My two stories:

I went to Jiffy Lube once to see how much to change my transmission filter & fluid. The kid went in the office to talk to his boss. Came out a minute late and told me my car (82 Celica) has a non replaceable transmission filter. I told him that I changed it last year. He went in to his boss and came out a minute later with a price. I left.

Same 82 Celica was in the shop for warped rotors. The mechanic called me and gave me a quote to replace them. When I questioned the high price he told me that front wheel drive cars are more expensive to work on. I then informed him that my car was a rear wheel drive. He replied "I hate when I'm wrong". I picked the car up and changed them myself.

My friends story: My friends dad went to Jiffy Lube for an oil change. They drained the oil, checked all fluids, showed him how bad his air filter was (a standard procedure for Jiffy Lube), put on a new oil filter and shut the hood at which time the Jiffy lube worker proclaimed "You're all set!" to which my friends dad replied "You wanna put some oil in my car for me?".

 

I dont even do that anymore....I bought a 3 ton jack, and I just jack the car up, roll under on my creeper, then lower the jack as the oil drains...then jack it up, screw here and there, let er down and fill with 4 quarts.....Granted I take my time, and clean stuff up while im under there, but I could do it in 3 mins.

 

i want to start doing most of my stuff to my car myself soon... the only thing preventing me is not having the proper tools... but an oiul change should be simple i have the right stuff for that..

 

Right, I do the same thing.

Plus getting under there and changing your oil let's you check things out. You never know what you might find worn, loose or dripping that could save you some midnight shoulder time in the future.

Speaking of those oil change places, I once had a pimple-faced kid tell me that I needed to change my brake fluid in my Expedition because it was old and acidic after he dunked some sort of litmus paper thing into my fluid reservoir and then told me they could change my fluid for $100.

Of course I bought it and every other preventive maintenance that that shop offered via the "litmus test". I mean come on, litmus doesn't lie.....