Attempted Upselling and Refusal to Perform Groupon Oil Change
I visited Discount Kar Kare in Lewisville on June 3, 2026 to redeem a Groupon for a routine oil change. Instead of performing the service, I was told my vehicle required additional work, including an engine flush ($189) and a coolant flush ($99), before any oil change could be completed. I was informed the oil change would not be performed unless I agreed to these additional services.
During the inspection, I was told (by Jeff) the oil was “black and sluggish,” the coolant reservoir was empty, and that my brake fluid was low and my oil change interval had been exceeded. I questioned this because my last oil change was on January 17, 2026 at 118,985 miles, and my vehicle had 126,391 miles at the time of service—about 7,406 miles driven. This is still within Toyota’s recommended 10,000-mile oil change interval under normal conditions.
I also noted that the windshield oil change sticker reflected a lower mileage interval based on a prior shop’s recommendation, not Toyota’s manufacturer guidance.
After leaving, I obtained a second opinion from another repair shop, which confirmed that a standard oil change was appropriate and that no engine flush or coolant flush was necessary. The coolant was simply topped off after cooling. I was also advised that a coolant flush would not be the correct solution if there is a suspected leak, as it does not address the underlying issue.
Regarding brake fluid, I was informed that this system is sensor-monitored and would trigger a dashboard warning if levels were actually low.
Overall, I found the experience concerning, as the additional services recommended were not aligned with manufacturer guidance or the second professional opinion. It also gave the impression that the situation was being used as an opportunity to upsell services and potentially avoid honoring the Groupon oil change as advertised.
A formal complaint has been filed with the Better Business Bureau and the Texas Attorney General’s Office (Case No. TCP-046644).
I am sharing this experience so other customers can make informed decisions when using coupon-based or promotional services.
Net Promoter® NPS®, NPS Prism®, and the NPS-related emoticons are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., Satmetrix Systems, Inc., and Fred Reichheld. Net Promoter Score™ and Net Promoter System™ are service marks of Bain & Company, Inc., and Fred Reichheld.
Attention
We use cookies to personalize content, enable certain functionality, and track site analytics for marketing purposes. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use this website.
During the inspection, I was told (by Jeff) the oil was “black and sluggish,” the coolant reservoir was empty, and that my brake fluid was low and my oil change interval had been exceeded. I questioned this because my last oil change was on January 17, 2026 at 118,985 miles, and my vehicle had 126,391 miles at the time of service—about 7,406 miles driven. This is still within Toyota’s recommended 10,000-mile oil change interval under normal conditions.
I also noted that the windshield oil change sticker reflected a lower mileage interval based on a prior shop’s recommendation, not Toyota’s manufacturer guidance.
After leaving, I obtained a second opinion from another repair shop, which confirmed that a standard oil change was appropriate and that no engine flush or coolant flush was necessary. The coolant was simply topped off after cooling. I was also advised that a coolant flush would not be the correct solution if there is a suspected leak, as it does not address the underlying issue.
Regarding brake fluid, I was informed that this system is sensor-monitored and would trigger a dashboard warning if levels were actually low.
Overall, I found the experience concerning, as the additional services recommended were not aligned with manufacturer guidance or the second professional opinion. It also gave the impression that the situation was being used as an opportunity to upsell services and potentially avoid honoring the Groupon oil change as advertised.
A formal complaint has been filed with the Better Business Bureau and the Texas Attorney General’s Office (Case No. TCP-046644).
I am sharing this experience so other customers can make informed decisions when using coupon-based or promotional services.