'It’s A Half Hour Job': Woman Goes To Walmart For An Oil Change. 90 Minutes Later, She's Still Waiting—She Thinks She Knows Why

Calling ahead before a service appointment is supposed to save you time. But showing up with a reservation doesn't always mean someone’s actually ready for you. 

One woman found that out at her local Walmart Auto Care Center, and now others are saying that you should steer clear of Walmart’s car care altogether.

Walmart Auto Care Center Visit Gone Wrong

In a trending video with more than 20,000 views, content creator Madz (@madzrocks_) says she called ahead to a Walmart Auto Care Center for an oil change and was told to come on in.

"I called ahead, and they said there was nobody in here and they could get me right in," she shares.

But when she showed up, they kept her waiting far longer than she expected.

"I came in here for an oil change, and it's been like over an hour and a half, and I'm still here," she says.

Confused about the holdup, she asked an employee what was going on. Turned out there were only two people working. 

"Walmart, you gotta step up your game, man, because this is crazy,” she says, adding that she still had an eight-hour drive ahead of her. 

"Seriously what is up with this. Oil changes should be 20-30 mins max," she wrote in the caption.

Madz also shared an update in a comment, stating that after waiting two hours, the technician came out and told her they “don’t have the right tools to change my oil.” She added that she drives a BMW 3 Series.

How Long Is An Oil Change Actually Supposed To Take?

At a quick-lube-style operation, AutoZone puts a typical oil change window at 15 to 45 minutes, depending on how many cars are already ahead in line. 

Walk in with nobody waiting, and a straightforward oil and filter swap can take as little as 15 minutes. Full-service shops tend to run closer to 30 to 60 minutes, mostly because they usually bundle in a multi-point inspection—brakes, tires, fluids, belts—alongside the oil change itself. 

Conventional oil adds a few extra minutes on top of either estimate, since it's thicker (especially if it's cold) and drains more slowly than synthetic.

Walmart Auto Care Centers Get An Update

Walmart has run in-store auto service since 1979, when its first center opened in Claremore, Oklahoma. Today, it operates Auto Care Centers in roughly 2,600 stores nationwide, with tire installs starting at $5 and oil changes starting at $27, according to Newsweek. 

The company is currently piloting a redesigned version called the "Auto Care Center of the Future," Axios reported. 

The first opened in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with nine more pilots rolling out this year across Texas, Georgia, West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. 

The new setup runs through the Walmart app. Customers schedule an appointment, check in on arrival, drop their keys into a smart locker, and track their vehicle's progress in real time while they shop. 

The pilot is starting with tire installations only, with other services like oil changes and battery replacements expected to follow later. 

‘NEVER TAKE YOUR CAR THERE’

The comments were full of people trading their own Walmart Auto Center stories and opinions.

“Same dude changing your oil was the cart pusher a month ago. Not the best place to go for a oil change.... LOL,” a top comment read. 

“Taking a BMW to Walmart for an oil change is like microwaving a steak,” a person said.

“Nah walmart pays us 18 an hour we js always short on techs theres always only 2-3 maybe 4 people working if lucky,” a person who seemingly works at Walmart shared.

“Do it your self,” a commenter suggested.

Motor1 reached out to Madz via TikTok direct message and comment, to Walmart via email, and to BMW via email. We'll be sure to update this if they respond.