Hilo-Wiwoole
FYI - After a previous experience at my local store I was hesitant to have my car serviced at the Hilo location, but I took a chance and, well... The check-in process was quick and efficient, but that’s pretty much the extent of the good part of my experience. I went in for an oil change and asked to have the tire air pressures checked, the service agent politely acknowledged my request and took possession of my vehicle. The estimated 1-1.5 hours turned into 3.5 hours, during which I was able to have lunch and complete an errand at the nearby mall, so the amount of time it took was a secondary issue. My primary issue was watching two lube techs raise and lower my vehicle several times in the rack. It appeared that they were looking for something which I assumed may have been a lost tool or piece of hardware. As it turned out, after 20-30 minutes of this, they were looking for the best way to change the oil filter, which is accessible from the top of the engine, but you have to remove an air intake duct that’s in the way. My Expedition is fitted with an aftermarket Air Raid intake, so I understand their problem, it looks scary but it’s not. Ultimately the two techs turned to one tech and he attained access by dropping the full lower skid plate. Yay! Fifteen minutes later my Expedition as back on the ground (slight yay), but soon enough there was some sort of meeting taking place between the one remaining lube tech, another random tech in the passenger seat, and another random tech leaning in through the driver’s window… Three techs, for what I assuming was the finishing touches of the oil change (resetting the reminder is my guess). Anyway, it could have been 5 minutes, but it felt like 10 minutes, meeting completion achieved, random techs disperse, Expedition backed out and parked, another 5-7 minutes later I am able to pay the invoice and go home… But not before closing the hood which was left unlatched. :/ And then… A minute after driving out of the parking lot I notice that the TPMS (air pressure) light is still on, no biggie, it usually requires some time at speed to complete the reset process, but 30 miles later when I arrived at home, the light was still on. Argh. I checked the tire air pressures this morning, added some air and fixed the issue. Cool story, huh… Anyway. Things I have learned in thirty-plus years in automotive service: Never promise a time frame that you cannot guarantee accurate. If you’ve never performed a particular procedure, research it before you start working on the car. If people are helping you but the work isn’t going easier than before they started helping… They’re not helping you, and you’re better off working alone. Prodemand and Alldata are industry information standards for a reason. Use them. P.S. I am forever amazed at the number of capable drivers in Hawaii, especially the girls, able to effortlessly navigate parking lots with large or lifted vehicles, never even having the slightest bit of trouble or showing any hesitation in what they’re doing! But it still weird watching someone else drive my car.
Aloha Michael... Thank you for your detailed feedback. We apologize for the lengthy wait and multiple techs involved in your service. Your concerns have been shared with the team to ensure better procedures. We have new technicians who are learning along the way. We appreciate your expertise and value your recommendation for research tools. You probably gave US more stars than we deserved. lol Again, Thank you for your business and hopefully we get to see you again. Next Time, they'll know how to change your oil filter on your Expedition. =) ALOHA... Anita @ Lex =)
- Hilo-Wiwoole