An oil change is one of those tasks you do approximately every six months, either by DIY-ing or taking your car to a local service center. Due to how simple and inexpensive it is, most drivers don’t pay it much mind. According to one car content creator, though, there’s a right and wrong way to get your vehicle serviced with an oil change. In his Facebook Reel, which got 445,000 views, creator Jackson Pray shares some strong opinions about the quick-service oil change company Valvoline. “If you take your car to a Valvoline or any instant oil change place, you are an idiot,” he begins. He says Valvoline staff isn’t committed to its customers. “Guys that work at these places could not care less about your car,” he says. “They’re overfilling it, underfilling it, putting the wrong filter on it as long as it screws on.” According to Pray, there are other options. “If you actually care about your car, you’re either doing the oil change yourself or bringing it to a real shop,” he concludes. Quick-Lube Shops Get Mixed Reviews In the comments, not everyone agreed with his take about quick-service lube shops. “Lies. Actually worked at Take 5. They do a whole rundown while doing your service,” one commenter wrote. “Basically triple checking and having someone go over your work. It's not much but I was surprised.” Another shared a trick that may get you better results. “You will be surprised what tipping will do for you in life,” they wrote. “Tip the guy a $20 one time and go back to the same one every time. Just like if you go to the same bar every week, tip that guy a 50 once. Bam stronger pours and faster service for the next 5 years lol.” Tell us what you think! View Comments Others had a more nuanced take. “I worked at one; this is 1000% correct for SOME locations,” one wrote. “But best not to play instant oil change roulette with your $15,000 engine.” A fourth user took his side, writing, “True. They forgot to put oil in my car once. After that I learned to do it myself.” What Do Other Valvoline Customers Think? Reviews online are mixed. It seems to have something to do with the fact that there are around 2,000 service centers all over the US. While customers likely keep returning for the instant full-service oil change, not everyone has had a good experience. For example, on TrustPilot Valvoline has a rating of 1.8, with users complaining about high prices, mistakes that cause major issues, and low quality work in general. One user on the Subreddit r/mechanicadvice asked, “On platforms like Reddit I do read people suggesting to stay away from Valvoline. For 25 dollars, is it really that bad?” Commenters shared different opinions. According to one, the issue is that Valvoline staff make mistakes too often. “And their mess ups can cost you money and time,” they added. According to another commenter’s theory, car owners don’t have good luck changing their oil at Valvoline because the “quality of the person working on your vehicle” varies a lot. Because the company aims to complete as many vehicles as possible, according to the commenter, it hires “inexperienced, under-trained staff.” “Can you get a decent oil change at a quick lube place? Sure. But your chances of something very bad happening to your car is much higher than going to a local shop with a good reputation to uphold,” they wrote. How Can You Tell Your Oil Change Was Done Incorrectly? According to experts, an incorrect oil change can seriously damage your engine, and there are signs that let you know something is wrong. One telltale sign is if the vehicle has a low oil level, or the oil light doesn’t go away. This may mean that the mechanic didn’t add enough oil, there’s a leak somewhere, or it’s an issue with the oil pressure sensor. Another sign that there’s a problem is an oil leak under your car, which could mean the vehicle’s drain plug is loose, the oil filter was improperly installed, or the oil pan was damaged. Additionally, things like your engine overheating uncontrollably, dirty oil right after change, or strange engine noises right after a change may signify something’s wrong. It’s not a good idea to ignore them. Motor1 has reached out to Pray and Valvoline via email for comment. This story will be updated if either replies. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team