In what city/county are they currently residing? We have numerous BITOG members located in Virginia (myself included) who should be able to suggest a competent and trustworthy repair shop.If he was closer to Roanoke I might have some confidence in finding somewhere for him to bring it for service.
Unfortunately that's 4 hours / 220 miles away.
Walmart for oil change?
- Thread starter Sequoiasoon
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He is in Suffolk, VA. Right off of route 58 / route 460
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Why would you not consider allowing the local Hyundai dealer do it vs Walmart?
I never owned a Hyundai but I have owned many or most brands and have had NIGHTMARE quick lube experiences but except for a few isolated experiences my Ford, Honda, Subaru, Ram. Dodge, Volvo dealers are rock solid doing oil changes and most if not ALL are less expensive than Jiffy Lube!
Heck, My local Ford dealer offers me a coupon for 1/2 off to come to my house with Fords Mobil Service and a oil change, multi point inspection, tire rotation AND new wiper blades in my drive as I sit on the front porch and watch, all for under $100 with coupon.
Like anywhere else you might get a person that takes pride in their work or you might get a person that can't wait to get off work so they can get high .
I have never personally used them since I am 40 miles away, but several co-workers recommend Suffolk Automotive Care, LLC.
Walmart for an oil change ??? Personally, I don't trust anybody but myself for an oil and filter change. Tell hm to put a scratch in the paint on the old filter, then take it in. Check filter when it's finished, to make sure they changed it. Happened to my Dad. He put a scratch line in the filter, car comes back finished. He went under car and saw his scratch line, then told them to change the oil again, and this time change the filter. They complied. BUSTED !!!!!!!!
Getting to filter requires dropping the underbelly cover. It is marked currently with mileage/date written on it from last install. I'll have him write date/mileage on the new one when he drops it off.
Big reason is I want the Valvoline Restore and Protect, not dealer bulk. Walmart uses it as their "premium service" and has it in the bay boxes so he doesn't need to purchase separately. That $30 for 5qts is already in their $65 service with them providing house filter. Cheaper cost if he brings filter.
I will inquire at dealer anyway to see what they say if he brings the oil will they use it and how much for the oil change using factory filter provided by them? I'll have my son drive down and reach out to recommendation from @Nukeman7 also which is only 2.5 miles / 5 minutes from his apartment.
IMO doing it yourself is the better option either way, just having somewhere to do that. Some of the comments do make me think both ways for dealer vs Walmart. The Jeep dealer my father-in-law used has the young kids in the quick oil change part. They stripped/lost multiple bolts/screws from his Renegade skid plate. They also charge close to $100 with lots of expensive upsell suggestions. I'm not against dealer doing it as it's under warranty anyway but if they charge an excess amount with customer provided oil would be frustrating. Won't know that until we call them.
My nephew worked at local VW/Subaru dealer doing the quick lube. Knowing and experiencing his quality of work, ambition and work ethic definitely makes me think of that at dealers.
The Walmart’s by me, most of the shop workers I have seen do appear to be at least more adult aged. As mentioned if there was a large problem it would probably be out there on the web. One of the guys in my firehouse does use WM for all his vehicles including his Ram dually diesel. He said it is best price he has found and has used them for years, more like decades.
I don't trust any quik lube joint, be it Valvoline, the car wash ( yes in NY, some car washes do that too), Walmart, Jiffy Lube,, etc. Not saying their all bad apples. Probably worse here in NY. Just a safety precaution...,to mark the filter...Maybe I just have a bad taste in my mouth from what was done to my Dad. Recently, I was at a long traffic light a few towns over. A Valvoline Quik Lube in my view. Garage door was open. An Audi was over a pit. 3 guys could not figure out how to open the hood once they popped the release. Did they get it open ? I'll never know. The light turned green. I'll change my own oil as long as I am physically capable.
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I guess who one chooses to do oil changes is always based on past / personal experiences, product selection and price.
Thinking about it I have been driving or riding something and changing the oil about 45 years now. I could write a book on my car service mishaps. Most of my issues came from fast lube places but not all as i have had some dealer service departments let me down.
In general I do prefer dealer service as in my case the price is the same or lower than Jiffy Lube and I will as example take a Motorcraft OEM oil and filter over a "champ" bulk filter any day but I think it depends on the actual dealer / quick lube and down to the tech doing the oil change.
Personally, I have had my local Jiffy Lube push added service more than a Ford dealer ever did. I had my oil changed in a old retired Police Crown Vic I had purchased at auction and that Jiffy Lube guy pushed headlight polish restore like his job depended on him selling me that service. My Ford dealer will walk out and show me my dirty cabin filter and simply ask if I want it changed.
The dealer service department actually has a big part in my choice of brand car and truck I buy.
To me, my car or truck is only as good as my dealers service department. In the area I now live I have had great Honda service and Ford. When its time to buy I at least consider Honda and Ford 1st.
I have had deal breaking bad service experiences at my local Dodge and Chevy dealer I would never now consider buying those brands.
I guess its nice we live in a time of Google reviews as it at least helps us make a wise choice when it comes to service...
I'm getting older so I choose to do less and less self oil changes on my cars and trucks but I still do most of my Harley fluid changes as THE ONLY way I know its done 100% RIGHT is do it myself!
All he needs is a curb to put the passenger front tire on to change the oil I been changing my oil like that for years no ramps done in 10 minutes
Example of what came off that in May I think, same as prior ones I did on it. Also what is on it marked currently. We also want the old one back so we can cut it open which would make that real difficult not to change.
Lastly is the trusted Indie mechanic. They may be a little more expensive but are more likely to actually use the oil and filter you bring in vs keeping it for the self and using bulk oil in your car. Or you pay for Mobil 1 and you see them pour in the oil from Mobil 1 containers, but they filled empty ones with bulk oil when no one was around
As you get older and bones and muscles don't work like they did when you were 25 you need a trusted Indie mechanic as you cannot do everything. You do what you can or like to do and leave the rest to trusted Indie mechanic.
As you get older and bones and muscles don't work like they did when you were 25 you need a trusted Indie mechanic as you cannot do everything. You do what you can or like to do and leave the rest to trusted Indie mechanic.
I used to change my oil in a close by Walmart's or Home Depot parking lots when I lived with my dad in a condo building. I would rather do that, than bring it to some random oil change place.
The best course IMO is to start looking for a good indy and get that relationship started with oil changes. That car will need a tranny service, brakes etc, and an indy is probably the best route.
The best course IMO is to start looking for a good indy and get that relationship started with oil changes. That car will need a tranny service, brakes etc, and an indy is probably the best route.
I moved away to Virginia once also, and had my own struggles finding a repair shop I trusted for pretty much any of those things that can go wrong when you don't want them to. Found plenty of bad shops, including a dealer that tried to take me for a ride on an unneeded front brake job, but somehow missed the back brakes that were down to the backing plate...
I purchased a used vehicle there, and it wouldn't pass inspection due to no reverse lights. Turns out the sensor in the transmission was bad, and the inspection station wanted a fortune to fix it. Bought a tool kit from Sears, pulled it up on the curb and swapped it out after a transmission fluid drain.
All that said, its not as simple as "Just do it yourself in a lot!". I had to buy the tools. I had to buy a drain pan. It was a HUGE pain to find somewhere to take the oil to get rid of it at the time. Plus what would have happened if something went sideways as often does with vehicles? Then it would have been a potential tow or a hassle from the landlord for working on a car when I shouldn't have been.
While I wouldn't prefer to go to a WM, that should be fine until your son finds a local shop that he can trust.
I purchased a used vehicle there, and it wouldn't pass inspection due to no reverse lights. Turns out the sensor in the transmission was bad, and the inspection station wanted a fortune to fix it. Bought a tool kit from Sears, pulled it up on the curb and swapped it out after a transmission fluid drain.
All that said, its not as simple as "Just do it yourself in a lot!". I had to buy the tools. I had to buy a drain pan. It was a HUGE pain to find somewhere to take the oil to get rid of it at the time. Plus what would have happened if something went sideways as often does with vehicles? Then it would have been a potential tow or a hassle from the landlord for working on a car when I shouldn't have been.
While I wouldn't prefer to go to a WM, that should be fine until your son finds a local shop that he can trust.
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I at one time had a quick change oil place I trusted, the older guy owned that one shop under the Mobil brand was fantastic. One thing he did that impressed me and was the BEST Liability reduction for he and his shop. When he finished your oil change he walked you to the front of your car with the hood open, pulled your dipstick and showed you the oil level and would ask is the oil level full and okay with you? All this on camera so he gets the customer shaking his head YES that the oil was full.
This practice always reassured me my oil fill was correct and not under or overfull and would protect him the shop owner if any one ever came back and said his shop didn't replace the oil and his engine blew up but gave me the "I know its done right" feeling!
I LOVED that Mobil 1 quick Lube place but then HE retired and sold it to Jiffy Lube!
Its was time for a Transmission service on my Crown Vic . I was surprised my guy sold his shop and no more Mobil 1 fluids but this now a new Jiffy Lube branded store with new management and new techs but the new manager said he can get my Mobil 1 trans fluid from the parts store quick so I agreed to have the trans fluid serviced. he ordered I think 15-17 quarts of Mobil 1 ATF ( was very expensive but was my fluid of choice at the time ). 20 min and the Auto Zone guy pulls up with my 17 quarts. I then stood as the shop door and watched the process like a hawk as I did NOT trust this now re-branded Jiffy Lube.
What a nightmare! First this guy hooks his trans flush machine I guess in reverse but when it starts the process the hose popped off and started spraying fresh RED ATF all over my engine engine bay and white pained hood.
I'm a clean car freak and always keep my engine detailed, spotless with shinny engine dressing. What a mess, then I watch the tech use my mobil 1 ( Ford spec ) quarts, he checks the dip stick then reaches up to his house bulk fluids and tops my trans fluid off with his bulk Chevy speck fluid NOT FORD!
At this point I run into the shop not fast enough to stop him, I'm freaking out, loosing my $hit with these guys!
I demand the shop dump the now contaminated fluid and order me another new FRESH 17 quarts of M1 fluid and demanded the shop pay me $100 for a engine detail to remove the red oil fluid from my engine bay!
I have had so many experiences like this over the years, I should write a book.
Its ALWAYS best to DIY but sometimes life gets in the way but most quick lube entry level techs are not the brightest star in the sky!
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Best oil change at Walmart is to DIY it in their parking lot.
Is thete a Valvoline oil change place close by? They bought out oil can Henry's a few years ago. I will say for in and out they were significantly more competent mechanically than Iffy Lube or the like. One lady and another guy had been there 20 years! I can't say that I've seen many oil change places keep employees for more than a couple of years at most. If it absolutely has to be Walmart look and see if or what type of complaints that location has.
Oh and I'd never go there with Toyota truck skidplating or anything that requires push pin clips be touched.
Other than running over pedestrians, ya know how all those splash shield clips go missing? Walmart <----- that's how
Typically on Toyota truck skids at least one of the bolts is missing by the time they get to me. I try to take the time to source a very similar bolt from my hoarde of metric fasteners and replace. I'll chase threads if necessary. I also keep a stash of metric clip nuts, where applicable.
Other than running over pedestrians, ya know how all those splash shield clips go missing? Walmart <----- that's how
Typically on Toyota truck skids at least one of the bolts is missing by the time they get to me. I try to take the time to source a very similar bolt from my hoarde of metric fasteners and replace. I'll chase threads if necessary. I also keep a stash of metric clip nuts, where applicable.
