CU
Char Upchurch
Feb 25, 2026
Decided to go to Grease Monkey to get a quick oil change and have them put in my new headlight bulb. I usually do these on my own, but decided to spoil myself and have the 'pros' do it this time.
Just a little background on me: I was raised by and around mechanics, have a brother who is a certified mechanic, as well as worked in a tire and oil shop myself, and at 53 years old, have only ever had someone else change my oil or headlights 3 or 4 times, and it was because it was freezing outside and I just didn't want to be out in the weather.
So my car goes into the garage before I even get inside, and the hood goes up. I sit down with a cup of coffee and a man walks in with a filthy air filter. Go ahead, change it. Comes back, car needs radiator service, brake fluid service, transmission service. I'll have to schedule those for next pay day.
Another man comes in 20 minutes later. Umm, when I was checking the air pressure in your tires, the valve stem just snapped off one of them, but it's really common with these metal valve stems, so we need to replace it, so its gonna be another 10 minutes and your car will be ready to go. But don't worry, we won't charge you for it.
20 minutes later the first guy comes back and rings up my total. He asks if I have any coupons. No, I had the little magazine but I forgot it. Its alright, I'll give you the discount anyway.
Thanks! Glacier Values coupon saved me $20.
Oh, and we couldn't change your headlight bulb because all the screws are stripped out.
Really? They weren't before.
Oh, and your TPMS light is on now because we put a new valve stem on that tire but we didn't have a pressure sensor to put in it.
Have a nice day.
I called Les Schwab and asked about the pressure sensor, and told them what had happened. They were shocked that I had been told it was common for them to break.
So now I'm on my way to Les Schwab to pay $45 for a new sensor for the tire that got the valve stem so easily busted off of, then to the hardware store to buy a stripped screw bit to remove the screws that they stripped, and new screws to replace them, and I will then change my headlight bulb myself.
Needless to say, I will not be going to Grease Monkey on Tree Line Drive again.
I'm not sure if they treat all women this way, or just older women, or if today was just my lucky day?