My bait and switch oil change experience.

[Desmolicious]

I had my first full synth oil and fllter change done at 1000 miles on my Bronco. I used Valvoline express as you sit in the car as they do their thing, done in 15 minutes. Just so convenient. Total cost was about $125.
I heard some people got much cheaper oil changes done at their Ford dealers due to coupons etc. I was envious until... I got an oil change coupon from my dealer stating Sythn oil and filter change for $44.99! Wow-whee what a deal.

I went online to the dealer site to book my express oil change, with the option that I would wait for my car. They show what time slots are available.
I picked 11.30 am for today (7/30). I show up at 11.15 just cuz. 11.45 finally a service writer comes out of the office, puts the Express placard on my windshield and leads me into his office.
First off - I was told it will be about a 2 hour wait. So WTF do they offer time slots online for this? Valvoline - 15 minutes after you roll up.
I now had a bad feeling and asked for confirmation that it is going to be a full synth oil change. The dood said yes. So I say again - full synth? He then says no. It will be a blend.
I show him the coupon which says synth oil change, not synth blend. No go - if I want full synth then it will be $190. And a two hour wait.

Fudge that - I bailed, went to Valvoline which was just down the street and had a full synth change in 15 minutes for $125.

This is the coupon. Tell me if I'm wrong in feeling this was a bait n switch:

Autonation in Torrance, CA. Where I bought my Bronco.

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[Desmolicious]

Forgot to mention, I also went to the pain in the a$$ of emptying my Bronco of anything that may go 'missing' because it will be out of my sight. So tools, compressor, axe, cordless vacuum, Osmo Action cam that I use for a trail camera etc.
I've had ish go missing before at service time (at other places).

Would not have needed to do any of that if I knew I was going to go to Valvoline as I stay in the truck.

 

[Valhalla]

It is a rope a dope, they get you in that it does not say "Full synthetic". I just throw this crap away and do my own, I am fortunate that when we built this house, I put a service bay in with a lift. I take about two hours to change and inspect everything (including 3 beers)

 

[userdude]

You went all the way in there and didn't trade in your Bronco??

Think of the (salesman's) children!!

But yeah, I think they were jacking you. I wonder if another (better) dealership would have done that.

 

[Headsong]

I had my first full synth oil and fllter change done at 1000 miles on my Bronco. I used Valvoline express as you sit in the car as they do their thing, done in 15 minutes. Just so convenient. Total cost was about $125.
I heard some people got much cheaper oil changes done at their Ford dealers due to coupons etc. I was envious until... I got an oil change coupon from my dealer stating Sythn oil and filter change for $44.99! Wow-whee what a deal.

I went online to the dealer site to book my express oil change, with the option that I would wait for my car. They show what time slots are available.
I picked 11.30 am for today (7/30). I show up at 11.15 just cuz. 11.45 finally a service writer comes out of the office, puts the Express placard on my windshield and leads me into his office.
First off - I was told it will be about a 2 hour wait. So WTF do they offer time slots online for this? Valvoline - 15 minutes after you roll up.
I now had a bad feeling and asked for confirmation that it is going to be a full synth oil change. The dood said yes. So I say again - full synth? He then says no. It will be a blend.
I show him the coupon which says synth oil change, not synth blend. No go - if I want full synth then it will be $190. And a two hour wait.

Fudge that - I bailed, went to Valvoline which was just down the street and had a full synth change in 15 minutes for $125.

This is the coupon. Tell me if I'm wrong in feeling this was a bait n switch:

Autonation in Torrance, CA. Where I bought my Bronco.

Real simple, don't ever go back there again. We had a Chev dealer nearby that was supposed to change out a fuel pump on a neighbor's truck....but he's good with wrenches and marked his old one since he was suspicious. Naturally, they didn't change it. He pointed it out...they had NO answers. Get an actual local mechanic you can trust.

 

[Tybh88]

65 bucks to do full synthetic yourself

 

[AZ_Liberty]

Trying to figure out how sitting in your car, with no AC, in 117 degree weather is in any way "convenient".

Explain it to me.



If the coupon says synthetic, and the service is blend or semi-synthetic that's clearly, and I do mean blatantly in violation of California's bait-and-switch laws.

I'd complain to the AG's office.

Walmart has a deal with Valvoline. I can get full synthetic Valvoline Restore and Protect for around 60 bucks. And after the last time of letting the dealership touch my truck, I now just let Discount rotate my tires.

 

[Rydfree]

Real simple, don't ever go back there again. We had a Chev dealer nearby that was supposed to change out a fuel pump on a neighbor's truck....but he's good with wrenches and marked his old one since he was suspicious. Naturally, they didn't change it. He pointed it out...they had NO answers. Get an actual local mechanic you can trust.

I have always marked things when having service work done. I had a dealer not change the oil filter once and they just said the tech must have overlooked it.

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

I had no idea synthetic oil changes were costing that much. I do my own with Mobil1 for about $40 to $45 depending on if it's on sale at walmart. Doesn't take me too long, and gives me a chance to get the mud and rocks out of my skid plates.

 

[Ride Em Bronco]

You never know what dealers will or will not do. I had a coupon sent to me by a different Ford dealer - so I called my dealer where I bought the Bronco but they would not match it - so I took them to schedule me just for an inspection and I first went to the other different Ford dealer and had the oil changed. After that I went to my dealer and made it clear I was there just for an inspection - which they did. But when I got the bill it showed an inspection and an oil change. So when I asked when why I was being charged for an oil change that I had just had done at another dealer - the response was that they thought that I needed one with the inspection. They did remove the oil change charge - but apparently never wondered why my oil looked so clean when draining it.

 

[Fordified1]

I wonder how many “synthetic” oil changes are done with regular oil? I mean how do you know exactly what oil they are really using? I change my own.

I was taking my company truck (F650) to the local Ford dealer for oil changes and one time (after many oil changes) decided to check the grease fittings to see if they were wet after leaving the lot. Dry as a bone. Took it right back and they said they somehow forgot. So I stood there where I could see the truck and it was in the bay but no one was touching it…. Turns out they didn’t even have a grease gun and sent someone to the parts store to get one. The next time I took it there I reminded the service writer that they had better grease it or I would be pissed and he agreed. Guess what. Same thing,dry as a bone. Needless to say I didn’t take it back there ever again and wasn’t long before the front axle had to be rebuilt with new king pins. My bad for not checking in the beginning.

 

[MilesTeg]

I wonder how many “synthetic” oil changes are done with regular oil? I mean how do you know exactly what oil they are really using? I change my own.

Yup, only way to know it's done right is to do it yourself. How many lube places just slap in the cheapest oil they can get their hands on? How many just slap in a $0.50 cent shit filter even if you ask for premium service (then charge you 10-15 bucks for that filter)? How many take care not to get dirt in the oil filter housing (that will then bypass the filter and go directly into your engine)? How many make sure to not over or under fill the oil?

I used to take my vehicles for oil changes, because it was more convenient. Then I started verifying what they were doing, and it was a shit show no matter where I took the vehicle. The above things, double gasketing the filter, etc. And when all the things I /can/ verify are done poorly, I assume all the things I can't verify (easily) are also done poorly/incorrectly/with deceit.

 

[kr_1315]

DIY is the only way to consistently ensure it is done correctly.

 

[Neps]

I took my Focus EV in to the Dealer for some warrantee work and the Service Writer asked if I needed an oil change, I thought she was messing with me so I said "if you can find it, change it". End of the day I get a call that it's ready, I arrive and they tell me to go to the cashier to get cleared.

The cashier tells me that I owe $80 for an oil change and comprehensive inspection, the inspection shows that the oil, belts, etc all were checked and good. So I ask to see the Service Manager and tell him I'd like to see where they put the oil. He walks me out to my car and proceeds to open the hood, then looks at the Motor and says "Oh it's an EV". I was like yes, where did the oil go. His reply, "well there must be a mistake"--No shi*

 

[Desmolicious]

Trying to figure out how sitting in your car, with no AC, in 117 degree weather is in any way "convenient".

Explain it to me.



If the coupon says synthetic, and the service is blend or semi-synthetic that's clearly, and I do mean blatantly in violation of California's bait-and-switch laws.

I'd complain to the AG's office.

Walmart has a deal with Valvoline. I can get full synthetic Valvoline Restore and Protect for around 60 bucks. And after the last time of letting the dealership touch my truck, I now just let Discount rotate my tires.

where do you come up w it being 117° ?

it was very convenient for me to sit in my car in their work bay in the shade with windows open for 15 minutes as they changed my oil while I surfed the web.

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