What I hate - Walmart Oil Change

striped1 · Feb 7, 2014

So Wednesday I take the girlfriend's car in for oil change and rotate and balance to local walmart. No one rides in passenger side until tonight and door is hard to open...Well the moron who put it on the rack lifted it without clearance for the body molding on a chev Impala and beat the hell out of it and it is busted and impinging on the door. I will be first in line in the morning to discuss this but I know I am going to get the royal run around.

Not a happy guy right now.

poopgiggle · Feb 7, 2014

I used to take my car to Wal-Mart to get the oil changed. Then they cracked my oil filter housing somehow.

jtischauser · Feb 8, 2014

In only get my cars worked on at Eurosport in Norman or Silver Star Imports in Edmond.

Robusto · Feb 8, 2014

Lower oil pan (alloy) for a BMW 325i is over $300 for the part alone.

drmitchgibson · Feb 8, 2014

The last time I took any car to anyone else for an oil change, it was Walmart, sometime in 2003. I got it back with an oil pan drain bolt from some other car, which, if you can believe, did not form a leak-tight seal. So much fun!

45recoil · Feb 8, 2014

Man this had fail all over it just from the title. Sorry to hear.

I change and rotate my iwn tires as if late. Everything else i take it to a reputable service place

wnmGng · Feb 8, 2014

I took my girlfriends car in to get tires once, and I watched them drop on off the jack and break a couple studs. they wouldn't do anything about it, they just kept quoting their policy saying "I signed the paper that said they weren't liable for any damage".

charger arms · Feb 8, 2014

Last time I used Wal-Mart was 1996 when I had just put new wheels and tires on my CJ5. It was a sunday and I had a leaker and needed to get it fixed. This was back when they employed decent service guys and even did brakes, and other smaller mechanical jobs. Well, the older mechanic asked if he could train a new kid on my tire. No problem. I walked back to see how it was progressing and the freaking mouth breathing turd licking new kid was starting the lug nuts with the impact. As I was opening my mouth to tell him to stop, the lug freed itself from the socket and spun all around the inside of my wheel. I came unglued (I was only 22) and scared the elephant dung out of the kid. Well, my tire patch was free and they paid to have the wheel buffed out. Never went back afterwards.

scubor2 · Feb 8, 2014

My wife took her car to Wal-Mart and my daughter watched them back her car into another one. I had quit taking mine to them when I got my diesel home and it was leaking from the oil filter not being tight enough. I should have known when the kid said "I didn't know they made 6 cylinder diesels".

jtischauser · Feb 8, 2014

I won't even take my car to walmart to buy groceries.

charger arms · Feb 8, 2014

Jesse Tischauser said:
I won't even take my car to walmart to buy groceries.

I got a rule, I don't buy food at the same place you can buy a weed eater, duck dynasty towels and a snuggie/pajama jeans.

dennishoddy · Feb 8, 2014

My one and only experience with them for tires was the last. I have alloy wheels on my Tacoma that require proper torque to prevent warping the rims. I had my snap-on clicker torque wrench pre set that had a current calibration in the front seat. Told the service manager that I don't allow air tools on my rims, and he assured me that they would use it. I watched through the window and just about broke it when the guy grabbed a air powered torque wrench. I got some ugly looks from him, but he did get mine out and used it.

I checked it before leaving the parking lot, and found he didn't even have the lug nuts up to specs. Thought he was going to screw me I guess. I went back in and contacted the store manager. Don't know if it did any good, as I've never been back to the service department.

snapcap · Feb 8, 2014

It's not just Wally World. People in general it seems don't take much pride in their craft anymore.

dennishoddy · Feb 8, 2014

scubor2 said:
My wife took her car to Wal-Mart and my daughter watched them back her car into another one. I had quit taking mine to them when I got my diesel home and it was leaking from the oil filter not being tight enough. I should have known when the kid said "I didn't know they made 6 cylinder diesels".

He would crap if he saw my 3 cylinder diesel.

striped1 · Feb 11, 2014

Got estimates yesterday. $580.00 in damage. Still waiting to hear back from Walmart. I will be visiting again in the morning if no call today.

jtischauser · Feb 11, 2014

Good luck! Time to lawyer up.

Chris_Andersen · Feb 11, 2014

I cant tell you how many different things we have fixed that were damaged by quick-lube type shops, tire stores, or big box stores that have a "service center". I can promise you that it is always going to be worth spending a little bit more money to go someplace reputable with more experience.

The other benefit that you get in addition to not getting your car destroyed is that a qualified technician is going to be able to tell you if you have a service or safety problem with your vehicle etc. that needs to be addressed versus just dumping the oil out of your car, putting in the cheapest possible bulk oil, and sending you on your way as quickly as possible.

The only piece of good news I can give you about your situation striped, is that in my experience, Wal-Mart has been pretty good about paying damage claims.

Ksmirk · Feb 11, 2014

Wal-Mart......... have you seen the pictures of the Wal-Mart folks? enough said! haven't stepped in the store since 2006 and the IQ has gone up a few points and I feel better about myself lol Later,

Kirk

dennishoddy · Feb 11, 2014

Chris_Andersen said:
I cant tell you how many different things we have fixed that were damaged by quick-lube type shops, tire stores, or big box stores that have a "service center". I can promise you that it is always going to be worth spending a little bit more money to go someplace reputable with more experience.

The other benefit that you get in addition to not getting your car destroyed is that a qualified technician is going to be able to tell you if you have a service or safety problem with your vehicle etc. that needs to be addressed versus just dumping the oil out of your car, putting in the cheapest possible bulk oil, and sending you on your way as quickly as possible.

The only piece of good news I can give you about your situation striped, is that in my experience, Wal-Mart has been pretty good about paying damage claims.

Chris is exactly right. The quickie oil change businesses rely on computer graphics to show what lube, and grease requirements are needed for each vehicle.

Problem is, what the computer says, this is what they do. No matter that there is grease zerks every where, they only grease what the computer tells them to.

My 298,000 mile Tacoma is in the shop now for this very reason. I've had the carrier bearing and one U joint replaced in the past, and the oil change place didn't lube them when requested. I have the receipts that said they did. My Mechanic says they didn't and I have the parts.

I'll see what happens.

hunter_dmw12 · Feb 12, 2014

It all comes down to common sense and how you grew up. Did you change your own oil growing up or did you make you parents pay for it. Some of the best lessons in life are what you may learn growing up on a farm. Wal mart is going to hire the person that will work the cheapest. Book smart but common sense dumb. Sorry if this offended anyone but I fix alot of walmart f ups. And most all come down to using your head not a book.