Bad experience at Mr. Lube (Question about changing own oil)

[Fathammer]

As someone thats in the business, I totally dont recommend any quicky lube place! They are ALL profit driven so they will ALWAYS try to upsell something on you. Commission. The more you say YES to something, the more the tech gets paid on a bonus system.

Doing your own oil changes is very risky for first timers. If not jacked up safely, IT WILL KILL YOU! Maybe not worth the risk?

Putting the wrong filter or oil in it could damage the engine if you arent knowledgeable as well. If you dont tighten the plug properly, disaster! If the filter gasket stays on without you noticing it, disaster!

I think there are too many precautions for a first timer to consider. Maybe ask your friends what mechanic they use for oil changes and if they are happy? Give them a try.

I own my shop. I do only what you need. If I find something that requires attention, I let you know. From there you can get a second opinion if you dont trust me. I have many customers using that method of trust. Try to find someone you can trust.

DONT FOLLOW OR BELIEVE EVERYTHING ON YOUTUBE! I've seen way too many red neck hack jobs do more harm than good.

 

[Ginomore]

The people who work at these quick lube places are not licenced mechanics and have very limited training.
I would not trust them to work on my car.

 

[richaceg]

Basically anytime you do anything at a BMW dealership, you get charged an arm and a leg. I would rather "cheap out" to save money for escorts.

If you can't afford the maintenance...you shouldn't have bought the car....

 

[John Henry]

$150.00 for an oil change . Are you kidding me . My neighbor pays $135 for his oil change on his VW . I call him an idiot . Never take your car to a dealer or Mr. Lube . I paid $150 for an oil change back in 2007 for my truck . Never again . I use quality oil and I order Cummins oil filters from the States . I don't use cheap oil filters and the price that I pay for filters are a lot cheaper than what I would pay from a dealer here.

Make a nice set of ramps your self . Use 2X10's or 2X8's . Cut them on angle and screw them together to make a ramp . Screw a block at the end of the ramp to insure that you don't go over the ramp . Block the rear tire so the car won't roll back just incase . I keep large pieces of card board and lay them down incase I spill any oil . Old oil and filter go to recycling centre . No big deal. I don't like jacks . Never use them unless I don't plan on not going under the vehicle . If I need to jack up the car or truck I use my home made jacks made of 2X4's that are not wobbly .

I cut out the bottom of a plastic 45gal drum a few inches high to catch the old oil . I change the oil on 4 vehicles every year and it would cost me a bundle if I took them to a garage . I buy my oil and filters ( Mobile #1 filters which are very good ) on special at Canadian Tire except for the Cummins Filters .

It is also known that some garages use filtered old oil they buy bulk for your car . As for worrying about any warranty on the vehicle . I don't .

This is how some dealers work . My brother needed to get an emission check on his car last year . The lady at the service desk told him that he needed a brake fluid change and a transmission oil change before he could get his emission check done . Now you're talking at least $600 of work for a free emission test . Yea right lady . Go f*ck yourself he told her .

Do it yourself . At least I do and save a bundle.

 

[John Henry]

If you can't afford the maintenance...you shouldn't have bought the car....

What a stupid thing to say . Yea right , go ahead and over pay for your maintenance . Your garage will love you for it . Maybe even send you a Christmas card .

Some people have more money than brains .

 

[RZG]

For about 120 bucks my Ford dealer will do the oil/filter using Amsoil, and a multi point inspection. For my amount of driving this is twice a year, they do my summer/winter tire changeover at the same time also. I`m long past the point of crawling around under a car or disposing of 5 L of dirty oil and filter, I do oil changes on my bike and a lot more too, always have.

 

[danmand]

$150.00 for an oil change . Are you kidding me . My neighbor pays $135 for his oil change on his VW . I call him an idiot . Never take your car to a dealer or Mr. Lube . I paid $150 for an oil change back in 2007 for my truck . Never again . I use quality oil and I order Cummins oil filters from the States . I don't use cheap oil filters and the price that I pay for filters are a lot cheaper than what I would pay from a dealer here.

Make a nice set of ramps your self . Use 2X10's or 2X8's . Cut them on angle and screw them together to make a ramp . Screw a block at the end of the ramp to insure that you don't go over the ramp . Block the rear tire so the car won't roll back just incase . I keep large pieces of card board and lay them down incase I spill any oil . Old oil and filter go to recycling centre . No big deal. I don't like jacks . Never use them unless I don't plan on not going under the vehicle . If I need to jack up the car or truck I use my home made jacks made of 2X4's that are not wobbly .

I cut out the bottom of a plastic 45gal drum a few inches high to catch the old oil . I change the oil on 4 vehicles every year and it would cost me a bundle if I took them to a garage . I buy my oil and filters ( Mobile #1 filters which are very good ) on special at Canadian Tire except for the Cummins Filters .

It is also known that some garages use filtered old oil they buy bulk for your car . As for worrying about any warranty on the vehicle . I don't .

This is how some dealers work . My brother needed to get an emission check on his car last year . The lady at the service desk told him that he needed a brake fluid change and a transmission oil change before he could get his emission check done . Now you're talking at least $600 of work for a free emission test . Yea right lady . Go f*ck yourself he told her .

Do it yourself . At least I do and save a bundle.

I dunno. My car needs maintenance every 15,000 km. I drive less than 20,000 km per year. I trade my car in after 3 maintenance visits. That is $550. All I ever pay for car maintenance.

 

[richaceg]

if you can afford a bmw...you can afford to have a ramp built for you...never trust jacks...

 

[richaceg]

What a stupid thing to say . Yea right , go ahead and over pay for your maintenance . Your garage will love you for it . Maybe even send you a Christmas card .

Some people have more money than brains .

fuck that...not everyone is a "mechanic" like you. If you're going to pay $150+ in Mr. Lube...why not take it to BMW to have them maintain it for the same $$$? Just because people have no time to do shit to their car means their stupid right away? The cheapest way to ensure you get the right service is take it to the dealer if you don't have a trusted mechanic. It's called common sense dumbass...

 

[danmand]

fuck that...not everyone is a "mechanic" like you. If you're going to pay $150+ in Mr. Lube...why not take it to BMW to have them maintain it for the same $$$? Just because people have no time to do shit to their car means their stupid right away? The cheapest way to ensure you get the right service is take it to the dealer if you don't have a trusted mechanic. It's called common sense dumbass...

What I especially like about it is when you trade the car in, you tell them that it is still under warranty and they have maintained it themselves.

 

[richaceg]

What I especially like about it is when you trade the car in, you tell them that it is still under warranty and they have maintained it themselves.

and they certify to ensure you get the maximum value for it. It's an upsell for sure but it gets your car sold faster than putting it up in kijiji.

 

[danmand]

and they certify to ensure you get the maximum value for it. It's an upsell for sure but it gets your car sold faster than putting it up in kijiji.

And you get the HST back on the trade in.

 

[stinkynuts]

Thanks for the responses, good advice from everyone


If you go on on Youtube and search "jack stand accident" you will see hundreds if videos listed.


This one is scary as fuck:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5t_fb_fLjc8


As a complete newbie it would be idiotic of me risk my life to save a few dollars. Will go with ramps....

 

[danmand]

Thanks for the responses, good advice from everyone


If you go on on Youtube and search "jack stand accident" you will see hundreds if videos listed.


This one is scary as fuck:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5t_fb_fLjc8


As a complete newbie it would be idiotic of me risk my life to save a few dollars. Will go with ramps....

rAISING
Even better: Put on an old jacket and get down on your back. On almost all cars you can change the oil without jacking or ramping them.

 

[John Henry]

fuck that...not everyone is a "mechanic" like you. If you're going to pay $150+ in Mr. Lube...why not take it to BMW to have them maintain it for the same $$$? Just because people have no time to do shit to their car means their stupid right away? The cheapest way to ensure you get the right service is take it to the dealer if you don't have a trusted mechanic. It's called common sense dumbass...

I'm not a mechanic . Oh no did I say that . What do you mean NO TIME . You make time for what's important to you . Right service . What are you kidding me . You trust these bozos at the dealer ship ? I had a service light on in my truck last fall . I took it to the dealer and put it on the scanner or what ever it's called . $115 just to read the codes . They wanted $1100 to fix the problem . I said f*ck that , A friend of mine told me to take it to his mechanic . He put it on the scanner . NO CHARGE . Ended up putting a cleaner in the fuel tank . Took the truck for a 69k trip and service light was gone . Even passed an emission test a few months later . My friends mechanic said that it was a common problem with a diesel engine . A $20 fix for engine cleaner . That's it . You would think that a dealership would know this . Watched a service guy at the dealership changing my oil the first time . There's a universal joint that has to be greased on the 4X4 . Asked him if he greased it . He said yes . Well you have to rotate the drive shaft to find the nipple . Truck was on a lift that held all for tires . To rotate the drive shaft you have to move one wheel . Can't do that when all 4 wheels are on the jack . In other words the guy didn't do it . He LIED . That's getting the right service at the dealership ???

Fix things the right way at the dealership and get it serviced the right way ? Go ahead spend your money . It's easy to take money from a FOOL . You don't need to be a mechanic to change the oil ...... Dumbass

You're probably one of these guys that calls an electrician to change a light bulb or a light switch . LOL

 

[GameBoy27]

Rule #1. Never take your car to any Quick Lube or Canadian Tire for service.

While I have stands, a floor jack and I'm more than capable of doing an oil change and a whole lot more myself, I can't be bothered. I buy Mobil 1 synthetic (when it goes on sale) an OEM filter and take it to my local independent garage and have him do it. He changes the oil and filter, disposes the waste oil all for $20 cash. Can't beat that!

Fix things the right way at the dealership and get it serviced the right way ? Go ahead spend your money . It's easy to take money from a FOOL . You don't need to be a mechanic to change the oil ...... Dumbass

You're probably one of these guys that calls an electrician to change a light bulb or a light switch . LOL

Says the guy who paid $115 to have a code read. You can purchase an engine code reader for less than $50.

 

[John Henry]

Rule #1. Never take your car to any Quick Lube or Canadian Tire for service.

While I have stands, a floor jack and I'm more than capable of doing an oil change and a whole lot more myself, I can't be bothered. I buy Mobil 1 synthetic (when it goes on sale) an OEM filter and take it to my local independent garage and have him do it. He changes the oil and filter, disposes the waste oil all for $20 cash. Can't beat that!




Says the guy who paid $115 to have a code read. You can purchase an engine code reader for less than $50.

I knew that would be thrown in my face . Many garages won't change the oil if you bring in your own oil and filter . Oh they might but they will charge you for a full oil change . No money savings there . Your lucky he only charges you $20.

Says the guy who saved $1100 plus taxes by not going with what the dealer said and catching the TECHNICIAN not doing his job. Back in your face . I don't really care what garage people bring their car to. I'm just telling you what I do and why . I find the time to do what's important to me . THAT'S RIGHT . ME . Don't give a darn what anyone else says or does . Nobody pays my bills but me. Don't need to purchase a decoder now with the new mechanic I have . My old mechanic retired by the way and closed up shop.

Have a nice day .

 

[richaceg]

Rule #1. Never take your car to any Quick Lube or Canadian Tire for service.

While I have stands, a floor jack and I'm more than capable of doing an oil change and a whole lot more myself, I can't be bothered. I buy Mobil 1 synthetic (when it goes on sale) an OEM filter and take it to my local independent garage and have him do it. He changes the oil and filter, disposes the waste oil all for $20 cash. Can't beat that!




Says the guy who paid $115 to have a code read. You can purchase an engine code reader for less than $50.

Lol..

 

[richaceg]

I knew that would be thrown in my face . Many garages won't change the oil if you bring in your own oil and filter . Oh they might but they will charge you for a full oil change . No money savings there . Your lucky he only charges you $20.

Says the guy who saved $1100 plus taxes by not going with what the dealer said and catching the TECHNICIAN not doing his job. Back in your face . I don't really care what garage people bring their car to. I'm just telling you what I do and why . I find the time to do what's important to me . THAT'S RIGHT . ME . Don't give a darn what anyone else says or does . Nobody pays my bills but me. Don't need to purchase a decoder now with the new mechanic I have . My old mechanic retired by the way and closed up shop.

Have a nice day .

Not everyone here has the same "skill level" as you when it comes to car maintenance...yes you have time to do car maintenance...so you call names on people who have none...my oil change is $50...I get diagnosis FREE...all I did was advised the OP that if you're going to spend $$$, why bring it to Mr. Lube instead of Dealer...it doesn't make sense.

 

[james t kirk]

Thanks for the responses, good advice from everyone


If you go on on Youtube and search "jack stand accident" you will see hundreds if videos listed.


This one is scary as fuck:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5t_fb_fLjc8


As a complete newbie it would be idiotic of me risk my life to save a few dollars. Will go with ramps....

Get one of these....

But like I said, always use a back up system. Put the tires under the car, put the jack under the car.