[CamaroSSStlfan]

Might be a dumb question, but since moving down here for my Mustang I always take it to my local wal-mart and they do a decent job on the car, no issues and they replaced a batter in my Camaro for far less as well and 3 year warranty. The service guys seem to know about the Camaros too because when I went for the battery the one tech was talking about the starting and heat soaking issues the SS has.



So would you trust taking a SS to Wal-mart?


The local Chevy dealer near me is expensive, and their body shop did a crappy job on my minor repair on the last car.


I saw on the carfax the previous owner took it to Jiffy Lube ROFL. No way in hell so don't even think I'd suggest that!

[LT1ornothing]

I would never go to Walmart, jiffy lube, or even a chevy dealer. The incompetence is overwhelming in any of those places. As for oil changes, I do them myself like MANY forum members do as well. This is one of the easiest cars to change the oil on.

[zaimer]

I'm not sure that I would take my work car to Walmart, let alone my Camaro. I am doing my own oil changes and the Camaro will never see the inside of a service bay, unless I have no other choice.

[Jaxcam02]

I don't even have to read the post. NO. do not do that. I've had friends who have done that and lost a wheel about a mile down the road. Another one said they over torqued the wheel lugs and broke two of the lug bolts out of the 4 that were holding the wheel on. And never told them. Only reason they found out was they took it back for noises and had walmart pay another shop to replace the bolts.
Hell I always use their auto entrance to go in a walmart and I have twice seen a "mechanic" back up a customers car into the tire racks they have outside.
I have also heard of cases where they replaced the oil with antifreeze during an oil change and blew the engine. That customer actually had to get a lawyer involved before walmart fessed up and paid for a new engine.

If i needed to replace some tires, I wouln't even bring the wheels and tires up to the shop off the car for them to do. I would be paranoid they would scratch the wheel or not use bead lube or break my TPMS sensor. The only way I would ever use walmart is if I had a real beater of a car that I would never drive on public roads.

[JitteryJoe]

Any shop is only as good as the techs they hire so you will hear good and bad about any chain store. The dealer changes the oil in my mazda for free and it's a Mazda 6 that's probably worth $9K at this point so I don't really care. My camaro is brand new so I'll take it to the dealer for the 1st oil change but after that I will probably either do it myself or if the dealer or local tire store has a sale I will take it there. The Tire store we've known the manager for years (I think everybody does because he knows his stuff and always goes out of his way to help people out)

I wouldn't get hung up on the brand as much as the people actually doing the work as long as the store is insured and at lease somewhat reputable.

[WhiteMale]

Anyone at any place that is doing oil changes is the youngest/lowest ranking kid. There are no certified experienced mechanics doing oil changes.

[m6-lt1]

I take mine to the dealer however I do 2 things to make sure my car is okay when I get it back. I take video of my car at the dealer and take close ups of the area where the fender and rocker panel and door meet. That way if they Jack it up incorrectly I have proof they did it and it happened at their shop. I also read the invoice I get to make sure they put 10 quarts of oil in it. I also look at the part number of the oil to make sure it’s what I asked for. Not all dealers do bad work.

[LT1ornothing]

Originally Posted by m6-lt1

I take mine to the dealer however I do 2 things to make sure my car is okay when I get it back. I take video of my car at the dealer and take close ups of the area where the fender and rocker panel and door meet. That way if they Jack it up incorrectly I have proof they did it and it happened at their shop. I also read the invoice I get to make sure they put 10 quarts of oil in it. I also look at the part number of the oil to make sure it’s what I asked for. Not all dealers do bad work.

That's a great strategy if and when you choose not to do your own oil changes. For me personally, the "physical sacrifice" of doing it myself combined with the certainty that is was done correctly far exceeds the comfort of not having done it myself combined with the looming doubt of whether or not it was done correctly. Shop insurance or not, that down time and nightmare of a shop damaged car that drags on for what seems like eternity just ain't worth the risk to me. I'll keep servicing it myself as long as I am able to continue doing so.

[CamaroSSStlfan]

Correct about dealers not always good.


When I lived in St. Louis I took my dad's Sonata to the dealer just down the street from my house where we bought it for an oil change. I pull out and get ready to pull onto my street and notice the smell of hot oil and then the warning lights go off. As I suspected the moron at the dealer didn't tighten the oil filter all the way. Called the dealer up, came out put more oil in it and drove it up the street. Luckily it was only a quarter of a mile at the most.


If that was my SS I'd make them either bring a tech to fix it or make them tow the damn car to the dealer.


They sent a porter to my house with oil and the porter said the tech who did it was not very good.


I think it's best to know of a GOOD small independent shop that does good work. Down here I don't know any personally. Up in St. Louis I used the same shop for all our cars.

[Petrol Head]

Uh, that's a big negatory on that there Wal Mart question. Wouldn't even buy a stick of gum in that there hillbilly haven.

[Zr8000]

I don’t use Walmart for anything

[LT1ornothing]

Originally Posted by Zr8000

I don’t use Walmart for anything

They got awesome prices on the oem 0w40 mobil one my LT1 takes though, lol.

[redcoats1976]

if you are near plant city try stingray chevy ,they have been good to me.oil change on RS is 49 bucks.

[gtfoxy]

Just do it yourself. Then you’ll know it’s more than likely done right.

Originally Posted by Zr8000

I don’t use Walmart for anything

This.

I haven’t stepped foot in a Chinamart in years.

Originally Posted by 1LEornothing

They got awesome prices on the oem 0w40 mobil one my LT1 takes though, lol.

I’ll gladly pay extra for the oil from a dealer & do it myself than give Chinamart any of my money.