and says he is on his way. I told him not to come up there if he is that mad. He says to call our friend who is a mechanic of 30 years. I hang up but am unsure if he is coming up there or not. The guy in the waiting room looks at me and I said that I thought my husband was coming up there.

I am walking back to the window and I see the manager signal for him to shut it off. He shuts it off and gets out. The guy says it didn't work. At this point another vehicle gets pulled out of the shop from waht I assume was an oil change. The manager comes in and starts to check the woman out. I ask what is going on with my vehicle and he states that the machine quit working halfway through the service. He said that it took the fluid out but is not putting the fluid back in. I asked why they are starting my vehicle and stuff if it doesn't have fluid in it. He says it has fluid in it just not all the fluid and we are trying to get it to push it in. He says they know what they are doing and guarantees it 100%. He says they are going to have to switch machines and finish the service. He then walks off and goes back into the shop.

I try to call our friend but he is away from his desk. I continue to call and sit there watching them with my van. I am shaking my head and the guy still in the waiting room is shaking his head too. I get a hold of one of the guys where my friend works and he is a mechanic as well. He is saying thats not good over and over. He gets my friend on the phone by paging him. As soon as he gets on the phone I fill him in on what is going on and he says it is not good. He tells me to get everything that happened in writing and signed by their manager. I am still watching what is going on and telling him everything. He insists that I write everything down no matter what. The guys in the pit area keep looking at me on the phone. I am sure that I look upset. I am!

I go away from the window where they can not see me so I can do what my friend is telling me to do. I hang up the phone and start writing everything down on the only piece of paper I have available, an envelope! The manager comes in and says they are almost finished with my vehicle. He calls the other guy to the counter for check out. I ask him if everything is okay on my vehicle and he says it is and that they got the machines switched over just fine and it will be done shortly. The other guy goes out and gets in his truck. He starts to drive off and then he stops and gets out. He is really mad and yelling from the moment he steps out of his truck. He is saying they overcharged him. I go back to the window area to see what is going on. Everyone stops working on my vehicle to go over to the man. It takes three men to talk to the guy to get things right with him. One guy goes back to my vehicle and is checking the fluid. He adds some more transmission fluid and then goes back down in the pits. The manager and his assistant are still taklking to the guy. They are out there with him for a good 15 minutes. I have now been at their shop for almost an hour and a half. I go back to my seat and start writing again.

I am still writing when the manager comes in and comes over to me. I ask if my vehicle is okay. He is polite and uses the ma'am word more than once. He says everything went well after they got the machines switched over and that the fluid went in just fine. He said they didn't need to add any and that they will have me out of there in a few minutes. ( I saw them add the fluid.) He said he could see that I was upset and he likes his customers to be satisfied so there will be no charge for the services. I said that's fine but I would like to get everything that happened in writing. He was still polite and stated that the service went fine and he guarantees his work 100%. I said that I would still like to get it in writing and he said that was fine but he would have to charge me. I told him that was fine I had every intention of paying when I came there. He was angry and I could tell. He walked off and went into the pits. He went over to the other guy and they started talking.

I called my friend back and told him about them saying they weren't going to charge me but then changing their minds. I had been in business management for 15 years before I opened my own company and this is not good ethics or customer relations. He agreed and said it smelled like a skunk and didn't believe I would get what I needed in writing. He said he was coming up to help me and be there in case I needed him.

I sat and watched the manager in the pit area as he continued to talk to the other guy in a manner too quiet for me to hear. He would go to the phone and make a call every once in a while as if he was trying to get a hold of someone. I waited 20 more minutes for him to come in and tell me that my van was ready. I started writing the check and then asked him what was written as the explanation of what had happened with my vehicle. I started reading it and asked why everything wasn't on there. He stated that it only had room for so much notes. I asked if he would write the rest by hand and he said he would but I would have to pay first in order for it to print out the slip. It just didn't seem right to me so I told him that my friend was on his way and I would just wait on him. He got very angry then and stated that he thought he should call his district manager and have him come down as well. I said that would be great, I would love to talk to him. He went in the office. Just then my friend arrived and I started telling him what was going on. The manager in the office could hear and when I said something about how long it was taking just to get the machine hooked up he came out of the office yelling. He was saying that I needed to be fair that the plate had to be removed and that he is a certified transmission mechanic and that he guarantees his work 100%. My friend asked about the vehicle being started and going through the gears. He admitted all of that but said there was fluid in there. My friend said that running it even low on fluid could cause damage and the guy admitted that but said it had to be really low. They argued back and forth about who knew the most and then the manager said he was getting his manager up there. We both said good. He went out in the pit area and got on the phone.

I am now starving because I missed breakfast and was going to have lunch with my husband but now missed that as well. I fill my friend in on every detail and we wait another 30 minutes as we watch the manager on the phone. My friend goes outside to smoke. I wait for the manager to come back and I tell him that my friend went outside to smoke. He says great, I'll join him so I go out in front of the store as well. He says that he can't get a hold of the district manager and with several cuss words says that the manager for the store just changed today and that these upper management people don't tell you____ about what is going on. He has a call into his old district manager who don't know____ about what is going on or who the new guys are but it's a bunch of bull____. He says you know how it is with those guys we're always the last to know____. My friend asks what he's going to do then. He says well, I can give you the numbers I have and you can do whatever. My old district manager said not to give you any more ____. You can have whats on the paper and thats it. My friend said lets see what you have on the paper then. We walked inside and looked over it. He said no, you need to put on here what you said about shifting it without fluid. He said no, you take it like it is I was told that's it your not getting any more. The guys are on vacation and I'm not calling him back. I gave you my word that my work is guaranteed 100%. I asked if he would write that on the receipt because I have to go on a long trip this weekend. He said yeah lets get this done. I asked if he was going to give me his district managers number and he said yes. I paid him by check and he printed the receipt. My friend told me to have him initial what was written on it. He refused. He then asked for him to add the other stuff he said he would and he refused. Then he asked for him to put his name and information on it and he refused. He had me sign both copies and put the date and time and that manager refused to sign. The manager then stamped it with numbers and stated that the men were no longer his store managers but we could call any way. He said he didn't know where the stamp for the new managers was and asked another employee who said that it was there somewhere. He stamped it with the old one anyway. I told him that I was going to call them as soon as I left. He said go ahead.

We are walking out and he says something under his breath and then in a crappy way hope you have a nice day. My friend stops and says there was no call for that. He tells him that he is young and still has a lot to learn about customer service. I am halfway out the door and an older couple is coming in so I hold the door open for them. The older lady stops and asks what is going on. The manager either didn't hear or didn't care and says to my friend don't get stupid now. This does not make my friend happy and I can tell. I said come on lets go. He says no this guy is wrong. You don't treat customers like that. He says don't call people stupid when they have years of experience working with clients. The manager says get out of my store before I call the cops. He says I'm going but you have a lot to learn about how to treat your customers. The lady asks what happened and the manager doesn't say anything. We start out the door and my friend says buyer be ware. The manager comes around the counter in a fighting motion and yells to get out or he's calling the cops and that goes for me to. I get in my vehicle and there are no keys. I yell out the window to one of the other guys to get my keys. My friend gets out and comes over to me and asks if I'm okay. I said yes but I don't have any keys. The manager is yelling out the door at us to leave and I yell back that I need my keys. He is flustered and throws some keys to one of the employees. My friend gets my receipt and writes down the phone number for the main headquarters as the guy starts toward us. The employee turns around and goes back in and I can see he is arguing with the manager who then comes out and pretty much shoves keys into my hands and walks off. By this time my friend is back in his vehicle waiting on me. I yell to the manager that those are not my keys, which is probably what the other guy was arguing with him about. He snatches them from me and startrs back to me. Another guy comes running out yelling to him but he keeps walking and brings me yet another set of keys that are not mine. Before I can say anything he puts them in my hand and walks off. The other guy runs up to my vehicle and trades them out for mine. Thank God I got out of there!

More about the Jiffy Lube issue ...Read other blogs

My sister called crying. She is moving and has to handle it while her husband works. This is hard for me because this is the sister who rarely talks to me, slept with every boyfriend I had, and has torn our family apart piece by piece over the years. On top of that she lives an hour away. Why would I even bother driving all that way with gas prices the way they are just take her some boxes? Because she is my sister and no matter what I still love her. She's crazy, twisted, and a trouble maker but there is always something I see that makes me think she could be a better person. Too bad she won't try. She does have 3 children there who could help her. They are all 10 and up so it's not like they can't help pack but then she says, the issue is, she can't get boxes. I know once I get there she will want me to stay and help. How do I get out of that? I have a huge list of things to do today but that won't matter to her. I guess I will have to complete as much as possible from my to do list. This way it is done before I get stuck at her house. My mom and I are the only ones left in the family that feel sorry enough for her to stop and do things for her. Everyone else would rather go about their day as if she was not around. I always think about what Mom said while we were growing up... Be nice to each other and never say I hate you. Something bad will happen and you will never forgive yourself. I am also one of those family peace makers just like my Mom. This burden can be extremely stressful especially between my older and younger sisters. There is no fixing that and my brother avoids my older sister and is civil if their paths happen to cross. Our family is perfect and everyone gets along but only without the oldest in the picture and this needs to be fixed!

I think that in order for me to accomplish everything I want within the time this life has allowed me, I will need to build a goals list. This isn't something I have to stick to daily. It can be changed as I grow and change mentally and physically. I may add to or subtract from it as I like but this will help me to do the things I dream of and discover myself along the way.

1. Do something new every week. Something I have never experienced even if it is just eating a strange food I have never heard of.

2. Make a true difference that is everlasting to one person.

3. Do everything by giving 100% no matter how crappy I feel about doing it.

4. Travel and photograph the world.

5. Build trust in my relationships.

6. Lose weight

7. Make 10 new friends this year

8. Double my clients list and give them 100% in all I do for them

9. Save money and Send Jen to England

10. Forgive someone completely even if it takes a lifetime

11. Smile even if it hurts

12. Cry if I need to

13. Spend more time in nature

14. Have an enormous amount of fun while I am young enough to

15. Laugh daily

16. Stop being lazy

17. Dance in the rain every chance I get

18. Love like there is no tomorrow

19. Slow down, turn off phones, and breath for 15 minutes each day

20. Spend my life being happy and surround myself with people like that

Welcome to Review #5 of the Texas State Parks reviews. I want to talk about Lockhart State Park this time. This is a nice park. It is nothing fancy but the people here are awesome. This will be one of my top three favorites for Friendly people up along side Lake Texana and Goose Island. It's a pretty tight three way race. A lot of people come here for the golf course. Not us. We come to... what? Fish. Yes, you can fish here. The water is pretty shallow in some places but you catch a few. There is also some great trails and I love to go to the top of the hill to the pavillion or rec hall they have. It has a great spread of picnic area behind or to the side of it. The back has a huge space to use for dancing. Inside has a kitchen and a couple small rooms/bedrooms and a huge dining area with a fireplace. This is a nice building with lots of space for a party or even Thanksgiving dinner. It's better than having to be stressed when everyone leaves your house in a disaster. There is bathrooms too. From the back patio/dance space you have a clear view of the basketball court by the park. People don't realize that is the park when they see it. You get turned around going up the hill/mountain. There is a nice hiking trail behind the building and more all around in the wooded area. Watch for snakes. This state park also has a swimming pool to use. It does have a fee but I'm not sure how much. In the very back, go across the little bridge by the waterfall and take a left. Follow it to the end, there is a nice trail that goes along the waters edge. You can also see various remains of the old part of the campgrounds. I assume this was used for primative camping. I'm not sure if they still allow it because there is usually available space in the front along the water. The playground area here is very nice and while you are there look for the alligator tree. My children gave it that name because it has branches that come out and look like a head on an alligator. Watch for snakes. We have seen them here, both in and out of the water. Also be prepared for poison ivey and such. My son usually has a problem with this in the late spring and summer months. If you have a severe allergy don't go on the trails that are more over grown and remember, leaves of 3 let them be.

This is a great park. I go here a lot. If you get a chance you should too. Just my opinion.  :) 

I am back to give my opinion, or rating, on another state park in Texas. Which one will it be...? Okay, I've got it, Inks Lake State Park. This one I know better than most, well all except one (you will find out about it later). I lived in Burnet/Bertram area for almost 6 years while I was growing up. We spent many summers at Buchanan Dam or Inks Lake State Park. It was amazing, of course when you are a child anytime you get to go swimming at the lake it is amazing so, I had to go back to my younger years to see if it was still amazing! It was. I had my husband take me, just me, for my birthday. We got a small (limited use) cabin. We normally just throw up a tent but it was my birthday and I wanted to relax, not work. (these are very affordable, $45 for the night). We loved our cabin. We got one back near the water and it was actually somewhat secluded. It was so quiet and peaceful. The hiking trails are really nice and if you get to hike across the road in the primative area, it is really beautiful. Be sure to go up on the rocks and see the world. Watch for snakes, this is the Texas Hill Country! Be sure to checkout Longhorn Caverns. It is just up the road and the drive up the hill is nice. Stop at the picnic area and get a view from above. Be sure to get a look at the Castle as you go up but there is a better view of it as you come down. The hill country is beautiful from that high up.

Anyway, back to the state park. They rent pedal boats and , I think canoes too, at the park store. They also have learning activities for the children at times. They actually bring in hawks, eagles, and owls that your child can get their picture with. They teach about wildlife and stuff. I am not sure of all the details but it is something you should check out. There is also good fishing and piers at the park. We are a fishing family so most of the parks I rate will have fishing there. Inks Lake has beautiful sunsets from the fishing pier or on top of the big rocks and sunrise is just as amazing. Again, we had very few problems with any type of bug or mosquito.

The reason I love to camp is because it gives you family time. My children are all teenagers so it sometimes is a lot of bickering but in the end we usually have a good time. It is a very inexpensive way to get a good family vacation without going bankrupt. Try it sometime!

Remember this is my opinion. Your experiences may be different!