Valvoline Instant Oil Change — Attraction in Los Angeles

I’ve been coming to this spot since the beginning of the year now. They’re fine with the oil changes, but I would not trust them with anything else beyond the basics - the staff have very limited actual understanding of cars despite the confidence they put up, and they are very eager to upsell and take advantage of your trust.

I went in for a regular oil change and the worker recommended I replace my battery, making it sound very urgent. Weird because it had never been mentioned in any of my previous visits. But I trusted them and reluctantly purchased the battery for an additional $300ish after she showed me the test results saying it was overdue and almost dead and whatnot.

They replaced it, and then the car would start for a second and then die, over and over again. Their faces were so confused and one worker even said “that’s so weird” - they clearly had no clue what was happening. So after a pretty long time of just repeating the same thing (taking the battery out, putting it back in, again and again), they did some random tests and suddenly said that the alternator was bad and that I needed to get it fixed. They said that’s why the old battery went bad, because the alternator was draining it (even though previously they had said the old battery was bad because it was out of date). They said I would need to have the alternator replaced, at least $400-600, on top of the cost of towing. I was completely shocked - I had just paid for an unexpected battery on their recommendation, and now, I was facing an additional unplanned and extreme expense because I did the very thing they recommended. The manager told me that she herself had an alternator problem in the past and that the car suddenly just died on the road, that I would need to get it towed, another expense. In hindsight, I wonder how much of what she said was even true, or just something she told me to make me believe her.

They pushed my car to the side and gave me a referral for a mechanic all the way in Silverlake, despite all the local shops. Then essentially I was just left on my own to figure it out. I called 4 different shops in the area, and thank goodness I called Pinkie’s just down the road. The guy on the phone at Pinkie’s took the time to listen to what had happened and said it didn’t make any sense - if my alternator was bad then I shouldn’t have been able to even drive it to Valvoline in the first place. He said that likely it was just that the folks at Valvoline left the car idle too long in-between replacing the battery, and the car’s computer reset or something. He then instructed me to try and gas it gently, and if it stabilized then to drive and reverse it a bit. And if I could do that, then I should just try to drive it to Pinkie’s a few blocks down the road on Melrose. I did as he instructed and the car seemed to start and work just fine.

So I decided to just drive it down to Pinkie’s, though I was extremely nervous the whole time since the manager at Valvoline had just told me about how her car broke down in the road because of the alternator. But I was able to drive it and make it just fine. The folks at Pinkie’s were real experts and so reassuring. They checked my alternator and found NO issues at all, they didn’t charge me anything. They said that I should be good to drive it home. I’ve been driving it this whole weekend with no issues.

I give 2 stars and not 1 star to this Valvoline because the manager did say to contact them if the mechanic said it was something that Valvoline did, and she was trying to be helpful I think. But overall, rating very low because (1) upsell and fear tactics, abusing trust, (2) lack of experienced / knowledgeable staff - you’d think at least one person on their team would be experienced enough to know what was happening, especially given that this is a supposedly common service, but unfortunately they were just as confused; and (3) absolutely unnecessary stress on me, worrying about towing my car, how to get to work, potentially paying an additional $500-1000 because of their extreme...

I recently visited Valvoline Instant Oil Change in Los Angeles, and overall, I had a very positive experience. If you're looking for a quick, hassle-free oil change with professional service, this is a solid option.

What I liked:

Speed: True to their name, they had me in and out in about 15–20 minutes. No appointment needed, which is perfect for a busy schedule.

Transparency: The technicians walked me through everything they were doing and didn’t push unnecessary upsells. They showed me the oil level, filters, and even topped off other fluids.

Customer Service: The team was friendly, knowledgeable, and didn’t mind answering a few of my questions about maintenance tips.

Convenience: I didn’t even have to get out of the car. Perfect for a quick stop during a lunch break or errand run.

Room for improvement:

Price: It’s not the cheapest oil change out there. With synthetic oil and a filter, it can cost a bit more than your local mechanic or doing it yourself. But you’re paying for speed and convenience.

Wait Time (Sometimes): Depending on the time of day, there can be a short line. I went early, so it wasn’t an issue, but I've seen it busier during weekends or rush hour.

Final Verdict: If you're in the LA area and want a no-fuss, professional oil change, Valvoline delivers. It's a bit pricier than some other options, but the time saved and quality of service...

WOW! After arriving to Jiffylube, they told me they were closed even though the signage said they were open. I pass by Valvoline and pulled in. They greated me immediately, asked what I needed, told me they would assist me, gave me safety instructions, and thanked me for stopping by. While I was getting my oil changed they went through the other recommendations based on my cars age and such. I did an extra thing or two that I had not anticipated. They were so fast and efficient with getting me taken care of. Towards the end, I asked what time they close and they had already been closed for about 15 minutes. WOW. Unlike JiffyLube, they did not turn me away. They did not even tell me they were closed. Ontop of that, the fact that they did not lessen my customer experience by not going over the additional recommendations showed me they were not worried about getting out of work "on time" but rather they were super professional and genuinely concerned about providing me a great experience. Upon being complete, they again thanked me for stopping by and asked me to return in the future when my vehicle needs services. I absolutely will. This was an amazing experience that I had NEVER had at any car maintenance shop, ever. Thank you so very much Valvoline Team. You are miles above other...