Quantcast
Jump to content


Is the Oil Change Service Dead?


Recommended Posts



We do a fair number of oil changes.   We put oil stickers on cars for 3,000, 4,000 and 6,000 miles for Conventional, Synthetic Blend and Full Synthetic oils.  5,000 for Diesels.    I track intervals per type of oil per year and only on cars that I've seen twice or more.  

For 2021, we've seen these average mileage intervals between oil changes:

  • 5,189 - Conventional
  • 5,370 - Synthetic Blend
  • 6,320 - Full Synthetic (this average also includes euros)
  • 7,000 - Diesel

What does this tell me??  

Conventional customers (3,000 mile) are saving money in two ways:   1) Buy the cheap stuff and 2) It doesn't need to be changed THAT often!   (73% stretch)

Synthetic Blend customers (4,000 mile) are more likely following the oil change light which turns on about 5,000 miles.  As a category, they are trending too long.  (34% stretch)

Full Synthetic customers (6,000 mile) are staying close to our sticker and possibly the oil change light.  Good boys and girls!  (5% stretch) 

My diesel counts are not high enough to be statistically meaningful (just under 1%). 

Here's the surprising thing.   Over the last 4 years, the oil change intervals have not meaningfully changed.   All categories have very-very tight year-to-year groupings.   What has changed is the time to hit these intervals.  Over the last 2 years, I've seen the time to hit their interval rise 30-40 days (+50 days if you go back 4 years).   This tells us that they are driving less overall.   My data says that Oil Change mileage intervals are not changing...  yet.    Mind you, we are educating our customers to stay close to the intervals for less total-cost-of-ownership.

Definitely Education!    I keep oil control valves on my counter as talking points.   The minute I have to change one of these because your let your maintenance lapse, you've lost the cost-of-ownership battle!  We focus on encouragement, but I sometimes jokingly tell them that we'd prefer that you not take car of your car.   Which side of the shop would you prefer to visit?  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         5 comments
      I recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
      Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
      Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
      Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
      Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
  • Similar Topics

    • By nptrb

      Premium Member Content 

      This content is hidden to guests, one of the benefits of a paid membership. Please login or register to view this content.

    • By Transmission Repair

      Premium Member Content 

      This content is hidden to guests, one of the benefits of a paid membership. Please login or register to view this content.

    • By Joe Marconi

      Premium Member Content 

      This content is hidden to guests, one of the benefits of a paid membership. Please login or register to view this content.

    • By carmcapriotto
      Research has shown that people will generally forget 90% of what they "learn" within 30 days unless it is reinforced. Recorded Live at Vision 2024, David Boyes, President of Today's Class, outlines the mobile app's features, including gamification and personalized training paths. AJ Nealey and Patrick Roberts share how they've implemented the platform in their businesses, highlighting its impact on engagement, adaptability to individual needs and its role in fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth. "It's microdosing of training. It's a set of daily questions on a daily basis. And what I love about it, it's the question after the question. "How confident are you in your answer?" It's low, medium, or high. You're understanding their confidence level." AJ Nealey Show Notes:
      Today's Class and its features (00:00:53) David Boyes explains the features and benefits of Today's Class, a training and competency platform. Gamification and personalized training paths (00:01:44) The gamification aspect and personalized training paths in Today's Class. Customized data delivery (00:04:09) The various data delivery options and customization for shop owners. Competitive usage of Today's Class (00:05:27) Patrick Roberts shares how the competitive usage of Today's Class benefits their team at Christian Brothers. Purposeful training paths and question priorities (00:07:35) RJ Neely and David Boies discuss purposeful training paths and question priorities in Today's Class. Influence of confidence levels on learning (00:11:27) David Boies explains the influence of confidence levels on learning and retention in Today's Class. Gamification (00:14:42) Engagement and retention strategies, rewards points, competitions, and customized training paths. Quarterly Bonus and Reporting Customization (00:15:44) Incentives for completing training, automatic points reset, and customized reporting for tracking progress. Color Game and Training Integration (00:16:24) Description and explanation of a gamified training activity, its purpose, and integration with daily training sessions. Content Development (00:19:26) In-house content creation, collaboration with subject matter experts, and the process of delivering accessible and measurable training. Personalized Training Paths and Community Engagement (00:20:44) Individualized training trajectories, community creation, and sharing of reference materials and information. Challenges of Implementing and Commitment to Training (00:22:18) Challenges in adopting the platform, the commitment required for successful implementation, and the platform's role in the culture of continuous learning. Onboarding Process and Long-Term Commitment (00:25:08) Onboarding process, 90-day launch cycle, and the importance of long-term commitment for successful utilization. Employee Engagement and Training Management (00:26:33) The role of employees as champions and ambassadors, open conversations, and employee feedback on training management. Implementing training expectations (00:27:29) The importance of setting clear training expectations and having open conversations with employees about obstacles. Gamification and participation rate (00:28:54) Gamifying training and the increase in participation rate. Employee engagement and personal growth (00:30:33) Patrick Roberts emphasizes the importance of addressing personal issues and attitude before training, focusing on personal growth. Custom features and individual shop needs (00:32:16) David Boyes explains the customization and individual shop needs in Today's Class. Enhancing connectivity and service advisor training (00:35:21) David Boies discusses plans to enhance connectivity and the introduction of service advisor training. Perpetual training and gratitude (00:37:10) The episode concludes with a discussion on perpetual training and gratitude for the guests.
      Thanks to our Partner, NAPA TRACS NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at http://napatracs.com/ Connect with the Podcast -Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ -Join Our Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976 -Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriotto -Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/ -Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/ -Follow on Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/RResultsBiz -Join our Insider List: https://remarkableresults.biz/insider -All books mentioned on our podcasts: https://remarkableresults.biz/books -Our Classroom page for personal or team learning: https://remarkableresults.biz/classroom -Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm -The Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com -Special episode collections: https://remarkableresults.biz/collections Thanks to our Partner, NAPA TRACS NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at http://napatracs.com/ Connect with the Podcast -Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ -Join Our Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976 -Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriotto -Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/ -Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/ -Follow on Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/RResultsBiz -Join our Insider List: https://remarkableresults.biz/insider -All books mentioned on our podcasts: https://remarkableresults.biz/books -Our Classroom page for personal or team learning: https://remarkableresults.biz/classroom -Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm -The Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com -Special episode collections: https://remarkableresults.biz/collections        
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
    • By carmcapriotto
      The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.
      Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo:https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/
      Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/
      If you would like to join their private Facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind
      In this episode, Coach Chris Cotton from Auto Fix Auto Shop Coaching addresses auto repair business owners, focusing on revitalizing February's sluggish pace. He emphasizes the power of a goal-oriented mindset, offering actionable advice on setting objectives and adopting proactive strategies. Cotton's insights aim to help listeners transform typically slow periods into opportunities for profit and success, underscoring the significance of attitude and planning in business.
       
      The importance of mindset (00:00:04) Discussion on the significance of a goal-driven mindset to turn February around for auto repair business owners.
       
      Challenging the negative mindset (00:02:23) Encouraging shop owners to shift from a negative mindset about February and its impact on business performance.
       
      Analyzing February sales data (00:04:30) Reviewing sales data from February and questioning the mindset of shop owners who did not experience significant growth.
       
      Preparing for slow periods (00:08:05) Emphasizing the importance of long-term planning and preparation for slow months, such as February, to achieve success.
       
      Overcoming negative mindset trap (00:09:07) Discussing the negative mindset trap and how it affects the performance and attitude of the team.
       
      Adopting a positive mindset (00:10:16) Exploring the power of a positive mindset and proactive approach to transform slow periods into successful and profitable times.
       
      Setting ambitious goals (00:11:11) Encouraging shop owners to set ambitious but achievable goals and involve the team in brainstorming strategies to attract more business.
       
      Reinforcing the impact of mindset and goals (00:13:20) Highlighting the impact of mindset and goal setting on team performance and attitude, and its role in breaking the cycle of slow periods.
       
      Driving the shop to new heights (00:15:34) Empowering shop owners to use their mindset and leadership to transform challenges into opportunities and drive their shop to new heights.
       
      Coach Chris Cotton', '00:02:23', "I heard it like, 'Oh woe is me, February sucks, January sucks, it's always going to suck and there's nothing we can do about it.'" 'Coach Chris Cotton', '00:03:24', "If you tell all the employees, 'Hey, this is going to be the best month ever,' and you put your efforts towards that, then guess what? It will be the best month ever." 'Coach Chris Cotton', '00:09:07', "What would $25,000 have done for your shop? What would $50,000 have done for your shop in January, February, March moving forward?"
       
      Connect with Chris:
       
      [email protected]
      Phone: 940.400.1008
      www.autoshopcoaching.com
      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
      AutoFixAutoShopCoachingYoutube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae
       
      #autofixautoshopcoaching #autofixbeautofixing #autoshopprofits #autoshopprofit #autoshopprofitsfirst #autoshopleadership #autoshopmanagement #autorepairshopcoaching #autorepairshopconsulting #autorepairshoptraining #autorepairshop #autorepair #serviceadvisor #serviceadvisorefficiency #autorepairshopmarketing #theweeklyblitz #autofix #shopmarketingpros #autofixautoshopcoachingbook
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio


  • Similar Tagged Content

  • Our Sponsors



×
×
  • Create New...