We're looking for positive or negative recommendations for "instant"
oil change places in the Ann Arbor area.

17 responses total.

  Uncle Ed's on Stadium does a pretty good job. 

I tried them once.  They didn't even check my (very dirty) air
filter...usually one of the ways they get you to spend more money, heh.

Victory Lane, on Packard, left my oil drain loose and I lost a lot of oil in
the driveway.  I've used the one on Washtenaw a few times with no problem.

Victory Lane on Packard has generally seemed to me to do a pretty good job,
although I often get the feeling they're trying to sell me things I don't
really need.  I'm not sure about that, though, since I don't really know
enough about cars to know what I need done and don't need done. 

Are there any Jiffy Lubes around here?  When I am on the road, they seem the
most professional and they don't try to scare you into buying what you don't
want.  Upon completion, they read a checklist and "check" off the service they
were supposed to do.  They clean and vacuum the inside also.

Other than that, I use Victory Lane at Stadium only because they are
convenient.  They don't seem too professional and they try to sell engine
flush, radiator flush, air cleaners, and wiper blades.  One time they filled
my power steering fluid to overflowing and it dripped all over the place. 

I use my driveway and a couple of ramps I got from Sears decades ago.

Yes, I do it myself sometimes too.  I've also used the quickie place on
Elsorth and Hewitt a couple times with no complaints.

Uncle Ed's on Washtenaw once overfilled my oil several years ago and hasn't
seen me since.

Most of the time, I take it to the same mechanic that does most repairs to
my Volvo, Sweedish Engineering.  Although they don't do it in 10 minutes, they
do a good oil change for $19.95, less than the 10 minute places charge. 
Clearly they like to see me come in so they can tell me what else my car needs
besides clean oil.  I don't let that bother me, and I don't think they rip
me off too much.

I used to have good luck with Victory Lane on Packard. Never tried
Uncle Ed's since a coworker said they tried to talk him into something
he didn't need. I have had good service at the Amoco service station
on Plymouth for the past couple years. It takes 30 minutes if no one
is in the quicklube bay.

This item has been linked from Consumers 73 to Intro 92.
Type "join consumers" at the Ok: prompt for discussion of
consumers' issues.

This response has been erased.

Several years ago a friend of mine took her Escort to a quick oil change place
and they let a new employee work on it unsupervised.  He put the oil in the
wrong oriface and put antifreeze in the oil conduit.  The car ran for about
3 days more, then the engine was totaled.

She declared she would never take another car to the cheap place -- it was
too expensive.

(Vintage Escorts also had a reputation for exchanging oil and coolant
without outside help.)

Vintage Escorts?  Sounds more like an escort service for the elderly.  >8)

That is almost exactly what the first Ford Escorts were designed for.
70K miles and off to the junk yard.  (My wife owned one.  A blue smoke
beltching shop queen with 90K on it when we got rid of it.)
 
My mom took her car to Uncle Ed's for and oil change several years ago.
By the time she got back home the crankcase was almost empty and there was
a trail of oil going into her parking spot.  Somehow they had damaged the
rubber gasket between the oil filter and engine block and there was no
longer a viable seal.
 
I suggest keeping a close watch on the work being done if you take you car
to a qwick-lube place.  I even take a look at the work preformed when I
get back home.

Victory Lane has always been good with my car. They do lots of stuff
for free "while they're at it."

Mckendree collge is a very good school.  It is just very expensive
I suggest everyone go there and you will find happines

Yes, but do they give quickie oil changes?

So it looks like Victory Lane is fairly safe. Am I right?

Response not possible - You must register and login before posting.

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss