All I want is an oil change...

[geno]

"high pressure sales tactics"? grow a backbone if you think that's high pressure. They're offering you things you might need, and everything they asked you were things you need to check on a regular basis.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: DurocShark

Originally posted by: TheAudit

Originally posted by: NogginBoink

I used to change my own oil.



It's worth it to me to pay someone else to do it. (Especially when I had a low riding car.)



And I sympathize: when I go to get an oil change, I want an oil change with no upsells. All that other stuff I can do myself without the PITA of changing my oil.



I kinda hate to say this, but I found that WalMart is the place to go. I get their bottom-barrel oil change. No upsells. Just an oil change. For twelve bucks.

Same thing with me. I used to change the oil most of the time myself and then I bought a Miata that I couldn't even get on the ramps. So I started going to the dealer and now I let them change it all the time. I actually just got back from getting my oil changed, took 15 minutes, and I'm a happy camper. Time to go play basketball.

WallyWorld is cheap, and you can specify the filter and oil. I let them do the air filters on the PITA cars like the Volvo and Fiero. heh

Just double check the tightness of the filter and drain plug as soon as you get home. Those guys get rushed sometimes and I get nervous. Never had a problem, but better safe than sorry.

Definately.

My dad had his oil changed at WallyWorld once.. a few weeks later, we noticed an oil spot developing in the garage. I touched the drain plug, and it was about a half a thread from falling out.. :Q If he didn't notice the oil pressure drop, and it fried his almost brand new engine.. sh!t woulda flown.

Never again.. lol

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: Ornery
" If I wanted all that extra crap I would do it myself or go to a mechanic."

There you are, having somebody change your oil, yet saying you'll handle the other stuff yourself. Chances are, anybody too lazy to change their own oil, is likely to have somebody do that other stuff as well. Assuming you'd like to have them do these other tasks, is not unreasonable on their part.

Thank you, my thoughts exactly. To me, anyone who can't/doesn't change their own oil very well could be negligent of the other fluids they listed, I'd rather have them ask and check all the things you don't want to or are unsure about. Do you check all of your own fluids? When's the last time you checked your power steering fluid or brake fluid? These are things people forget about and over time if you have a leak and not know about it, it'll cause a lot of damage...IMO it's a great convenience for someone who doesn't check this stuff themselves.

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
If you had nowhere to change your oil I'd be sympathetic, but since you've not indicated you lack the space to do it and you merely don't want to learn how to do it, well then really it's your own fault that you have to suffer this mistreatment, since you could so easily do it yourself. As Eli said it's really one of the easiest things to do on a car, and once you get good at it you will be able to do it quickly and with minimal mess. People don't hassel you, you can do it at 10 oclock at night if you want, and you know you won't be overfilled (or they forget to fill which happens once in a blue moon) 🙂 Plus it saves $5-10 in labor.

Another winner! Not to mention you don't get crappy recycled oil running through your motor. I've heard some of these quick lube places use recycled oil... you'd never find that garbage running through any of my motors...

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: geno

Originally posted by: Skoorb
If you had nowhere to change your oil I'd be sympathetic, but since you've not indicated you lack the space to do it and you merely don't want to learn how to do it, well then really it's your own fault that you have to suffer this mistreatment, since you could so easily do it yourself. As Eli said it's really one of the easiest things to do on a car, and once you get good at it you will be able to do it quickly and with minimal mess. People don't hassel you, you can do it at 10 oclock at night if you want, and you know you won't be overfilled (or they forget to fill which happens once in a blue moon) 🙂 Plus it saves $5-10 in labor.

Another winner! Not to mention you don't get crappy recycled oil running through your motor. I've heard some of these quick lube places use recycled oil... you'd never find that garbage running through any of my motors...

No way.......

You'd have to be lower than merely "shady" to do something like that. :Q

Anyway, I know Jiffy Lube can't do that. It isn't setup in a way that would work. The oil is drained into a pan, and they have a set of hoses with nozzels - one for each grade. You grab the right one, and fill. The hoses lead to 55 gallon drums, I imagine.

Well, on second thought.. I suppose you could put the used oil in the drums.. Oh man. The mere idea... :|

 

[geno]

like I said, it's just something I've heard - I wouldn't even chance it with one of my turbocharged motors...

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: geno

Originally posted by: Skoorb
If you had nowhere to change your oil I'd be sympathetic, but since you've not indicated you lack the space to do it and you merely don't want to learn how to do it, well then really it's your own fault that you have to suffer this mistreatment, since you could so easily do it yourself. As Eli said it's really one of the easiest things to do on a car, and once you get good at it you will be able to do it quickly and with minimal mess. People don't hassel you, you can do it at 10 oclock at night if you want, and you know you won't be overfilled (or they forget to fill which happens once in a blue moon) 🙂 Plus it saves $5-10 in labor.

Another winner! Not to mention you don't get crappy recycled oil running through your motor. I've heard some of these quick lube places use recycled oil... you'd never find that garbage running through any of my motors...

Let me guess: you read it on the internet so it must be true, right?

I suppose this is possible, but without any form of substantiation, I'm going to file this in my urban legends file.

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: NogginBoink

Originally posted by: geno

Originally posted by: Skoorb
If you had nowhere to change your oil I'd be sympathetic, but since you've not indicated you lack the space to do it and you merely don't want to learn how to do it, well then really it's your own fault that you have to suffer this mistreatment, since you could so easily do it yourself. As Eli said it's really one of the easiest things to do on a car, and once you get good at it you will be able to do it quickly and with minimal mess. People don't hassel you, you can do it at 10 oclock at night if you want, and you know you won't be overfilled (or they forget to fill which happens once in a blue moon) 🙂 Plus it saves $5-10 in labor.

Another winner! Not to mention you don't get crappy recycled oil running through your motor. I've heard some of these quick lube places use recycled oil... you'd never find that garbage running through any of my motors...

Let me guess: you read it on the internet so it must be true, right?

I suppose this is possible, but without any form of substantiation, I'm going to file this in my urban legends file.

Nope, heard from friends, some of which are mechanics. About substance, what proof is there about what kind of oil they give you? None, it comes out of a tube connected to god-knows-what kind of oil drum 🙂 Honestly there's probably nothing wrong with it anyhow, millions of cars run off of it, but like I said, I'd never trust it in my cars no matter what I'm driving.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: DopeFiend

Originally posted by: Dissipate

Originally posted by: conorvansmack
Is all that part of the "courtesy check" or are they trying to sell it to you?

They try to sell it to me, and I turn them down on every item but they keep asking about other stuff and I keep having to tell them no.

Seriously, an oil change is one of the simplest things you can do to a car. As long as you have lots of newspaper down to catch any drips, and a container to catch the oil from the sump & filter, you'll be fine. A pair of rubber gloves (medical-style) helps a lot, and a funnel to pour the oil into the engine is also useful.

I don't particularly enjoy messing with oil either, but the sense of satisfaction from doing it yourself and saving a few bucks is quite rewarding 🙂

 

[earthman]

They don't use recycled oil at any of these places, I've delivered the barrels myself, it's usually Kendall. It costs them about 45 cents a quart in a 55 gallon barrel. There is nothing theoretically wrong with recycled oil, its re-refined and recombined back to new. It actually costs more than regular oil though. I use synthetics myself and recommend that everyone else do so as well, they are much better at preserving your engine.

 

[Saulbadguy]

I like it when they bring out the air filter and show it to you to make you think you need a new one since its full of bugs and dirt. I walk over to the trash can and bang it on the rim a few times to knock out the bugs and dirt, and give it back to them. They give me a dumb look, and then walk back.

I always have to get my oil changed at places since I dont have a place to change it, nor the necessary equipment, nor the know-how, nor do I want the hassle of doing it. I don't care if i'm not saving 5 bucks by doing it myself, i'm saving myself the hassle.

 

[Rumpltzer]

Originally posted by: EmperorOfIceCream

Originally posted by: her209
Learn to do it yourself, lazya$$. 😉

I wonder if theres a website with pics and detailed instructions for a 1994 Saturn SW2

For $15 to $20 you can purchase the Haynes manual for your car at a large book store or auto parts store (or probably Wal Mart), and it will tell you exactly what to do, step by step, with some pictures... you can also use Chilton's, it's just that I prefer Haynes for these simple kind of manuals.

The factory service manuals are also an option, but if we're still talking about an oil change, then it's a little out of the league (and probably the price range).

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: geno

Originally posted by: NogginBoink

Originally posted by: geno

Originally posted by: Skoorb
If you had nowhere to change your oil I'd be sympathetic, but since you've not indicated you lack the space to do it and you merely don't want to learn how to do it, well then really it's your own fault that you have to suffer this mistreatment, since you could so easily do it yourself. As Eli said it's really one of the easiest things to do on a car, and once you get good at it you will be able to do it quickly and with minimal mess. People don't hassel you, you can do it at 10 oclock at night if you want, and you know you won't be overfilled (or they forget to fill which happens once in a blue moon) 🙂 Plus it saves $5-10 in labor.

Another winner! Not to mention you don't get crappy recycled oil running through your motor. I've heard some of these quick lube places use recycled oil... you'd never find that garbage running through any of my motors...

Let me guess: you read it on the internet so it must be true, right?

I suppose this is possible, but without any form of substantiation, I'm going to file this in my urban legends file.

Nope, heard from friends, some of which are mechanics. About substance, what proof is there about what kind of oil they give you? None, it comes out of a tube connected to god-knows-what kind of oil drum 🙂 Honestly there's probably nothing wrong with it anyhow, millions of cars run off of it, but like I said, I'd never trust it in my cars no matter what I'm driving.

yes, your mechanic friends have ABSOLUTELY no motivation to lie about jiffy lube.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: her209
Learn to do it yourself, lazya$$. 😉

You'd still have to find a place to dump the oil... so you may as well go somewhere and have it done for maybe $5 more but a whole lot less mess and effort.

 

Originally posted by: geno
"high pressure sales tactics"? grow a backbone if you think that's high pressure. They're offering you things you might need, and everything they asked you were things you need to check on a regular basis.

So when they asked me if I wanted to flush my differential fluid on my subaru with only 12K miles, that wasn't just a bs upsell?

I went in to get an oil change this past friday. On thursday afternoon I replaced my air filter by myself.
On friday the guys at the shop said I needed to change my air filter because it had 20K miles on it.
I asked them if they actually took the time to take the bolt off of the air box brace and actually check it.
They said they did and it looked dirty to them.

Flush my transmission when it doesn't even have 20K miles on it?
Comon.

 

[imported_Phil]

I have an unspoken arrangement with my local garage- two-man-band who service Citroens only. They don't try and sell me stuff, I keep coming back. I've been going to them since I got the car (about 3-4 years), and I've never had any complaints or any bogus charges. It's the reason they get quite a lot of business, and why my father also takes his car there.

I avoid mainstream places like the plague, unless I want tyres changed pronto.