Last month I visited Napleton's Oak Lawn Mazda Service Center for a quick oil change. They're not my usual spot for car maintenance, but I had a family emergency out of state and wanted to take care of it before heading out the next morning for my 8-hour drive. My usual trusted spot was booked, NOLM had open appointments, so I figured, why not? I even drove nearly an hour out of my way to get there. (Spoiler alert: I should've kept driving.)
My car was running like a dream before this visit, smooth, quiet, zero issues. After the oil change, as I headed home, I started hearing a weird little sound when. At first, I thought maybe it was just a noisy car near me. Nope. It was mine.
By the time I hit the highway for my trip, the sound had graduated from "hmm" to "uh-oh." Acceleration was off, and the engine was making noises it had NEVER made before. I could hear the gears shifting prominently like I was suddenly driving a 20-year-old stick shift. Not exactly the soundtrack I wanted for my emergency road trip.
I called Napleton's from the road. The service rep told me that since it was just an oil change, the tech wouldn't have touched anything that could cause this (because oil changes happen in a magical vacuum, apparently). He also said it would cost me $185 for them to do a diagnostic. I politely declined to pay this fee. Why should I pay to investigate an issue that started immediately after their service? The follow-up was scheduled for the Monday after my Sunday return.
Fast forward: I get to Kansas City, and the car is practically gasping for air. After a bit of diligent research, I find a reputable shop, HUGE shout out to KC Brakes & Auto. Kevin the owner, discovered that the air filter was incorrectly placed, leaving a gap in the housing and choking off proper airflow to the engine. He fixed it and only charged me $43 and some change. My car was immediately back to normal, quiet, smooth, and happy. Like nothing ever happened.
I canceled my follow-up with Napleton's and called them to explain what happened. I asked if they'd cover the $43 I paid to fix the issue their technician created. The service manager refused, offering only a service credit, because he "couldn't verify" the issue since I didn't bring the car back to them. Right... because obviously, I was supposed to drive 8 hours back with my car wheezing and dragging like it had just run a marathon! I don't plan on ever taking my car back to Napleton's, and more to the point, it's about the principle and accountability of it all, which this manager lacks.
To top it off, when I got back to Chicago, I took my car to my trusted service center to replace a rear stabilizer link that Napleton's had quoted me on. The repair cost me $35 less than their quote.
Bottom line! I went in for a quick oil change and left with a performance problem, a mechanic bill in another state, and a whole lot of unnecessary stress during a family emergency. Next time, I'll wait for a slot at my usual trusted service center, because peace of mind is worth more than an open appointment. #Napleton'sNotIt! read more