My experience at Walmart
Site Moderator
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,374
Likes: 28
From: Sioux Falls, SD
RE: My experience at Walmart
My friend's experiences and my father-in-law's experiences at Wally world have been the same. They appeared to do everything correctly, but the next time it came time for an oil change, we couldn't get the oil plug out. They had used air wrenches to put the sucker in.
In my father-in-law's case, we finally got some vice grips, put them on the plug, and took turns trying to turn the suckers loose. Eventually we did it, but the plug's head was all stripped and warped. Had to go get a new one, which isn't that big of a deal, but still, come on. How lazy do you have to be that instead of giving it a few twists with a socket or a wrench, you have to bring out the compressed air tools.
If your local Walmart does a good job, good for you. But I'm with hometheatreman. +1 for finding a good, local shop if you are going to pay someone to do it. I somewhat enjoy doing my own maintenance, mostly just the knowledge that I know its being done right and I know exactly what is done.
I am also lucky though... both my Ram and my wife's Jeep have good clearance for me to get underneath. My wife used to own a little Kia Rio... what a pain that was, especially before we had a garage and no ramps.
In my father-in-law's case, we finally got some vice grips, put them on the plug, and took turns trying to turn the suckers loose. Eventually we did it, but the plug's head was all stripped and warped. Had to go get a new one, which isn't that big of a deal, but still, come on. How lazy do you have to be that instead of giving it a few twists with a socket or a wrench, you have to bring out the compressed air tools.
If your local Walmart does a good job, good for you. But I'm with hometheatreman. +1 for finding a good, local shop if you are going to pay someone to do it. I somewhat enjoy doing my own maintenance, mostly just the knowledge that I know its being done right and I know exactly what is done.
I am also lucky though... both my Ram and my wife's Jeep have good clearance for me to get underneath. My wife used to own a little Kia Rio... what a pain that was, especially before we had a garage and no ramps.
Champion
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,268
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From:
RE: My experience at Walmart
I will say I'm thinking about going to get my tires mounted and balanced at Wal-Mart for my older Honda. They are about half the price of the shop I used to work at and it seems most are around that price around here.
I used to do my tires myself when I worked at a shop. After I stopped working their I had a buddy that worked at the local Dodge dealer and they would let me change them on the machine there and balance them. Well, not too long ago he quit so it looks like I'm stuck paying someone to do them and Walmart will balance all 4 for $5 a piece. The local shop I used to work at charges $10 per tire to balance and that seems to be about normal around here.
Wal-Mart will mount them for $3.50 a tire if I take them in off the car which I plan to do anyway. I can't deicide if I want to have them mount them or if I want to mount them and just have them balanced. I can mount them easily by hand or I have access to tire machine at a buddys shop. It's just neither them nor I have a tire balancer so I have to take them somewhere still to get them balanced.
I used to do my tires myself when I worked at a shop. After I stopped working their I had a buddy that worked at the local Dodge dealer and they would let me change them on the machine there and balance them. Well, not too long ago he quit so it looks like I'm stuck paying someone to do them and Walmart will balance all 4 for $5 a piece. The local shop I used to work at charges $10 per tire to balance and that seems to be about normal around here.
Wal-Mart will mount them for $3.50 a tire if I take them in off the car which I plan to do anyway. I can't deicide if I want to have them mount them or if I want to mount them and just have them balanced. I can mount them easily by hand or I have access to tire machine at a buddys shop. It's just neither them nor I have a tire balancer so I have to take them somewhere still to get them balanced.
Grand Champion
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,584
Likes: 0
From: Lima, Ohio
RE: My experience at Walmart
ORIGINAL: jason.w
My friend's experiences and my father-in-law's experiences at Wally world have been the same. They appeared to do everything correctly, but the next time it came time for an oil change, we couldn't get the oil plug out. They had used air wrenches to put the sucker in.
In my father-in-law's case, we finally got some vice grips, put them on the plug, and took turns trying to turn the suckers loose. Eventually we did it, but the plug's head was all stripped and warped. Had to go get a new one, which isn't that big of a deal, but still, come on. How lazy do you have to be that instead of giving it a few twists with a socket or a wrench, you have to bring out the compressed air tools.
If your local Walmart does a good job, good for you. But I'm with hometheatreman. +1 for finding a good, local shop if you are going to pay someone to do it. I somewhat enjoy doing my own maintenance, mostly just the knowledge that I know its being done right and I know exactly what is done.
I am also lucky though... both my Ram and my wife's Jeep have good clearance for me to get underneath. My wife used to own a little Kia Rio... what a pain that was, especially before we had a garage and no ramps.
My friend's experiences and my father-in-law's experiences at Wally world have been the same. They appeared to do everything correctly, but the next time it came time for an oil change, we couldn't get the oil plug out. They had used air wrenches to put the sucker in.
In my father-in-law's case, we finally got some vice grips, put them on the plug, and took turns trying to turn the suckers loose. Eventually we did it, but the plug's head was all stripped and warped. Had to go get a new one, which isn't that big of a deal, but still, come on. How lazy do you have to be that instead of giving it a few twists with a socket or a wrench, you have to bring out the compressed air tools.
If your local Walmart does a good job, good for you. But I'm with hometheatreman. +1 for finding a good, local shop if you are going to pay someone to do it. I somewhat enjoy doing my own maintenance, mostly just the knowledge that I know its being done right and I know exactly what is done.
I am also lucky though... both my Ram and my wife's Jeep have good clearance for me to get underneath. My wife used to own a little Kia Rio... what a pain that was, especially before we had a garage and no ramps.
All Star
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 958
Likes: 0
From: Southwest, Pa
RE: My experience at Walmart
I would never let one of those morons who work at Walmart work on my truck, First off who the hell is gonna give a Sh*it if they are getting payed 6$ an hour, i sure as hell wouldn't, I would rather let my 3 year old cousin try to change my oil than those guys
But one thing i would do is find a local shop, the little guys seem to care about others vehicles and its less probable that they will screw up your truck
But one thing i would do is find a local shop, the little guys seem to care about others vehicles and its less probable that they will screw up your truck
All Star
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 935
Likes: 1
RE: My experience at Walmart
ORIGINAL: Jr. Mechanic
NO JIFFY LUBE!! or walmart, lol. Best place to take it is somewhere like Valvoline instant oil change, or, hate to say it, even the stealership.
NO JIFFY LUBE!! or walmart, lol. Best place to take it is somewhere like Valvoline instant oil change, or, hate to say it, even the stealership.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTJjqr0QbIk
Professional
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
RE: My experience at Walmart
Ok, don't go to Jiffy Lube. I always do it myself, and have never dealt with them personally. I thought it was a good place to go, but I guess not.
The other suggestions still stand. Of course, the most likely bet to have quality work done is through the stealership, but only at a major one that backs their work up. If you have a Pep Boys in the area, some of them do that type of work at a decent price.
The other suggestions still stand. Of course, the most likely bet to have quality work done is through the stealership, but only at a major one that backs their work up. If you have a Pep Boys in the area, some of them do that type of work at a decent price.
Professional
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 242
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From:
RE: My experience at Walmart
ORIGINAL: TheForce55555
I would never let one of those morons who work at Walmart work on my truck, First off who the hell is gonna give a Sh*it if they are getting payed 6$ an hour, i sure as hell wouldn't, I would rather let my 3 year old cousin try to change my oil than those guys
But one thing i would do is find a local shop, the little guys seem to care about others vehicles and its less probable that they will screw up your truck
I would never let one of those morons who work at Walmart work on my truck, First off who the hell is gonna give a Sh*it if they are getting payed 6$ an hour, i sure as hell wouldn't, I would rather let my 3 year old cousin try to change my oil than those guys
But one thing i would do is find a local shop, the little guys seem to care about others vehicles and its less probable that they will screw up your truck
most of the guys i work with are working themselves through college, we have criminal justice majors, psychology majors, business majors, guys going for collision repair, etc... not everyone who changes oil orworks withtires is a retard.