Jiffy Lube

[Pete]

Had a great experience today at the NW 23rd & Meridian location that I wanted to share.

I had printed a $5 coupon off their website in advance and as I was being checked in and asked about my preferences, I presented it and they doubled it and gave me a $10 discount.

They were busy but quite quick. And instead of trying to push hard to up-sell on any number of services, the only thing they did was show me a somewhat dirty air filter and when I learned it would be $31 to replace, I politely declined (can buy them off eBay for about 1/4th that) and that was the end of it.

I was completely out of there in 20 minutes for $36 and no hassle/pressure.

Highly recommend and will be back.

[Jeepnokc]

That's apparently a good corner for oil changes. I was thinking that was the place we use but was wrong after looking it up. We use the Precision Auto Tune on the south side of the intersection for all of our company car oil changes and they have been great also. The premium oil change is $30. and they have $3 off coupons. But, one of our cars requires synthetic oil and it is $40. Glad you posted your experience as we all seem to be quick to post bad experiences and we should be equally quick to post businesses that are doing it right.

[ljbab728]

Had a great experience today at the NW 23rd & Meridian location that I wanted to share.

I had printed a $5 coupon off their website in advance and as I was being checked in and asked about my preferences, I presented it and they doubled it and gave me a $10 discount.

They were busy but quite quick. And instead of trying to push hard to up-sell on any number of services, the only thing they did was show me a somewhat dirty air filter and when I learned it would be $31 to replace, I politely declined (can buy them off eBay for about 1/4th that) and that was the end of it.

I was completely out of there in 20 minutes for $36 and no hassle/pressure.

Highly recommend and will be back.

I have been using a different Jiffy Lube location for a number of years and have the same thoughts about it. I will continue to go back as needed.

[reverend]

I had some work done on my Suburban at that Jiffy Lube earlier this year. Fair prices and they did good work. Gave me a decent quote on brakes too. Which I need to get done now that I think about it...

[traxx]

A few years back I went to the Jiffy Lube at 2nd and Blvd in Edmond. The dude came out and met me in the parking lot and started telling me that my car (Sonata) took a special kind of synthetic oil and told me what to ask for when I went in. So I go in and tell the dude behind the counter what the guy had told me and it was an $89 oil change. I said 'nope' not gonna pay that much for an oil change. Dude behind the counter told me of the regular oil change which was a lot cheaper so I took that. Then the guy who had talked to me in the parking lot came inside and berated me in front of the other customers for not getting the $89 oil change that he recommended and asked why I didn't get that one. I had them finish the work, paid my money and have never been back to any Jiffy Lube ever. Truly horrible customer service.

[Pete]

^

I usually dread going in for oil change because of the continual attempts and pressure to up-sell.

That's why this experience warranted a post. They did initially recommend oil for "high mileage" cars but I told them standard would be fine and that was the end of it.

I do get annoyed with the air filter sell, especially at $31 when I just bought one for $7. But also in that case, I just said 'no thank you' and that was the end of it.

In previous trips to Jiffy Lube in California (several different locations) they pushed me to flush my radiator, do a transmission service and a bunch of other things and the pressure was uncomfortable.

[baralheia]

Generally speaking, those sorts of services are recommended maintenance items that a lot of people just don't have done on their vehicle - not because it's not needed, but because some people don't realize how often these need to be done. For most vehicles, a radiator flush should be done once every 60,000 miles (2-3 years or so), though some vehicles come with extended-life coolant that can last up to 150k miles (~5 years). Automatic transmissions need to have their oil replaced every 50,000 to 100,000 miles, depending on manufacturer, to maximize both service life and performance. Air filters should be at least checked once every 6 months or so and replaced if necessary (around 15k-30k miles). That said, all too often mechanics are far too pushy on trying to upsell these services, usually because they can make more money than they would doing an oil change. It's pretty refreshing to hear that their stores here will listen to a simple "No".

[Pete]

But with those maintenance intervals are high subjective and often times they have no idea when you last did it.

Even with oil changes, I've had oil change places put the reminder sticker with 3,000 miles as the time for next service, which is absurd.

There is a fundamental distrust with car service places because they have history of trying to sell you things you don't really need.

At least in this instance, they were really good about it which means I'll go back.

[Roger S]

Generally speaking, those sorts of services are recommended maintenance items that a lot of people just don't have done on their vehicle - not because it's not needed, but because some people don't realize how often these need to be done.

Which is why I own two vehicles with over 200,000 miles on them (97 Dodge Ram and an 04 Ford Escape).... I keep them very well maintained.

I've also found a really good mechanic that does all my maintenance. It's a little more of a hassle because I have to drop my car off for an oil change and pick it up later in the day. He does a thorough inspection on each visit and will let me know if something needs to be dealt with immediately or if I have a little time to budget for a repair.

[bradh]

Please, just never agree to a transmission or engine flush. Pushing pressurized fluid through those systems can break loose debris that can jam up moving parts and cost you much more.

[baralheia]

Pete, you're absolutely right that in many cases, they don't know. There are some auto repair facilities that will keep track of maintenance you've done as long as you did it with that company - Sears is one - but by and large, most quick lube places have no idea. Most of the upsell services are services that will need to be performed at some point in the life of the vehicle, but the high pressure sales tactics that a lot of places employ is definitely unwelcome.

The 3 month/3,000 mile oil change interval is still considered a standard baseline for oil changes, even though newer vehicles are smart enough nowadays to compute expected oil life from observed engine conditions. My '04 Malibu's owner's manual states that if the oil life monitor gets reset for any reason, to default back to 3mo/3000mi for that cycle. So that advice on the sticker is not really wrong, in all honesty.

And I get the distrust - that's why, as much as possible, I do my own work on my cars. It's often dirty and frustrating, yet incredibly satisfying all at the same time - and I never have to deal with the upsell! But it's good to know that if I need to point someone to a professional mechanic, I can point them to a shop that won't lean hard on the upsell.

[Pete]

^

The 3,000 mile oil change may be listed in some owner's manuals but it's ridiculous and nowhere close to necessary.

[Roger S]

^

The 3,000 mile oil change may be listed in some owner's manuals but it's ridiculous and nowhere close to necessary.

I think it was created by the quick change oil places to keep people coming in...... Personally I have my oil changed, and my vehicles inspected, every 4 months... As I mentioned above. I own two vehicles with over 200k miles on them,,,, So I think it's worked out pretty well for me.

[ctchandler]

I think it was created by the quick change oil places to keep people coming in...... Personally I have my oil changed, and my vehicles inspected, every 4 months... As I mentioned above. I own two vehicles with over 200k miles on them,,,, So I think it's worked out pretty well for me.

OKBBQEA,
You must be fairly young. The 3,000 mile oil change was the standard from the time I turned 16 (1959) and probably long before that. You changed oil every 3,000 and filter every other oil change, in other words every 6,000 miles. That was recommended by manufactures and it remained the standard up till the 90's. Today's engines are so much better that even the Manufacturers (at least Ford) recommend oil and filter change at 4,000 miles. Remember when you changed spark plugs every 6,000? We cleaned and gapped them every 3,000. Now, most people don't ever have a tuneup. I think you can go about 100,000 without one. The place that changes my oil writes my current mileage + 4,000 on my window sticker as a reminder.
C. T.

[Jeepnokc]

Per manufacturers....My VW Jetta TDI should be changed every 10k, my kia rio fleet every 7500 miles, my Jeep wrangler when the light shows low oil which seems to be around 7500. We just change oil on all of them except jetta every 5000 mile mark to keep it easy (5k,10k,15k. etc) . The VW gets it every 10k mark. With the newer synthetic oils, oil changes aren't needed as often. I would change more if using non synthetic. Ends up about the same as it costs more but you get to go longer. My wife's Escalade also is a change when light comes on. Here is Cadillac's explanation....The majority of today’s Cadillac vehicles are equipped with the Engine Oil Life System, which has made the 3,000-mile oil change obsolete. Depending on the age of the vehicle, driving habits, and road conditions, vehicles with today’s advanced engines can go much longer than 3,000 miles between oil changes.

[ctchandler]

Jeepnokc,
I need to look at my book again, it might be 5,000 miles between oil changes. My car is a 2006 Mercury. Also, I don't now how Cadillac does it, but my "Change Engine Oil" message comes on at 3,000 miles. It can be modified through buttons on the dash, but I don't want to mess with it. If the book says 4-5 thousand, that's what I will stick to.
C. T.

[catch22]

Generally speaking, those sorts of services are recommended maintenance items that a lot of people just don't have done on their vehicle - not because it's not needed, but because some people don't realize how often these need to be done. For most vehicles, a radiator flush should be done once every 60,000 miles (2-3 years or so), though some vehicles come with extended-life coolant that can last up to 150k miles (~5 years). Automatic transmissions need to have their oil replaced every 50,000 to 100,000 miles, depending on manufacturer, to maximize both service life and performance. Air filters should be at least checked once every 6 months or so and replaced if necessary (around 15k-30k miles). That said, all too often mechanics are far too pushy on trying to upsell these services, usually because they can make more money than they would doing an oil change. It's pretty refreshing to hear that their stores here will listen to a simple "No".

Sorry but I would never let a lube shop touch my transmission under any circumstance. And I would certainly never allow them to flush my transmission. It can be completely devastating to your transmission. As bradh noted, if performed incorrectly it can cause more problems than leaving the old oil in. A tranny drain and fill I would consider only by a tranny shop. If you can replace the oil without stirring any of the metal shavings up you'll be okay. But doing a pressure flush like these quick lube shops do is just asking for a blown transmission about 4,000 miles later. And of course they make you sign a form stating they are not liable for the actual condition of the transmission, they are simply exchanging fluids.

[baralheia]

Catch, I wasn't necessarily advocating to let Jiffy Lube do a transmission flush - just explaining that these services do need to be done and many don't seem to realize it. Personally, when I do a transmission fluid change, I drop the pan, thoroughly clean the shavings off the magnets, and replace the gasket and filter. That said, even dealerships and transmission shops use fluid exchange equipment like the kind you're talking about. If the transmission is healthy and within the regular fluid change interval, I personally wouldn't have any qualms about it as long as the shop was reputable (and my definition of reputable excludes shops that would make you sign a disclaimer of liability for the work they have done). At least in most GM transmissions, the filter and pan magnet should be good for around 100k miles as long as the transmission isn't being abused or installed in a high performance vehicle. In a higher performance vehicle like my fiance's SS-trim HHR, I'd do fluid and filter every 50-60k.

All of that said, that's simply my experience and what I'm comfortable with doing on my own vehicles.

[FighttheGoodFight]

I'm glad I am not the only one who gets heartburn going into a shop to get an oil change.

Found a local guy in Norman that does a good change and never pressures. Only took two years to find a good one. I hate the pressure sales!

[Lafferty Daniel]

Can't stand Jiffy Lube. I've been maybe half a dozen times and they always tried to pressure me into doing the services people have already mentioned here. I started going to the Pro Lube Center at Hefner and Rockwell when I first started driving and still go there. You never have to get out of your car and you're in and out in under 10 minutes. Not once have they ever tried to sell me anything. The oil change is around $40 or so.

Highly recommend this place.

[kevinpate]

Found a local guy in Norman that does a good change and never pressures. Only took two years to find a good one. I hate the pressure sales!

Who are you using? Between a friend who enjoys that sort of thing and what with the SiL being back in-state, I haven't been anywhere in a while.