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Posted

I had another customer the other day call me about her oil service light on her new Honda Accord. She has over 8,000 miles and has not had an oil change yet. She is wondering if she should follow the service light or come in earlier for her first oil change. I explained to her that 8,000 mile is a long time for that particular car, there are other issues to consider too, especially for the fact that she owns the car and wants to keep it long-term.

 

With extended oil services becoming the norm, how are other shops marketing the oil change service. Some car makers are promoting 10,000 mile intervals and more. Will we see the day when we create a 5K service with NO Oil Change?

 

Thoughts…..

Posted

For cars that have the automatic oil change intervals (ie. your example) I am telling customers to use this interval. The PCM is monitoring how this vehicle is driven and it knows when to change the oil. 6-8k on the newer Honda's isn't a problem and in fact my Dad will go over 8k on his oil changes. Most new Toyota products say 5k on their severe oil change.

Posted

We work on mainly European vehicles and the German manufacturers recommend extended oil services. We use only the approved oils (MB229.5, VW 505.01, BMW LL, etc.) and do not see problems with the longer intervals. But, the correct oil MUST be used and we double check the service information on every vehicle before we do the oil service. Some other makes use an algorythym in the PCM to calculate oil services, others just use a mileage counter. I believe in following the OEM recommendation, as long as whatever oil is being used meets or exceeds the manufacturer's oil specification. Now, since the vehicle doesn't come in for routine oil changes as often, we are able to perform more thorough services and inspection for the customer (battery tests, tire rotations, etc.) and can place added value to their oil service.

Posted

When the typical gas and go customer's vehicle is showing the oil change is "due" comes in, there is no oil showing on the stick, tires are low on air,the engine air and cabin filters are dirty and our state inspection is past due.

B)

Posted

What effects are the extended oil change intervals having on cars with clogged EGR, secondary air injection, or crankcase vents. I know at our shop, we see a lot of European vehicles with these problems. BMW's and Volvo's with clogged crankcase vents and oil leaks. Mercedes with clogged EGR tubes. BMW and Mercedes with clogged secondary air injection. Mostly with the Japanese we only see clogged EGR. They don't use the premium synthetics and have shorter change intervals. As an industry, there is something we are missing on the service side. The hard part is selling yet another system service in this age of power steering flush, transmission flush, fuel system flush, intake system service, etc. What problems do you experience with these vehicles and do you attribute any of it to extended oil services?

Posted

What effects are the extended oil change intervals having on cars with clogged EGR, secondary air injection, or crankcase vents. I know at our shop, we see a lot of European vehicles with these problems. BMW's and Volvo's with clogged crankcase vents and oil leaks. Mercedes with clogged EGR tubes. BMW and Mercedes with clogged secondary air injection. Mostly with the Japanese we only see clogged EGR. They don't use the premium synthetics and have shorter change intervals. As an industry, there is something we are missing on the service side. The hard part is selling yet another system service in this age of power steering flush, transmission flush, fuel system flush, intake system service, etc. What problems do you experience with these vehicles and do you attribute any of it to extended oil services?

 

You bring up a lot of great issues. We see a lot of problems as these Eruo cars age. One of the issues with telling someone you can go 10 to 15,000 per oil service, is that it turns into 15 to 20,000 miles. I have seen BMW customers with over 45k on the clock and have had only 2 oil services. What about the rest of the car? People equate oil changes to total car care, we need to change this mindset.

Posted

We seeing quite a few vehicles witgh variable valve timing having problems from lengthy oil change intervals.

 

 

Yes Honda is now have problems with their varable timing controls (Cam Phasers etc) and also timing chain tensioners getting clogged up and causing problems. Now we see them going to 0w20 oil only in full syn grades. I tell our Honda customers 5,000 miles or 15% if they want these cars to out last the bank payments. Cheap insurance for sure.

Posted

Yes Honda is now have problems with their varable timing controls (Cam Phasers etc) and also timing chain tensioners getting clogged up and causing problems. Now we see them going to 0w20 oil only in full syn grades. I tell our Honda customers 5,000 miles or 15% if they want these cars to out last the bank payments. Cheap insurance for sure.

 

 

Toyota has went to 0W20 also on the new vehicles.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         0 comments
      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.
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      How To Get In Touch
      Group - Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind
      Website - shopmarketingpros.com 
      Facebook - facebook.com/shopmarketingpros 
      Get the Book - shopmarketingpros.com/book
      Instagram - @shopmarketingpros 
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