Just an Oil Change and Lube Please

by | Feb 28, 2012 | Preventative Maintenance

“Just an oil change and lube please.”It is a short sentence, but it shows how much people do not understand about what is involved in performing a quality oil change!

We’ve done a number of blogs on oil changes, and that’s because our industry has reduced the price of an oil change so much that it means little to the public. People think that if an oil change can cost between $15 to $30 it must be easy to perform and therefore be worth little.

“Hey, high school kids do it.”

Here are a few more quotes ………….

“You know, it is so easy I could do it myself, but I just don’t have the time?”

“I used to do my oil changes but I would just as well leave it to you guys.” 

“Oil and filter change — don’t worry about that; I get that done at a quick lube place.” 

“I don’t take it to the dealer; they just want to rip me off. Have you seen what they charge for just an oil change?” 

When we don’t value something we don’t think much about it. We have all seen the advertisements, 3000 mile oil change in just 10 minutes. (That is after waiting 30 minutes in your car.)

“If it takes just 10 minutes how can it be worth much?” 

But your car is worth up to $50,000 or more, why would you leave this investment in the hands of a quick lube company?

I have trained many high school graduates and students who have been through an automotive program, and it has still taken me months, yes months, to teach someone to perform an oil change service. As an automotive shop owner I know that if I do not train our apprentices correctly they will not be able to perform a quality service for our customers.

When I review our service manual that is used as a guide to train our apprentices it is always the oil change section that needs the most updates. The description that guides the apprentice is very long. There is a lot to performing a quality service. We make sure our apprentices know how important it is to do the job right. By the time we have finished training them, they know how much an engine costs. They know the service they are performing is NOT JUST AN OIL CHANGE.

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About the Author

About Brian England

Brian England, the current president of BA Auto Care (formerly British American Auto Care), got his start with an auto apprenticeship in a small town in northwest of London. He came to the U.S. in 1972 to work for a Land Rover dealer in Rockville, MD. A few years later, he started British American Auto Care with his wife, Jennifer. Brian is a big believe in preventative maintenance, and his philosophy is to encourage and educate drivers on the benefits of a regular maintenance plan.