How Not To Spend A Saturday

or
How To Get A Free Oil Change

I got up way too early for a Saturday, and went to work until 1:00. While working, I comforted myself with the knowledge that overtime pay is nice for Christmas shopping.

I left just as the roads were getting nasty. Well, not nasty, really. But the other idiots on the road couldn't seem to find the right speed for the weather. For example, The 50 mph speed limit section of Taylorsville Rd. could easily be traversed at 45 mph, but 1/3 of the other drivers were doing 25 mph and the rest were doing 55-60. I believe that is an unsafe combination.

I went that way instead of the expressway because I needed to stop for an oil change. I went to the Valvoline at Breckenridge/Taylorsville.

I pulled into the bay at about 1:25. The oil change took longer than usual; by the time they were done I was a little nervous because the guy under the car had been banging around a little too much and I sensed some uncertainty. It was about 2 o'clock when they finished.

Intending to go to KFC on the corner, I pulled out and crossed Taylorsville Rd. If you are familiar with the area, you know it's tricky to cross those 6 lanes quickly.

It's especially tricky when your engine revs a lot but your transmission doesn't seem to want to shift gears. I made it across without being killed, pulled into the Kmart lot and drove around a little, stopping and starting a lot to test it. There was definitely a problem.

So I again negotiated the suicidal crossing and returned to Valvoline.


I told the first guy "I've had no performance problems at all from this car for 4 years. But after an oil change here it now runs like shit."

Then I told the manager it seemed like the transmission but that I'd never had a problem with it until now.

Another hour wait while they fixed their mistakes. Turns out they'd completely drained my transmission fluid, which was checked 'ok' on the nifty little sheet they gave me after the oil change. And they'd also overfilled my oil by about 3 quarts.

Net result was a lot of hassle, hopefully no permanent damage to the car, and a free oil change. The car is running fine now.