Take 5 Oil Change recently announced it is converting all 13 Havoline Quick Lube locations in the Tampa Bay marketplace to re-open as Take 5 Oil Change locations, a growing leader in fast minor maintenance services. Not only does Take 5 Oil Change deliver fast pit crew service, but drivers can also wait in the comfort of their cars and enjoy a complimentary beverage or bottled water during their service. Take 5 Oil Change boasts drive-through oil changes that take an average of eight minutes. In celebration of the Tampa Bay grand openings, Take 5 Oil Change invited the community

Finally, we have made it through another winter! Although I always look forward to winter after a hot summer, spring is a welcome sight. In our part of the world, the grass is turning green and the flowers are in full bloom. Spring is a good reminder that new life is sometimes just under the soil waiting for the right time to emerge.The oil and lube industry is also enjoying new life. I know many operators have had a good winter, and from most indicators, the winter services have been up this year over last. I think we are

March is a month of transition from winter to spring. It reminds me of the transition that happens in our industry as we stop winterizing customer’s vehicles and start preparing them for summer. We get ready for the spring cleaning of both our shops and our inventory. After reading this year TOPS in the Industry survey, it will become apparent how many new transitions are happening in our industry. Starting on pg. 14 you will see some familiar names on the survey. Thanks to some recent mergers and acquisitions, you will also notice, some programs have moved. This year

Since February is the month of love, I must start by saying, I love this industry. However, February also seems to be a month of change especially, this year.About the time we get vehicle specifications from the previous year figured out, manufacturers make new changes with new requirements. Since many new vehicles come out in the fall, you’ll start to see more of them rolling into quick lube shops this month. As always, verify you’re using the correct products.Can you believe it’s time to start getting ready for the 2016 iFLEX show? AOCA is joining forces with the International

Happy New Year! From the single shop operator to multi shop franchises, January is exciting for everyone. The beginning of a New Year is a chance to start with a clean slate. Many of us have set new goals for this year. I want to wish you the best in achieving them.Take a minute to look at the Fast Lube Programs Guide starting on pg. 14. The industry leaders featured in this year’s guide have methods to help you achieve your goals. Take a look and see who’s offering what.Bill Lynot has some very practical ideas on how to

So long 2015, thanks for the memories. I can’t believe 2015 is almost over. But you know what they say, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” This year has been fun. Many shops are reporting a better than expected year, and many are already forecasting 2016 to be record breaking.As I write this, the National Oil & Lube News team has returned from the APPEX/SEMA show with a renewed energy. Many of the manufacturers are also expecting 2016 to be a banner year and are rolling out new programs, equipment, tools and incentives to make the most out of

So long 2015, thanks for the memories. I can’t believe 2015 is almost over. But you know what they say, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” This year has been fun. Many shops are reporting a better than expected year, and many are already forecasting 2016 to be record breaking.As I write this, the National Oil & Lube News team has returned from the APPEX/SEMA show with a renewed energy. Many of the manufacturers are also expecting 2016 to be a banner year and are rolling out new programs, equipment, tools and incentives to make the most out of

It just seems appropriate to start the holiday season with Thanksgiving. For us in the quick lube business we have lots to be thankful for. I wish I had the space to list all the things I am thankful for. I guess I can sum it up by saying I am thankful for the people in my life. It is hard to believe 30 years have passed since I started National Oil and Lube News.  Reading this months installment of 30 years of NOLN and Franchised: Oilstop has reminded me of all the great people who have gone before

Is it just me or does the Holiday shopping start earlier and earlier every year? The other day I saw big box stores were already stocking the shelves for the holidays. It’s only October!October in our industry means it is time to get the shop ready for our customers who will be traveling during the holiday season. Traditionally, the week before Thanksgiving through Christmas is make-it-or-break-it time. Forget about Black Friday, this time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is the “black” season.What are you doing to get ready for the holiday travel? Have you started training your staff to prepare

You might have noticed, on the July cover of National Oil & Lube News (NOLN) under the magazine logo it said, “Our 30th Year of Serving the Fast Oil Change & Service Industry.” Now, I think 30 years is a long time and cannot be appreciated if you’re under the age of 50. Most people that age haven’t lived enough to know what it feels like — if you’re under 50, count your lucky stars. There have been many changes over the 30 years we’ve published NOLN, and we’ve enjoyed growing alongside the industry every step of the way.If

In American pop culture there are few things more American than the Corvette. From my high school days to today, when I see a Corvette rolling down the road I can’t help but take notice. If you love Corvettes too I know you will enjoy this issue. This month’s feature article by David Burbach on page 18 takes us down memory lane in a sleek corvette. Although Burbach and I are from different generations we agree on who the real high school prom king was. In my era, the real prom king came to the dance driving the new

Did you know that every passenger car and pickup truck rolling off the assembly line in 2015 will require some sort of specialty fluid — from transmission fluid to differential fluid to motor oil?Think about it. When was the last time you poured 10W-40? It wasn’t that long ago when 10W-40 was flowing freely from our bulk tanks. Just the other day I was talking to an operator who said he traded his 10W-30 drum space for 0W-20 synthetic-blend drums — and the 0W-20 is moving faster than the 10W-30 did! These days, you’ll be hard pressed to find

“Excess profit breeds ruinous competition.” — quote from Steve Hurt’s college economics professor in 1970.We would all like to have excess profit in the oil change industry. Our industry continues to evolve, as does every industry. The print and magazine industry has changed dramatically over the last five years. When e-readers and tablets like the iPad became popular, the word was print magazines would go out of business. The latest word is print drives digital. Would you rather read National Oil & Lube News on your computer or holding the actual magazine? Personally, I like holding the magazine, but everyone

Joanna Johnson’s article on warranty rights on page 16 means the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is being upheld for all oil change and repair shops across the USA. This is encouraging to all independent automotive shops that make repairs affordable to all of the population at a competitive price.Joanna Johnson does a nice job of briefly and concisely stating the way things are and how important it is for the independent to stand up for their rights. It takes skill and know-how to fight the car manufacturers. This is needed by the independent, and AOCA carries that job for the

AOCA’s 2015 International Fast Lube Expo recently wrapped up. I was disappointed I was unable to attend this year because I was recovering from knee replacement surgery. Trust me, I would have rather been in Orlando! However, we sent the team, and Eli, Tammy, Sheila and Geri brought back a great report.They said the educational sessions they attended were very informative. Some of their favorites were “Making Your Customers Love You By Giving Stellar Customer Service,” “Increase Profit 30 Percent in 30 Days” and “Canister Oil Filters – Common Issues and Problems.” Plus, our very own Ragan Holt had

Trade shows are in full swing this month, so I hope to see you as we are out and about in Orlando for iFLEX and later in the month we’ll be in Dallas for the Jiffy Lube show.This month we are also featuring our Tops in the Industry rankings. Looks like the industry just keeps rocking out. That’s music to my ears! You can see the rankings starting on page 16.Cabin Air FiltersHow many times have you caught a technician not checking a customer’s cabin air filter because, “It’s just not worth it?” The technician has to remove the

It’s February, and that means show season is right around the corner. Looks like the first one of the year is the International Fast Lube Expo, presented by the Automotive Oil Change Association. This year, iFLEX will be in Orlando, Florida, at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort, March 9-11. The show will be full of educational sessions, a trade show, family fun and a keynote speech by Dennis Snow, a longtime Disney executive and author of “Lessons From the Mouse.” For more information about Snow and a schedule of events, check out the article on page 52.There are two

Happy January! It’s that time of year when everyone is making New Year’s Resolutions. I’m falling back to my old standbys, but doesn’t everyone? However, if you’re looking for some new ideas, though, be sure to check out a few of our new series’ in the magazine — franchise spotlight (page 30), out-of-the box add-ons (page 38) and today’s technology (page 42).Making resolutions is a tradition for some, and at NOLN we have our traditions as well — the Fast Lube and Oil Change-Plus Programs Guide (page 14) and Vertical Outlook (page 46). One of my favorite articles in this