Oil Change Shops: Why
- Thread starter Greg L
- Start date
My oil looks like that after 1600 miles, thanks GDI!
I have a feeling they left a lot in during the service and half azzed it.
If they did that, the level would have been overfilled.
In fairness to the quick-change oil shops, first they might not even carry conventional any longer. Why would they? How many people ask for conventional oil any longer, probably not many if any.
Secondly, they are probably trying to do a good job and limit any liability or allegations of using "cheap conventional" when someone pays for premium synthetics. If they don't even keep conventional on hand, no mistakes can be made or alleged. The last thing they need is a lawsuit alleging they destroyed your engine when you paid for premium but they put in conventional and it broke down too early.
Third, they are not there to debate and become oil experts. It's not a realistic expectation for a very entry level maintenance job. They have corporate controlled computers to tell them the correct product and other details. I'd suspect that their system only tells them a blend or a full synthetic.
I do my own oil changes. On the rare occasion I take it in, I almost always provide the oil and filter I want used. This averts mistakes and I know what I get. I also write the date on my filters, so it's easy to identify / age. Also, in my oil stash probably 1% is conventional, from garage sales or clearances. It's not even available at most retailers.
Secondly, they are probably trying to do a good job and limit any liability or allegations of using "cheap conventional" when someone pays for premium synthetics. If they don't even keep conventional on hand, no mistakes can be made or alleged. The last thing they need is a lawsuit alleging they destroyed your engine when you paid for premium but they put in conventional and it broke down too early.
Third, they are not there to debate and become oil experts. It's not a realistic expectation for a very entry level maintenance job. They have corporate controlled computers to tell them the correct product and other details. I'd suspect that their system only tells them a blend or a full synthetic.
I do my own oil changes. On the rare occasion I take it in, I almost always provide the oil and filter I want used. This averts mistakes and I know what I get. I also write the date on my filters, so it's easy to identify / age. Also, in my oil stash probably 1% is conventional, from garage sales or clearances. It's not even available at most retailers.
With probably 10k different cars on the road, it's not feasible, possible, or even reasonable to expect someone working in a relatively entry level job to memorize such things. So they rely on a uniform corporate controlled computer, or the manual. Both probably recommend or even demand a synthetic or blend be used. Every vehicle I have post 2000 states such recommendations or requirements.
It's feasible, possible and reasonable to expect someone administering the database to get it right. This is a harmless example but such a culture leads to the wrong weight used, wrong parts used, etc. It's just getting worse and worse. I think the key is for employees to stop being brainwashed to believe what they're taught is without error.
I don't have the manual, don't know the OPs year car, nor care enough to waste time looking. But other's have pointed out that 2011+ model years do require synthetic. So it's possible the shop is correct.
And it's possible the shop only carries synthetic, as I've stated. Therefore when being informed, the more complete answer is "Of the products we offer, your car requires XXX synthetic (read between the lines, we do not carry conventional)."
Just a theory, nothing to get wrapped around the axels about. Get the synthetic, go somewhere else, or DIY.
Frankly, the price differences are so trivial and the performance of synthetics so superior I don't even understand this discussion.
Just take them the oil you want put in it.
In this case you are probably wrong.
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2023
At all my jobs we have had to put what was recommended by the factory in them. We had customers upset but we were just doing our jobs. Still have upset customers sometimes especially Chevrolet owners that have Dexos oil who only want to pay for conventional oil. We also had upset customers who wanted different oil grades than recommended too like we have this one customer who wants 5W-30 in his Subaru but it recommends 0W-20 because it’s a 4 cylinder we can’t do it has to be the 0W-20.
Exactly this. We put in what the factory recommends/requires. If a customer has a problem with it, (which has yet to happen) we politely tell them we can't help them.
I until recently worked with a fellow, who was at the time a student at the Local(nationally known and recognized) Auto/Diesel college training to be a Diesel mechanic.
He Blew up the 5.3 in his Silverado towing a camper back home in WV. Had the Local Chevy Dealer down there put in a new engine.
Got his Knickers in a twist b/c they filled it with Synthetic oil. (IE: the OE recommended Dexos oil)
told me according to his instructors you can't switch back and forth between conventional and Synthetic. if you do bad things happen.
I forget what those supposed bad things are....
old wives tales never go away.
Good luck finding a shop that will do that . Nobody around here will . I don't blame them . Lost revenue .
They will here and charge $20 labor.
When I read these kind of threads, I only hope and pray that when I'm old, and a complete physical wreck, that I'm still able to drag my old, stiff arthritic body underneath my car, and do my own oil changes.... Instead of trusting, (insert the oil change place of your choice).
Ecoboosts require 5w-30 synthetic blend oils. I only use 5w-30 full synthetic in mine, 2019 Mustang. I also change it every 5k miles. I love getting 310 hp from a 2.3 liter, 4 cylinder engine.
Kudos... how does 310hp sound coming from your speakers?
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