1. Home
  2. Automotive Technologies
  3. Gas technician "Short sticked" me

Gas technician "Short sticked" me

As I traveled from Maine to Florida, I spent a couple of days in New Jersey, a state that prohibits "self-service" gasoline sales. As I instructed the technician to "fill it with regular", he asked if I would like the motor oil checked. Although I had checked it in the hotel parking lot earlier that day, I figured I could not go wrong with the expert second opinion of a highly trained expert automotive technician. As I emerged from the convenience store with a large coffee, a glazed donut, 32 oz sports drink, chewing gum and a candy bar, I noticed the look of concern on the technicians face. "Sir", he said to me in a commanding voice. "You are two quarts low on motor oil". My mood changed from happiness to shock in an instant. "Are you sure? Can you please check it again" I stated. As the technician placed the dipstick in to get the reading, I noticed his thumb was obstructing it from being fully submerged. Sure enough he pulled it out and there was barely a drop of oil on my dipstick. I yanked the dipstick from his hand, wiped it clean with a rag and aggressively placed it all the way down and removed it. Guess what: It was FULL. I gave the technician a stern warning to NEVER engage in this type of behavior again!

Reply to
James D
Loading thread data ...

And you DID go and report him to the manager, didn't you?

Reply to
Calab

The manager probably put him up to it ;)

Reply to
Frank

That is an old beatem and cheatem ''trick'' that dates way on back many, many years.Another beatem and cheatem ''trick'' is sometimes those gyps will cut the fan belts and poke holes in the water hoses.Always, Always do your own checking under the hood.Don't let anybody do any monkeying around with you vehicle.

......Larry

Reply to
cuhulin

I had a "pendejo" do this to my ex wife just a few minutes after she had left our home and I had checked the oil and tranny fluid.

She told him to "F*** OFF".

These people are just thieves. If you have the cojones, then complain...make an issue of it. If not, then just pay the thieving bastards off.

Reply to
HLS

It was a great day for me when they started putting inside hood releases in most cars to keep the crooks out. Before that, I had them open the hood even after I told them to forget it, it is OK. I have never trusted anyone I did not know under the hood of my car. I had one in FL in 1967 when under the hood of my car and cut a belt. I had just installed new belts the day before. They wanted almost $50 to replace the belt which was nothing short of highway robbery (probably where the term came from). He was a little surprised when I started the car and drove back to the freeway ramp where I stopped and put the old belt back on. Anyone going under my hood without my permission had better be the fire department. Anyone else will be dealt with harshly. "Full service" gas stations are very rare in my part of the world. They are not illegal but, should be.

BTW, it would be normal for the oil to show a little lower on the dipstick if you check it before driving and again only a few miles later. The oil is not fully warmed and takes quite a while to drain back to the pan and stabilize the level. The oil should be checked stone cold before starting, or after completely warm and giving it a couple of minutes to drain back.

Lugnut

Reply to
lugnut

In the State of confusion I live in,,,,, anybody caught trying to steal our vehicles,,, we have the right to shoot and kill them. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.