POSITIVE Quick-lube stories - lets hear THOSE!

[addyguy]

We've all heard endless stories and seen endless videos on just how bad quick-lube places are, and all the crooked/careless stuff they do.

Anyone had any really POSITIVE experiences with one, or heard of one that they'd like to share?

I have no problems with quick-lube places. When I got my first car, I always took it to 'Mr. Lube', and got fine service. Yes, they always tried to upsell, but I don't feel I got 'ripped off' - I said yess to some stuff, no to others. Never had an engine oil problems.

When I started working at Wal-Mart after that, I dropped my car off at the garage at the start of a shift, and picked it up at the end. I was an employee, so I never had any problems.

These days, if I go to a QL place, I go to 'Oil Changers'. I'm really happy with the service there - very friendly people, no pushy upselling at all, and they don't cause a fuss at all when I ask them to catch a UOA sample. They use high-quality oil and filters, are decently priced (the cheapest of the 'drive through places), and are careful with their work - what's not to like?

So lets hear the 'good side' of this industry!

 

[John_K]

Back when we were first married my wife went to one, she was used to doing that and hadn't realized yet that I would change the oil.

Anyway, they noticed the water pump was starting to weep, and said it was still under warranty so I should take to the dealer. The car was only 100 miles away from the end of the warranty, so I rushed it to the dealer and got a free water pump thanks to their honesty.

John

 

[The Critic]

I used to take my friend's car to the local Firestone Tire Shop. As long as I made an early morning appointment, I was in and out of there in under 30 minutes. And nope, they never tried to upsell me anything.

 

[StevieC]

Mr. Lube up here in Canada does a really great job at their shops from when I have used them and from when family uses them. They can be a few bucks more but at least you don't have to fear the job being done wrong.

They call out what they are doing, double check one another (Guy on top, guy underneath), drain/change filter, fill the engine, check the dipstick prior to starting. Then they have you run the car at 2K rpm for 30 seconds to fill the filter with oil and to check for leaks.

They also don't reef on the oil drain plugs.

Then they shut down the engine wait a few minutes and check/show you the dipstick oil level all while you sit in your car and have a coffee/read the paper.

Then they take care of the paperwork. All in about 20 minutes... And out you go.

 

[Bill in Utah]

We have MANY vehicles (read a fleet) that get hundreds of thousands of miles on them and all they see is iffy lube.

And not every 3k like the lube place would like.

The worst I've seen is a stripped out drain plug on one of the Fords and they put in some rubber plug with a twist knob in the middle that tightened up the plug between changes.

So they work. They ARE expensive. I had my Tundra done yesterday and they charged me only $6.99 for less than 8 oz of antifreeze and $6.40 for a quart of QS!

Over $50 for the service...

But my windows were cleaned and they played with the light bar a few times vacuuming the floors.

But in the end, they provide a service that is quick and extends the life of the engine.

Bill

 

[addyguy]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
Mr. Lube up here in Canada does a really great job at their shops from when I have used them and from when family uses them. They can be a few bucks more but at least you don't have to fear the job being done wrong.

They call out what they are doing, double check one another (Guy on top, guy underneath), drain/change filter, fill the engine, check the dipstick prior to starting. Then they have you run the car at 2K rpm for 30 seconds to fill the filter with oil and to check for leaks.

They also don't reef on the oil drain plugs.

Then they shut down the engine wait a few minutes and check/show you the dipstick oil level all while you sit in your car and have a coffee/read the paper.

Then they take care of the paperwork. All in about 20 minutes... And out you go.

Stevie,

I get the EXACT same service from 'Oil Changers' for $7 LESS than Mr. Lube ($39.98 vs. $46.99).

PLUS, I feel Oil Changers uses a higher-quality oil (Petro-Canada) vs. the Castrol GTX Mr. Lube uses (GTX isn't a 'bad' oil, it's just that PC oil has better cold-weather specs...)

 

[Nayov]

A guy at work says he goes to quick lube places because they vacuum his car for "free."

I've never been to a quick lube in all of my 51 years, but I was a lube jockey for a while a few years ago at 'Iffy Loob.' As far as I know, no one there cheated customers out of a service and if there was no interest in an up sell, the pitch ended.

 

[bretfraz]

For many years I received free oil changes as part of my job compensation. I used quick lubes many, many times without problems. Typically, I'd use one close to my home (wherever that was) and become a regular customer. I always watched what they did to my car and was always treated well.

One thing that drove me to start changing my oil again was the dealer taking a day or more to do an OCI and charging me over $40 for the privilege. My company would pay for the oil change parts, so I bought filters online, used M1, and did them myself. I no longer have a job that pays me to change the oil, but if I did, I'd go back to the quick lube places without fear.

 

[wavinwayne]

I took my vehicles to the Havoline quick lube in my area for years without incident. My in-laws still take all their vehicles there, and they never seem to screw up anything.

I've also used the local W-M quick lube numerous times, and they never fouled anything up either, to the best of my knowledge.

 

[RWEST]

My local Ford dealer does mine ('07 Expedition - 7 qts MC 5-20 and FL820S). And, checks/tops off all fluids (they really do - I checked 'em last time on the washer fluid), and a "30 point check" of brakes/tires, etc... All for $30.00, and in less than an hour.

So, I guess it's kind of a 'semi-quick' lube story?

 

[3putter]

I had a $10 off coupon at the Jiffy Lube and took my daughter's Xtera for her semiannual oil change. They had me in and out in 20 minutes and I watched the entire thing. No corners cut, great job of vacuuming the interior, and no add ons to the price. YB Penz 5w30 filled right up to the line, not over or under. Skid plate under the car removed and installed properly so the filter could be accessed. Mgr was polite and I received a followup survey to rate the experience.
Bottomline; a very good job.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Walmart TLE had my nephew's Volvo that suffered from a rounded drain plug. They gave us a new one that was nicer, with a bigger bolt head. No charge. iirc, they were using MY Chevron Supreme, so they flushed it out with bulk oil first. If I did not see them do it, I would not have believed it.

 

[tomcat27]

I am actually a big fan of the quick oil change places, and have considered buying one. I would MUCH rather see someone go to a quick oil change shop than ignore maintenance on their car. and while many people get upset that they "upsell", I would bargain to say that many people (not any of us) ignore maintenance that actually SHOULD be done. How many non-car nuts actuallly change their tranny fluid? diff lube? PCV valve? coolant?

 

[ViragoBry]

I actually had a very good experience when I took my brand new 2002 Altima 3.5 SE in for its first oil change. It was freshly washed and lookin' fantastic. Everyone just kinda stopped what they were doing and walked over to have a look at the newly re-designed car. That gave me a good excuse to watch every thing they did and to make sure they used the Mobil 1 I brought in with me.

They did a fine job, especially in contrast to how badly they cocked up the last job they did on my 2000 Sentra. I was actually surprised at myself for returning, but had no regrets about the visit.

Having said that...they won't be getting their hands on my Mazda.

 

[stranger706]

Back when I first started driving I always went to quick lube places. Never had a single problem. I always kept an eye on them too. I either sat in my car while they worked or hung out in the bay area. Not because I didn't trust them; I was more curious than anything. Just wanted to see how everything worked.

I know there are crooks out there. But the majority of these guys are honest and hard working. Just like everything else in life, 10% of the people are causing 90% of the problems.

 

[ionbeam22]

There's a Valvoline IOC near where I work. They give a military discount which is nice.

As long as you don't mind paying full retail, it's not a bad deal. The branded quicklube places tend not to let you bring your own oil.

Also these days, many of the brake shops (Midas/Monro/Meinike etc) do Instant oil changes.

I won't go to Jiffy lube since in my area I have had too many experiences of them brutally upselling my mother for all sorts of un-needed "service". Also they are owned by Shell.

My dealer will do a "semi-instant" oil change if I bring my own oil, only charging $15 for labor and Mopar filter.

I joke that you are not paying the IOC place so much for putting oil in, so much as you are paying them to take the old oil out.

 

[Benzadmiral]

When I lived in Denver, there was a chain of quick-lube places called "Grease Monkey." One Saturday morning I brought my W123 coupe, the '84 Euro-model 280CE, to them for an oil change. It turned out they didn't have the right filter!

Fortunately, the manager was smart enough to check *before* they took off the old filter. We discussed it, and I drove to the specialty dealer where I'd bought the car, picked up a filter, and brought it back. They took the cost of the filter off the oil change total. All done.

I made sure to go back to them for one change with the 420SEL later that year, before I started doing my own changes again.

 

[John_K]

Quote:
One thing that drove me to start changing my oil again was the dealer taking a day or more to do an OCI


I would throw a holy FIT if anyone took a day to do an oil change.

Quote:
while many people get upset that they "upsell", I would bargain to say that many people (not any of us) ignore maintenance that actually SHOULD be done. How many non-car nuts actuallly change their tranny fluid? diff lube? PCV valve? coolant?


True, but I've heard of people with 5K on their car being told it "needed" an air filter, flush, etc. No vehicle with 5K on it needs any of these things.

John

 

[steve20]

someone would have to pry the car keys from my cold dead fingers to get any of my vehicles into a quick lube place.
Happy it works for ya'll though

Steve

 

[eljefino]

When I was in college the local corner garage had an "oil change special" banner for $15.95; it was only for bulk 10w30 but they understood when I asked for 5w30, and nicked me another two bucks for the privilege.

Not knowing what I know now, they also thoroughly inspected the car for more work, but for hard-core mechanical needs like a bad ball joint that they then got to fix. Not fufu stuff like PCV valves and air filters.