Do any of you get your oil changed at Wal*Mart? On the whole, how do they compare to the Jiffy Lube-type places?
I’m thinking of trying Wal*Mart out because I am tired of the thieving bastards at Jiffy Lube. Every time I go there they try to sell me something in addition to my oil change. Almost all of the things they try to sell me I don’t need. I read my owner’s manual, I work in a Jet Engine repair facility. I don’t know everything there is to know about engines by any means but I’ve learned quite a bit by talking to my mechanic co-workers. I’m pretty certain Jiffy Lube sees a single woman drive up & thinks they’ve hit the jackpot. The last time I was there they tried to sell me 3(!) different things that I did not need. The guy got a bit flustered when I explained that I had already changed my air filter about a month ago & that I know what it looks like when it needs to be changed.
Jiffy Lube has also left my oil cap off (I ended up having to buy another) and lost two of the clips that go on my air filter cover.
So, I’m tired of getting this hassle every time I need an oil change. I know not all Jiffy Lubes are bad and not all WalMarts will be good. But on the average would you/do you get oil changes at WalMart? I realize Wal*Mart is a soulless place but I’m at my wits end. I don’t do the oil changes myself (though I do know how to) or ask any friends/co-workers to do it because of the issue of disposing of the oil. Also, my apartment complex & most subdivisions around here won’t allow car maintenance to be performed. The Ford Dealership is not an option I like either; they’re probably worse than Jiffy Lube.
So, what do y’all think? Could I do any worse than Jiffy Lube by going to Wal*Mart?
I heard that Jiffy Lube is more expensive than many other places. My last oil change was at a Sears. I liked their service. They also checked other items and rotated the tires. Haven’t tried Wal mart.
Violet, I have a Sears Auto Center here; I hadn’t even thought of them. Thanks for mentioning it, I may try them next. Jiffy Lube is getting to be expensive (close to $30 after tax) along with all of their other BS.
I also get my oil changed at Sears, mostly because they’re usually busy and I have to wait 30 minutes to an hour. And they’re connected to a mall, so there’s something to do.
I used to go to a Pennzoil, place but I also got sick of them trying to sell me extra stuff. Never used Jiffy Lube.
WalMart did this to me - I was making the drive from Atlanta to Nashville the next day. I stopped to eat breakfast once I hit middle TN (I think it was in Manchester), and found that there was all kinds of smoke rolling out from under my hood. I had to detour to the Manchester Supercenter. Despite the error, they took care of their mistake, even at a different Walmart. And they were nice about it.
Beyond that, I’ve never had a problem with them doing basic auto maintenance. Anything too fancy goes to a mechanic more familiar with my car, but an oil change? Yeah, I’ll save a few bucks. But I’ll check to make sure the oil cap is back on before I leave.
You may find that your local professional mechanic is not all that expensive for oil changes. Mine is competitive with the quick-lube places all the time.
Not only does mine change my oil but also checks my belts and hoses, tire pressure, all fluid levels, CV boots, checks the exhaust, etc. etc. etc. In other words, he makes sure I’m not diabled by my car unexpectedly. I don’t take his advice as “trying to sell me something I don’t need”. I have a long term trusting relationship with the guy that’s responsible for fixing my second largest investment!
A 17-year-old-quick-lube employee is just not trained enough to change my oil (which has a 50-50 chance of being right) let alone keep me and my car on the road.
You may also want to see if the dealership you purchased the car from has any kind of deal on oil changes. Last year when I still had my old Toyota, I’d take it in to the dealership and get the oil changed for $10. If I brought my own oil and filter, they’d do it for $4! And it was free if it wasn’t done in a half hour. It usually wasn’t. At one point, I had a string of four free oil changes in a row due to this policy.
Now that the Toyota has bit the dust, I usually just go to local, Mom-and-Pop oil change places. At least around here, there are tons of businesses like that. They specialize in oil changes and other light maintenance. They usually charge $20-25, IME. I always call first. If the price is $30, I tell them they won’t be getting my business, then call somewhere else.
Thanks all for your advice. I’m not going back to Jiffy Lube. I’ll try out some of the others until I find someplace that doesn’t try to gouge me. Sears, Precision Auto Tune (I think we have those here), etc. neutron star, I’ll check the dealership just in case but I have my doubts about them.
I recently had a great experience with getting my oil changed at wal-mart. I just expected a quick oil change but i got a whole 15 point system where they checked my oil, tire pressure, cleaned my windsheilds, topped off all fluids, and get this— even vacuumed! I was pretty impressed. All for just about $20 and it didn’t take too long, just an hour.
Hopefully you’re joking but if you’re not… do yourself a favor and CHANGE YOUR OIL… in the past 2-3 months I’ve witnessed 3 cars on fire because they didn’t change their oil and they definitely backed up traffic and got lots of mean stares. FYI
Monroe or Speedy. Same company, different name based on where they are located.
I have no problems with the oil changes or staff trying to sell me unneccessary parts or trying to stare at my chest. I go in, give my keys to the cleanest looking greasy dude, sit down and read for 15-20 minutes, then get my keys back and pay. That’s it, that’s all, and that’s how I like my oil changes to be.
Motor oil @ $2.00/qt. X 5qts (likely max) in your engine = $10.00.
Buy the gosh-dangedest oil filter for ten more dollars = $10.00.
Blow 30 minutes (likely max) behind your local elementary school/workplace= $free.
Collect the burnt oil in a pan and take it to your local auto parts store for recycling. Many of them have oil dumpsters for this purpose – no hassle. Me: “Where?” Them: “Yonder.” It’s all good.
Save a couple further bucks, even against the discount “mart” price, and do it yourself. The assurance that there’s no saw dust added to your crankcase is worth the effort.
If your car is under warrantee, the dealership is a good choice. Since their service department will be doing your repairs for free if there is a waranteed repeair needed, they have a pretty good incentive to do a good job for you. You can be sure that they will be using the proper oil and a quality oil filter, and if you do need some other item such as wiper blades or a new air filter, they’ll likely have OEM replacements in stock.
If you choose another place, you may want to consider getting the oil filter yourself and bringing it with you. Your owner’s manual should specify which after market replacements are appropriate for your car.
