You really have to be careful where you get your oil changed. I normaly do my own but was in a rush the other day so went by Wal-Mart. Was going to be an hour and a half wait so ran next door to a "quick lube" place. Their price was about $2 higher then Wal-Mart, no big deal. But I run Mobil 1 in my cars. For synth oils there was a $30.00 extra charge :eek: That is more than a case of 6 qts of Mobil 1 at Wal Mart. So just ran home and changed it my self. Was still quicker then the 1 1/2 wait at W/M and much much much cheaper then the quick lube place.

P.S. This was for my truck. Only I touch the 73's :D

tom...


[Modified by Tom73, 1:30 PM 1/9/2003]

 

yes, you do have to watch where you get your oil changed. In fact the ONLY way to do it is do it yourself.

I'm sure you're aware that there's quite a few quicky lube places that take your money but dont even change your oil.

But here's my personal experience from the chevy garage i worked at. The kids who change your oil are called lube techs, they get paid $7 an hour, and literally have to work their butts off and destroy their knees changing oil all day.

But the oil comes in bulk, so usually the lube techs have to go over to a bulk containter (big pain in the butt right there) and put the oil into a smaller container (which is usually filthy) and then go pour it into your vehicle.

Now...this kids gots 4 other cars in line, and his boss is saying "go go go". think he's going to grease your steering linkage? Nope. But hey, some people are smart and just sit there and watch the kid do it to make sure they do it right, good idea huh? I swear to god i've seen kids do this...

They'll get an empty greasegun and go over all your fittings with it. And i can understand why they do it, the amount of bs these kids have to put up with is pretty unbelievable, and nobody likes anyone staring over their shoulder. They make a game out of it, see how much they can screw with your car without you noticing. It's about the only entertainment they get all day.

Now on to parts, Mobil 1 synthetic will run you $8 a quart at a gm garage, even though its more like $3.50 at any parts store. So even if you do get your oil changed at a garage, its cheaper to just buy your own oil and filter and have them use it.

But...instead of dealing with all this, you can just change your own oil. And hey, you could have the satisfaction of knowing it was done right!

 

If that same kid overgreases your steering control valve it is toast. A big warning comes on the new ones. Do not overgrease. One pump and that is all. So this kid is trying to do a good job and he gives every fitting he finds a few good pumps. He is doing a good job but there goes your control valve. They also check tire pressure and 2 of my nice chrome valve stem caps were gone the next day or maybe the same day. Who knows.

 

I was one of those kids once. I had a lot of fun with it. We had the oil pumper which you put the nozzle right into the oil fill. Making lots of noise with the tire machine was the best. I did my share of over greasing. I would certainly be concerned with the technicans attitude and experience. I saw my share of mistakes. Striped oil plugs, loose oil filters, overfilled crankcases. You certainly do not get the same quality of materials and labor you get at home. You also do not get to look at the oil and drain plugs to get a reading of whats happening with your car. :smash:

 

Tom,
I was tempted to let this one drift by as on initial reading there is much truth in what you say. But I came back to the thread. It is not that simple.

In my "Dep Old Geezer" days I am a lube supervisor at a GM dealer. Just a McJob to pass the time as I have a pension that is more than adequate to live on other than purchasing a new C5 ;). So the McJob is just fine with me.

I have those young employees. I hire them. And most are candidates for the GM-subsidized apprenticeship program. They "do time" in the oil/grease pit but they know that within months they will graduate to more substantial tasks towards earning their accreditation as a professional technician. Yes they can make mistakes. But we are developing a program that will provide for up to $1000/month that says they will not. In other words, that sum will be available IF they do not foul up. Each major mistake is -$100.00. So they have an incentive to work hard (and it is hard work) and right.

And an oil change is much more. At GM it is a 15-point inspection. And that is taken very seriously. You have to keep in mind that many car owners are not as meticulous as Corvette owners. You would be surprised at what we find! Faulty tires, lights are out, exhaust is spewing carbon monoxide, etc. I do agree that this service has a cost but many people need this type of advice. And I do believe it is good value for money. Last May I did an inspection of a Pontiac Montana that had just completed a 1,000 mile journey from Eastern Canada. Tire specs were 12psi/df, 18/dr, 15/pf and 22/pr. GM recommends 35 psi. That lady with two baby seats in the back was lucky. We set things up properly and sent he on her way to Western Canada. With a sigh of relief.

So look at both sides of the story. The Lube function is needed. But it does have to done right. Not everyone can do this work in their driveway;) .

 

Interesting comments but it just goes to show,- find a good garage/mechanic and stick with them. May cost you a little more but you get what you pay for and there is Service and ACCOUNTABILITY.

I use to give my mechanic and his two staff a dozen beer at Xmas and he always managed to fit the car in on short notice when something unexpected happened. :cheers:

:cool: :cool: :cool:

 

Very interesting how a topic can change. My intent was the $30 extra charge for the synth oil but the discussion went to the quality of work. Oh well... :D

tom...

 

Tom,
I hear you. Perhaps I was too serious. But a "mistake" on a GM DuraMax 6.6L turbocharged diesel comes to about $12,000. I had one in on Friday that had an aftermarket filter on it. Definitely a no-no. Those engines have very high internal oil pressures and will literally explode some thin-walled filters. Owners have to stay with AC Delco in this instance. There is more to oil changes than many people give credit for....