Funny convo I had with a JIFFY LUBE employee...

[98RegalGS]

Theres a gentleman that came into my work yesterday, who happens to have a wife that works there. Started chatting about oils n stuff, and he lost his credibility once he said AMSOIL is the worst oil you can run

Told him I was going to run 5w-30 for the winter and he said "Your oil cap says 10w30, run that or you will tear up your bearings, 5w30 is too thin."

Where do people get such information?

Im fine running 5w30 for the winter right? Its a 98 Regal GS (3800 S/C). Been running Amsoil 10w30.

 

[Scott P]

The L67 is a tough little engine. You will be just fine with 5W-30.

 

[michaelc80]

I'm amazed at the level of ignorance of some people. Unfortunately people like that will never change their malformed ideas and opinions no matter how many different ways you prove them wrong.

 

[texasproud]

I am always curious as to what the quick lube employees are instructed to tell clients to keep them "properly informed as to the care and maintenence of their cars". It is a shame because some people depend on them to provide adequate protection for expensive equipment. I guess it really boils down to " let the buyer beware !"

 

[Pablo]

Iffy lube guy bashing Amsoil?

That's pretty darn good!!!!

Lemme see, Michigan, winter, subzero, - Synthetic 5W-30, vs (marginally refined) Petroleum Oil 10W-30. Yeah tear your bearings up ok, whatever. Yeah give me the API stuff!!!

 

[Flimflam]

I would rather be all greasy and Black-faced like a monkey after doing my own oil change, than go near a Jiffylube or any other quickie oil service place.

 

[T-Keith]

A good 5w30 will do great for winter, I recomend Chevron/Havoline.

-T

 

[unDummy]

Next time you see him, thell him that you'll use the 0w30.

 

[turbochem]

quote:

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I am always curious as to what the quick lube employees are instructed to tell clients to keep them "properly informed as to the care and maintenence of their cars".

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Probably whatever is in their computers...presumably the manufacturers' spec. There's probably a legal issue somewhere in there......

quote:

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Next time you see him, thell him that you'll use the 0w30.

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"Zero, HHHMM? Is this some kind of new invisible oil?"

 

[ekpolk]

quote:

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"Zero, HHHMM? Is this some kind of new invisible oil?"

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No! Use the green 0w-30. That's always good for generating befuddled responses from the uninformed.

Yeah, that stuff has just torn my bearings to bits. . . I especially enjoy overriding the ones who are stubbornly proud of their ignorance. Flashing them a copy of a Blackstone report is also entertaining.

 

[John_E]

Between the 10-fastener belly pan, the TSB for an oversize oil filter and 502.00 oil, the transmission drain plug, the very tight constraints on proper oil level, the special power steering fluid, and the special coolant, I won't let any *-Lube joint anywhere near my VW Passat 1.8T.

 

[bretfraz]

For the first time in many years I took my personal vehicle to Iffy Loob for an OCI. I supplied the oil (GC) and the filter, all I wanted them to do was drain and fill.

When I told the guy I had my own oil and filter, he looked at me totally seriously and said, "why would you want to bring your own oil?" I said that I liked my own stuff. He turns to his co-workers and yells, "HEY, THIS GUY BROUGHT HIS OWN OIL!!!"

Anyway, every guy working there grabbed a bottle of GC and looked at it, like it was made of unobtainium or something. The kid pouring in the oil said, "wow, a zero weight oil", as if he'd never seen one. I said I like the low temp flow and that this oil thickens up real nice which my engine likes. The kid's eyes glazed over.

As I'm standing there I look at the bulk oil dispensers. They had 5W-30, 10W-30, 10W-40 and ATF. All the motor oil were API SH, SG rated. No brand name, just a green label. Ummm..... no thanks!

To their credit they did have cases of Pennzoil Platinum on display and two new-looking 55gal drums of Pennz 5W-20 out back.

I should have brought a Blackstone UOA and some comments from Terry, like EKPOLK suggested. They'd prolly have a brain seizure.

 

[Mike_dup1]

The quick lubes here (only 2) will install any oil you bring in. They charge the same as if they supplied the oil. I used to take my Trans Am to this one and have them put in Amsoil including filters fro $24.95. Pontiac dealer was a little more, $30.

 

[bighead]

I'm sorry, but there is no way I'd pay $30 for someone to change my oil, after I already spent $30+ for the oil itself!! Hey, to each his own I guess...

I used to occasionally get my cars done at "quickie lube" joints, when I didn't feel like doing it myself, but after joining this forum there's NO way I'd ever go back.

 

[Audi Junkie]

"I like the low temp flow and that this oil thickens up"

Thickens up?

 

[99]

"Between the 10-fastener belly pan, the TSB for an oversize oil filter and 502.00 oil, the transmission drain plug, the very tight constraints on proper oil level, the special power steering fluid, and the special coolant, I won't let any *-Lube joint anywhere near my VW Passat 1.8T."

If you take your car into a VW dealer, be aware that they too have some bozos working there. I won't let my local dealer touch my VW after it took 4 techs, yes 4, to figure out how to remove the rear hatch cover from the back of my Jetta wagon. I watched them come over 1 by 1 until you couldn't see the back of the car anymore. The cover simply unclips....I had to walk out there and show them how to do it. If it wasn't warranty work, I would've got in it and just drove off. What a joke.

 

[Steelhead]

those Jiffy Lube EXEC's are rolling in laughter pain in their private Caribean island estates from this conversation, they could care less what their employees tell all those yuppy women Mercedes SUV and Beemer drivers that pull in for a cheeeeep oil change. just let the cash roll on in baby.

 

[Mike_dup1]

quote:

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I'm sorry, but there is no way I'd pay $30 for someone to change my oil, after I already spent $30+ for the oil itself!! Hey, to each his own I guess...

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Have you ever tried to get under a trans am?

It won't drive up on car ramps, too low to ground. Not easy when you are 60 yo, I would rather spend the $$ than crawl on the ground. You will only spend the $30 on something foolish anyway.

 

[racer12306]

being a former employee of jiffy lube i am glad to know that there are other people out there (besides me) that see all the ** that goes on in a jiffy lube place. the place is full of morons. they have to go exactly by what their electronic service manual (esm) says. if the customer wants something other than what the esm says (and it is jiffy lubes oil) the techs have to comment it on the receipt to cover their a$$. i remember thinking on a regular basis "these guys are such morons"

hopefully i havent ****ed myself to where people dont believe my input on things. i am not like other jiffy lube techs, i have actually built motors and worked on cars outside of the jiffy lube atmosphere.

if anyone has any questions about jiffy lubes and procedures and such let me know and i will answer them to the best of my ability. i worked for two places over the course of 4.5 years, a shell owned one and a privatly owned one. so i know what goes on in each.

for the guy that took his own oil and they started making a big deal about it, if it was recent call customer service and complain. they can get in trouble for that **. they are not supposed to "pick on" (for lack of a better word) the customers.

also, the oil used by jiffy lubes is pennzoil for shell owned stores (because shell owns jiffy lube and penn/qs) or exxon by some privatly owned stores (because its a lot cheaper than penn.) surprisingly they do not get good rates on oil, even in bulk. its like $1.5/qt. and the private store paid $5.00 or a little more for mobil 1. if there was a way to get oil cheaper the private owner would have.

again, any jiffy lube question send me a pm or post here and i will answer as best i can.

 

[BigOil]

"surprisingly they do not get good rates on oil, even in bulk"

This is because, to sell bulk oil into a quick lube, the supplier usually has to provide tanks and/or up-front money. This is amortized over the supply contract, in-effect "hidden" in the inflated bulk oil price.

It also gives any unethical independent operators (there ARE more than a few of these) an incentive to buy cheap old spec unbranded bulk oil and "sneak it in" as much as they can ... versus the branded major oil they SHOULD buy. This is not an issue with Shell or other "co. owned" stores.