# Trip to Valvoline



## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Got my oil changed last week at my nearby Valvoline. My observations:

The car in front of me had tires rotated. The tech used a torque wrench to tighten them.

In the service bay, they did a safety check, lights, turn signals, etc.

In the bay there was a 24 inch monitor. Split screen camera showing lower and upper tech working. Lower tech had a tool tray in front of him and used a torque wrench on the skid plate and oil pan bolt. 

Oil was entered 1 quart at time.

I kept an eye on everything they did. I am satisfied.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Changed the oil on my wife's car yesterday....or rather my 14 year old son did. Took us/him about 30 min...which included me showing him where all the engine parts were and what to check.

Glad your Valvoline experience was good. Places like Jiffy Lub don't seem to have such a good reputation.

What did it cost you?


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

$40. I don't change my oil anymore. I have no off-street parking and don't want anything except for the job done right. Their performance is acceptable.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

I change my own, but if you live near a big city, the Living Social web site (part of Groupon) has many offers for $15 to $25 oil changes at professional shops. Check here and put in your location. https://www.livingsocial.com/
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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I change my own oil for several reasons; I can do it cheaper, faster [especially including drive time] and I know it's done right.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

mark sr said:


> I change my own oil for several reasons; I can do it cheaper, faster [especially including drive time] and I know it's done right.


When I had a driveway, a place to jack it up, get under it safely, etc. I did my own. Doubt i really saved any money, though. Not much anyway. My Nav takes 6 quarts. Add a filter, and that's $40.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

My jeep also requires 6 qts. The dealer is always sending me $19.99 oil change coupons but if you read the fine print it costs a LOT more. It only includes 5 qts plus a $2 disposal charge per quart and filter. There is also a 'shop supply' charge. Not sure I'd want to know what the total comes out to!


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

mark sr said:


> My jeep also requires 6 qts. The dealer is always sending me $19.99 oil change coupons but if you read the fine print it costs a LOT more. It only includes 5 qts plus a $2 disposal charge per quart and filter. There is also a 'shop supply' charge. Not sure I'd want to know what the total comes out to!


That's the quickest way possible to keep me from walking through a door of any business.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

With Jiffy Lube, Grease Monkey, Etc, you pay a premium for not having to make an appointment and waste hours of your time hanging around a dealership or a regular repair shop. Get in and get out and be done with it in 30 minutes. Time is money.

The quick lube places will try to up-sell you on a new air filter or wiper blades or whatever, but at least they don't do the automatic free "47 point inspection" that dealerships do in order to find everything that needs work on your vehicle.
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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

> t least they don't do the automatic free "47 point inspection" that dealerships do in order to find everything that needs work on your vesicle.


About 15 months ago I had some recall work done on my jeep. They claimed it needed an alignment for $100. I refused. My 5 tires have 66k on them with even wear. Every month they send me a notice about how dangerous it is to drive my out of alignment jeep and may wreck. I still have no abnormal wear on those tires.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

mark sr said:


> My jeep also requires 6 qts. The dealer is always sending me $19.99 oil change coupons but if you read the fine print it costs a LOT more. It only includes 5 qts plus a $2 disposal charge per quart and filter. There is also a 'shop supply' charge. Not sure I'd want to know what the total comes out to!


Depending on where you live, the disposal fee may be required by law. Just another reason to do it yourself. 

In my town, you can just bring your used oil to a shop or auto parts store and drop it off for recycling. They are required by law to accept it at no charge.

The shop supply charge is a complete ripoff. How much does a few sheets of paper towels or any other consumable cost them? :biggrin2:
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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

I told them the wipers and air filter were fine and i just wanted my oil changed. They were like ok. In and out in 20 minutes, tires aired up, levels checked I could watch the techs working on the screen. 

I am good.


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## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

I haven't used the "Jiffy Lube" type places in a while, so maybe things have changed.

Back then, they'd put on a white lab coat, grab a clip board and come out to the waiting room with a worried look. They'd run down the list of all the "dangerous" things that needed doing - wiper blades, cabin air filter, transmission fluid change, etc.

I'd cheerily say "thanks, I'll pick those up next time I'm at WalMart."

But I felt bad for some of the others in the waiting room who didn't have the knowledge, or will, to push back on these hard-sell tactics. Particularly women and the elderly. It was hard to sit through the performance without telling the other customer "don't buy that!"

Oh, and the one time I did pay to have the cabin air filter replaced, they charged me about a 400% mark-up on the part, then "forgot" to put it in altogether! I doubt they even had one in stock, but didn't want to forego the up-charge.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Bigplanz said:


> When I had a driveway, a place to jack it up, get under it safely, etc. I did my own. Doubt i really saved any money, though. Not much anyway. My Nav takes 6 quarts. Add a filter, and that's $40.


Care to guess what it will cost at Jiffy Lube? Especially if you ask for a name brand filter and oil. The oil they use is generic house brand.

I use only Wix....I buy my oil on sale....and always have a few quarts just in case nothing is on sale.

I usually plan by trip to the auto supply with another trip.....and I can do the job in the street faster than a single trip to any lube place.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

ddawg16 said:


> Care to guess what it will cost at Jiffy Lube? Especially if you ask for a name brand filter and oil. The oil they use is generic house brand.
> 
> I use only Wix....I buy my oil on sale....and always have a few quarts just in case nothing is on sale.
> 
> I usually plan by trip to the auto supply with another trip.....and I can do the job in the street faster than a single trip to any lube place.


To each his own. I just wanted my oil changed. Oil is oil. it meets the latest specs, I am good. I have only put the cheapest oil I could find in any car I have ever owned. Never had an oil related problem.

Never had a problem with any filter, either. :shrugs:

The main thing I liked was being able to watch them on the monitor both above and below, doing the job. They did it. 

Also, watching them use a torque wrench on the car in front of me when they rotated the tires was, well, a big deal to me. I am good.


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## polarzak (Dec 1, 2008)

I have performed my own oil changes for longer than I can remember. As I got older, I hated getting under jacks, especially in the winter when the garage floor was wet. Now with my two recent cars, the oil filter is on top of the engine, and I use my marine vacuum pump and pump out the oil. No getting under, no jacks, no fuss, no mess, and I can have a beer while the oil is sucked out.


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

Thanks for sharing.

And yes it is a big deal being able to see the work being done and there is no dishonesty going on.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

It looks like Valvoline is capitalizing on the failures of places like Jiffy Lube who have been found to scam vehicle owners. I am sure the cost of the monitor systems has more than paid for itself in acquired business.

I still take the DIY approach.

I run synthetic oil in all my vehicles. When an oil chance is eminent, I watch for sales at AAP where I can usually get a 5 quart jug of Mobil synth oil and Purolator BOSS filter for $30 (for the truck, I have to buy 1 extra quart). I have always been able to hit a sale before the change is due even if I have to buy the products a few weeks in advance.


Saturday morning I am up at my usual 7:00 am. By 8:00 am I have had my coffee and I am in my driveway. In about 45 minutes I can chock the wheels (safety first), jack the truck, put it on stands (safety first), place the drip tray and catch container, drain the oil, remove the filter, replace the drain plug, put on the new filter, drop the truck, refill the oil and clean-up. I now have the rest of my weekend to enjoy…, or tackle that honey-do list. 

While under the truck, I also check for leakage of any kind such as tranny, differential, brakes etc. as well as damaged boots or suspension parts. 

I have a 5- gallon chemical container that I collect my used oil in. When it is full, I take to the recycle center at our county landfill. As a county resident it does not cost me anything.

At $40 and 45 minutes, the DIY approach definitely works for me.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Jack the truck up? 
I can do all of my vehicles (oil) while they are on the ground. 

Heck, my jeep? I can sit up under it.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

ddawg16 said:


> Jack the truck up?
> I can do all of my vehicles (oil) while they are on the ground.
> 
> Heck, my jeep? I can sit up under it.


My 00 Silverado was a 2x4 which made working under it very difficult if not jacked up. My recently acquired 2015 Silverado is a 4x4 which will not require jacking. I have not as yet done an oil change as I only bought it a little over 2 weeks ago from a dealership where it was recently serviced. According to the on-board system the oil life is at 90%.

My other vehicle is an Altima which is impossible to work under without jacking it up.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I recently changed the oil in my wife's 2016 altima for the first time and know what you mean about needing to jack it up. Next time I plan to remove the right front wheel to see if I can access the filter easier.

The only time I jack up my 4x4s is if I need to remove a wheel :biggrin2:


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I quit jacking them up years ago. Oil changes are on saturday am so friday evening the wheels get parked on a pair of 6" high wood ramps for the anticipated saturday morning oil change. Quick, easy, safe.

Go ahead and tell me it needs to be done hot. I've proved that un-necessary long time ago.


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## NickTheGreat (Jul 25, 2014)

Glad it worked out well for you. I stopped doing my oil oil several years ago on my truck and before that on her car. 

There's a good, honest mechanic about 10 minute walk from work. I drop off the vehicle, walk to work, walk back to the shop, and drive home after work. $40 and it's done and done right.

Hell, to buy the oil and filter would cost me at least half that, if not more. And my time is worth more than the $20 and the hour it'd take me to do it.


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## polarzak (Dec 1, 2008)

NickTheGreat said:


> Hell, to buy the oil and filter would cost me at least half that, if not more. And my time is worth more than the $20 and the hour it'd take me to do it.


I don't do it to save money (it is not an issue) I do it for the pure satisfaction of doing it myself, as get with all of my own DIY. Heck, I plan to do my own heart bypass if or when it become necessary. :vs_laugh:


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

Drachenfire said:


> It looks like Valvoline is capitalizing on the failures of places like Jiffy Lube who have been found to scam vehicle owners. I am sure the cost of the monitor systems has more than paid for itself in acquired business.


About a year ago, the Iffy Jiffy in my town picked up in the middle of the night and closed up. The employees reported for work the next day and were stunned. :surprise:

I had gone there twice in the last 5 years, only because I had coupon deals for $24.95 oil change, and I hadn't greased the fittings in a couple of years. That's too much of a pain to DIY. My vehicle has 16 hard to reach fittings.
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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

mark sr said:


> I recently changed the oil in my wife's 2016 altima for the first time and know what you mean about needing to jack it up. Next time I plan to remove the right front wheel to see if I can access the filter easier.
> 
> The only time I jack up my 4x4s is if I need to remove a wheel :biggrin2:


Removing the front right wheel and fender liner makes things substantially easier. Although the panel pins do come off with a screwdriver I am going to get an inexpensive panel removal tool to make removing it easier. With the liner out of the way you can place some disposal shop towels on the frame to keep oil from dripping on it. I cannot understand why Nissan put the filter in a spot where you have to clean-up the frame every time you change fracking thing.



SeniorSitizen said:


> I quit jacking them up years ago. Oil changes are on saturday am so friday evening the wheels get parked on a pair of 6" high wood ramps for the anticipated saturday morning oil change. Quick, easy, safe.
> 
> Go ahead and tell me it needs to be done hot. I've proved that un-necessary long time ago.


Six inches will not be much help on the Altima unless one is an elf. I never work on a hot engine. Hot oil is nothing to play with nor are hot components under the car.



ZZZZZ said:


> About a year ago, the Iffy Jiffy in my town picked up in the middle of the night and closed up. The employees reported for work the next day and were stunned. :surprise:
> 
> I had gone there twice in the last 5 years, only because I had coupon deals for $24.95 oil change, and I hadn't greased the fittings in a couple of years. That's too much of a pain to DIY. My vehicle has 16 hard to reach fittings.
> 
> .


Perhaps they were either on the verge of getting busted or got busted and was shutdown.


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## polarzak (Dec 1, 2008)

SeniorSitizen said:


> Go ahead and tell me it needs to be done hot. I've proved that un-necessary long time ago.


I would agree, however, it does flow faster when hot. A particularly nice feature when it is -10.


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## BIG Johnson (Apr 9, 2017)

Drachenfire said:


> My 00 Silverado was a 2x4 which made working under it very difficult if not jacked up. My recently acquired 2015 Silverado is a 4x4 which will not require jacking. I have not as yet done an oil change as I only bought it a little over 2 weeks ago from a dealership where it was recently serviced. According to the on-board system the oil life is at 90%.
> 
> My other vehicle is an Altima which is impossible to work under without jacking it up.


That probably takes 5w20 which is only available in synthetic.

Check your oil level, mine was over a quart overfilled from the dealership (I drained out a quart). When I changed it took almost 7 quarts to get it to the full line. Dealership must have put in 8.


Walmart will take up to 5 gallons at a time. Put the oil back in the 5 quart jugs and drop them off on the auto counter.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

> That probably takes 5w20 which is only available in synthetic.


5w20 is available in regular, synthetic blend and synthetic.


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## BIG Johnson (Apr 9, 2017)

mark sr said:


> 5w20 is available in regular, synthetic blend and synthetic.


Sorry, I meant 0w20


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

BIG Johnson said:


> That probably takes 5w20 which is only available in synthetic.
> 
> Check your oil level, mine was over a quart overfilled from the dealership (I drained out a quart). When I changed it took almost 7 quarts to get it to the full line. Dealership must have put in 8.
> 
> ...


As part of my pre-test drive inspection, I check all the fluids for levels, condition and odors. Everything was five by five.

Our county landfill has an excellent recycle center which includes lubricants and coolant. The service is free to county residents for non-commercial use.

I have a 5 gallon chemical bucket that I use to store old oil. When it is full, I take a run out to recycle center and empty it into the large tank they have at the site. Takes me about 30 minutes there and back.

Taken from my vehicle owner's manual:

_*Viscosity Grade*
Use SAE 0W-20 viscosity grade for
the 5.3L and 6.2L V8 engines. Use
SAE 5W-30 viscosity grade for the
4.3L V6, and 6.0L V8 engines.

Cold Temperature Operation: In an
area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below −29°C
(−20°F), an SAE 0W-30 oil may be
used in the 4.3L or 6.0L engine._

I have a 4.3L engine which according to the manual takes 6 quarts of 5W-30.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Drachenfire;
Six inches will not be much help on the Altima unless one is an elf. I never work on a hot engine. Hot oil is nothing to play with nor are hot components under the car.
[/QUOTE said:


> Six inches works for me but I have no control over your physical condition nor the desire to do so.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

SeniorSitizen said:


> Six inches works for me but I have no control over your physical condition nor the desire to do so.



:vs_laugh:

It is not the size of the paintbrush that matters but quality of the artist..., and I am a Vermeer.


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

ron45 said:


> Thanks for sharing.
> 
> And yes it is a big deal being able to see the work being done and there is no dishonesty going on.



Testing.


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