That customer who argued with me about synthetic oil still bothers me

Guy comes into my shop in Omaha about 2 years ago with a 2008 Honda Civic. I recommend full synthetic since it's got 120k miles. He starts going off about how synthetic oil is a scam and how his uncle ran dino oil for 200k miles no problems. I tried to explain the difference in viscosity breakdown and heat resistance but he wouldn't listen. Told me I was just trying to upsell him. He ended up walking out and I never saw him again. Do you guys even bother explaining or just let them do what they want?

2 comments

2 Comments

martin.riley5d ago

...and honestly, you probably dodged a bullet. That kind of customer would've been back complaining about something else later anyway. In my experience, some people just have to learn the hard way. You gave him good advice, he chose to ignore it. That's on him, not you.

thomas_sanchez5d ago

You mentioned "his uncle ran dino oil for 200k miles no problems" - that's the part that always gets me. People don't realize their uncle's 1978 Chevy with a pushrod V8 is nothing like a modern Civic with variable valve timing and tight tolerances. Those older engines had looser clearances and didn't generate as much heat. Plus they burned off sludge easier. Modern engines are designed around synthetic oil properties. So that uncle's experience just doesn't translate.