SXN

funnel into bottles is what i do

fearthegecko

I'm sorry, i didn't mean to rant, but having worked in an auto parts store and dealing with these people ( jack williams, Kost, Goodyear, etc.) I've heard enough stories to make you never want to deal with a mechanic again. I realize that all mechanics are not asssholes who are out to screw you over, but i've also learned that it happens more than you think. I've heard mechanics laughing about how they conned someone into paying $200+ for brand new brakes when all they needed was a $30 set of pads. I've spoken to guys at shops where "all mechanics are ASE certified", and finding out that they started working on cars 2 months ago at sears (and that was the dedicated oil change guy). I've heard of mechanics purposefully causing damage to cars so that they could be brought back. I've had a dealer's service person tell me that it was going to cost me $900+ to replace a fuse.

It kills me everytime i see a post on the forum about how someone went to a service shop and was quoted an extraordinary price for work. It makes you wonder: If they're going to screw you over on a balljoint or something serious, what makes you think they're not going to get you on an oil change?

I understand that not everyone is mechanically inclined, but a hayne's manual clearly explains how to fix your car with simple instructions and pictures on parts where things get difficult.

In the end, it all comes down to whether you trust the people working on your car and whether taking the chance of having them screw something up is worth it.

SXN

yea, i try to find good local shops that my buddies use, or do it myself. The rant wasnt minded, but you did get pretty into it It's not as if any of us like crooked mechanics

Jatan

iTrader: (3)

That's why I stay away from Firestone. My dad's friend went in for a $12 oil change (he had a coupon) and came out with a $700 bill... Now he goes to Jiffy Lube to get his oil changes

SXN

yea, i go to speedy oil change, or jiffy lube WHEN i go somewhere to have it done. changing my own oil is nice

Maxtank

iTrader: (8)

they toasted my friends engine, forgot to put the plug back in and on his way home the engine seized.
it was a ford escort
he get his engine replaced for free tho

SXN

well if you have a case against them, they own a huge insurance policy to cover all issues. Its actually in their best interest to have good technicians so then DONT have a lot of pay offs.

MaximamixaM

I went to Wal Mart once, because they were open the latest on a weekend day when I had to have the oil changed. Seemed decent enough. Jiffy Lube always trys to sell airfilters, etc... that are easy profits for them. They once tried to sell a new filter for a car that I had owned, that only had 9K miles on it!!! Pep Boys had an ad for 12 dollars for the change for labor, and you bought the filter and oil separately so that you can get exactly what you want. I might try that in the future.

syc

i went to wal-mart many times. always with my own nissan filter and mobile 1. the wal-mart guy were usually nice enough to bring the remaining oil in the last bottle to me. The price for just the oil change (with own oil and filter)? $7.15 in my area. The price is good considering it was really cold to do oil change since i live in a small apartment and don't have a garage. I change my oil sometimes. But, I'm usually lazy and I don't want to change oil when it is cold/icy or muddy outside. I figure, $7 save me to wash my hands and cloths (i wash cloth outside), the trip to dump the used oil (i can't possibly put the oil at my place), and the time to change oil when I can shop for some grocery in wal-mart (there are only 3 supermarkets here).

fearthegecko

that happens more often than you would think it does. Minor point tho, how dumb is your friend that he didn't notice the oil light was on?

HotHotHot

For what it's worth, I have a '96 Altima with 142,000 on it. I've used Mobil 1 10W30 since around 60,000 and have had no leaks at all.

Personally, I would think a synthetic would be better for an older engine. It hasn't hurt mine. No internal part failures.

New Max or I35 soon.... passing the Alti on to my daughter.

SXN

or notice the car sounded funny, or the temp was raising, or the huge stream of oil behind his car...like when they pulled it out for him. wouldnt it be gushing pretty bad? atleast a steady stream