I usually do all my own services & oil changes, using Castrol Edge 5W-30 & filter package from Opie.

Cost £47-21 plus £1.50'ish for new sump plug

BUT, it's cold, wet, I don't have a garage and don't fancy lying under her atm, so was looking around for someone to do it for me. Couple of locals quoted £20 labour only to do it, which seems fair enough.

Then I stumbled across an offer from National Tyres - filter & oil change, supposed to use Edge, £33.

That's about half what buying the parts and getting the work done would be.

Knowing that most tyre fitters places (mainly Kwik ****) are complete numpties, I wondered if anyone around here has any PERSONAL experience of this service (googling brings up a few complaints over the years, but as only dis satisfied customers ever bother to complain I'm always a bit dubious about these sorts of random posts).

I assume they pump the oil out, and use pattern filters.

i bet they chuck any old **** oil in mate and let the yts kid do it

Id rather change my own oil & filter whilst laying in 6ft of snow than let any tyre/fast fit place work on my car! if you really dont want to do it yourself id pay the £20 labour & get the independant that you trust to do it for you. As others have said they will put any old oil in & when you come to change it next time chances are the sump threads are damaged.Id just do it myself & change the oil pick up strainer & clean the sump out too if its never been done.

ive had it dont last year and it was £28 i think. Its castrol oil out a big drum (castrol), they put it on ramps and drain it out the sump. then a new filter. Chatted to them while they did it.

For the price dont see how u can go wrong its not a hard job. saying thet BMW over filled the oil on my dads bike, got a mile down the road...... que lots of smoke out the exhaust.

As long as you watch them do it, as i did dont see it as an issue.

Edited 13 December, 201015 yr by ezeekiel

Id rather change my own oil & filter whilst laying in 6ft of snow than let any tyre/fast fit place work on my car!

Totally agree with that statement. I work in the motor trade and hear lots of horror stories about fast fit centres.

That's a decent price and would save you hassle in this weather.

I have used them and they buy oil by the drum and so get a price we can only dream of. I would consider using them again, even though the only time i did they put a 10w/40 oil in my car at the time which was a Ford Focus (should be s 5w/30 oil). So the lesson is as already indicated, make sure they put the right grade of oil in and have it done while you wait, then you can get a free look around the underside of the car at the same time and size up what else needs doing

Other than that, just wait a couple of months for better weather.

I do it regularly at my local National Tyres as I have 2 cars and change the oil every 4-6 months. They do it right, but then I do tip them the price of a pint so that they remember me.

They did oil & filter change on Lexus IS300 once, but they had to order the oil in & were sent a drum rather than a tin - they moaned then!

Ian

Just to update

I used them today. Couldn't stop to watch, as they had so much delayed work due to weather delays in their parking area, the workshop was full with all ramps occupied and they reckoned it would be 3 - 4 hours waiting time.

When we got back 4 hours later they had literally just done it, still on ramp. Properly drained (and new sump plug which I supplied had been fitted) correct Edge 5-W30 and filter used. Proper job.

Incidentally, National reckon they only use Castrol oils, and nipping out the back to use their toilet all the drums in the rear storeroom looked to be Castrols.

As an aside, it netted out as less than £33 as we were going to do some Xmas shopping in town today anyway (day off work), so leaving it with them in the town centre saved me about £7 in parking fees, an hour trying to get out of a multi-storey and a nicely warmed up car to get back into.

Bargain all round really.

good work mate, glad you're happy

Thanks

Oooh - Wantage.

I'm delivering round there tomorrow. (Wantage, Grove, Didcot, Wallingford etc.) What are the roads like atm?

I wonder if they'd be willing to sell you some oil? Obviously, they would add a bit of mark up on it, but it should still be cheaper than buyin 5l cans.

Thanks

Oooh - Wantage.

I'm delivering round there tomorrow. (Wantage, Grove, Didcot, Wallingford etc.) What are the roads like atm?

roads are fine around here mate.

TYVM - I can stay in bed until 06.30 tomorrow then

And maybe finish by 17.00 instead of 19.00

Then finished until New Year woooooooooooooooot