Jiffy lube/Meineke

[houstontexanfan]

Has anyone in here used either Jiffy lube, or Meineke to have your oil change and if so was it good, or bad service.

[fetchitfido]

I'm fairly sure the '95 SL2 I just picked up for $300 went for $300 because a Walmart service center guy decided that no oil on the dipstick meant he didn't have to drain out whatever's left, and just put in another 4 quarts (going by the receipt). It smoked like a bandit, apparently got the PO pulled over, and I just drained out ~2 quarts yesterday to get the oil level _down_ to the full mark.

Jiffy Lube and Meineke are roughly the same quality of service, overall.

[PurdueGuy]

Any oil change place's service is going to depend almost entirely on the local management and employees. I would mostly recommend doing the work yourself so you can be sure it's done right. If you insist or for some reason have to have it done someplace, I would recommend talking to people who have experience with your specific local shops, not the chain. You can get a terrific shop in one town, an incompetent shop in another, and a dishonest shop in yet another. Those types of places are usually dependent on cheap labor, which means how good their employees are will depend on the local talent pool, as well as management's competence, not the name on the sign.

[geartooth94]

i've had average luck with the Meineke in my town. i use them mostly for exhaust work and general repair. their exhaust prices are a little high, but the manager will always take me out to look at the car and what's wrong with it before i authorize any repair.

i've also learned to arrive at a certain date / time to get the inspection done. some other techs will fail me for stuff the other tech will not.

[Zero_DgZ]

Originally Posted by fetchitfido

Jiffy Lube and Meineke are roughly the same quality of service, overall.

In other words, arse.

It's a sad state of affairs, but it's looking like it's shaping up that you can't trust any chain automotive place anymore. You may get okay service, but I'm not sure it's worth the risk that you won't. Changing the oil yourself isn't expensive at all (and you can opt to use good oil rather than the bulk junk the shop will use) and quite easy on the S-Series once you get used to it.

If you don't have the time or inclination to do it yourself, it seems the best course of option is to go to a trusted local (independent) mechanic or take it to a GM dealership.

At least your local garage mechanic has his reputation and business on the line, and is likely to do a good job to earn your repeat business or at least not get sued or lose the rest of his customers. Your friendly neighborhood chain store (Wal Mart, Sears, Jiffy Lube, Midas, etc.) may just as soon put some minimum-wage pimpleface with a GED under your car and it's likely that the shop's single certified mechanic will never lay hands on -- or even look at -- your car before it goes out the door.

[SATURNSLRICH]

OIL CHANGE shops are there for one reason and its not to change your oil,its to upsell everything they can on your car wich in most cases the car does not need

[SLCraig]

Wouldn't know, never used one!

I've been changing my own oil on my cars since I had a drivers license... It's easy, is good piece of mind, and no hassle of dealing with useless people.

[eRic 02sc2]

Originally Posted by houstontexanfan

Has anyone in here used either Jiffy lube, or Meineke to have your oil change and if so was it good, or bad service.

No and I never will. I have heard too many horror stories about quick lube places not refilling the oil or leaving the filter or drain plug loose. That and recommending some sort of "engine flush".

[houstontexanfan]

I pick up a 5qt of Mobil one and a Fram filter, because some of the stories I read online scare the you know what out of me, so is the oil filter easy to get to, the last time I change oil was when I was in Autoshop in HS, so many moons ago.

[Signmaster]

Originally Posted by houstontexanfan

I pick up a 5qt of Mobil one and a Fram filter, because some of the stories I read online scare the you know what out of me, so is the oil filter easy to get to, the last time I change oil was when I was in Autoshop in HS, so many moons ago.

The easiest way is to remove the inner wheel cover. You can do it with the wheel on, but personally I usually jack it up and remove the wheel. That way it's easy to clean up any oil that drips on the CV boots or anything else.

It's fairly quick regardless of which way you do it. I don't have much faith at all in the quicky change places.

[Low Saturn]

Originally Posted by eRic 02sc2

....or leaving the filter or drain plug loose.

Thats assuming they even remove the drain plug. A lot of places shove a plastic tube down the dip stick tube and suck out the oil. Then when the plastic tube breaks inside, they dont tell anyone and send you on your way.

The only way you can trust any of these places is to watch them to all the work yourself. never let the car leave your sight. Then you can watch them screw things up instead of finding out about it later.

That said. I always change my own oil. In fact I need to do my 94 SL2, 96 SC2 and Suburban tomorrow.

[2NDSOUT]

Yeah, I don't use them either....especially some of the nutjobs that work there....joe schmoe's off the street with no working knowledge of cars at all. No offense to those that work at these places, but alot of them are just there for the check and nothing more.

There is an undercover video report that was done by a TV station (NBC Channel 4) out in California last year, you can find the videos on Google. The reporter and his team marked the oil filter with a #4 and it was still on AFTER the oil change done at Jiffy Lube, and then trying to contact the district managers, and corporate showed that they were just in it for the money.

[quantumech]

Search the web for jiffy lube, and you'll find all sorts of horrifying stories about how the engine drained itsself of oil when they left, or how the crankcase was dry, or how the change was never actually done. Personally, given the amount of oil streaks I've seen on the ground leading away from the stations, I'll never go there. I even tried to stop someone from leaving because they were leaving a streak on the ground one day. I hope they figured it out why I was yelling at them before they got on the freeway.

[Low Saturn]

Originally Posted by 2NDSOUT

There is an undercover video report that was done by a TV station (NBC Channel 4) out in California last year, you can find the videos on Google.

They did a sting on a bunch of Midas shops out here too.

[adventureoflink]

This one time, at speedway, I was given a coupon for a discounted oil change at Valvoline since I used my speedy rewards card that night.

needless to say I wadded the damn thing up and threw it away. after reading about Iffy Lube/Quick change/Valvoline/etc, I'm not putting my car through that. I might as well go up to some random guy and have him change my oil.

*******s

[2ndSCowner]

I have changed the oil in my car several times myself. The first time I did it I was nervous that I may screw something up but turned out to be quiet easy. I also like to put it on a jack and remove the wheel but that's my personal preference. If I don't have the time to do it myself I take it to one shop in town that I trust.

I went to Jiffy Lube one time and it was a mistake. Took my van in for an oil change, and the dip ***** didn't tighten the drain plug up. Got 2 blocks from there and the low oil light came on, pulled over shut it off and you could see the trail of oil on the ground.

[wrenchtnr]

On the other hand, I had the oil drain plug come out of a VW bug that I had done the last oil change myself. Of course this was at night, in the South Bronx, back in the bad old days, when I had less experience than I have now but enough that I should not have let that happen. Actually it turned out better than I ever expected, bless those German engineers!

But I have used "quickee lube" places since, but it never hurts to stop a block away, and pull the dipstick and tighten the plug yourself. It actually must be mind numbing the change oil all day long and it would be easy to miss a step.

PS You should also check your lug nuts after anyone else tightens them. Too loose is dangerous but usually they are too tight and if they don't warp the rotors then you can't budge them when you get a flat. Also at night in a bad location!

[Citation84]

Originally Posted by quantumech

Search the web for jiffy lube, and you'll find all sorts of horrifying stories about how the engine drained itsself of oil when they left, or how the crankcase was dry, or how the change was never actually done. Personally, given the amount of oil streaks I've seen on the ground leading away from the stations, I'll never go there. I even tried to stop someone from leaving because they were leaving a streak on the ground one day. I hope they figured it out why I was yelling at them before they got on the freeway.

2ndsout: I have used the one exposed in that report there on Ventura for years. Never had a problem, but not surprised. I think every franchise is subject to it's owner's ethics.

However my niece's car in Salt Lake City had the engine destroyed from Jiffy Lube's neglecting to put oil back in after draining it out.

This is an old story: AAMCO in the 70s,Purrfect Auto, Jiffy Lube, Firestone and Sears have all been busted for the same crap over the years.

It's rare to find someone in any business who isn't there just to put the time in for a pay check.