Meineke…..

[MotorFan]

How much smog can there be in a place that is below 0 half the year?

do riot induced smoke clouds count?

 

[atikovi]

How many people come to a riot when it's 20 below?

 

[14Accent]

My daughter took her 2021 Mazda into Meineke in Charlotte NC for an oil change because she was away from home for several months. They charged $79 which came to $93 after tax and "shop supplies' expense. I called them to ask what synthetic they used (because I like to stay with the same oil for at least 2 OCI's). The guy told me we use Citgo synthetic "inorder to save our customers money". I have no problem with Citgo synthetic but I was a bit surprised that they used a $2 Primeguard oil filter (Chinese made) on a synthetic oil change. I'm not complaining but $93 isn't exactly cheap....I think my daughter now appreciates dad doing her oil changes for free....and using Mobil1, PP, QS, Castrol etc...

99% of shops operate this way. Other than dealers, all lube chains and indy shops alike use some version of "jobber" grade oil filters. Mine included. Doesn't matter whether you're buying a basic semi-syn $39.95 special or a $90 Amsoil service: you're getting a jobber filter at my shop, FVP brand in our case.

I run them on my own vehicles at 5k intervals. They perform just fine.

 

[PF52]

There was a Meineke within walking distance of my office; came in handy the one time I used them for some exhaust work. Other co-workers who used them were satisfied as well.

Then they got a new manager (or franchise owner; I don't know which). Six months later, they were closed, shut down by Meineke corporate. I checked the online reviews.... All the recent ones were terrible! The new owner was a total jerk; threatening to withhold cars if people didn't agree to his shady upsells. Numerous complaints of shouting matches with his customers. Police were called several times, etc, etc. The guy was a complete rip-off. The closed shop sat empty for a couple years (still with all the Meineke signs on it) and only recently looks like someone else is remodeling it into something else.

 

[Wolf359]

How many people come to a riot when it's 20 below?

How many people actually go to a riot? They usually go to an event and then a riot breaks out.

Like you go to a fight and then a hockey game breaks out.

Any state that has privately owned repair shops performing inspections is subjecting motorists to get ripped off.

Isn't that pretty much how most states do it? What states have government run inspection stations? It's always been privately run inspection stations in this state so it's pretty much a rubber stamp inspection. It's supposed to take about 45 minutes if it's done right but every time I go to a place they're done in 5-10 minutes and several of those minutes involve removing the old sticker and putting on the new one.

 

[PF52]

How much smog can there be in a place that is below 0 half the year?

You're just furthering the stereotype that the folks in D.C. know nothing about the rest of the country.

 

[NormanBuntz]

In N.C. our vehicle property taxes are paid at renewal time along with the annual sticker/plate renewal, and a driver/resident of N.C. Must have a current vehicle inspection to be able to renew their registration. Why would you do this and risk having the N.C. department of revenue come knocking wanting to know why you haven’t paid your vehicle taxes? With todays big brother technology I can’t imagine someone getting away with this for “2-3 years. What’s the old saying about death and taxes? As a side note: I had a N.C. state trooper pull up beside me at a stop light in Blowing Rock N.C. and remind me that I had failed to attach my renewal sticker to my plate and to do so when I get home. He had obviously ran my plate and saw my registration was current but had forgotten to attach the sticker. I gave him a thumbs up….the sticker was in the glove compartment and I put it on at my next stop so yes, a non current sticker is a big red flag and one can be pulled over for improper registration.

NC state inspection is so cheap at about $14.50, just get it done, pay your personal property tax and get the new sticker. The state even allows you an exception to get a routine service when out of state and still renew your tag.

 

[gman2304]

NC state inspection is so cheap at about $14.50, just get it done, pay your personal property tax and get the new sticker. The state even allows you an exception to get a routine service when out of state and still renew your tag.

Exactly! A small price to pay to keep your insurance from possibly being cancelled, property from being confiscated for non payment of vehicle taxes, wages garnished etc.