Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

Doug

Doug

2
Rich & Ray's Automotive LLC, Clinton, CT : Reviews and maps - Yahoo! Local

I was very impressed with this small local shop located out in the boonies. The young guy owner ( like 36) has been in business for like 8 years himself.

I talked with him for a good 15 minutes in person. His oil change includes testing all lights, brakes, topping off fluids, etc.

I talked to him about of a lot of local guys, very positive experience for a get acquanted $9 oil change, and he gave me the 6 quarts, not 5 , called for on the coupon.

The guy told me he had a free oil change coupon for awhile, kinda ate a lot on that deal !

I'll consider this guy for future work !
 
Doug

Doug

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

No, not at a $9 fuel cost ! .... well There is a fuel cost to go anywhere,....8 miles away costs me a gallon of gas in an F-150 ! There's is main road called Route 1 ( or US-1) runs Maine to Florida, an alternate to I-95. It is like what is called a business loop in some areas. This guy locates himself off of Route 1 ( aka Boston post road) to get cheaper rent ( he actually owns the building)...too expensive to be on the main road. He's geared to locals not raping tourists, Shop rate of $85 /hour.....pretty decent....He's just an honest local mechanic in a hidden location
 
BigDaddy

BigDaddy

EOG Master
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

a dealership in my town was running one for $13 + tax for about a year but it has ended

it came to $15.10 for a oil change

it was a good deal
 
Doug

Doug

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

I guess I'm calling the the boonies like 1.5 miles from US1 and real close to Interstate 95....My bad on that....wife influenced !

Boonies is like no filling station within 100 miles !
 
cassiusclay

cassiusclay

EOG Master
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

Doug said:
No, not at a $9 fuel cost ! .... well There is a fuel cost to go anywhere,....8 miles away costs me a gallon of gas in an F-150 ! There's is main road called Route 1 ( or US-1) runs Maine to Florida, an alternate to I-95. It is like what is called a business loop in some areas. This guy locates himself off of Route 1 ( aka Boston post road) to get cheaper rent ( he actually owns the building)...too expensive to be on the main road. He's geared to locals not raping tourists, Shop rate of $85 /hour.....pretty decent....He's just an honest local mechanic in a hidden location
Click to expand...

they say location is everything doug!!!
 
Doug

Doug

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

Well locating your shop on route one, will certainly get you volume ! A tourist passing through is what you get...I'm not a mechanic , nor an idiot, I can change a tire, battery, even an alternator, or starter motor, I don't mind paying $85 / hr Shoprate to do it !
 
Doug

Doug

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

Every honest mechanic wants this truck for 5K , like they want to buy it !...Like I've been looking for a short-bed 4X4 like that,,,and they are interested in buying it ! Lots pof guys love this truck at 5K !
 
KingRevolver

KingRevolver

Born Rambler
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

They do it so you get your car in there... and then they'll also "inspect" your car, and then tell you that you need new this and new that... fuckin' scam.

Hell, the $9 isn't even enough to cover the oil and filter.
 
Doug

Doug

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

Pay the Snucka said:
Do it yourself. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes.
Click to expand...

can't do it yourself in a condo.

I'm no idiot with cars, talked with the owner a good 10 minutes, didn't try to sell me anything, the mechanic wanted to buy my truck !
 
BigDaddy

BigDaddy

EOG Master
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

KingRevolver said:
They do it so you get your car in there... and then they'll also "inspect" your car, and then tell you that you need new this and new that... fuckin' scam.

Hell, the $9 isn't even enough to cover the oil and filter.
Click to expand...

damn your right

the 1st time i got mine done on the $13 deal they called me and said i needed this and i needed that

that shit is a scam.
 
P

Patrick McIrish

OCCams raZOR
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

KingRevolver said:
They do it so you get your car in there... and then they'll also "inspect" your car, and then tell you that you need new this and new that... fuckin' scam.

Hell, the $9 isn't even enough to cover the oil and filter.
Click to expand...



We have a BINGO in the house.
 
kid44

kid44

EOG Dedicated
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

KingRevolver said:
They do it so you get your car in there... and then they'll also "inspect" your car, and then tell you that you need new this and new that... fuckin' scam.

Hell, the $9 isn't even enough to cover the oil and filter.
Click to expand...

The ex's car got free oil changes which does get you in there. Then they tell you you are due this and that as mileage goes up. How about a major head gasket leak that was 1400 in repair that they said needed immediate attn. Well, took it to my honest friend mechanic and he put in aluminum head sealer for 5 bucks and the car has an additional 80k on it without a new gasket.
 
Doug

Doug

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

Well not every mechanic is a rip-off artist ! These guys treated me right, trying to gain a customer. $20 oil changes are not a moneymaker for any shop. These guys couldn't find anything wrong with my 11 year old truck. However I'm fairly knowledgable on auto stuff.

If you visually check brakes , you'll likely find some are bad....offer a free tire rotation, you'll see for sure....doesn't mean you are dishonest. If the antifreeze looks like coffee...and you suggest a flush....are you a thief ?

I can guarantee you that there a lot of under-maintained cars on the road. I like small independant shops like this over dealerships.

They are not all bad apples !
 
Doug

Doug

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

I'd consider using this shop in the future....I like a small place like this, good vibes....but hopefully I sell my condo and get out of here ?
 
Jeff Jones

Jeff Jones

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

I guess the idea of $9 oil changes could be a good business concept, but only if it is a front for prostitution, drug-dealing, and bookmaking.
 
Doug

Doug

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

Pay the Snucka said:
Do it yourself. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes.
Click to expand...

Yeh, 10 minutes flat for me to go buy the oil and filter, get the right shit needed together, like an oil filter wrench/ socket, socket for the drain plug on the oil pan, maybe a jack to lift it a bit, then 10-15 minutes to let it drain....put the plug back, put a new filter on, throw in 6 quarts of oil, then I've got a pan with 6 quarts of old oil and an oily filter, and I have to dispose of the old oil, then put my tools away, and the materials cost $10 anyway....Yeah, I'll do all that instead of paying typically $20 for an oil change....

My point is....ain't no 10 minutes to do it myself !
 
P

Patrick McIrish

OCCams raZOR
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

You're right Doug, not all of them are crooks, probably more out there then you realize though. I know one of the local TV stations did an investigative piece on places like this and the bullshit was wide spread. They might not try someone like you but they go after females, they go after senior citizens, they generally focus more on people that look and act clueless about what is going on. When they sent females in they were more than triple at risk of trying to be sold something they didn't need then they did males. Anyway it's good you know what's going on, trust me though they prey on the idiots every chance they get.
 
Teddy kgb

Teddy kgb

Banned
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

kid44 said:
The ex's car got free oil changes which does get you in there. Then they tell you you are due this and that as mileage goes up. How about a major head gasket leak that was 1400 in repair that they said needed immediate attn. Well, took it to my honest friend mechanic and he put in aluminum head sealer for 5 bucks and the car has an additional 80k on it without a new gasket.
Click to expand...

So your friend put a band-aid on it and lucked out, How about he puts the sealer on it and it blows the next week and you're paying 3500 for new heads, you'd be saying "Damn man should have paid the 1400 and got it done right"

Preventive maintenance is Underrated......
 
Doug

Doug

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

Jeff Jones said:
I guess the idea of $9 oil changes could be a good business concept, but only if it is a front for prostitution, drug-dealing, and bookmaking.
Click to expand...

obviously this was a limited time special in one of those coupon book things you get in the mail, not an everyday price ! You don't make $ on oil changes, but you do on the upsell. If your fucking antifreeze looks like black coffee, and they sell you a flush and fill for $89, are they thieves ?

Maybe your brakes are nearly shot, and the shop bids on it while rotating your tires on an oil change special ? Yes, they are fishing ( a bit) for work.....your brakes probably are shot, in reality.

I keep the old 2000 Ford in great shape, they couldn't find anything wrong with it,....and they looked it over for like 30 minutes, I could see them through the door ! The mechanic wanted to buy it from me !

A fair amount of what a typical garage suggests is really overdue maintenance......

well your brakes are nearly metal to metal, maybe change the coffee in the radiator, rear -diff fluid is way over-due, you've gone 159k and never done the 30k, 60k, 90k service stuff, and you bitch about a radiator flush suggestion ? I can see it both ways !

I know a dealership will charge you $100 labor for a 2 minute job of changing a cabin air fillter ( Honda), if you let them. My other car ( Honda CRV)...I only let Honda change the oil on it.....other stuff I do myself or bring to a garage of my choice.

These guys aren't all bad, but you have to pay them the $85-110 per hour they need to cover overhead when they do some honest work. Of course the oil change is a chance to sell, usually what they say is wrong.....is wrong ! There is surely something wrong with your car if it is over 3 years old !
 
Doug

Doug

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

I don't know what the deal is, but....I've had several people ( at least 4) that want to buy this truck from me. A potential classic ? These people are either mechanics working on it or neighbor types

It's a 2000 Ford F-150 4WD 4.2 L, 6 cyl, shortbed with 118,000 miles on it....really good looking for the age.
 
BigDaddy

BigDaddy

EOG Master
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

it must be in good shape

what are you selling it for?
 
mr merlin

mr merlin

EOG Master
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

I recall taking my car in for a wheel balance a few years back, they "inspected" the car and told me I needed tie rods/ball joints/had broken springs, and they would "fix" it for $1100, I said no and the guy went to talk to his boss, came back and said they would give me a big discount $650 if I had it done right then. needless to say I took the car home, checked the springs, they were fine, never had the ball joints done (tie rods I had a couple years later), and drove the car for another 80000 miles. The $9 oil change is a good deal obviously, but I've been told most of the big chains use recycled(used oil)...that is just as good as new. I do the changes myself - approx $11 with filter and save myself the hassel.
 
Jeff Jones

Jeff Jones

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

Everytime I take my car into one of the 10-minute oil-change places, they want to:

Replace belts that are dangerously worn.
Flush the transmission.
Replace filters that I didn't even know existed.
Reupholster the interior.

It really is a beating over a simple oil change.
 
Doug

Doug

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

Patrick McIrish said:
You're right Doug, not all of them are crooks, probably more out there then you realize though. I know one of the local TV stations did an investigative piece on places like this and the bullshit was wide spread. They might not try someone like you but they go after females, they go after senior citizens, they generally focus more on people that look and act clueless about what is going on. When they sent females in they were more than triple at risk of trying to be sold something they didn't need then they did males. Anyway it's good you know what's going on, trust me though they prey on the idiots every chance they get.
Click to expand...

No doubt, PMI....they can easily prey upon an idiot. My wife is a good example, refuses to deal with a mechanic, and her father was one ! They can go after anyone.....funny thing here , remember Seinfeld and the "Johnson Rod" ?

I didn't know the situation while I was waiting, The young guy ( turned out to be the owner) was talking to the old guy at the computer about some weird part for a Volvo, I made a joke about it being a "Johnson rod" , young guy ( owner, like 36 didn't get it !) , I didn't yet know the young guy was the owner....old guy told him it was a made-up thing....he's like what's a Johnson rod ?

I don't know what to say, but I always wind up under the lift at these small shops and see what they propose to do and discuss it....I'm not a mechanic, nor an idiot....I could change something like a starter motor myself easily enough.....given access to a lift. I'm really cool when they let me in the work area

I can talk the talk with these mechanic guys and not get sold some muffler bearings, I can actually work (somewhat) on old 70's stuff !
 
Doug

Doug

2
Re: Is offering a $9 oil change a good business concept ?

BigDaddy said:
it must be in good shape

what are you selling it for?
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The last thing I want to do is sell this truck, there is a price on anything, though. Go crazy and 10k, and you can own it Friday, For 10K , I'd get a better truck !, if you want a 2000 F-150 for twice what it is worth, I'll sell it !
 
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