I love how people can't afford an oil change...

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: TurboFiat124
Just curious what brand of oil and filter do these shops use that charge $16 (materials + labor)? In other words how can they make money at $16 (parts + labor)?

5 quarts of Castrol will cost you $16 at Wal-Mart. I usually buy Purolator filters at Advance.

Sometimes I take advantage of Advance Auto's oil change special for $19.99 which could be anything.



They use that to get people in then try to sell other services.

I believe the technical term is loss leader.

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted By: SVTCobra
Maybe they spent all their money on the car.


Spent their dough on their cell phones or at Starbucks.

 

[SR5]

Originally Posted By: gabriel9766
I made sure when i bought my car it was a common tire 215/60/16.


Good work mate, people often pay no attention to tire size until they get their first replacement bill, then it's too late.

The only thing that hurts more is a run-flat tire. Give me a real spare any day, and by that I mean a full size tire, not a space saver. Steel rim is OK, but an extra alloy is nice.

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: Lubener
Originally Posted By: SVTCobra
Maybe they spent all their money on the car.


Spent their dough on their cell phones or at Starbucks.


Bingo!!!!

 

[doublebase]

A lot of people don't properly maintain their cars, half of them (or more) are leasing them anyway and they don't care.

Has anyone ever seen some of these cars that are turned in after a lease? I know this girl who maybe changed her oil twice in two years...had her brake pads down to the metal...and when the dealer told her she'd have to replace the brakes she went nuts! Brought it to me and had me pad slap it onto her destroyed rotors, the thing sounded like a cement mixer when I stepped on the brakes, but she didn't care...she was off to turn it in again and lease/destroy something else. I always kind of imagined people would somewhat care for their leases, but I'd say more than half don't...it may be worse than buying a former rental car because at least with the rental car Hertz or whoever it is takes care of the car. And I realize people beat on their rentals, but upon further review a lot don't...you have to be a certain age to rent them, and people are petrified of damaging them. And like I said they are maintained.

A lot of people think after they buy a car that maintenance is merely a suggestion, they don't trust mechanics, they don't have the money, they don't care, they won't keep the vehicle long, it runs great, it drives great, no lights are on the dash...it's all good. Then in a couple of years they sell or trade it in...brag about how they changed the oil (probably once). And buy another one...lease another one. Smile at the dealership...put a picture of it on Facebook. Repeat.

 

[larryinnewyork]

Growing up in the 60's & 70's, every Saturday morning my Father would work on his car.

When my Brothers and I started driving, he taught us how to do Tune-ups, small - medium repairs and get our cars ready for Winter.

Today:
One Brother will say "Do you know when I change my rotors,,,, when they crack".
Other Brother now leases and goes to the Mechanic when the Low Tire Pressure Light comes on.
Myself- This Summer I have changed my Coolant, Transmission Fluid, Oil & Filter, Brake Fluid and Plugs & Wires.

I don't understand the big difference between my Brothers and myself.
I tell them, "it's pride of ownership"

Don't get me started on when/who changes their oil.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

It's their car and their decision on what maintenance should be done. If they are foolish enough to buy on payments, or worse yet truly dumb enough to get wrapped up in a lease for a vehicle they really can't afford, then that's their problem.

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
The irony in your post is off the charts.
Apparently you can't afford to expel the energy is takes to write complete words.


It is apparent that you don't know the difference between "expel" and "expend".

Expel is to eject something, as in "Someone should expel your nonsense from this post".
Expend is to use as in "Please expend the energy it takes to learn some proper word usage".

 

[Nickdfresh]

People used to [censored] and moan about prices when I changed oil back in the day. I really didn't care because I only had to deal with it towards the tail end when they made me an assistant manager. But I used to say something about the gas they put in their car weekly being more than the cost of an oil change every three months. Sometimes that made them even more angry...

I think it goes beyond the "can't afford it!" mentality and is more of a "I can't see the benefit" sort of thing. People use up gas and drive needlessly spending more a month they really need to in fill ups, but they know their cars won't go without petrol. As far as oil changes, they think they're doing the oil companies a favor or something. It's not a tangible benefit to most of the motoring public, just an extra annoyance and something they have to spend money on...

Incidentally, it seems that oil change quickie lubes tend to be a bit more rare here these days. There are still some Valvoline IOC's but many have closed. Delta Sonic is a bigger local chain that is expanding out to other areas like Illinois, but probably half the quick lube shops have closed since 2000. It seems dealerships have won that battle...

 

[JustinH]

New Toyota takes 0w20 at 10k intervals for most models.

The old way of changing oil was 3k miles.

So the overall cost of service is lower by going to a 10k drain, and you are using better oil.

Most new toyotas include toyota care for the first two years anyways.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: doublebase
A lot of people don't properly maintain their cars, half of them (or more) are leasing them anyway and they don't care.

Has anyone ever seen some of these cars that are turned in after a lease? .... I always kind of imagined people would somewhat care for their leases, but I'd say more than half don't...it may be worse than buying a former rental car because at least with the rental car Hertz or whoever it is takes care of the car.

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted By: TurboFiat124
Just curious what brand of oil and filter do these shops use that charge $16 (materials + labor)? In other words how can they make money at $16 (parts + labor)?

5 quarts of Castrol will cost you $16 at Wal-Mart. I usually buy Purolator filters at Advance.

Sometimes I take advantage of Advance Auto's oil change special for $19.99 which could be anything.

It is the power of bulk purchase. When you buy a 55 gallon drum of oil (or much, much, more for larger QL chains), you can pay ~$1/qt for dino oil, $3 for syn, brand does not make a huge difference. The jobber filters (made by many different manufacturers with varying quality but "good enough" to work) are probably $2 each. Paying some kid $10/hr puts you at a break even point.
Then you add the upsell of wipers ($10 each), air filter ($30+), cabin air filter ($40+), transmission service ($150+), bulb replacement ($10-30), etc and that is how they make money.
Same concept on the parts store, sure they will sell you a oil change special for $20, but if they can get you in the store, maybe you will buy that whatever it is you have been needing (or do a little impulse buying of all that [censored] near the register) and they make their money on that.


Most do not see an oil change as we here see it. It is a cost they would rather not do, even if it is less than a tank of gas or less than they spend on coffee in a week.

I don't like spending a lot on oil changes either, so that is why I buy on sale.
My next truck oil change (that will be today or tomorrow depending on weather,

) will cost me around $2. Six qts of Valvoline NextGen (free after rebate) and a Wix made Car Quest Red filter that was about $2 from Rock Auto.
My wife's next change (not for another 2 months,

) will cost about $6. Four qts of Pennzoil Platinum for $1 each and a Wix made Car Quest Blue for about $2 from Rock Auto.

 

[gabriel9766]

Originally Posted By: gallydif
Originally Posted By: gabriel9766
I can't tell you how many times people come in for an oil change and buy a cheap oil change for $16.99 and their car requires a synthetic oil or a special oil and throw a huge fit over the price. I work in Overland Park, KS in the high end neighborhood and ppl bring in the nice new Hondas and Toyota's ect. Most new cars require 0w20 syn and they want the "cheap" oil change. If you ppl can afford a brand new car u should be able to afford the oil for it.

For example today we had a VW jetta come in and she had bought a $16.99 groupon oil change but her car req a syn 5w40 or 5w30 VW approved syn oil. Car also took 6.3Q of oil and a $12.99 oil filter. She pulled out the manual tht said the same thing we told her and she threw a fit and drove off.

What type of oil are you guys using for that $16.99 oil change?
VWB in bulk and a promotive oil filter.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: gabriel9766
Originally Posted By: azjake
Don't know about other makes/models but new Nissan Rogues and Muranos do not require a synthetic. The owner's manual suggests a synthetic, but says a conventional that meets Nissan specs can also be used.
well on like Toyota's it says to "use 0w20 but if it can not be found u can use a 5w20 but it must be replaced with 0w20 at the next OC".



i think if you changed the oil every 5k with a good conventional 5w20 would be fine. i wouldnt
do it, but i plan on keeping the car for a long time too.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
It is apparent that you don't know the difference between "expel" and "expend".

Expel is to eject something, as in "Someone should expel your nonsense from this post".
Expend is to use as in "Please expend the energy it takes to learn some proper word usage".


Hey Pop_Rivet, I gotcha on that one.

You're supposed to put the period inside the quotes.

Like this:

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
It is apparent that you don't know the difference between "expel" and "expend."

Expel is to eject something, as in "Someone should expel your nonsense from this post."
Expend is to use as in "Please expend the energy it takes to learn some proper word usage."

 

[kschachn]

Really? I was always taught that the period went inside the quotation marks if it was part of the text being quoted, such as if you're quoting a complete sentence.

Is that not correct?


Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
It is apparent that you don't know the difference between "expel" and "expend".

Expel is to eject something, as in "Someone should expel your nonsense from this post".
Expend is to use as in "Please expend the energy it takes to learn some proper word usage".


Hey Pop_Rivet, I gotcha on that one.

You're supposed to put the period inside the quotes.

Like this:

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
It is apparent that you don't know the difference between "expel" and "expend."

Expel is to eject something, as in "Someone should expel your nonsense from this post."
Expend is to use as in "Please expend the energy it takes to learn some proper word usage."

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Really? I was always taught that the period went inside the quotation marks if it was part of the text being quoted, such as if you're quoting a complete sentence.

Is that not correct?


If your quote is at the end of a sentence, then the period goes inside the quotation marks.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: gabriel9766
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
how about when BMW folks get their first replacement tire quote.

OMG this also. I love how ppl cant afford tires on new cars. I made sure when i bought my car it was a common tire 215/60/16.


When I had a car that took that size, it was quite rare and very expensive.

Apparently nothing else in the early 2000s used that size other than a 90s Pontiac Grand Prix and a Ford Taurus

 

[JBinKC]

I am not going to pass judgment here because she lives in OP KS where she likely has to keep up with the Joneses and/or she could possibly have a job in sales where sadly image and first impressions is a large determinate in success of a sale.

Assuming the coupon had up to 5 qts of conventional under the asterisk there is no excuse for the woman to show ignorance on basic maintenance of a vehicle.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

You are dealing with tin horn four flushers. Know the type well. Have one in our family.

 

[bunnspecial]

Originally Posted By: blupupher

Same concept on the parts store, sure they will sell you a oil change special for $20, but if they can get you in the store, maybe you will buy that whatever it is you have been needing (or do a little impulse buying of all that [censored] near the register) and they make their money on that.


I've noticed that Autozone and Advance are always great about having whatever miracle additive of the day they're pushing "on special" and stacked high and deep near the register. It might be Seafoam today, Gumout next week, and Lucas injector cleaner the week after.

I primarily deal with NAPA these days, and there are a bunch of reasons for that. One of them is that I've gotten to know the guys fairly well(I have a British car-what can I say) and they take care of me. They also don't raise their eyebrows TOO much when I ask for an oddball item or obscure tool, since they know I have a reason for it and would be happy to tell them if they ask

. In general, I feel like their parts are better quality(esp. after the last set of Duralast "ceramic" pads on my DD that I'm currently suffering through), they have a better selection on hand than most of the other chain stores, are competitively priced(although not usually the least expensive), and best of all is that there is not any attempt to upsell or tack on extra [censored] like at the other stores. Plus, they've been able to turn up some REALLY oddball stuff for me if I don't mind to wait a day or two for it to get here-their prices are generally better than the major British suppliers, and I don't have to pay shipping if it's coming to the store.