Where are people getting their oil changes these days?

34 oil changes in my own garage. I can do it in my sleep in 20 minutes. (2nd Generation V6 though).

 

I bought a 7L oil extractor, and so do them in my driveway.

 

Dealership. All day everyday. Cry about it all you want. “You’re not a real man if you don’t change your own oil” blah blah blah lol. My time is worth more.

 

Local Toyota Dealer. The closest three in my neck of the woods charge $29.99 for conventional and $39.99 for full synthetic and includes tire rotation and driveshaft lube. If you make an appointment, they do it upon arrival while you wait. I confirm the price quoted on their website when I call to make the appointment. That's just about the cost of a 5-qt jug + 1qt of any brand (synthetic) and an OEM filter from Walmart at current (inflated) prices, and I don't have to lose my temper over removing the $#@&^% oil filter every time I do it myself. (I tighten it to the spec on the box and it still takes Hercules to remove it.) go figure. The only drawback is not knowing what brand of oil they are are using. I like Valvoline or Castrol: conventional or synthetic.

 

"Cry about it all you want."
I'm taking that as permission.

 

My mother in law went this week for a oil change to belle tire. they immediately recognize that she doesn’t know anything about cars and tried to scam her left and right. They wanted to change the brakes (just front), shocks and struts (probably not even checked if they need to be replaced), air filters for 100$, wiper blades for 50$, wheel alignment (plus warranty for40$), sway bar links (not sure why) all in for about 1200$.
Luckily I caught her just before agreeing to it. when she and my wife went to pick up the car they even asked if they also should change the oil filter for an additional 100$ (Oil change itself was 80$), I believe the oil filter was changed but they tried to scam her anyway.

And Exactly this is the reason why I do everything myself what I can do myself.

to be fair the brakes need to be replaced but the whole set of 4 rotors and pads can be bought for 250$ instead of 500 they tried to charge

 

Home sweet home auto service.

Small auto shop ran by one guy and sometimes a helper. Helper I believe is underage and does not moves a finger but very nice kid.

Owner is very slow.. it takes him around 2 hours to change oil but he does it good and use quality materials. Not centrifuged oil.

 

This reminds me of my wife a few years ago getting her oil change at Jiffy Lube. They did the usual with pulling the cabin air filter and showing her how dirty it was blah blah. In their defense, it really DID need to be changed. She asked to see it, took it in hand, walked to the trash barrel and tapped it on the inside a couple times, handed it back and said "nah, my husband can change it himself".

 

It's places like that why I do as much myself as I can. I went and tried jiffy lube once when I had the Outback. They wanted to replace my air filter when I had a k&n installed. They tried to show me a dirty filter that wasn't mine. They wanted to change the power steering fluid and brake fluid, the wiper blades and the fuel filter. I don't remember the price. But it was not reasonable.

Then before that some years before I had an old beater Honda Prelude si. I took that to an oil change place because the deal was so cheap I couldn't get the stuff myself much cheaper at retail. Well they turned my car in to the Honda Valdez. Stripped the drain plug. When I took it back the next day they would not own up to it. Said it was like that already but that wasn't true. Sure it was an old rough looking car but it never leaked oil on my driveway before they touched it. So that great deal on an oil change cost me a new aluminum pan.
You can say all you want about how I do it myself for my ego, whatever but those bad experiences are why as long as I'm able it will be done by me or a trusted regular mechanic that I'd have to repair it never a lube shop.

 

2020 Tacoma TRD Off-Road oil changes are free for the lifetime of my truck every 10,000 miles from my dealer.

 

If changing your oil makes you a pro mechanic, what does doing my own lift and lockers make me? Master Tech? Automotive Engineer? I'm pretty damned impressed with myself!

lol

Some have the inclination, time and ability to do things that some do not, I get it, but every big install or mod I did was accompanied by a lot of research, YouTube and patience. I literally put the best install video on the TV in my garage and follow it step by step. So far, it's worked for me.

 

Went to my neighborhood garage yesterday for my 20 K service.
They
Changed oil with synthetic
filter
cabin filter
lubricated all doors hatches
rotated tires
checked brakes
When they removed the driver rear brake drum for inspection they found a lot of rust in the drum. They say that there was a piece of paper that was in between the brake drum and pads. They could not figure out how this paper got there and assumed it was in there from the factory as this is the first time the drums where opened for inspection. Anyways they cleaned up all the rust and say everything should be ok now not to worry.
and the last and most important they adjusted the floor mats.
Great guys honest, reasonable and they follow Toyotas maintenance schedule to a tee.

 

Same, Gets a free wash inside and out also. I just need to be less trusting and check levels and stuff as anyone can make a mistake. I’ve done lots of oil changes over the years, once got distracted and forgot to put oil filler cap back on.

 

How quick are they? I can get mine done in the time it takes to drive there and back…

 

Comment is more directed to the people who give others a hard time because they have no desire to do their own oil change.

 

Fair enough. This forum has an unusual number of deeply rooted self-confirming groupthink bubbles. Its a problem of any hobby I suppose, but that doesnt make it right.

 

My garage. Best and most trustworthy mechanic around.

 

That just-about sounds like a VERY political description...but it makes sense...things spill into other aspects of life...like for example: critiquing hobbies.

Forums (& the internet for that matter) make it easy for some to display those thoughts...from people we don't know. It's very challenging to ignore the comments when it hits home.

 

Depends on who's lifetime....yours or theirs?

 

I would never feel less about someone that goes to a dealer or oil change shop. I'm not in their position and don't understand their situation. There is an advantage of not getting dirty, disposing of used oil, having to buy oil/filter, skill level, etc. I just don't think time is one of them. I can change my oil in much less time than sitting in a dealer waiting room for an hour. But then again, your dealer like mine has free coffee and donuts.