quick oil shops

[renovation]

don't you just love how they state $19.95 for a oil change with filter , up to 5 quarts of oil and they tap off all fluids, do a so many point inspection like 27.

but when you get the final bill its always $5.00 or more plus tax
even when you don't have more then there basic service.
why dont they just say it be lets way $23.99 plus tax and include shop supplys ,other services extra.

i do enjoy it when i go to these places and they go to check like the air filter on my work truck and they guy go's and checks the air filter and finds its a royal pain in the butt to reinstall the housing it sits in. and its clean and don't need to be replace anyway.

now the place by my house is starting a new service they asked me about my brakes and said there running a specal right now on brakes. im thinking i really not going to go there to have my brakes done ever.
i also have a friend who owns a servce center and we just go there . i do 98% of the repairs myself with his asst for free.
i would of dont my oil change there but its 1 hour away and it cost me about the same for parts as i payed to sit in my car and not get my hands dirty any way.

[DarkFury]

"Environmental service fee" :shrug:

[mechmike0034]

Quick lubes tend to use bargain-basement filters and sub-par oils (or the incorrect oil for the vehicle) in my own experience - no thanks...

[DarkFury]

Funny thing about the quick oil places... Even if you bring in your own oil and filter, they'll only knock off like $2 from the price of thei oil change where they supply the oil and filter.

I was like... WTH??? Are you saying that your oil and filter is only worth $2? You could make a pure profit of around $15 to $20 with no cost of goods... yet you still want to stick it to us for around your full charge (about $27 to $30 depending on location).

[mechmike0034]

Funny thing about the quick oil places... Even if you bring in your own oil and filter, they'll only knock off like $2 from the price of their oil change where they supply the oil and filter.

I refused to install customer-supplied parts when I wrenched full-time. Why take on more responsibility to make less profit?

I never understood people's mindsets... Most folks wouldn't dream of carrying their own ground beef and buns into McDonald's yet they think nothing of bringing their own parts to an automotive repair shop.

[DarkFury]

I refused to install customer-supplied parts when I wrenched full-time. Why take on more responsibility to make less profit?

I never understood people's mindsets... Most folks wouldn't dream of carrying their own ground beef and buns into McDonald's yet they think nothing of bringing their own parts to an automotive repair shop.
Well that being the case, then tell me your TRUE labor cost? If you make $75 per hour and an oil change takes you 15 minutes... well isn't that still about $18 to $20 for your time.

No local shops sell the oil that I want to put into my car as a retail outlet, therefore I just want the labor aspect of the job (as I don't want their crappy bulk oil in my vehicle). Money is money... if you want to leave it on the table for someone else to get, then that's your business.

BTW... going to McDonalds is not the same thing as getting your oil changed. What a stretch there... Getting your oil changed is more like having someone paint your house... where you buy the paint and all you want from them is the labor to do the painting. Instead of McDonald's... if I could afford it, I'd hire a CHEF to cook the food I bought which would be more in line with this discussion.

It's not like I am bringing them some "used parts" and tellin' them to install them and give me a warranty on the work. It's just an oil change. Plain and simple.

[renovation]

Funny thing about the quick oil places... Even if you bring in your own oil and filter, they'll only knock off like $2 from the price of the oil change where they supply the oil and filter.

I was like... WTH??? Are you saying that your oil and filter is only worth $2? You could make a pure profit of around $15 to $20 with no cost of goods... yet you still want to stick it to us for around your full charge (about $27 to $30 depending on location).

you can still blame the shop for screwing up your car .even if you bought and brought in the wrong parts. the guy putting the parts on may have no way of knowing that your parts were the right one's or wrong ones for your make and model car or truck. the human eye see the part it my look right and seem to attach correctly but not function properly. and there always the possibility that the unit gets so dirty or damaged do to a problem that they have know way to prove .it was the same part you gave them to install if things go really wrong. people today seem to be sue happy .so the shop has to protect or charge for that to happen. today around here it seems like the client is always right in court.

[DarkFury]

Reno... we are just talkin about an OIL CHANGE.

5+ quarts of oil plus a filter. What other parts are there?

What the mechanic is responsible for is... putting the oil plug back in properly without stripping the bolt and making sure that the engine is properly topped off with oil before starting the vehicle.

I'm not advocating people bringin' in used "auto parts" to be installed here.

[Markel]

Reno... we are just talkin about an OIL CHANGE.

5+ quarts of oil plus a filter. What other parts are there?

What the mechanic is responsible for is... putting the oil plug back in properly without stripping the bolt and making sure that the engine is properly topped off with oil before starting the vehicle.

I'm not advocating people bringin' in used "auto parts" to be installed here.
I think it all comes down to profit protection.

But it kind of reminds me of the old sign in the repair shop:

LABOR RATE: $85/HR
IF YOU WATCH: $115/HR
IF YOU HELP: $165/HR

[DarkFury]

Maybe I should just find an "out of work" mechanic who just wants to work.

"Willing to pay... $20 to change my oil. I'll supply the oil and materials."

Fair enough? Those "quick oil change" places make enough profit already. So BAH on them.

BTW.. its not like I'm trying to AVOID paying for anything. As a matter of fact, MY oil costs even more than theirs... per quart. I just don't want to pay for their product (would be nice if I could re-sell it to someone else, but since they are pulling from bulk drums, no chance of that happening.)