Shorted on oil change shop - intellishop

Hi all, I’m wondering if this is typical and I should exclude this company from my work for list?
I requested an oil change shop and it was assigned to me late on the 23rd. I read the guidelines and accepted, since the assignment had to be done during the current month. I did the phone call portion. The assignment was drive up/no appointment, and they said they would do their best to work me in. I drove the 50 mile round trip to the location only to be told that they could not fit me in, and the best they could offer was an appointment on March 3. Per the guidelines I refused the appointment since it was not in the current month.
I texted the scheduler, who responded only with “are you canceling it?”. I said I had been given no choice. He removed the shop from my list and gave me a 1/10 for not completing. So not only am I out the time and miles I already spent, but now I have a citation. This seems very unfair! The scheduler is not returning my texts now. Anyone else have similar?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2022 09:22PM by Ljsinke.

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I would have submitted the report with all of this info instead of canceling. Was there no other option other than canceling? I have done these shops many times, but never had one not be able to get me in, thank gosh.

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.
I don't have the guidelines in front of me, but I think you were short changed with that rating. But one rating like that shouldn't hurt you in the long run. especially as it appears you have good writing skills.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2022 10:54PM by mystery2me.
Do the guidelines actually say to refuse the appointment? I thought you're supposed to try and wheedle them into taking you that day, but if push comes to shove, make the appointment and contact your scheduler. If the scheduler says no go, just cancel the appointment. I've had to make appointments a few times and the scheduler has always been willing to give me the extension, even into the next month. Maybe I have a different scheduler, don't know.

They're darned easy shops, too, the only drawback is the time expenditure. I love them but only get to do a few a year now because since Covid, I've worked from home and just don't rack up that many miles.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2022 05:51AM by KokoBWare.
@KokoBWare wrote:

Do the guidelines actually say to refuse the appointment? I thought you're supposed to try and wheedle them into taking you that day, but if push comes to shove, make the appointment and contact your scheduler. If the scheduler says no go, just cancel the appointment. I've had to make appointments a few times and the scheduler has always been willing to give me the extension, even into the next month. Maybe I have a different scheduler, don't know.

They're darned easy shops, too, the only drawback is the time expenditure. I love them but only get to do a few a year now because since Covid, I've worked from home and just don't rack up that many miles.

Agreed the guidelines say to make an appointment and contact the scheduler.
LJ,

I completed my first oil change for Intelli-shop 16 years ago and continued until they were no longer available in my area. The only downside was that the service averaged out at 1 1/2 hrs. to complete, with the max being approx. two hrs. It is possible you misunderstood the guidelines.
Unless the guidelines have changed recently, yes, I had to once make an appointment and contact the scheduler. It wasn't any problem at all, and I got paid in full.

My problem with the length of time I was on-site was when they completed the oil change, they gave me a huge list of other "stuff" my car needed done, and they had already completed. This in spite of my asking several times why it was taking so long, and I was told it was merely that other cars were ahead of my car. They never indicated they were doing anything but the oil change. I actually, to this day, have no way of knowing if they did the work, or just billed me for it without doing it (not unusual at dealerships, from my personal experience). I did not ask for that service and wasn't given a chance to tell them not to do it, they did the work because it was "safety concern". That was a danged long report, and I wouldn't go back to that dealer with ANY car, EVER. But I guess that's exactly what the end client wants to know. A reputable car place would never, ever, do work before asking approval!
Did you have to pay for the stuff they did without authorization? You probably would have been within your rights to refuse to pay for it.
@ceasesmith wrote:

Unless the guidelines have changed recently, yes, I had to once make an appointment and contact the scheduler. It wasn't any problem at all, and I got paid in full.

My problem with the length of time I was on-site was when they completed the oil change, they gave me a huge list of other "stuff" my car needed done, and they had already completed. This in spite of my asking several times why it was taking so long, and I was told it was merely that other cars were ahead of my car. They never indicated they were doing anything but the oil change. I actually, to this day, have no way of knowing if they did the work, or just billed me for it without doing it (not unusual at dealerships, from my personal experience). I did not ask for that service and wasn't given a chance to tell them not to do it, they did the work because it was "safety concern". That was a danged long report, and I wouldn't go back to that dealer with ANY car, EVER. But I guess that's exactly what the end client wants to know. A reputable car place would never, ever, do work before asking approval!
@mjt9598 wrote:

Did you have to pay for the stuff they did without authorization? You probably would have been within your rights to refuse to pay for it.

That may be true in some places, like California. But there aren't the same consumer protections everywhere, and those laws may not be in place where Ceasesmith lives. I wouldn't go to a place like that a second time either. I live in Alabama now, and there are no consumer protections at all, not for consumers or technicians.
Love these shops but around my area the reimbursement DOESN"T cover the COST for the OIL CHANGE!! I've emailed a couple of times to the scheduler and all I receive back is a listing of shops open but in BOLD states THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN REIMBURSEMENT. So, this month I'm passing.
@expert setter wrote:

Love these shops but around my area the reimbursement DOESN"T cover the COST for the OIL CHANGE!! I've emailed a couple of times to the scheduler and all I receive back is a listing of shops open but in BOLD states THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN REIMBURSEMENT. So, this month I'm passing.
Yeah the reimburse doesn't quite cover the cost here either but I hold out for big end-of-month bonuses and since the reports are sooooooooooo easy I figure it's worth it, although as I said, the only drawback is you might be sitting in the waiting area for 90-120 minutes.
@KokoBWare wrote:

@expert setter wrote:

Love these shops but around my area the reimbursement DOESN"T cover the COST for the OIL CHANGE!! I've emailed a couple of times to the scheduler and all I receive back is a listing of shops open but in BOLD states THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN REIMBURSEMENT. So, this month I'm passing.
Yeah the reimburse doesn't quite cover the cost here either but I hold out for big end-of-month bonuses and since the reports are sooooooooooo easy I figure it's worth it, although as I said, the only drawback is you might be sitting in the waiting area for 90-120 minutes.

I did find out from the scheduler that you can use dealership coupons which will help bring the cost down to close if not within the limit.
I paid, but was reimbursed adequately by the MSC. IIRC, there were several back-and-forth e-mails where I had to explain that the work was already completed before I was given the paperwork, so I had no option to refuse the work. I explained that the dealership said it was a "safety concern, where they really couldn't let me leave the dealership in good conscience without doing the work". My feeling, which I also explained thoroughly, was that I was really taken advantage of, being a senior and female. I FELT that the company thought I would be absolutely helpless in the face of "fait accompli", since I was an elderly female without male accompaniment. And I did feel exactly that, that I was preyed upon.

@mjt9598 wrote:

Did you have to pay for the stuff they did without authorization? You probably would have been within your rights to refuse to pay for it.
@ceasesmith wrote:

Unless the guidelines have changed recently, yes, I had to once make an appointment and contact the scheduler. It wasn't any problem at all, and I got paid in full.

My problem with the length of time I was on-site was when they completed the oil change, they gave me a huge list of other "stuff" my car needed done, and they had already completed. This in spite of my asking several times why it was taking so long, and I was told it was merely that other cars were ahead of my car. They never indicated they were doing anything but the oil change. I actually, to this day, have no way of knowing if they did the work, or just billed me for it without doing it (not unusual at dealerships, from my personal experience). I did not ask for that service and wasn't given a chance to tell them not to do it, they did the work because it was "safety concern". That was a danged long report, and I wouldn't go back to that dealer with ANY car, EVER. But I guess that's exactly what the end client wants to know. A reputable car place would never, ever, do work before asking approval!
The only reason to do the work without even letting you know that "there was a safety issue" was to take advantage of you, absolutely. If there truly were safety issues where they could not let you drive it, you could have chosen to have it towed to the mechanic of your choosing. Any reputable mechanic would know that you don't do work on a car without authorization or even notifying the customer.
@ceasesmith wrote:

I paid, but was reimbursed adequately by the MSC. IIRC, there were several back-and-forth e-mails where I had to explain that the work was already completed before I was given the paperwork, so I had no option to refuse the work. I explained that the dealership said it was a "safety concern, where they really couldn't let me leave the dealership in good conscience without doing the work". My feeling, which I also explained thoroughly, was that I was really taken advantage of, being a senior and female. I FELT that the company thought I would be absolutely helpless in the face of "fait accompli", since I was an elderly female without male accompaniment. And I did feel exactly that, that I was preyed upon.

@mjt9598 wrote:

Did you have to pay for the stuff they did without authorization? You probably would have been within your rights to refuse to pay for it.
@ceasesmith wrote:

Unless the guidelines have changed recently, yes, I had to once make an appointment and contact the scheduler. It wasn't any problem at all, and I got paid in full.

My problem with the length of time I was on-site was when they completed the oil change, they gave me a huge list of other "stuff" my car needed done, and they had already completed. This in spite of my asking several times why it was taking so long, and I was told it was merely that other cars were ahead of my car. They never indicated they were doing anything but the oil change. I actually, to this day, have no way of knowing if they did the work, or just billed me for it without doing it (not unusual at dealerships, from my personal experience). I did not ask for that service and wasn't given a chance to tell them not to do it, they did the work because it was "safety concern". That was a danged long report, and I wouldn't go back to that dealer with ANY car, EVER. But I guess that's exactly what the end client wants to know. A reputable car place would never, ever, do work before asking approval!
Had the shoe been on the other foot, I would have documented everything, been in communication with the scheduler, and let them make the call. Maybe March 3 would have been good enough. You can't make that call for them unless the shop instructions say to do otherwise.

As for the place that did work without authorization, that's a BIG BIG BIG no no. First call to the service manager of the dealer, if not satisfied then second to the GM, if still no answer then third to the BBB with a copy to that car brand's regional district office [a friend of mine got HOSED by a dealer and the regional office made them make it right by him], and if still no satisfaction to your state AG. Don't take that stuff lying down. Ever.

As for Intellishop as a MSC, I've had really good communications with most of their schedulers and a lot of good shops. Can't say I have any big issues with them.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2022 01:13AM by gsfreeman2.
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