$15 oil change and tire rotation from firestone

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

07/12/2008 11:50:28 PM · #1

just incase anyone has a firestone near them here is a deal until July 21st.

//www.firestonecompleteautocare.com/offers/coupons/pop_up/OilChange.html

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

07/13/2008 12:10:13 AM · #2

Uh huh.
The parts nearly cost me that much.

Every car will come out with a "need this & that list" too. Most will "need" an air filter (high profit margin part) because there is some dust/dirt in it. Upgraded premium oil is extra too. An air filter needs to be 50% restricted before any effect is noticed. Oh and all the cars with less than 50% remaining on the brakes? They will "need" to be done ASAP or you gonna' die. Oh and should we not mention the in-house competition to see who sell the most fuel injection cleaning packages or transmission flushes (gotta' pay for that new transmission flushing machine), with the tech that sells the most getting a dinner for two at Chez Lack of Conscience.

You'd be amazed at how many vehicles I have inspected that were just told they "needed" brakes for instance. Pull the wheels and see 40-50% remaining. Over & over & over I see this hard sell.

Buyer beware.
You get what you pay for.

I've been in the business for 25 years, owning my own shop for that last 8. I've seen it all.

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/13/2008 12:17:36 AM · #3

firestone sucks. if you can keep your blinders on and just get in and out with the oil change, go for it. otherwise, i'd stay the hell away from them. they don't have any mechanics in their shops. all they have are kids who are trained to follow computerized diagnostic wizards that ultimately lead to recommending replacement parts. they don't have anybody that actually knows how to fix anything. and this is mostly like true for any big-box outfit (firestone, goodyear, merchants). your best bet is to find a real mechanic, somebody who really loves working on cars, and giving them all your business--even if it means paying a few bucks more for an oil change.

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

07/13/2008 02:45:19 AM · #4

Originally posted by Brad:

Buyer beware. You get what you pay for.

Originally posted by Skip:

firestone sucks.

...but thanks for posting the tip, Joe. LOL

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

07/13/2008 03:17:40 AM · #5

I should take my crv up there to see if they tell me I need brakes, I just had honda replace them.

I mean how can you screw up an oil change and a tire rotation. Now I watch people working on my car when I go to these type of places so I wouldn't be scared to go. Besides should something go wrong I would have someone to hold accountable.

I also get the need this everytime I pay someone to change my oil but I always say no.

Message edited by author 2008-07-13 03:19:40.

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

07/13/2008 03:56:59 AM · #6

Originally posted by Dirt_Diver:

I mean how can you screw up an oil change and a tire rotation. Now I watch people working on my car when I go to these type of places so I wouldn't be scared to go. Besides should something go wrong I would have someone to hold accountable.

Let's look at how it can be screwed-up from the product purchased side:
1) The discount oil changes rely on volume. Get em in, get em out quick.
2) The discount oil change relies on generic oil filters, many not having a decent o-ring seal and use a flat band gasket. Many also do not have anti-drain back valves that help prevent the oil system from having to completely prime on initial start-up. Timing chain-equipped engines starving for oil on start-up, rattle the daylights out of the chain, often busting the guides, requiring chain, tensioner & guide replacements way too early in their life.
3) The discount oil change rely on maximizing profits, often done by using house branded oils, many of these brands are simply re-badged major brand oils, but some aren't - crap shoot here.
4) The discount oil change relies on using as little as possible to cut overhead, often a new drain plug gasket is not used.

Now let's look at how it can get screwed-up from the service side:
1) How many will know what to set the air pressure in your tires at? Many will simply look at the max tire pressure on the sidewall of the tire and go for it. Ha - that is the max pressure based on the max capacity of that tire, which might be installed on a vehicle that weighs 2,000 more than yours, requiring the higher pressure. The manufacturer knows best and has in the door jamb, a sticker to show what the max pressures are base don oe tire size.
2) Knowledgeable technicians do not spend their days in a pit changing oil. Stations hire part-timers, younger techs in training, etc. Something as simple as knowing how much to tighten a drain plug is a learned skill, and the customer's car gets to be the guinea pig. Referenced in #4 above, the drain plug gasket is often too much of a hassle to remove so the apprentice simply re-uses it and tightens it down with far too much torque, distorting the threads in the pan. It may seal now, but the next guy is gonna have to explain why he did, though he fell victim to an apprentice's short cut. Most often the customer ends up paying for it, and at a cost of $200-300. Those oversized magic fix-all drain plugs are junk.
3) The apprentice takes off the wheels fro a tire rotation. Was the air pressure checked before or after rotation? Most cars don't use the same pressure front & rear, so that will need to be rechecked. Time spent, money lost, oh it's good enough. So on go the lug nuts and brapppp brappp on they go with an air gun. Lug nuts can safely be run down snug, in a criss-cross pattern, with the final tightening done with a torque wrench. The first lug nut that was whacked down now set up a stress load on the hub & rotor, which will cause the rotor to warp. Not may cause it to, but will cause it to warp. That isn't even considered how over-torqued they were by blasting them on with a high-powered air gun, making it effectively impossible to change a flat tire on the side of the road, and or snapping off when they finally are removed.
4) How many young apprentices really know what is right or isn't right when inspecting the brakes. Oh my I could write a thesis on this one. A trained and certified technician knows and is paid appropriately because he has that training and ability. What about the rest of items being inspected on a minor service? What about the services being recommended based on what the station is pushing that week, or what that tech looks for in just the gravy work, all this regardless if it was done a week before at a regular shop. Every car that goes in needs this & that, no matter if it was done recently.

The list goes on.

And on.

And on.

And on.....

Knowing what I know from the inside of the business, I will go look for a reputable independent shop, or the most expensive, or the busiest shop in town.
Kinda' like this one:

.

Forgot to add:

Anyone with a camera can do your daughter's wedding too - right? I mean how bad can they screw it up?

There are reasons why I have customers willing to drive past 20 or more shops, 10-15 miles and more,
just get get their oil changed at my shop, and I'm typically higher than most in regards to price.

The same reasons some photographers charge $5K to shoot a wedding.

Message edited by author 2008-07-13 04:18:30.

Truegsht

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

07/13/2008 09:57:34 AM · #7

I take both our vehicles to the company that does the fleet service for my employer. Oil and filter change is $14.95, tire rotation is free with oil change, also free is fluid check/fill.

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

07/13/2008 11:16:47 AM · #8

a list of wrongs could go along with any shop. Like I said, I don't have a problem with other people doing the work because should something go wrong I have someone to sue.

LN13

Canon EOS-60D

07/13/2008 11:38:52 AM · #9

Originally posted by Dirt_Diver:

I mean how can you screw up an oil change and a tire rotation.

We used to have a Honda that we took to the local dealer for an oil change once. I got the car home an my neighbor noticed oil dripping from around the drain plug. I took the car back and they tightened the plug. I figured it was an easy mistake, anyone could have forgotten. A few months later I took the car back to them for another oil change. My wife picked the car up just as the service center was closing. She got about a block down the road and the oil light came on. She went straight back to the dealer. By the time she got back, the entire service department had vamoosed. So she found the sales manager. The idiots in service had nicely drained our oil, but had not refilled it. The service area was all locked up, so the sales manager had to run across the street to Pep Boys to buy oil to put in our car. He also refunded our payment. After talking to other people about it, we found that we weren't the only ones. They failed to replace the fill cap for one of our friends cars. That dealer is no longer in business. In fact, the lot was paved over and a(nother) bank was built there.

Do I still go for the "cheap" oil change specials? Yeah, sadly sometimes I do. Do they try to upsell me with dubious problems with may car? Yeah, they do, but I don't let them do it. Heck, I can change my own wiper blades and air filters. If it's major, I can ask my brother-in-law the mechanic to check it out.

Message edited by author 2008-07-13 11:39:24.

dsterner

Canon EOS-40D

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon

07/13/2008 11:55:29 AM · #10

My Father is a mechanic, both my brothers are mechanics and I tried to be a mechanic when I took an auto mechanic's course in high school...

I don't go for those deals, as Brad explained why - as did my dad

I go to a guy who sounds a lot like Brad. He's been is business for over 20 years and had a news article written about his business. He told my my Nissan 200 SX Turbo was no car for me! I ditched it - and when I begged him to keep my 1986 Nova running until I got my teaching job - he did. He scoffed at my NEW 1996 GMC Sonoma purchase and was pleased to know I ditched it 2 years ago for a used 2003 Ford Ranger.

He wants to see a new set of tires on her before the snow flies. I'll bring him an apple pie when I go in for my oil change after 1,700 more miles. Naomi, our school psychologist, will bring the plate back to me - they're neighbors.