Oil changes for family and friends

Working on family vehicles has brought me more headaches than its worth. One example is letting them pressure to you to use low priced parts, if you refuse they say you use only expensive parts and if you do and they fail you did a bad job.
Frig that pay up, 10% discount and I choose the parts, that gets rid of them pretty quick. My brother is another story, he wants the best and gets right in there with me, I really enjoy the time with him.
 
Dad, middle brother, & I work on the youngest child's car. Dad changes the oil on his & moms car, middle brother & I do the rest of the work
 
I do it for 2 very close friends of mine. Usually on my dime 75% of the time. One hand washes the other in life. At least for me & my friends/Family.
 
I do basic services, up to tune ups and brake work.
I am guessing you go waaaaaay beyond that.
Put it this way I threw in the extra for quality pistons instead of the $100 ebay set and dime store bearings with no name gasket set set they wanted me to use just so I didn't end up redoing the job again. Mind you they were not paying for labor (even though they have more than enough $$) to rebuild this engine that overheated because they added green to dexcool when it had a LIM leak and clogged the system.

Once you start doing work on your dime, they will keep coming back to the trough until you put a stop to it and when you do there are going to be bad feelings because now they have to pay for what they getting on the cheap or even better for free.
 
Put it this way I threw in the extra for quality pistons instead of the $100 ebay set and dime store bearings with no name gasket set set they wanted me to use just so I didn't end up redoing the job again. Mind you they were not paying for labor (even though they have more than enough $$) to rebuild this engine that overheated because they added green to dexcool when it had a LIM leak and clogged the system.

Once you start doing work on your dime, they will keep coming back to the trough until you put a stop to it and when you do there are going to be bad feelings because now they have to pay for what they getting on the cheap or even better for free.
@Trav all I can tell you is, you have earned the thanks and respect for your guidance via your posts on this forum.
Sound guidance that you freely give. Worth more than the beautiful Snap-On tools I inherited.
While this is of small consolance, I believe I speak for many of us BITOGers.
 
I have offered to do oil changes and other repairs for friends and family but usually no one takes me up on the offer. Changed my dads oil once and changed a friends for a while but he stopped calling.
 
I do quite a lot of free oil changes to folks who need help. Not a big deal because I use Supertech Synthetic and a ST filter on those so it only costs me about $20. I also always look the entire vehicle over and give them a check sheet so they know what was checked and any critical issues that may soon need attention. I feel I look the cars over better than the quick lubes.
 
I usually shy away from maintenance on other people cars but I do help my Mom with hers. She's not a car person so I do her oil changes and check in with her every month or so and make sure she hasn't gone over on her mileage. She is in a tougher spot financially than me so helping her out is something I like to do when I can.

On a side note she stopped over yesterday and I gave her interior a quick clean. Checked the tires just before she left and they were all down 5psi! Filled her up and she was on her way.
 
My friends usually pay for the stuff for their cars and I'll do it in exchange for a meal somewhere. One of the wife's friends is paying me to do her cars oil changes now cuz no one wants to pay 90 bucks for an oil change around here and they know I'll give them better stuff than jiffy lube or valvoline will.
 
I do my wife's car - when it doesn't need a tire rotation - and now that we have moved to 9K OCI,
it is one less job year I gotta get under there. But the Impreza FB20 is an easy oil change.

Then I help my buddy work on his classic cars and hot rods. He has a sweet and clean garage with a nice lift and all the tools including an Alabama Hot Wrench, a big compressor with air tools and grinder, and big vice and a hydraulic press.

I used to help folks all the time when I was a young man - I'm pretty much a hermit now living in a little log cabin on a hill in the State Forest :) It is true many will take advantage of your generosity. Think the last big job was a LIM on a V6 in a Chevy S10- Blazer. Dealer want to put in a targetmaster reman long block for $5000+-, I said, hold up, let's do the LIM and change the oil and hope for the best. Then The best happened; No knocks and good running. Job took an afternoon, but I got a nice big Italian sub "gratis" from my Nice big Italian friend - and co-worker.
 
Back
Top