I went with my friend to have the oil changed on his '07 VW GTI at the local Jiffy Lube. Although I have done the last two changes myself, I decided not to do this one myself due to the lack of time and the weather.
Their price for a synthetic oil change is $61.99. This price includes up to 5 quarts of any grade of Pennzoil Platinum-- 5w-20, 5w30 or 5w-40. Since they kept selling out of 5w-40, I decided to bring my own Mobil 1 0w-40 to ensure that the correct oil is used. When you bring your own oil, they charge you for the price of a conventional oil change ($38.99), but they do not give you any credit for bringing your own oil.
Since I had a $10-off coupon, the price came to $30. Jiffy Lube supplied the filter-- a Performax PO-162. This is actually a Purolator filter, and since this application is a low volume one, it is likely to be a repackaged OE filter. On their computer, the price of the filter came up to be $18.99! I was surprised to learn that their policy was to not upcharge for cartridge filters-- thank goodness for that policy in situations like this! Considering that most auto parts stores charge nearly $15 for this filter, the actual cost of labor for the oil change was only about $15, which is actually quite reasonable.
As for the quality of the service, Jiffy Lube does well. At least for this particular location. They were well aware of the service procedures for the newer VW cartridge filters, and they took their time to carefully R/R the cartridge filter assembly to prevent any damage. They were also aware of the VW oil requirements, and they told me that if I had not brought my own oil, they would have automatically recommended the Pennzoil Platinum 5w-40. (This is quite surprising to me, as most independent shops such as Walmart, Wheelworks, Firestone and Sears, know absolutely nothing about the oil requirements for European cars.) The only downside to their service though, is they did not check the engine air filter. Knowing how difficult it is to replace an engine air filter on a VW 2.0T, I don't blame them, but it is still a bit disappointing.
Overall, for about $30 w/coupon, Jiffy Lube provides a good service, at least the one in my town. Of course, your experience may vary, but it is possible to have a good quick lube that provides good service and reasonable prices. And it sure beats having to wait two hours at the dealer.
Their price for a synthetic oil change is $61.99. This price includes up to 5 quarts of any grade of Pennzoil Platinum-- 5w-20, 5w30 or 5w-40. Since they kept selling out of 5w-40, I decided to bring my own Mobil 1 0w-40 to ensure that the correct oil is used. When you bring your own oil, they charge you for the price of a conventional oil change ($38.99), but they do not give you any credit for bringing your own oil.
Since I had a $10-off coupon, the price came to $30. Jiffy Lube supplied the filter-- a Performax PO-162. This is actually a Purolator filter, and since this application is a low volume one, it is likely to be a repackaged OE filter. On their computer, the price of the filter came up to be $18.99! I was surprised to learn that their policy was to not upcharge for cartridge filters-- thank goodness for that policy in situations like this! Considering that most auto parts stores charge nearly $15 for this filter, the actual cost of labor for the oil change was only about $15, which is actually quite reasonable.
As for the quality of the service, Jiffy Lube does well. At least for this particular location. They were well aware of the service procedures for the newer VW cartridge filters, and they took their time to carefully R/R the cartridge filter assembly to prevent any damage. They were also aware of the VW oil requirements, and they told me that if I had not brought my own oil, they would have automatically recommended the Pennzoil Platinum 5w-40. (This is quite surprising to me, as most independent shops such as Walmart, Wheelworks, Firestone and Sears, know absolutely nothing about the oil requirements for European cars.) The only downside to their service though, is they did not check the engine air filter. Knowing how difficult it is to replace an engine air filter on a VW 2.0T, I don't blame them, but it is still a bit disappointing.
Overall, for about $30 w/coupon, Jiffy Lube provides a good service, at least the one in my town. Of course, your experience may vary, but it is possible to have a good quick lube that provides good service and reasonable prices. And it sure beats having to wait two hours at the dealer.
