I've probably paid for 5 oil changes in my life. Many dozens done myself.
In those 5 (always while traveling cross country, and purposely done at a Sears or Firestone for national guarantees), I've had the following negative experiences:
- 1 overtightened and stripped plug bolt, requiring three extra days in a hotel while the replacement pan (which they charged me for) was shipped
- 1 case of badly greased up door, floor mats, and steering wheel
- 2 improperly seated crush washers (or inadequately tightened) plug bolts, causing leaks in parking lots
In the latter two cases, I was hundreds of miles away before noticing, but the nearest franchise honored the guarantee.
In those 5 (always while traveling cross country, and purposely done at a Sears or Firestone for national guarantees), I've had the following negative experiences:
In the latter two cases, I was hundreds of miles away before noticing, but the nearest franchise honored the guarantee.So, I'm with you on the "trust" premium.