Is it reasonable for a shop to take 75 min for an oil change while you wait?
Only if they run into a problem.
Tester
We run into problems every day; 10 customers waiting for oil changes.
Tell them to raise the prices, that should help reduce waiting time.
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I was there when they opened.
There were no other cars he was working on.
There were no problems.
Then, that’s too long of a wait.
Tester
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Sure, but then I have the tires rotated at the same time. If
I choose to wait rather than take their shuttle service, I walk over to the diner and have breakfast.
Maybe there was work left over from the day before and they needed to clear the bay before pulling your car in.
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Did you have an appointment?? If not, and they had appointments, the appointments go 1st…
Plus did you have your tires rotated while there?? Or have an engine or cabin air filter etc replaced, they may have had to order it in…
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Maybe Robert Gift opened a garage?
75 minutes? This would be the speedy service version of oil change; drained until one drip per 5 minutes versus the standard service of overnight drainage 
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Suggest to not make the shop feel rushed. They may be taking extra time to inspect your car while it is on the lift, looking for upcoming problems to warn you about. When I do my own diy’er oil changes while under the car I’m also looking at the exhaust system, CV boots, steering and suspension system, underside of radiator and other signs of fluid leaks, etc. I also lube the hood latch mechanism and the door hinges as part of the job. I shop-vacuum any debris from the area at the bottom of the windshield too.
Suggest to leave the car at the shop and have breakfast somewhere, or do some shopping, by the time you get back, the car will be ready for you to pick up.
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You say it took 75 Minutes to change your oil, or was it only that you had to wait that long for them to change your oil? Sometimes it takes a cup or two of coffee to get the juices going… Sometimes they have to wait for the oil “to drain back into the oil pan…” Sometimes they have to wait for “all the oil to drain out of the pan…” Perhaps they had misplaced their “Left-Hand, Counter-Clock Wise, Speed Wrench…”
I could go on, but since you were the first customer, there are very few good reasons for you not getting the “Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma’am!…” service…
Really depends on the vehicle. I had to remove the splash guard on my 1998 Nissan Pathfinder to get to the filter. After my 5th oil change I added a door in the splash guard to make it easier. But without that door it does add time to remove the 10 bolts.
Some vehicles (like certain corvettes) have a dry pump system which will surely add time.
I also know that it took a lot longer to change the oil on my 4runner when I was teaching my son how to do it.
The Bugatti oil change which takes 24 HOURS and costs $21,000.
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If I am getting just an oil change and tire rotation, I bring a book with me, even though they offer a loaner vehicle. If it is going to be a more-extensive service visit, then I take their offer of a loaner vehicle.
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Depends on the shop and what you mean by “oil change”.
Car arrives. Staff goes out to the car with a tablet, scans the VIN, enters odometer, does a walk around and notes/photos any body damage. Goes into office, opens a repair order, tags the keys, and prints out window sticker. Verifies oil and filter in stock, brings keys to tech and says “waiter here”.
Tech stops what he’s doing and goes to the car. Takes car on “short loop” road test to check for noises, vibration, brake noises, and checks A/C heater operation. Checks wiper/washer operation. Pulls into stall and checks horn and all exterior lights. Performs underhood visual inspection and photos/notes any needs, checks air and cabin filters, examines fluid levels and condition. Top off washer fluid.
Raises vehicle, performs basic chassis inspection, measures tire tread depth and checks/adjusts air pressure. Removes splash guards as needed and drains oil, changes filter. Inspects diff/transfer/transmission fluids as applicable. Install new drain plug gasket.
Lowers vehicle, fills engine oil. Starts engine and verifies oil pressure. Lets engine run while cleaning windshield, then raises car to verify no leaks and puts splash guards back up if needed. Lowers car, resets oil life/maintenance reminder as needed and parks car facing the exit.
That was our basic oil change service at the shop I managed up until 2 years ago. How long would you expect that service to take? There is never a time when a tech is standing there waiting for your car. If he’s not actively working on something he’s wasting time and money. There may not be any “problems” but something as simple as needing to grab a new roll of reminder stickers for the printer can add time to the process.
So yes, 75 min is reasonable. We always told customers to plan for an hour for an oil change.
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I wonder if some of the employees were late.
For a dealership; yeah, usually at least an hour in my experience. That would be an oil change, tire-rotation, and whatever inspections they may or may not actually do.
For a Jiffy-Lube type place; no, not even close, they’ll have you out in around 20-25 minutes, and they’ll be cheaper, but it can be a risky endeavor, as a lot of these places hire just about anyone, training (if any) is comparatively trivial, and they are more interested in selling you a $70 air filter replacement or service.
If you’re doing it yourself, it varies on your vehicle and your level of experience. On my old Bronco it was a 20 minute (at most) affair. I could slide under the vehicle, no ramps needed, drain the oil, change the filter, slide back out, dump in six quarts and that was it. On my current Mustang, I let the dealership handle it as for $60 + tax, they change the oil and rotate the tires. Not even the independent shops can match that. If I had to do it myself, it would take a while as i’d have to build up a ramp out of 2x4s just to get the car onto my low profile ramps, and even then it would be a chore as I’m older and fatter than I was 20 years ago, so I’m paying someone else to do it these days.
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They are pushing it a bit, but it really depends on the shop.
What to do on a long wait was addressed on a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode, comedy. Larry & Jeff (L’s manager) are sitting on the plane, just before departing on a long flight.
Larry [reaches into bag and pulls out a magazine]: Jeff, aren’t you going to read anything?
Jeff: No
Larry: Do you mean you are just going to sit there for 5 hours with nothing to read?
Jeff: Yes
Larry: Why didn’t your bring something to read?
Jeff: I enjoy the trip better just sitting here
To each his own I guess … lol …
Yup!
It just amazes me that some people are content to either stare into space for extended periods of time, or to gaze into their Smartphone constantly. I know that, for me, the time passes much more quickly if I have a good book to read. But, to each his own, I guess.
My nextdoor neighbor spends most of his day sitting on his deck, staring into space. Once in a while, he gets up to mow his lawn–for the 2nd or 3rd time that week. Once a week or so, he gets his Corvette out of the garage for a short ride.
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I had a production manager come up to me years ago and tell me the production folks were all bent out of shape when they walked past engineering department to see people sitting there staring into space. He told them, when you see an engineer doing that, they’re working on a problem in their heads. Glad to see he understood vs complaining to HR… 
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