Ever do this?

[lloyd3]

This is what I'm reduced to. Twenty years ago I wouldn't have dreamed of outsourcing this job. Now all my vehicles go here. FWIW: these folks have become a known entity to me after something like 8-years of doing business w/them. One or both of the owners is there everyday, and one is even a car-guy himself (Hudson of all things!).  He always makes a proper fuss and makes sure it's done right.  They do a very thorough job of checking all the fluids and all the lights. They grease all the zerc-fittings and they even confirm that the anti-freeze is up to snuff (not a bad thing to know with the "big sleep" only mere-days away now). If I ask, they will even let me go down into the bay to look things over under the car (which is above-and-beyond the call of duty, I'm fairly sure most places won't allow this).  I've got a noisy right rear shock-mount (partially broken weld) that I was able to really check out today because of them.  Convenience has a value too.

[birdsandbees]

Not on my life would I take my classic there...

[lloyd3]

Exactly the response I expected. I'm guessing that very few folks do.  But consider this: I've owned this car for almost 20-years now, and by my estimate (performed just yesterday!), I've put almost 40 thousand miles on it (!). At a little under 2,500 miles a year, things tend to add up over that amount of time.  This car is a driver, not a trailer queen, and it is not numbers-matching (very few old drag cars are). I suppose it is because of all the time and the miles that I am less-paranoid about it now.  Because of this more-casual-than-normal attitude, I'd like to think that I've really been able to enjoy it.  Part of that enjoyment means that it needs to be regularly serviced, and these folks have always done a good job for me on every other car that my family owns. Why not this one too? 

[Dino]

I take mine to a small local garage from time to time.  Usually when I just don't have the time or frankly I don't feel lke doing it myself.  The owner is a mopar guy who has a nice strip car and he's the only one working on my car.  He always goes over the entire car with me, I never have to ask.  On more than one occassion when I think something needs replacing he has told me to save my money as the part has a lot of life left in it.  He's also given me free parts he had laying around and he has done some jobs for free.  The name of the garage is irrelevant, it's the people who do the actual work that matter.  If those guys do good work on your car then why not let them?

[ws23rt]

I understand ones reluctance to use one of these services.
In this case what  lloyd3 shares with us is a bit different. He knows these folks and has come to trust them.

One can look at this in several ways. I for one still enjoy caring for my classic cars so getting under them from time to time is part of my hobby and my fun.

Another view is that these places have good insurance and not much can go wrong that I won't be able to spot right away. I can jack up the car and spend a few hours changing the oil and looking things over as they do but considering the time and effort spent these places compete with my time and effort very well.

My son has been working for a big chain of these stores for nearly ten years and is a problem solver for stores with problems. The competition is tight in that world and attention to potential mistakes is high on the list to keep up.

I would recommend being very specific as to what needs to be done and checked. It also gives extra eyes on things one may overlook otherwise.

Another point that is relevant is that when a 40+ year old car comes into a place like this (especially if it's shiny) those guys and their supervisors are on special alert to do the right thing. They love the opportunity to break up their day and deal with something cool.

[lloyd3]

Compared to modern automobiles, these vehicles are of agricultural simplicity.  If these folks can competently service a $70K Lexus SUV, then my 48-year old play toy should be no problem for them. Admittedly, some of these operations have been associated with some serious horror stories, but this particular one has a proven track record with me. Think about it, all I needed was an oil and filter change so the car can slumber over the winter months with clean oil in it. The rest of it was convenience. 

As to entertaining the troops, how much do you think got done in the other bays while my car was sitting in there?  From what I saw of it......not much.

[charger Downunder]

Those drive in lube places we just don't see them here in Australia.

[71ChargerMike]

I work as a lube tech for a Dodge Dealership and with it being that time of year we see a lot more classics then you'd think. Just this last week I've worked on at least a dozen 67-74 classics.

Most guys are older and either can't physically do their own work or as like the OP just wanted to do it as a convenience item. As a lube tech I care about everyones car as if it was my own. I personally like to see the classics roll in. Breaks up the day from the usual Dart, Caravan, Cherokee, 200, 300, newer Chargers, Challengers, Ect.

If you have a good track record then why change it, especially if you trust them!?

[Kern Dog]

Ever do this?    You mean have someone else do my oil changes?
Hell no. I am a gearhead, 30wt in my hair and my clothes. Dirt under my fingernails and a smile on my face. I have scars and scabs here and there. I use my ratchets and wrenches, screwdrivers and vice grips. I have parts stores and supply shops in my phone directory, not Dr Phil and a pharmacy. I eat fire and crap thunder. I am the Kern Dog.

[daveco]

You are officially old.

[crj1968]

Great looking car lloyd!  Love it.

I love looking at a perfectly restored car as much as anyone, but I agree there is some comfort in having a nice daily driver.  
I have a tight garage and two boys with bikes and scooters so a $10K + paint job is out of the question.  Plus I can't afford it.   

[lloyd3]

crj: Thank you. It's not exactly a "daily driver" in that I'm still very selective as to when and where I drive it. It lives for good weather days with smooth, paved, and uncrowded roads.  Thankfully, we still have lots of both here.

[68X426]

Not on my life would I take my classic there...

Only naked women are allowed to service my ........

[crj1968]

crj: Thank you. It's not exactly a "daily driver" in that I'm still very selective as to when and where I drive it. It lives for good weather days with smooth, paved, and uncrowded roads.  Thankfully, we still have lots of both here.

Nice weather driver, yes.  Mine stays dry as well. 

[bill440rt]

Would I ever do this? Nope. I change the oil on my truck & wife's minivan at home also.

My '68 is a "driver", I wouldn't think of taking it there. And yes, the garage is full of the kids' bikes, scooters, ride-ons, and whatever else. We've just taught the kids since an early age to be careful and respectful of the cars, and they are.

Lloyd if this is a place that you know & trust, then go for it. 

[Lord Warlock]

Jeez, of course I pay jiffy lube to swap out my oil on my daily driver, I'm too lazy to drive all the way to the dodge dealer to do it, and I don't do oil changes.  I paid Jiffy to pour in royal purple for me, and swap out the filter on my challenger, the charger hasn't needed an oil change in 30 years,  I changed it only because I thought it was due for new oil when starting it up again.

[PlainfieldCharger]

I like changing the oil in all of my rides so I can check things out. Had a good friend who took his new truck to the oil change place and they striped out the oil drain plug. 

[HANDM]

I like changing the oil in all of my rides so I can check things out. Had a good friend who took his new truck to the oil change place and they striped out the oil drain plug. 

Sure it wasn't cross threaded from the factory and simply removing it stripped it out?

[PlainfieldCharger]

Sorry for the confusion on "new" It was the 3rd one. The 2nd time there.

[Dmichels]

Me, no not now in my life I am 44 and can still do this job myself. My father who taught me to work on cars started taking his cars to Jiffy Lube when he got in his 70's Says he has better things to do with his time now

[skip68]

The Charger, I always did my own oil changes.   For any daily drivers, they get Goodyear service or jiffy lube sometimes.   

[ws23rt]

The Charger, I always did my own oil changes.   For any daily drivers, they get Goodyear service or jiffy lube sometimes.  

I still do oil changes on my BBodys but the last time it was not the same kind of satisfaction I recall from the past. A bit of a mess and the old oil needs to be dealt with. --another chore.
How bad can a Jiffy lube oil change be? If nothing is dripping afterward and the dip stick shows full I'd be fine with that.
BTW they always vacuum the front floor which is not on my list when I do it for myself.

[BSB67]

What a nice looking car!!

Its an oil change, no big deal

[Lord Warlock]

Jiffy lube doesn't suck, they tend to cost a little more than other shops to do it, I haven't heard any first hand stories about Jiffy lube in over a decade.  Exactly where is the joy in removing a filter that some gorilla put on or someone tightened by accident instead of loosening? I remember having to take a large screwdriver and impale an oil filter to get it off on the charger before, and then pouring the old oil back into a plastic container so you can haul it off later to a recovery spot, don't want to pour it into that strange dead spot in the yard, could poison the neighbor's water table ...to do the right thing let someone else enjoy this personal one on one time with all the newer cars, I faithfully change my own oil on the charger, and only the charger. 

When you own one car, doing the maintenance is rarely a bother, when you start to consider your fleet of vehicles, (I currently have 6 and don't need to enjoy maintenance anymore if I don't have to. 

[69 OUR/TEA]

The only car I own that gets the oil changed by someone else is my 03 Caravan that I/we bought new , it came with a lifetime free oil change promotion !!!!! LOL , 12 years later ,  still honoring it !!!! They max out at 4 (free)oil changes per year .

[myk]

If you have to, you have to.  Or if you want to, then you do that too.  When my Camaro broke its transmission people ridiculed me for not dropping it out and replacing it in my driveway.  The thing is we all have our limits on what we can or will do.  Why does it matter?  The important thing is that the car is maintained and we are able to enjoy the vehicle...

[lloyd3]

Interesting to look at this thread from almost month later. That was a really pretty late-fall day. I've got 18-inches of snow melting in my yard right now, with more coming in a few days. Everything is either cold and snowy, or wet and muddy out there now. The car is sitting under it's cover with fresh oil in it's crankcase and fuel stabilizer in it's gas tank.  Until a few days ago, nothing was coming up my driveway without 4-wheel drive.  Maybe it's old age creeping up on me, but it's sort-of nice to be able to put the car away for a few months and focus on other things. I suspect that one reason I still have it after all these years, is exactly because I can safely put it away for long periods of time.  Life is balance, and other things are always demanding my time and attention.  How does the song go? "For everything, turn, turn, turn, there is a season...."

[HeavyFuel]

I could make my life easier and avoid making the mess, taking the time, disposing of all the waste products, inflicting pain and suffering on my body.......by having someone else screw my wife.......but I still prefer to do that myself.   

I change my own oil.....because I still can.