Jiffy Lube type operation in the UK
Discussion
I know the yanks are obsessed with regular oil changes. It's probably been drummed into them by operations such as JiffyLube.
Do my fellow PHers think there is a market in the UK for such an operation here? I'm talking no booking, turn up, quick oil and filter change at a reasonable price with comfy seating area. No repairs just quick changes couple with maybe an air filter change if requested. Perhaps a waiver could be signed to state that the services don't replace a full inspection and service.
Do my fellow PHers think there is a market in the UK for such an operation here? I'm talking no booking, turn up, quick oil and filter change at a reasonable price with comfy seating area. No repairs just quick changes couple with maybe an air filter change if requested. Perhaps a waiver could be signed to state that the services don't replace a full inspection and service.
It already exists surely, and it's called KwikFit etc
IMO there is no bigger market here than already exists - manufacturers have stretched oil change limits to two years already. A cash-stretched British public has no reason to change it more frequently. Disclaimer - I operated a garage servicing cars (as a sideline) for a few years ... even as a cynic I was typically appalled at how little people cared about the mechanical health of their vehicle!
IMO there is no bigger market here than already exists - manufacturers have stretched oil change limits to two years already. A cash-stretched British public has no reason to change it more frequently. Disclaimer - I operated a garage servicing cars (as a sideline) for a few years ... even as a cynic I was typically appalled at how little people cared about the mechanical health of their vehicle!
I'd have to say no. If you've ever watched "just rolled in" or similar on YouTube, American car culture for the regular joes is mental. Cars put in garages because the radio has been switched off or the air con not blowing cold when it's set to hot, all the way down to cars missing wheels, being rotten to the point that it's more rot than vehicle, cars driven with the diff hanging out, all sorts of mental stuff.
Servicing in this country seems to be done at MOT time too. Inspections in America seem to be few and far between so more regular oil changes can be a benefit. All I hear is horror stories from inexperienced mechanics ruining things at Jiffy Lube and I'm sure an American Watchdog style program caught them massively inflating costs too. If you want a garage idea for the UK, run one on weekends. It only ever seems to be the big chains on weekends so having an independent one open 9-5 Saturday and Sunday would probably have you raking in some good business. Having a nice waiting area will help, too. It's much nicer sat in a Kwik-Fit than it is waiting in the corner of some grubby back street place while they hand you your paperwork.
Servicing in this country seems to be done at MOT time too. Inspections in America seem to be few and far between so more regular oil changes can be a benefit. All I hear is horror stories from inexperienced mechanics ruining things at Jiffy Lube and I'm sure an American Watchdog style program caught them massively inflating costs too. If you want a garage idea for the UK, run one on weekends. It only ever seems to be the big chains on weekends so having an independent one open 9-5 Saturday and Sunday would probably have you raking in some good business. Having a nice waiting area will help, too. It's much nicer sat in a Kwik-Fit than it is waiting in the corner of some grubby back street place while they hand you your paperwork.
If you are not an American with the "OMG oil needs changing at every fuel stop" mentality and are the sort of person who wants their oil changed more than once a year, then you probably aren't the sort of person who wants it done with the cheapest grade of non-brand oil after the old oil has been sucked out the dipstick tube.
I used a place near me 2 months ago for an oil filter change for my folks' Honda Accord CDTi. But I had to book it 2 days ahead because they need to have a filter in stock, which ended up meaning their 'supplier' had it in stock. 
Even though I knew it wouldn't be fast, and went for a walk to the shops, I arrived 5 mins early and they took 2 hours. 
A drive in and out oil change in mins is feasible, I even saw it in practice in the UAE over 20 years ago. But not for a filter as well, a place would need a huge stock inventory. But then, many car services these days only require the filter changing every other service....
Even though I knew it wouldn't be fast, and went for a walk to the shops, I arrived 5 mins early and they took 2 hours. A drive in and out oil change in mins is feasible, I even saw it in practice in the UAE over 20 years ago. But not for a filter as well, a place would need a huge stock inventory. But then, many car services these days only require the filter changing every other service....
National Tyres are about the closest. They have an offers sheet online and it's possible to have a really cheap oil change. I don't doubt that there will be upsell on other things.
The Yanks can be properly anal about lube (Phnarr!) and even regularly take samples of the oil and send them to labs for analysis.
The rule I'd argue in the UK is: halve the service interval if it's a long term keeper. Stick to manufacturers spec if it's a 3 year lease car that you'll never see again.
The Yanks can be properly anal about lube (Phnarr!) and even regularly take samples of the oil and send them to labs for analysis.
The rule I'd argue in the UK is: halve the service interval if it's a long term keeper. Stick to manufacturers spec if it's a 3 year lease car that you'll never see again.
vikingaero said:
National Tyres are about the closest. They have an offers sheet online and it's possible to have a really cheap oil change. I don't doubt that there will be upsell on other things.
The Yanks can be properly anal about lube (Phnarr!) and even regularly take samples of the oil and send them to labs for analysis.
The rule I'd argue in the UK is: halve the service interval if it's a long term keeper. Stick to manufacturers spec if it's a 3 year lease car that you'll never see again.
This .. The Yanks can be properly anal about lube (Phnarr!) and even regularly take samples of the oil and send them to labs for analysis.
The rule I'd argue in the UK is: halve the service interval if it's a long term keeper. Stick to manufacturers spec if it's a 3 year lease car that you'll never see again.
nebpor said:
It already exists surely, and it's called KwikFit etc
IMO there is no bigger market here than already exists - manufacturers have stretched oil change limits to two years already. A cash-stretched British public has no reason to change it more frequently. Disclaimer - I operated a garage servicing cars (as a sideline) for a few years ... even as a cynic I was typically appalled at how little people cared about the mechanical health of their vehicle!
Kwik Fit in name only. Unless you are the very first customer through the door, those type of garage set ups still take an age. But as you suggest, as long as the car starts when the key is turned, most people don't really car about what's occurring under the bonnet. IMO there is no bigger market here than already exists - manufacturers have stretched oil change limits to two years already. A cash-stretched British public has no reason to change it more frequently. Disclaimer - I operated a garage servicing cars (as a sideline) for a few years ... even as a cynic I was typically appalled at how little people cared about the mechanical health of their vehicle!
TheOctaneAddict said:
It would have to be really cheap, like £30 for it to take off and at that price I imagine there is no money in it.
Certainly pre-Covid, National were doing oil changes for cars under 1.6l for £15-19 including a filter. Obviously they would ask if you want a "free brake check" etc.I do services etc at the weekends as it suits people who need their car for work all week. But I need to order the parts, filters and correct oil on a friday as the suppliers arent open past lunchtime on saturday. I've been caught out before with having to get brake pads or a part on a sunday when only halfords are open and it's very expensive.
I think mobile servicing at the customer's workplace would be a good business model. Drive your car to work and a van with a side awning parks next to you and is on his way an hour later job done. I drove a breakdown van for 4 years and could easily have done services/brakes etc from the van with air jacks and a bit of rain cover.
I think mobile servicing at the customer's workplace would be a good business model. Drive your car to work and a van with a side awning parks next to you and is on his way an hour later job done. I drove a breakdown van for 4 years and could easily have done services/brakes etc from the van with air jacks and a bit of rain cover.
I’d imagine that the majority of people are not ‘car people’ in the UK.
I very much doubt that when they have a free hour to kill, they’d think it was a chance to grab a lube.
But don’t some US drivers do mega-miles annually?
If it was common, or even possible, in the UK then maybe people would have a cultural notion of interim oil changes as something you do.
I very much doubt that when they have a free hour to kill, they’d think it was a chance to grab a lube.
But don’t some US drivers do mega-miles annually?
If it was common, or even possible, in the UK then maybe people would have a cultural notion of interim oil changes as something you do.
vikingaero said:
Certainly pre-Covid, National were doing oil changes for cars under 1.6l for £15-19 including a filter. Obviously they would ask if you want a "free brake check" etc.
There's no way you'd make money on that price.For the original idea of the thread, it doesn't feel like it has legs. You either need people who want to over service or people who can't be bothered to service. I think the former market is very small and they'd want a premium offering. The latter group is bigger and you'd have to be "can't be bothered to service your car, at least do the basics and get a cheap, quick oil change with us".
Could you try the idea out on a very small scale doing it at people's homes and work?
If you look at those American mechanic videos (Rainman Ray's Repairs is my favourite) Then you'll see that it's very normal for cars over there to have way over 200,000 miles, even if not that old. Service intervals on cars in Europe are stretched beyond what's really ideal because people here tend to lease their cars or keep them a much shorter time, so new car buyers don't care if the engine only lasts 100,000 miles. But if we changed oil as often as the Americans do (and drove as slowly as they do), our engines would probably last much longer too!
vikingaero said:
National Tyres are about the closest. They have an offers sheet online and it's possible to have a really cheap oil change. I don't doubt that there will be upsell on other things.
The Yanks can be properly anal about lube (Phnarr!) and even regularly take samples of the oil and send them to labs for analysis.
The rule I'd argue in the UK is: halve the service interval if it's a long term keeper. Stick to manufacturers spec if it's a 3 year lease car that you'll never see again.
For an oil + filter change on a 2008 Accord CDTi, National near me wanted £99 (they are now owned by Halfords since Dec 2021). As it happens, they did try to upsell when they quoted me, they tried to get me to have a service with pollen and air filter changes too. I got it done for £65, yes including 5W/30 FS oil, at a branch of ETB.The Yanks can be properly anal about lube (Phnarr!) and even regularly take samples of the oil and send them to labs for analysis.
The rule I'd argue in the UK is: halve the service interval if it's a long term keeper. Stick to manufacturers spec if it's a 3 year lease car that you'll never see again.
My car has 15000.mile oil change intervals but I do it at 10000, fuel and air filters every 20000.
Try to keep on top of any issues and looking after it properly it will outlast plenty that go to the scrappers at 10 years old. It's coming 9 years old now with 98000 on the clock but because it's cared for could pass for 3 years old.
I pity the subsequent owners of all these lease cars that have maybe had 2 services in 50000 miles.
Wouldn't trust a 'suck it out and dump in cheap oil' sort of place.
Try to keep on top of any issues and looking after it properly it will outlast plenty that go to the scrappers at 10 years old. It's coming 9 years old now with 98000 on the clock but because it's cared for could pass for 3 years old.
I pity the subsequent owners of all these lease cars that have maybe had 2 services in 50000 miles.
Wouldn't trust a 'suck it out and dump in cheap oil' sort of place.
LunarOne said:
If you look at those American mechanic videos (Rainman Ray's Repairs is my favourite) Then you'll see that it's very normal for cars over there to have way over 200,000 miles, even if not that old. Service intervals on cars in Europe are stretched beyond what's really ideal because people here tend to lease their cars or keep them a much shorter time, so new car buyers don't care if the engine only lasts 100,000 miles. But if we changed oil as often as the Americans do (and drove as slowly as they do), our engines would probably last much longer too!
I'd agree with regular oil changes. I remember when the new Astra Diesel cars were launched (not sure which mark), the recommended interval was 20k miles. I have a car with 9k recommended oil intervals, but with 90k miles on it, I'll do it at 6k, or more likely these days, 2 years. 
Changing oil every 2k-3k like many do in USA is excessive, IMHO.Forums | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff