Quick Oil Change Shops (Cars)

[arits74]

theres a local place here that changes mine if i bring my own oil for $16.they do minor mechanic work and i have known the owner for years.i dont trust
the quick lube type places to put what i want in there.i really think they put whatever they have in them

 

[crashz]

I've had the Jiffy place do my work truck a couple of times, didn't like it but I get pretty antsy when I go over the miles. Never a problem. But I scoped out a place that was clean and has a few older guys in the bays.

Me - I'd have it changed out if you can find the right place. If not, make sure its topped off. Not worth damaging your hand trying to do it yourself.

 

[WM75Guy]

Mine go back to the dealer. It costs $99 at the dealer for a complete service for a diesel. Oil and a filter would cost me around $70. The extra $29 is well worth keeping me from crawling under it to drain the oil, change the filter, check differentials and disposing of the oil. Also no issues with warranty as they have complete service records for both trucks.

This last time they caught a recall on the plug in heater that I hadn't received notice on yet. GM doesn't have a fix yet but the temporary fix is to cut off the cord so you cannot use the block heater, which they did. It really doesn't affect us. I have only had to plug in one of my diesels and that was a 1995 GMC 1500. In 2002 in Missouri it got down to 0 degrees so I plugged it in at the hotel where I was staying since it was outside all night.

 

[dasranger]

So you’re a good kid, you like cars, and the local dealership is hiring. What do they start you out on? Oil changes and tires.

 

[the old grind]

I've been going to the same place for >30 years, and under three owners/franchisees, even brands. (Pennzoil, Gulf, etc) So three trucks and five cars later I'm still waiting for a hiccup in customer satisfaction.

I suggest that like tractor dealers, some places are good, some are bad. My pet place is crewed more by underemployed area mechanics in their 50s than guys under 40. We learn patch-ups and shortcuts from their years of experience under cars & trucks and do most of our own work.

Somebody cross-threaded a drain plug, (not mine) so oil change places are to be avoided?

More than one passenger plane has crashed, so don't fly?

Everything in life should be so simple.

Meanwhile, my neighbor spends 45 min changing his own oil for ~$5 less than I pay, and also every 3k mi. Maybe he just likes spilling and splashing the old stuff. He doesn't top up washer, brakes, tranny, coolant, etc. He doesn't check his tire pressure every oil change, or lube door hinges every year.

He says I'm wasting $$. I drive a car for ten years and resell it to someone who's been waiting. His usually go to junkyard in 4-6 years, ... with healthy engines if nothing else.

btw, All fluid/filter changes on all tractors are done by yours truly.

 

[fried1765]

I've been going to the same place for >30 years, and under three owners/franchisees, even brands. (Pennzoil, Gulf, etc) So three trucks and five cars later I'm still waiting for a hiccup in customer satisfaction.

I suggest that like tractor dealers, some places are good, some are bad. My pet place is crewed more by underemployed area mechanics in their 50s than guys under 40. We learn patch-ups and shortcuts from their years of experience under cars & trucks and do most of our own work.

Somebody cross-threaded a drain plug, (not mine) so oil change places are to be avoided?

More than one passenger plane has crashed, so don't fly?

Everything in life should be so simple.

Meanwhile, my neighbor spends 45 min changing his own oil for ~$5 less than I pay, and also every 3k mi. Maybe he just likes spilling and splashing the old stuff. He doesn't top up washer, brakes, tranny, coolant, etc. He doesn't check his tire pressure every oil change, or lube door hinges every year.

He says I'm wasting $$. I drive a car for ten years and resell it to someone who's been waiting. His usually go to junkyard in 4-6 years, ... with healthy engines if nothing else.

btw, All fluid/filter changes on all tractors are done by yours truly.

10 years in Michigan?
And the rust/body rot ????

 

[ericm979]

A member of my family also blew an engine in their car due to a quick oil change place double gasketing it. The one time I went to one, I was so worried that I drove around the corner, crawled underneath the truck and inspected it. Between that and the hard upsell, I haven't been to one in the 35 years since. I do my own.

Of course if you have a shop, "quick" or not, that does good work and that you trust (and who isn't upselling) there are fewer reasons to do it yourself.

 

[the old grind]

10 years in Michigan?
And the rust/body rot ????

50+ years living/driving my own wheels in MI. I know all too well that it's dirt road dust-damping chloride that rusts cars most here, .. while winter salt gets the rap.

CaCl is hygroscopic at >18% humidity, sweats and is corrosive all year 'round because A 'lowest' humidity here is 40% or higher. It's been used as a dehumidifier just by exposing it to room air and catching what drips off. (since WWII)

Rock salt is hygroscopic above 82% humidity and rarely 'sweats' or clumps vs 'always' here in the South North. Is there a difference? Well, if you drive on maintained dirt roads here (I don't) chloride/dust will cling to your car's underside. On rainy days in Spring & Summer, I like to jump in a car or truck and drive through puddles to rinse any & all off. ('Road grime' Si! Chloride no!)

When rock salt is used on roads, cold temps ****** rust, esp compared to what sweaty chloride does in any and all 'warm' Michigan weather. I get surface rust here and there, but there are no holes in the '06 Monte I kept (the one with >150k mi) and I haven't rinsed the bottom at the quarter wash in the four years I've driven it.

I drove the '79 Regal for 9 1/2 years, the '88 LeSabre T-Type for 10 1/2, and the '98 Camaro for 12 1/2. Sold them all to friends who knew me, got in line to buy, and resold at least two of those after a few years. None of us have ever had much rust to patch up/paint on them.

Cars/trucks rust when owners think washing/rinsing undersides in Spring just in case won't help sheet metal last longer, or don't plan to drive a car more than a few years and so don't bother. Scheduled oil changes are 'cheap insurance', risky when going to the cheapest vs the most reliable place, and what better time to check/service everything else. You a DIY guy? Be my guest.

 

[TractorGuy]

I have never used a quick lube shop.

I do all my own service except we take the wife's car to the KIA dealer. Their prices have gone up but not that much over what it would cost me for the supplies. They also claim we have a lifetime powertrain warranty by using them for service.

I took my truck to the Ford dealer a few times and they would do LOF and rotate the tires for $42. The only reason I stopped was they became so busy at that price you couldn't get in or it would take several hours for them to get to it if you did.

My suggestion is if you can't do it yourself check with the dealer. They will use OEM filters and good quality oil. And hopefully a littler better trained tech.

 

[DEWFPO]

I can't control your worry, nor do I want to. But, I can tell you I wouldn't be concerned at all about driving it and then changing it when you are up to it. You know it will be done right and you are not, I repeat not hurting the engine any by leaving it in a little longer (mileage and time). They both have large safety margins built in.

If you can't sleep at night, then take it to somebody you can trust or watch (and double check) and ... Words of Wisdom : NEVER, ever do any significant work (or have any done) on a vehicle that you plan to take on a long trip within a day or two of leaving. You'll always want to drive it for a few days to make sure none of the work was botched up.

DEWFPO

 

[DK35vince]

10 years in Michigan?
And the rust/body rot ????

Spray/undercoat them with oil or Fluid Film (or something similar) every year makes a HUGE difference.
I spray our cars every year.
My truck is 28 years old. (1991)
Wife's car is 14 years old. (2005)
Son's car is 16 (2003)
Minimal rust on any, and they run in salt/calcium every winter.

 

[fried1765]

Spray/undercoat them with oil or Fluid Film (or something similar) every year makes a HUGE difference.
I spray our cars every year.
My truck is 28 years old. (1991)
Wife's car is 14 years old. (2005)
Son's car is 16 (2003)
Minimal rust on any, and they run in salt/calcium every winter.

Inside the door panel lower seams?
Inside the rocker panels?
Inside headlight and taillight cavities?
Behind fender liners?
For pickup only .....cab corners, and inside tailgate?

How do you reach those areas?

 

[the old grind]

Inside the door panel lower seams?
Inside the rocker panels?
Inside headlight and taillight cavities?
Behind fender liners?
For pickup only .....cab corners, and inside tailgate?

How do you reach those areas?

Ya can't! .. Let it rust!!

As Sigarms reminds us: "Just because you can't do everything, doesn't mean that you have to choose to do nothing." (not joking)

My Fluid Film 'kit' included the 'flexie' extension for hard to reach places. You fish it into the deep and dark, then hit the trigger as you draw it out.

Then I found that there's an undercoating biz that's as thorough as I hoped to be by ordering the delux application tools. Krown, they call it, and it's a lanolin-based product like FF. It's also not easy to find a franchise if you don't live near the Canadian border.

I hope to take my truck to get a Krown undercoating. I don't expect it to be perfect. I expect to pay </= $150. (I might touch up the bottom over time with the 2 gal I bought.) If I see a rust spot or two five or ten years from then I'll be glad it wasn't three or four.

I think SA get's it.

 

[Ortimber]

Every shop in our area from the quick lubes to the small independent shops use sub par, cheapo filters. If I have to go to one of these places (rare) I bring my own filter. The quick drain time doesn't bother me as much as using $3 filters.

 

[HillStreet]

I drove a company car for 28 years and went to Jiffy Lube 95% of the time. Estimated average 60,000 miles a year is 1.6 million miles, plus my personal car, kids cars, and wife’s car. Had only one event where the car smoked hard on the turnpike. I exited, went to a Goodyear place and they found a bent oil filter where it would not seal. Jiffy Lube paid that repair. Overall I know the reputation of the quick lube places but I will still go there.
BTW I always drive out of Jiffy Lube, Park in any parking lot for two minutes with the car running, then drive away looking for a puddle or drops.

 

[Diggin It]

AutoZone is running an Oil Change special like they often do. $35 for 5 qts of Pennzoil Pure Synthetic and a premium Fram filter. Picked that and I guess I'll do it in a couple weeks once I get most of my wing back in use.

 

[DK35vince]

Inside the door panel lower seams?
Inside the rocker panels?
Inside headlight and taillight cavities?
Behind fender liners?
For pickup only .....cab corners, and inside tailgate?
How do you reach those areas /

For some hard to get places I put a flex extension on my spray gun.
For inside doors, I open the doors where I have 1/2" holes drilled and capped. I remove the cap and spray into the door.
I have 1/2" holes drilled in my door jambs to reach cab corners, the side of the tailgate, inside the bed to reach/spray into fender wells/side panels.
Stick the spray gun in the holes, spray, replace the plastic caps.

 

[Ritothebull]

The local Wal Mart service center here is pretty good and you can get any oil they sell in the store, they also will let you bring your own filter which is handy when you have a diesel. Bunch of old-timers working there that take their time, they can also order you any brand and model of tires you want.

 

[3Ts]

I do all my tractor work as well and oil changes are measured in gallons instead of quarts when the hydraulic oil is changed out. It costs $200 to get the tractor into the shop before they start any work on it, so I do what I can and pay the dealer for what I can't do. Since I have all the equipment to change gallons of oil on the tractors, it's pretty simple to do the one on the car and check all the fluids, etc. It also makes sure I check the vehicle over and under when I do an oil change, it's not likely to get done otherwise. Also, if I had the shop do the car, it's a 60 mile round trip and have to wait the better part of a day. I've been known to leave a business after waiting what I consider to be "long enough".

 

[Cat_Driver]

For the last 15 years, I've always taken my own oil and filters to every vehicle, truck, tractor, etc to the dealer and have them do the work.
They usually give me a good break only charging me the labor portion of their advertised oil change.

Last week at the Ford dealer I brought my own stuff for my diesel truck and I think I was charged $30.00.

The main reason I do the dealer is they have a record of the work proving I never touched the equipment so if things so wrong with a warranty or lemon law they are responsible.

I won a Lemon law case because of the dealer being the only person touching the vehicle. Yes I know that you can change your own oil per Lemon law, but it made my case close in two weeks rather than years of fighting how often I changed the oil and prove it.