Shopping Local: Jiffy Lube

One thing I just don’t understand is cars.  I need my car to get from point A to point B.  I can fake checking the oil, and at least in theory I can change a tire.  But for me cars are just a big mystery.  I don’t understand what the carburetor does.  And I can’t even spell it without assistance from spell check.  So oil changes for me are one of those aggravating tasks in life- you know you have to do it.  But just thinking about it makes balancing my checkbook look appealing.

So after putting it off for as long as I possibly could, I went to this week.  I am a big fan of franchises- although I can see the advantage of corporate support, it’s nice to know that decisions for the establishment are made on a local level.  I also knew that they did a thorough check of fluids, tire pressure and whatever else.  Given my vast knowledge of cars, the more help I get, the better.

I drove in to the back of the facility and discovered that everyone apparently had the same idea I did- every bay was full.  As I tried to figure out what to do next, a man suddenly came out and motioned to me to pull up to one of the bays.  He greeted me and asked how he could help.  Looking at the line of cars in front of me, I told him I needed not only a basic oil change, but to be out of there in a reasonable amount of time.  He assured me he could do both- an oil change, and out the door in about 45 minutes.

So I grabbed some work I needed to get done and headed into the facility.  Inside, Jiffy Lube is pretty basic- chairs, a tv, magazines, and a corner set aside for kids.  Comfortable for a while, but not encouraging me to stay for the afternoon.  I can handle that.

There are a lot of options available at Jiffy Lube.  In addition to the standard services at a quick oil change facility, you can have the exterior of your car washed.  And the car is vacuumed and tires are rotated as a part of the oil change.  After about 30 minutes, I was called into the service bay where I was told what fluids had been checked and filled.  The service technician also showed me my air filter and suggested I have it changed.  I didn’t need to know much about cars to look at the filter and agree he was right- it wasn’t looking good.  The service tech was very nice and explained what the service recommendations were for my vehicle given the mileage.  He gave me the information I needed to make a decision about what services should be done today and what maintenance I need to do in the future.

45 minutes later, I was back on the road, and feeling much better about making it to my destination and back without winding up on the side of the road.  I got just what I needed- a basic oil change and check of my car, along with enough information to make a decision about what services I needed now.  

Jiffy Lube offers gift cards, and while it may not be the flashiest gift under your tree, you might be surprised just how much it is appreciated.  Thanks Jiffy Lube!