I miss my Jiffy Lube!!!!!

 [smiley=shout.gif]I really miss some parts of the states.  I think chief among that is Jiffy Lube....or Midas.  I miss the days of driving up to the garage, they put it on the lift, take the oil out, change the filter, give you the car back within 30 minutes and only ask for $30.

My Astra was due for its service a couple weeks ago.  Last year I took her to a garage near my workplace, for convenience, and since i was out of warranty I didn't have to take her to my local Vauxhall dealer.  I went back to the vauxhall dealer this year for the service bc the local mechanic I don't think actually serviced the car, just took my money.

For a full service (oil, filters, fluids, sparkplugs, tyre air & ac) cost my £253 (that included replacing a headlight bulb and tailight bulb).  Without the bulbs it would have been £220.  First of all, where they get off charging that sort of money for a bulb when I could have bought one at halfords for £2 is beyond me.  Then it's the overall cost.  I spoke to my dad back in NY the night I had the servicing done.  Coincidentally enough he had his hyundai sonata tuned up the week before.  Same work--oil, filters, fluids, sparkplugs and ac).  His is a lease so he's in warranty-- but it only cost him $100 for everything.

Now I didn't need a full service this year, as I did the sparkplugs myself in february, but the difference between basic service (oil and fluids) and full (same, with filters and plugs) was only £20.  Basic service for £200.  Let me say that again...basic service for £200.

All I really needed was the oil & filter changed.  Which got me thinking-- can't I find a jiffy lube-type place in this country?  And I found out I apparently can't.

Why isn't there a quick oil change chain in this country?  Why hasn't anyone thought of this?  Don't say Kwik-Fit or Nationwide or halfords, because they're just as expensive.

I know how you feel, we took our ride in for an oil change and maintenance check.  Pretty routine stuff.  It cost £80, I think, but worse than that was that it took about 4 hours!   
We had to roam around a garden center and try to keep ourselves entertained.  When I told DH how quick and cheap it was in the states to have that done, he was shocked and saddened that it isn't the same way here.  Then again, he says they only do them half as often here as in America.  He thinks the 3 months / 3000 miles things is a scam. 

I know how you feel, we took our ride in for an oil change and maintenance check.  Pretty routine stuff.  It cost £80, I think, but worse than that was that it took about 4 hours!   
We had to roam around a garden center and try to keep ourselves entertained.  When I told DH how quick and cheap it was in the states to have that done, he was shocked and saddened that it isn't the same way here.

Methinks there's a business opportunity shouting out at me.

I know what you mean about Jiffy Lube...I was thinking the same thing yesterday about take and bake pizza...PapaMurphy's anyone?

I know what you mean about Jiffy Lube...I was thinking the same thing yesterday about take and bake pizza...PapaMurphy's anyone?

Costco does take and bake. Yum!!

All I really needed was the oil & filter changed.  Which got me thinking-- can't I find a jiffy lube-type place in this country?  And I found out I apparently can't.

Why isn't there a quick oil change chain in this country?  Why hasn't anyone thought of this?  Don't say Kwik-Fit or Nationwide or halfords, because they're just as expensive.

Have you thought about doing it yourself?  It's not that hard, I learned to do it as a teenager.  Even if you had to take a basic automotive class, think of the cash you'd save!

I know they're still not as cheap as in the states but DH and I use In'N'Out for our car servicing, etc. Have a look and they might have one in your area.

http://www.in-n-out.co.uk/

He thinks the 3 months / 3000 miles things is a scam. 

My husband says the same thing.  And 3 mos/3000 miles isn't recommended in the manuals here like it is in the US either?  We don't change the oil that often.

My Ford in the US said every 5,000 miles. 

I think it all depends on how hard you drive/weather conditions that sort of thing.  I do think 3,000 is probably too often.

The Car Talk guys weigh in with every 5000.

http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/1997/November/12.html

I have an idea. Never change the oil. Save money. Never lub. Save money. Car will probably run longer when you consider the number of times the "service engineer" never puts the oil plug back on correctly.

My husband says the same thing.  And 3 mos/3000 miles isn't recommended in the manuals here like it is in the US either?  We don't change the oil that often.

My Ford manual says every 7500 miles but the dealership likes you to do it every 5000 (i'm sure they do!). When we had a saab it had sensors that told you when you needed an oil change. it was like 1 or 2 times a year... same city, same driving conditions, same weather.

For a full service (oil, filters, fluids, sparkplugs, tyre air & ac) cost my £253 (that included replacing a headlight bulb and tailight bulb).  Without the bulbs it would have been £220.

£33 to replace two lamps?!        Even allowing for the high prices some places will charge you for the bulbs themselves, that's still got to be over £25 for what is at most 15 minutes work, even on a hard-to-access vehicle. 

I hear all sorts of horror stories about how much is charged for servicing here these days, and how many places will skimp on the job.  It really pays to do the general work yourself as much as you can.  Changing the oil and filter is a horrible, messy job, but not that difficult.

£33 to replace two lamps?!        Even allowing for the high prices some places will charge you for the bulbs themselves, that's still got to be over £25 for what is at most 15 minutes work, even on a hard-to-access vehicle. 

I hear all sorts of horror stories about how much is charged for servicing here these days, and how many places will skimp on the job.  It really pays to do the general work yourself as much as you can.  Changing the oil and filter is a horrible, messy job, but not that difficult.

Yeah I gave the guy a reeming for it as well, but he said something that because it was the headlamp, and that it has the angling motor in it it takes a while to align it to the existing headlamp and etc etc etc bs bs bs bs ARGH I HATE CARS!