When you pay someone to change your oil and filter, the only way to know it was changed is to get under the car, check to see if a new filter is installed, pull the dipstick and make sure the oil is clean.
Other then that, there is no way to know what type of oil it is.
This is simple stuff people. Some employees, believe it or not, are lazy. It is very possible if they think they can get away with not changing the oil, they will go have a smoke instead.
I know, even though I normally changed my daughters oil when she was in college, one day I was working, she was back from college for the weekend. I told my wife to take the car to Sears for an oil change.
This was maybe just 6 years ago. Together they went to Sears, left the car and entered the mall for shopping. They then picked up the car and headed home, I already was off from work.
First thing I did was look at the receipt, then did my
due diligence and went out to the car, pulled the dipstick and NOPE, oil was black, looked under the car and NOPE oil filter wasn't changed.
My wife was in shock (she thinks I have a sixth sense for this stuff, I do) We drove the car back to Sears, manager came out, said to me no way, I saw him with the car on the rack, he had me bring the car in, all the mechanics came to the car, pulled the dipstick, looked at the oil filter, said NOPE, the guy didn't change the oil, one of them offered that the car was on the lift and he thinks the guy then hung out behind the building for a smoke.
Not everyone in this world is honest and some think if they can get away with it, they will take a short cut. If you or your family members get regular oil changes, do your due diligence and at least check and make sure new oil and filter is in place. MANY years ago my friend quit an independent, he worked in a car shop, as a kid at the time, he ended up quitting because he felt uncomfortable, boss told him to wipe down the oil filter and make it look new when a lady brought her car in, stuff like that.
Simple stuff but just like a few employees the owners are lazy and dont check the work. So where is the incentive for the worker?
By the way I do agree a dealer is safer and also many quick lube places but bottom line is, there is good and bad in this world, we want to trust everyone but that is naive and in most cases I would say it is more of a worker goofing off then the business itself cheating, except maybe when it comes to the conventional vs paying extra for synthetic, I would guess that is much more prevalent, also, if the place is out of your filter, well, I doubt they are going to run to AutoZone and get one.
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