Summer 2009
by Rob Gaskell, Jr.
The Quick-Lube syndrome is a phenomenon that has infected vehicles for years, and is becoming a particularly severe problem for many drivers as their repair budgets become nonexistent. The cause of this syndrome is a false sense of security in preventive maintenance performed by quick lube centers and other discount auto centers. These centers dutifully drain and fill oil, replace the oil filter, and often try to sell additional items such as air filters and wiper blades, along with services such as transmission flushes. While these are all important services, though often oversold or undersold by quick-lube centers, they are only a small portion of the maintenance required for any vehicle. Recently we have seen an increase in the number of vehicles, serviced by a wide variety of discount service centers, that require a growing list of repairs and services, from minor preventive maintenance that has been neglected, to major safety repairs that could have led to crashes. This situation usually leads to a shockingly high repair bill, since maintenance that should have been performed gradually over a period of a few years or more is now all at a critical point.
A good example of this Quick-Lube Syndrome is a 1997 Ford Ranger that was recently in our shop. We had replaced the front brakes on the vehicle about 5 years earlier, and the vehicle had been receiving regular service at a quick-lube center ever since. The driver brought the vehicle in with uneven tire wear, an off-center steering wheel, and poor heat and air conditioning. We gave an estimate for a typical wheel alignment for the vehicle to correct the tire wear issue, and for repairs to the heater. The heater required a large amount of labor to repair, and the driver decided to wait to repair it because of the large expense. When the vehicle was brought in for a wheel alignment, all steering and suspension components were inspected, and a tie-rod end was found to be extremely loose, and there was excess play in the wheel bearings, all of which needed to be repaired both for safety reasons and to make a wheel alignment possible. The brakes were also found to be worn beyond safe limits, another significant expense since after 5 years the brake calipers and rotors needed to be replaced. The driver explained that he could not afford all of the needed safety repairs, which included brake service and tie-rod end replacement, which required the already needed wheel alignment. This was a difficult situation, since no one service, except the heater repair, could safely be excluded. These necessary safety repairs were approximately double the budget the driver had available, while the heater repair was about equivilent to his budget all by itself. Now certainly the brakes, tie-rod end and wheel bearings did not suddenly become worn, but slowly and gradually wore over a period of months and years. A proper service including an overall vehicle inspection would have identified these safety issues, very likely before they became immediate requirements, meaning that the driver could have prepared for these expenses weeks or even months in advance. Unfortunately, quick-lube center employees are alost always severely undertrained to identify these kinds of problems, and most of these centers focus on "convenience" meaning rapid service. 20-30 minutes is generally not enough time to perform a proper preventive maintenance service, even if performed by a highly skilled technician. A modern vehicle is a complex machine, with many systems and components that become worn or damaged with everyday use.
With money and credit in short supply, time to prepare for such expenses is becoming more and more important. An unexpected repair bill of $1,000 or more today can often be heart-wrenching for drivers, particularly when those repairs are so essential to the safe operation of the vehicle, and so immediately needed. Stories like the Ranger are a good reminder that spending a bit more on preventive maintenance, and allowing a bit more time for it to be performed, is a good investment in the affordability and longevity of your vehicle and the safety of you, your passengers, and other drivers on the road.
Rob Gaskell, Jr.
Account Manager
Fleet Service Northwest