Operators Choose Easiest, Most Difficult Vehicles to Service

By Garrett McKinnon
NOLN Staff Writer

EASIEST VEHICLES TO SERVICE
1. Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra/Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon
2. Chrysler PT Cruiser/Dodge Neon
3. Honda Accord
4. Toyota Camry
5. Ford F-150
6. Honda Civic
7. Dodge Caravan

One of the more interesting parts of our annual Lube Operators Survey is the section that deals with specific vehicles. Each year, we ask lube operators what vehicles are the easiest and most difficult for them to service. And each year we get a list of responses almost as numerous as the survey questionnaires we receive. Everyone, it seems, has an opinion.

When we dig a little deeper, though, we find a few vehicles that stand out. Call them the “teacher’s pets” or the “red-headed stepchildren” of the lube industry, but these vehicles are almost uniformly loved or loathed by the lube operators, managers and technicians who service them.

One of the difficulties we run into when tabulating the results is how to classify certain vehicles. Take the Chrysler PT Cruiser and Dodge Neon, for instance. From the outside, these two small cars couldn’t be more different. Ah, but under the hood — and, more importantly, from down in the pit — the two cars are identical. Same chassis, same engine, same transmission. So, we lump these two cars together as one. Same goes for pickups and sport-utility vehicles; since the Ford F-150 pickup and the Ford Expedition SUV are identical from a mechanical standpoint, they get to share any honors.

We’re “good news first” kind of people here at National Oil & Lube News, so we like to start with the list of vehicles that lube operators and technicians find easiest to service. For the second year in a row, the title of “Easiest Vehicle to Service” goes to the Chevrolet pickup/SUV, aka the Chevrolet Silverado/Tahoe lineup. With tons of extra room under the hoods of these full-size vehicles, there’s plenty of space for lube techs to work, making oil changes a snap.

Following the Silverado is former two-time “Easy Oil Change” champion, the Chrysler PT Cruiser/Dodge Neon. Third place this year belongs to the Honda Accord, followed by the Toyota Camry, Ford F-150/Expedition, Honda Civic and, rounding out the top seven, the Dodge Caravan minivan.

On the “most difficult to service” side, last year’s “champion,” the Mazda Miata, is surprisingly nowhere to be found. Replacing the tiny convertible at the top of the list is the Toyota Tundra/Sequoia. Operators responding to our survey repeatedly said the Toyota’s massive skid-plates make servicing the 5.7L V8 engine a tough task, indeed.

Other vehicles operators find difficult to service include the Volkswagen Passat (a past “champion”), Volkswagen Touareg, Mini Cooper, Volkswagen New Beetle/Jetta (notice a trend here), the Hummer H3 (with not one but two skid plates that have to be removed to access the oil filter and drain plug) and, bringing up the rear, the Lexus RX-series SUV.

With all these vehicles being difficult to service, it should come as no surprise that some shops have decided to call it quits when it comes to servicing specific vehicle types. According to our 2009 Operators Survey, nearly one-third of lube shops refuse to service at least one type of vehicle.

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