Why isn't there a National brand, franchised car repair shop?

I mean, there is valvoline instant oil change, mavis discount tires...etc.



Why doesn't someone start a huge new company with hundreds of franchised locations across the country. They should be open 7 days a week, 8am-8pm, and they should have very competitive prices.



Am I missing something here? Or did I just have the best idea ever?Why isn't there a National brand, franchised car repair shop?
Because it's called compeititon.
Ever hear of "NAPA AUTO CARE CENTERS"? TUNE-UP MASTERS?FIRESTONE AUTO CENTERS ? How about Midas?Why isn't there a National brand, franchised car repair shop?
The great majority of repair shops have access to all the necessary information on repairing vehicles for the most popular vehicles on the road today which pretty much has the field locked up.

Plus I don't see that any particular marquee would have an advantage over the present repair shops.

Any repair shop is only as good as the quality of its' workers.



Open 7 days a week and 8 to 8 would not work or is necessary for this business. These people are specialists in this business and can't be put on a part time or revolving basis that easy.



You might be assuming that another person can come in on another shift or during the weekend to take over the work on a particular vehicle. This is not the case.



Usually a vehicle is repaired by a single person and he knows at what stage of repair that he has left it when he returns to work the next day. This would not work for another person to come in and figure out where the previous person left off. It would not be cost effective for the business or the vehicle owner.
M.O.N.E.Y. Have you ever seen what a luber or tire changer makes per hour? Now go seek out the real technicians. The ones that go to update clinics, study daily, take their ASE recertification tests religiously and have an in depth knowledge of electrical and computer diagnostics. These guys make up wards of $20.00 or more an hour; furthermore, think about how much money it cost my shop to buy and update the scan equipment and technical programing annually. IE: scan fee's and diagnostic charges.



One can buy a franchise: IE: Firestone, Goodyear, BP Pro-cares, etc. These shops have most of those abilities, but the techs, like where I am at work FLAT RATE. Basically they get paid for only the work they preform, and get charged back for jobs returned, or COME BACKS. These examples are only some of the reasons that there are not any "Professional repair chains". Too much overhead and liability.



Lastly, most of the auto makers have yet to release the software to flash or reprogram computers, like body control and engine. Until that happens, you may find yourself having to go back to the dealer .



Contact your state Representative and notify him/her of the Auto Repair Bill Of Rights. This bill will allow you to seek service at a non dealer/manufacturer facility and allow that facility to access the same software and technical support. Until that happens, Shops like mine will continue to loose good paying jobs that we can diagnose, but not repair.



Thanks for your ear. I am now off my soap box.



Scott



P.S. How many doctors have miss diagnosed and we still have to pay for every visit. Food for thought. Oh, and most of their patients can talk.Why isn't there a National brand, franchised car repair shop?
huntnyou is right.. I use Firstone. I have a nationwide repair account for my work truck. I can take it to any Firestone repair shop in any city and use my Firestone P.O. number to get billed.

Is it worth $50 to get my fuel system in my car cleaned?

My local Valvoline Instant Oil Change told me that I should get their "3-point" cleaning which is all three treatments you see here: http://www.vioc.com/pages/services/svc_f鈥?/a> . I saw a car getting it done and it was putting out thick white smoke, which the guy told me was all the crud getting cleaned up.



Is it worth $50? Does it really improve horsepower and gas mileage? I'm currently driving a 1997 Ford Ranger that usually gets 20-21 miles per gallon.Is it worth $50 to get my fuel system in my car cleaned?
They told me the same thing... they just want the extra cash. If you really want a cheap way of getting this done. Buy a fuel additive cleaner. Do your research first before you put it in your car. I did for my old 90 corsica and it helped a little.
The guy was full of it. The white smoke was the stuff they were pouring in. Carbon burning off would look black if anything. It might help a tiny bit, but 20 - 21 is OK for a Ranger.Is it worth $50 to get my fuel system in my car cleaned?
Yes it is well worth having it done, over time your engine valves will develop carbon deposits, a can of additive in the fuel will help keep them clean, however it will not fully clean the valves. Its like spring cleaning for your engine. Then once it is done add the can of fuel injector cleaner such as STP to your gas tank everyother fill up.
I had a Pontiac that I put fuel injector cleaner in every 6 months it did the same thing for 5 bucks instead of 50Is it worth $50 to get my fuel system in my car cleaned?
It won't hurt.
Only if you're having problems with the fuel injectors now.
most of these places try to up sale best to ask a dealer

acura tsx

Should i wear a suit and tie to my job interview on Wednesday?

The job is at Valvoline instant oil change as a service technician ( entry level mechanic)Should i wear a suit and tie to my job interview on Wednesday?
you should always dress your best. im sure you could get away with dress pants, an oxford and a tie. good luck.

Is there a "manual" and an "automatic" fluid for a transfer case fluid replacement?

2001 Chevy Blazer, automatic transmission, push button 4wd (with AUTO 4WD button)

Just had done at Valvoline Instant Oil Change and they were trying to figure out what fluid to use. Receipt shows "Valvoline VPS MANUAL transmission fluid"



Is this correct or do I need to go back?Is there a "manual" and an "automatic" fluid for a transfer case fluid replacement?
they were trying to figure out what fluid to use.



I would have made them stop as soon as the declared themselves incompetent.Is there a "manual" and an "automatic" fluid for a transfer case fluid replacement?
Im pretty sure they put in the wrong fluid take it back!!!! I dont know of anything aftermarket to replace the auto-trac fluid that is supposed to be in there it should be blue in color NOT red. Since you have an auto 4X4 selection in your car it has clutches in the transfer case that will wear out prematurely if they put in manual fluid or ATF. If what they put in does not say that it is equivalent to Auto-trac then it is not the right fluid.Is there a "manual" and an "automatic" fluid for a transfer case fluid replacement?
"Valvoline VPS MANUAL transmission fluid" for manual transmission, yours is automatic, no way to exchange one with other.

but for transfer fluid, uses manual transmission fluid, only the works 'automatically'.
I think you need to take vehicle back to the shop clarification to be the safety side of a major problem.

1996 Jeep Cherokee Transmission Fluid Black -- Should I change?

I got an oil change at the local Valvoline Instant Oil Change (Been going here for a while with many cars, and always had good service) and they recommended that I get my transmission fluid changed because it's black and when the car goes from Park to Drive it "jumps" into gear.



I've read that changing the transmission fluid could do more harm due to deposit buildup getting loosen, etc.



Would you (Or should I) get it changed at this local service station? It's $109 plus tax. I have 126,928 miles, 6 cyc, 4.0L 242 FI, Inline six engine.



I just bought this Jeep the other week and I'm fixing all the smaller things. It drives like a dream and shifts fine... just going from PARK to DRIVE/REVERSE it hops a little sometimes.1996 Jeep Cherokee Transmission Fluid Black -- Should I change?
BUY A DRAIN PAN , FILTER AND GASKET , AND THE A.T.F. FOR YOUR JEEP AND CHANGE IT YOUR SELF ----COST # 30 - $ 40. AND CLEAN THE PAN OUT WITH PAPER TOWELS UNTIL THERE IS NO RESIDUE LEFT AND THE PAPER TOWEL IS AS CLEAN AS A NEW ONE . TO MAKE YOUR TRANNY LAST LONGER ---DO IT EVERY 30,000 - 50,000 MILES .
Yes you should change your transmission fluid. Also, replace the gear oil filter and the gasket.



Changing gear oil is not detrimental to your gear box, it does good, if anything. Black colour of the fluid also shows there is a slight burning of the oil (clutches slipping); your mileage is high enough to warrant an oil change and the slight ';jump' you feel while shifting also calls for changing the oil. Do as you have been advised and you will feel the difference.1996 Jeep Cherokee Transmission Fluid Black -- Should I change?
Couldn't hurt, shop around for best pice though. Tranny fluid should be red.
Get it changed. Just make sure they change the filter if it has one. Changing the fluid will not damage the transmission.



That may have been the case 20 years ago, but it is more related to the fact a transmission is going bad. So the owner says lets try a fluid change just to see. Like when your car is missing like heck and smoking and you pour a $2 fuel cleaning in the tank. Same reason we buy lottery tickets. Blind hope.

Anyway the transmission goes out, as it was going to do regardless of the fluid change, then the owner and the mechanic say.....Oh, the fluid change caused the problem.

a%26gt;1996 Jeep Cherokee Transmission Fluid Black -- Should I change?
People who say it is bad to change your fluid because of deposit buildup are living in the Type A and F days. Dexron was formulated to combat deposits in the transmission. When you burned a trans mission with A or F you couldn't get the black stuff out with any kind of solvent. Burned Dexron leaves no deposits, just a thin black film.

All that being said, Chrysler has their own formulation, so be sure to specify genuine Chrysler fluid ATF+4.

Would a 2007 Ford Focus have a lifetime oil filter on it?

I guess I should start off by asking, is there such thing as a lifetime oil filter? My husband took the car to a Valvoline Instant oil change for the first time a couple months ago and they said they could/would not change the oil filter because it was a lifetime oil filter. Normally we take it to the local mechanic's garage to have the oil changed (but decided to try Valv Oil Change out of convenience) and they have never said anything about it being a lifetime filter. We are taking it back to the local mechanic for the servicing tomorrow but am just curious as to anyone's opinions.Would a 2007 Ford Focus have a lifetime oil filter on it?
For me there is no such thing as lifetime oil filter, because oil filter needs to replace every change oil coz they are the one filtering the engine's dirt. If they will not be change or replace the dirt could clog on the oil filter. All parts of a car regardless of how genuine it is, there is such a period of replacing coz of its usage. Hope this might help!
Regardless of what any one advertises or says I wouldn't trust any filter for the life of the engine. All filters remove particulate matter from the oil and the particulates will sooner or later clog the filter. If it clogs there is a bypass valve that opens so you will still have oil flow to the bearings. The pressure will change some but may not be noticeable so you may never know the filter was clogged. A filter only costs a few bucks. It isn't worth taking the chance. I really wouldn't recommend using that oil change station again.Would a 2007 Ford Focus have a lifetime oil filter on it?
NO there is no such thing now there are reusable ones that can be cleaned and reused but i wouldnt use one from the simple fact that you cant get it CLEAN. the best to do is use a new one i use a K%26amp;N oil filter on my truck its not reusable but offers better protection then any ive seen. now if its a brand new car you go to a dealer and have them change the oil that way if anything happens its covered under the dealers warrenty
There may be such a thing, but I sure wouldn't recommend it. The Focus does have a "lifetime" air filter though. May there have been some confusion on that?Would a 2007 Ford Focus have a lifetime oil filter on it?
Contact a Ford dealership about this. They had a so-called "lifetime air filter" on the ' 07 but I'm not seeing anything about a lifetime oil filter.



Please consider using a better oil. Castrol GTX perhaps.
Yes, there is such a thing. They are taken apart cleaned and reused each time the oil is changed.



You can look up "lifetime oil filter" and read more about them.
there is no lifetime oil filter

My oil pressure light flickers when I am breaking or idle?

I have a Chevrolet Lumina 97, I got an oil change at Valvoline Instant Oil Change yesterday at 5pm. At around 10pm, after the engine was warm I noticed that every time I held the break at a stop, the oil pressure light would start flickering. When I release the break, the light turns off. It still does this today...



What can the problem be??



Could this have been the fault of Valvoline seeing as how it did not happen at all until after the oil change??My oil pressure light flickers when I am breaking or idle?
check the wiring to your sender on the engine block it may have been disturbed or is loose during the oil change ~~My oil pressure light flickers when I am breaking or idle?
check oil level,and look under your car for leaks due to error in the oil change,drain plug,filter,and by the way it is true people who know use valvoline.My oil pressure light flickers when I am breaking or idle?
The used a low viscosity oil, a cheap oil filter or you engine is showing it's age or a combination of each.
check the oil level they might not have installed the oil filter properly and that can cause oil to leak out the filter.

professor layton