Talk of The Villages Florida - Oil change / auto mechanic

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Quote:

Originally Posted by DAVES (Post 1878645)

Interesting that so many of the recommendations are something or other Tire.
I too have used Wildwood Tire and was well pleased. I used them for a flat. It was patched on the inside, the proper way to do it. It was quick, pleasant and done right.

I do have a Chevy and use George Nahas Chevrolet. Again we've been pleased.

As to Tire dealers for service, my opinion like everything else there are good and their are bad. Not in Florida. At one time I was using Firestone. A rear brake job. I saw their,"mechanic," do it. Rather than properly backing down the shoes, he just used a big sledge hammer. He broke the cooling fin off the drum. There is no way that wheel assembly will ever properly balance and it is likely the drum had cracks in it. I spoke to the desk manager he called out the guy who did it. The repair guy denied the whole thing and claimed it was like that. I went with the manger to the work bay and picked up
the piece off the floor.

We've all had bad experiences somewhere and sometime. Realize you are trusting the shop with your safety and your life.

FYI, I recently got a new set of Michelin tires for my SUV. I got a quote from Wildwood Tire, Sumter Tire, Goodyear, and Firestone for the same tire model. The lowest quote was from Firestone by a lot. That was surprising since they seem to have the highest overhead. They were also able to get the tires from Orlando and install them within a few hours. The other places needed at least 24-48 hours.

Michael's Auto Repair
307 N Villa Ave, Fruitland Park, FL 34731

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAVES (Post 1878672)

Different strokes for different folks. Finding something else when you are in for an oil change. When they have your car on the lift for an oil change they can see things we many not be aware of. For me that is good and proper service. Trust? If, and some do,
a mechanic damages stuff so they can charge you to repair, that is of course criminal.

When, to do stuff is often a matter of opinion. Many cars come with lifetime transmission fluid. What does that mean? You choose to follow their advice and you need a new transmission. The fluid did last the life of the transmission. Others will say if you change the fluid it will cause the transmission to fail. I had mine changed. It is fine. Was it a waste of money? I will never know or be able to prove it one way of the other.

Was it even done? I put paint or nail polish on the head of a screw or bolt that needs to be removed to do a job. It is then easy to know that the job was done. An oil change.
I check that the oil filter that I out nail polish on is gone and that the oil is clean and up to the proper mark on the dipstick. Not to me but I recall a friend had his engine seize
because the guy who changed his oil put the wrong filter on and the oil leaked out on a highway trip. ???? Mal practice AUTO?????

My husband has a 16-yr-old Dodge Magnum Hemi. For the last TEN years Bill Bryant has wanted to change a computer module to the tune of $1200. Why, we don't really know, but have been told it's not a safety issue, and the car continues to work fine. I think it's just on their list of maintenance items to do at Year So-and-So.

After bill Bryant installed a new a/c on this car and it failed after a year, three Dodge dealers in three big cities, including Bill Bryant, couldn't figure out what was wrong. They ran their computer tests and came up with nothing.

Bobby at Accu-Tech actually crawled all over the problem physically until he found the problem and fixed it. The sensor had been installed in the wrong place, causing the a/c to turn itself off. The dealers never actually looked at the a/c, just ran their modules. $145 to Bobby instead of another new a/c from Bill Bryant.

Your results may vary, but we have been using Bobby for everything we need for our cars and are very happy with his work.

Cheep and good do not usually go together. I can say this from my own experience

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mac1996 (Post 1878725)

Cheep and good do not usually go together. I can say this from my own experience

I agree. But I will pay a fair price for honest, good-quality work, and that does not always come from a car dealer. Where I come from, the dealership was usually the last resort.

Wildwood Tire on Rt 44 (at 301) - family owned. Honest work, reasonable prices.

Quality Tire near the corner of 466 and 441/27. The place looks dumpy but they live up the name on their sign

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mac1996 (Post 1878725)

Cheep and good do not usually go together. I can say this from my own experience

Yup, I've heard that some outfits use recycled oil which might be a bit iffy.

The BEST family run auto mechanic in the villages. Hilton Automotive 441 and hwy 42.gkain1964@yahoo.com

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curtisbwp (Post 1878688)

Where did you have your oil changed where tou come from?
I buy two cars every 2 tears, except this year. Toyota tacoma needs oil change every 10,000 miles, toyota Rav 4 every 4,000 miles. I gi to dealer.

Don’t know who you’re exactly talking to but myself I take mine to Ford garage & they always have an oil change deal for $40. & they use Synthetic Blend.

Best honesty Auto work: Sumter Tire in Wildwood

Quote:

Originally Posted by VillageNewbie4 (Post 1878422)

Would appreciate recommendations on two auto questions.

1) reliable oil change location

2) trustworthy, reliable reasonably priced auto mechanic

Thanks

If you can screen for recommendations, you will see Sumter Tire & Auto, 2 locations in Wildwood is highly regarded for oil changes or tires or pretty much anything auto related repairs or services. They have been operating for years, totally honest and reliable. I resisted taking my car there for a few years but once I realized so many recommendations could not be wrong, I saw for myself how honest and service -oriented they were, even diagnosing problems without charge that anywhere else would not have done for free.

Quote:

Originally Posted by davephan (Post 1878558)

You didn't mention the make of your vehicle. We own a Toyota, and always have the oil changes done at the Toyota dealer. The cost of the oil change is probably a little higher at the dealer, but the oil change only needs to be done once year, so a slightly higher cost is insignificant. The reason to get the oil change done at the dealer is the free multipoint inspection that is included with the oil change. Sometimes, other problems are discovered that need attention. I think its better to properly maintain your vehicle to increase your vehicle's reliability. If your vehicle isn't relable, you're walking.

There Few dealers that are rip-off artists, pushing stuff you don’t need, if you don’t know no better, then they ripped you off. no guarantee their mechanics are doing it right, they don’t own the company, so there name not on the line.

I have experienced the worse routine maintenance at dealer’s, can’t even put proper amount of engine oil or transmission fluid in. And couple dealers that was real good when I followed up on their work. You better be pulling dip stick after their work to verily you got what you paid for. I can see if vehicle still under warranty, removed their excuses on warranty work.

When in my 20's I learned to do my own maintenance since I could no afford the professionals.

My situation changed and went to the quick oil change services which lead to issues. Loose drain plug, grease and oil on drivers seat with oil/grease left on steering and dash. Then tried the dealership. Not much better, sporadic quality.

I installed a lift in my commercial building and went back to doing my own auto maintenance. Moved to The Villages and now change the oil in my garage. Have not rotated tires, but when needed I will do that myself also.

High school dropouts won't touch my cars and I enjoy doing the work myself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobertWR (Post 1878932)

I agree, except Very few high school drops out get skilled labor job especially when got to be certified?

For oil changes, check out the dealers. In my experience they will do an oil change for reasonable rates, but will try to convince you to do other probably un necessary maintenance work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mac1996 (Post 1878725)

Cheep and good do not usually go together. I can say this from my own experience

Cheap and good is better than expensive and bad, which also happens.

For many years I have bought cars above the average medium price dealing with the general manager at several dealerships. Included with many of these deals are free lifetime oil changes. I joke with them saying you might as well knock a few more hundred dollars off because you know I won't be using that service.

Changing your own oil is not difficult and only requires some basic tools. By the time I check a "professional" mechanics work and thoroughly clean up after them it's close to the time I spend doing the work myself. Plus I have a piece of mind.

For nearly 30 years I exclusively use Mobil 1. A dealership's "free" oil change does not typically include a synthetic oil.