Quick Lube Places: Yea/Nay?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Quick Lube Places: Yea/Nay?
Need to get an oil change. Not really in a garage situation to do it myself. There is a place (Valvoline) where I've been taking my Jeep for about 15 years without incident and the guys have always treated me great.
If they manage not to cross thread the plug and don't over tighten the filter I think I should be fine.
Opinions?
If they manage not to cross thread the plug and don't over tighten the filter I think I should be fine.
Opinions?
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 68
Likes: 1
From: Roanoke Virginia
Need to get an oil change. Not really in a garage situation to do it myself. There is a place (Valvoline) where I've been taking my Jeep for about 15 years without incident and the guys have always treated me great.
If they manage not to cross thread the plug and don't over tighten the filter I think I should be fine.
Opinions?
If they manage not to cross thread the plug and don't over tighten the filter I think I should be fine.
Opinions?
Racer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 487
Likes: 48
From: Ocala Florida
Never have Never will!! I am with you. Those places change "boys" like we change clothes and most of them don't know where the drain plug or filter is located without some help. Would never trust them with my '76
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 26,563
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From: Northridge California
St. Jude Donor '14
I hardly let anybody touch my Vette, and the people that have I either know and trust, or have a reputation for working on old stuff.
Oil changes on our appliance vehicles are either done by me or the mechanic that I have been using for 20 years. I know the guy, I know his guys, and I trust him.
Although the dealership is doing my truck right now because it's free...
Oil changes on our appliance vehicles are either done by me or the mechanic that I have been using for 20 years. I know the guy, I know his guys, and I trust him.
Although the dealership is doing my truck right now because it's free...
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Joined: May 1999
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From: Texas
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: N.Richland Hills Texas
Used one for several years..The owner built some show cars. He used one bay to work on cars, mostly old stuff .. I did see oil coming out from under the GF's Lexus. She had just put it in the garage after having it serviced at the dealership for a road trip.I got it to a Quik Lube place, they found the plug cross threaded ..
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Chapel Hill NC
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I change the oil my self but if I could watch them doing it I would feel more comfortable.
I would also check the dipstick immediately. A quick change place shorted my son's DD by two quarts.
I would also check the dipstick immediately. A quick change place shorted my son's DD by two quarts.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
After I retired from working full-time, I worked for Advance Auto parts, part-time, for several years. We sold quite a few ""thread saver" oil drain plugs, to the nearby "Quickie Oil Change" place.....
I believe that most of those places use a hose, connected to a remote storage tank, so while I understand your point, they can't easily fill the filter separately...
I believe that most of those places use a hose, connected to a remote storage tank, so while I understand your point, they can't easily fill the filter separately...
Pro
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 570
Likes: 65
From: Sebastian,FL
I learned my lesson the hardway, and it only took 2 disasters. When I was a kid I had a p.o.s. car and went to a chain store for a oil change. They came and told me it needed brakes and being young and dumb I let them do it. Car stopped fine, oil filter was new and shiny, but they forgot to put oil in the car. I found out when I left about a half mile down the road. Anyway ended up 45 days later with a $500 car with a $4000 motor and rental car tab. They could have offered me half that and I would have walked away. Vowed to never let any place touch my vehicles, fast forward 20 years, dropped some rims off at a small shop to get some tires mounted and realized I needed an oil change so I let them. Sitting in the lobby heard a tremendous crash. Ran to the shop and saw my truck sitting on top of a caddy and tool boxes. The guy was driving it on the lift, thought he hit the brake but mashed the gas and it took off. It used the stops at the end of the lift for a ramp and cleared most of the tool box and landed on the hood and windshield of the caddy. It nearly killed the tech working on the caddy. Hopefully none of you guys ever have that bad of luck and if you know the shop that makes a difference, but I never will again. Both my experiences were with a national chain store.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,989
Likes: 198
From: Meriden CT
I hate quick lube places. Took my daily in for a oil change in January, it was so cold here in CT I didn't even want to change it in my garage, lol. Fast forward to the next oil change I did in early spring, the hex on the drain plug is all jacked up, like they spun a oversize wrench on a pneumatic tool. The car made it thru 14 years of oil changes just fine until these azzholes got hold of it. I rarely let anyone else touch the vette. The only 2 places were Corvette specialty shops, besides the emissions testing.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: NYC NY
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 81
From: Hamilton Virginia
x2
Nobody has ever turned a wrench on my vette since I owned it.
I let a chevy dealership fix an old Camaro of mine about 20 years ago, they broke the shifter and chipped my brand new paint. Then a goodyear shop changed the oil in my suburban a few years after that cause I was not able to ( laid up with a collapsed lung for a month ), after that the motor started knocking a couple hundred miles later. I think they forgot to put oil in it after the oil change, started it up for a minute before they realized there was no new oil in it yet. After that nobody ever turned a wrench on any of my vehicles again.
Nobody has ever turned a wrench on my vette since I owned it.
I let a chevy dealership fix an old Camaro of mine about 20 years ago, they broke the shifter and chipped my brand new paint. Then a goodyear shop changed the oil in my suburban a few years after that cause I was not able to ( laid up with a collapsed lung for a month ), after that the motor started knocking a couple hundred miles later. I think they forgot to put oil in it after the oil change, started it up for a minute before they realized there was no new oil in it yet. After that nobody ever turned a wrench on any of my vehicles again.
Last edited by scrappy76; Jul 4, 2015 at 10:08 AM. Reason: spelling
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,879
Likes: 38
From: Los Gatos CA
Those places scare me. I just serviced a friend's CRV. The cheapie oil filter was overtightened; I was lucky to loosen it. And I think you know the location is difficult to get to... The plug was difficult to remove; a new plug should have been used.
Oil changes are so simple, and they offer a chance to inspect your car's undercarriage. Just do it.
Oil changes are so simple, and they offer a chance to inspect your car's undercarriage. Just do it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,105
Likes: 96
From: Sunrise FL
It gets down to the ACTUAL PERSON who is touching your car....yes a shop is reputable, but do you trust him?? How fast is he working to get on to the next car??
My bud works at a new car dealer and he only books 10 min time to do a change. The techs HATE that because they would rater book a juicy repair!
My bud works at a new car dealer and he only books 10 min time to do a change. The techs HATE that because they would rater book a juicy repair!
Last edited by mikem350; Jul 4, 2015 at 10:54 AM.