Do You Trust Express Lube Places for Oil Changes?

I'm no skinny 20yr old, either.

The items of interest are close to the front. I use jack stands rather than ramps. I use the driveway, and put down a sheet of cardboard to keep the oil off the driveway.

Where there's a will, there's a way. Adapt, improvise, overcome. Or take it to somebody.

 

Probably not if you have undesireable circumstances. I have seven vehicles to change fluids on and an open, level driveway and plenty of tool storage. There's no escape for me.

 

I "trusted" my 15+ year old Accord with Oil Changes at Jiffy Lube, and even then caught them screwing up. (Paid for Synthetic....watched them pump in regular bulk oil).

Once let them talk me into a coolant flush and change. I believe they screwed that up and I ended up having to replace the radiator shortly after....

If it's an older vehicle with limited value? I "might" trust Jiffy Lube with JUST the Oil Change. But there is NO WAY I trust Jiffy Lube with anything more than that....and there is NO WAY I take a newer vehicle of any worth or value to me to Jiffy Lube.

Infact, my overall opinion is No....just avoid Jiffy Lubes.

 

I would stay with the dealer. If your under warranty best to be with them to avoid any potential challenges from Toyota if warranty work is needed

 

In general, quick lube places are there to get cars in and out as quickly as possible. Low quality work, low quality oil, and high add ons. Keep in mind if you go to the Toyota dealership, they are not putting their best mechanics on oil change duties. That gets left to the interns or the people they hire to drive cars back and forth on the lot. Cheap service, cheap people.

If you do it yourself, you will do it right. Second best is to find a connection. There is one quick lube place (Grease Monkey) in my area that 2 of the guys that work there are friends with one of my friends who builds custom racing Hondas. These guys know their cars. I send my mom and sister to them and they take in their own bottles of oil. Go to the store, buy N quarts of whatever brand and type you want, and ask them to change it. Usually you can't buy a filter cheaper than they can, so just let them use a stock filter unless you want a higher end one. People you trust, with fluids you buy is probably as good as it gets without doing it yourself.

 

I would never use a Jiffy Lube type place. Dealerships are step up, but still notorious for:

1. Overfilling.
2. Using wrong weight.
3. Overtorquing.
4. Breaking/losing underbody panel clips.
5. Breaking underbody panels.
6. Upselling.
7. Tying your car up for half a day.
8. Doing all manor of nefarious "helpful" extras: bleeding air out of your tires, spraying lube all over the vicinity of door hinges, and so on.

 

iffy lube type places often use an off brand/no brand filters of unknown quality. You would be better off paying a bit more and buying a brand name or OEM filter. Even if the off-brand filter is made by a major filter company, corners were cut to keep the manufacturing cost down, or else they iffy lube place could have just used the brand name and gained some credibility.

 

We did oil changes on the cars of Daughter#2 and her Significant Other yesterday. Jack and jackstands. In the rain, laying on cardboard. Teaching mode was engaged.

Pointed and gave instructions mostly, but did some of the more critical tasks like tightening down and pouring dirty oil into the can. The kids aren't mechanically minded yet, but they're improving.

Both cars were a couple thousand miles overdue. I instruct to change at the 5k mile increments. The Cobalt oil was 7k mile oil. The Protoge' oil was 9k mile oil and there was only 1.5 qt in the sump and it looked like it gave it's all and more. Poor thing, being abused like that.

I bought their oil and filters, assisted, recycled thier oil for them, provided tools, and held the grandson while they worked. Showing them how to do these things for themselves (along with house/home/appliance, and other) has given them much more of a can-do attitude. They've tackled things they never would have thought they could have done. The skills learned directly and indirectly will help them the rest of their lives, and their children's lives.

It's only an oil change. It's not like it's difficult. DIY forever!

 

My local dealership has an express lube side.... 15 minutes in and out. Went to Jiffy Lube 15 yrs ago with my Saturn and they over torqued my transmissions drain plug causing a crack. Had the nerve to tell me they found it like that and a rock might of been the culprit. Never again..... No Jiffy Lube! Do it yourself, dealership or a trusted mechanic. I would steer clear from express lube joints just from bad past experiences.