Changing the oil in your car or truck is one of the most important things you should be doing to maintain your vehicle. Most manufacturers recommend changing your oil every 3,000 miles, but a few have different intervals such as 5,000 miles and I've even seen a couple European vehicles that recommend it every 7,000 miles. Those vehicles usually use a very expensive synthetic oil. Check your vehicle owner's manual to know for sure how often your oil should be changed.
The obvious reason for changing your oil is to protect your engine's internal parts that require clean lubrication from heat and friction damage. Many people overlook the second reason to have your oil changed every 3,000 miles or 3-4 months, and the second reason is to have a qualified technician look over your vehicle's vital parts. Bringing your car in for regular oil changes gives your mechanic a chance to test drive and generally inspect your car. If you take your car to one of those quicklube places where they shove you in, drop the oil, sell you as many un-needed "fast services" as they can, fill your car back up with the wrong oil and shove you out is a complete waste of money and your missing out on the 50% of the importance of an oil change.
At my shop I perform a full preventative maintenance inspection on every vehicle that comes in for an oil change. I rotate the tires if needed (at no extra cost) and check things like the safety of your brakes and steering/suspension parts, battery terminals and battery condition, belts, hoses, and antifreeze protection level just to name a few. Tow trucks tow thousands of vehicles of every year for corroded battery terminals or bad batteries, split hoses, and broken belts; all things that could have been prevented if a qualified technician would have warned the vehicle's owner. People also spend thousands of dollars on brake rotors and drums every year that would not have been needed if the owner was informed that they needed brake before they started grinding.
The quick lube places simply rush through their oil changes too fast and are too inexperienced to properly look your vehicle over and warn you of real problems that may arise. They check the air filter and vehicle fluids because that is all they know how to repair, and changing those items quickly for you is extremely profitable for them. They do a good job of showing you the "dirty/bad" fluid that is in our car and the harm it is doing and so on. They have a nice little check list of things that are profitable for the quick lube shop to replace, but not necessarliy what should be checked during a preventative maintenance check.
Think about what you gain by going to the quick lube shop for your oil change... You save about 20 minutes or so right? At my shop a good oil change with a full preventative maintenance inspection takes about 30-45 minutes. A quick lube takes about 15 minutes to get your oil changed + what ever they "upsell" you while your there. My normal oil change price is $29.95 which is about the same as the quick lube places but the value is incredibly different. So, you might save 15 or 20 minutes by going to a quick lube shop for your oil change, but that could cost you several hours + a tow bill and costly repair that could have easily been prevented. There is a huge difference between a "good price" and a "great value" and not all "mechanics" or so called "mechanics" are created equal. Remember that.
My goal at my shop is for my customers to never have to tow their vehicles in: for one, I do everything I can to keep them happy and an unexpected break down has never made anyone happy; and for two, I don't like having to push cars to get them into my shop :)
So my advice to you is to find a mechanic that you completely trust. Someone that believes in real customer service and isn't going to just try and sell you repairs that you don't need, and take your car to them every 3-4 months for a preventative maintenance inspection. I guarantee it will save you time and money in the long run.
Cory Howard - Owner
Save More Automotive
1425 E Sherman Ave
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814
(208) 664-6400
http://www.cdasavemore.com/
The obvious reason for changing your oil is to protect your engine's internal parts that require clean lubrication from heat and friction damage. Many people overlook the second reason to have your oil changed every 3,000 miles or 3-4 months, and the second reason is to have a qualified technician look over your vehicle's vital parts. Bringing your car in for regular oil changes gives your mechanic a chance to test drive and generally inspect your car. If you take your car to one of those quicklube places where they shove you in, drop the oil, sell you as many un-needed "fast services" as they can, fill your car back up with the wrong oil and shove you out is a complete waste of money and your missing out on the 50% of the importance of an oil change.
At my shop I perform a full preventative maintenance inspection on every vehicle that comes in for an oil change. I rotate the tires if needed (at no extra cost) and check things like the safety of your brakes and steering/suspension parts, battery terminals and battery condition, belts, hoses, and antifreeze protection level just to name a few. Tow trucks tow thousands of vehicles of every year for corroded battery terminals or bad batteries, split hoses, and broken belts; all things that could have been prevented if a qualified technician would have warned the vehicle's owner. People also spend thousands of dollars on brake rotors and drums every year that would not have been needed if the owner was informed that they needed brake before they started grinding.
The quick lube places simply rush through their oil changes too fast and are too inexperienced to properly look your vehicle over and warn you of real problems that may arise. They check the air filter and vehicle fluids because that is all they know how to repair, and changing those items quickly for you is extremely profitable for them. They do a good job of showing you the "dirty/bad" fluid that is in our car and the harm it is doing and so on. They have a nice little check list of things that are profitable for the quick lube shop to replace, but not necessarliy what should be checked during a preventative maintenance check.
Think about what you gain by going to the quick lube shop for your oil change... You save about 20 minutes or so right? At my shop a good oil change with a full preventative maintenance inspection takes about 30-45 minutes. A quick lube takes about 15 minutes to get your oil changed + what ever they "upsell" you while your there. My normal oil change price is $29.95 which is about the same as the quick lube places but the value is incredibly different. So, you might save 15 or 20 minutes by going to a quick lube shop for your oil change, but that could cost you several hours + a tow bill and costly repair that could have easily been prevented. There is a huge difference between a "good price" and a "great value" and not all "mechanics" or so called "mechanics" are created equal. Remember that.
My goal at my shop is for my customers to never have to tow their vehicles in: for one, I do everything I can to keep them happy and an unexpected break down has never made anyone happy; and for two, I don't like having to push cars to get them into my shop :)
So my advice to you is to find a mechanic that you completely trust. Someone that believes in real customer service and isn't going to just try and sell you repairs that you don't need, and take your car to them every 3-4 months for a preventative maintenance inspection. I guarantee it will save you time and money in the long run.
Cory Howard - Owner
Save More Automotive
1425 E Sherman Ave
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814
(208) 664-6400
http://www.cdasavemore.com/
You are certainly right, Cory! Oil change is a very important part of car maintenance because engine oil is responsible for carrying a number of engine-related tasks to make sure your car runs at a high level. However, what I like with your service is that you make sure to check everything - from the tires to the brakes - to ensure the car's quality. A deed like that will make your customers feel special. :)
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Tyra