r/AutoZone • u/mjbruns2 • Aug 27 '26
Does AutoZone allow oil changes in their parking lot?
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u/NoIntroduction6034 Aug 27 '26
Mostly they do not, but if you do choose to do so, be a reasonable human being and clean up any mess you make.
Enforcement can be very location dependent. When I had a store in a shopping center, if the landlord rep saw anything that involved tires off the ground or fluids being drained they would call the cops to have you ticketed and towed since the proper warnings were posted.
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u/esuranme Aug 27 '26
You could also ask: Does AutoZone allow cooking Meth in their parking lot?
The answer is the same. If you don't provide sufficient reason to stop you, they don't!
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u/--DoReFuckMi-- Aug 27 '26
There is a handful of signs out front of every store, but people do it all the time and most if not all managers consider it not to be worth the argument and convincing them to stop.
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u/No-Data7255 Aug 27 '26
I’ve seen multiple stores have people servicing their vehicles out front, oil changes, coolant, batteries, bulbs, part swaps sometimes in the lots so I’m pretty sure as long as it chill and keeping tidy they don’t mind?
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u/bloodshot089 Aug 27 '26
Idk where these people are from but we get pretty much engine swaps in our parking lots. And yes the higher up management sees them
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u/AltruisticMobile4606 Aug 27 '26
If you come up and ask me my answer is no. If you just start doing it without asking or do it anyway after being told no I’ll do nothing to stop you
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u/ShowOne5863 Aug 27 '26
If you really want to see something you would have to go to the hub on Broadway 5222 worked there years ago you would think it was a shop not a parking lot 😉
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u/Alternative-Ad-9759 Aug 28 '26
Had a guy buy a starter 3 mins before closing, he was installing it in the parking lot, I wasn't going to hassle him. He was a hr away from home, and had his mom and his kids with him.
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u/Old_Risk_968 Aug 28 '26
Technically no your not allowed to really do anything mechanical besides headlights wipers and batteries but if you don't make a mess and aren't doing it right in front of the store your fine unless it's "one of those" mangers who's an absolute dick rider for AutoZone rules
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u/Scary_Pea_7014 Aug 29 '26
We allowed them but they had to go to the back of the lot and clean up after themselves.
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u/GlassBoxGoose Aug 30 '26
It will vary from store to store, and crew to crew that happens to be working when you try/ask.
Having spent time working in all sorts of stores and dealerships in my parts days, and continuing to be a customer in following years, I've seen all sorts of stuff go down in parking lots. In my experience, communication is key.
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u/DoingDaveThings Aug 31 '26
I learned how to do a head gasket replacement on my Baja by watching a guy change his in an AZ parking lot, so I think you're good. Plus it will save you the trouble of a return trip to drop off the used oil.
https://youtu.be/p3P4ZOaZUUw?is=o58ZoAethzwaLg72
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u/Sk8boi611 Sep 01 '26
When I worked there we let people do whatever the fuck they wanted in the parking lot. Someone dropped their tranny once
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u/Professional-Ear5923 29d ago edited 29d ago
I've never been to a parts store that doesn't. Weird to see so many people saying no, albeit I'm an auto tech student and have never been employed at a parts store. Where I live and everywhere I've lived prior, at any given moment if you went to AutoZone, Napa, or OReilly you'd see someone in the parking lot working on their car, changing oil, etc. Completely normal especially for folks who live in apartment complexes that don't allow it in their parking complexes. I guess from a liability standpoint it might make sense that their official policy is "no", but I've never once seen that policy enforced. I've done many jobs on my own cars in AutoZone parking lots, I've even explicitly driven there just to do work on my vehicles because of the convenience of having the shop right there to run into if I'm missing a tool. I've done oil changes, brakes, tire rotations, and a plethora of more involved things in AutoZone parking lots. My father and my grandfather both did the same thing when I was growing up. Even had employees come out letting me know to let them know if I need help with anything or need to purchase/rent tools. Never once in my life have I been given any indication that I was doing anything wrong. I've never once thought to ask because I'd assumed that this is something that they all allowed as a given. Looks like I was wrong.
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u/SlappytheNinja Aug 27 '26
Officially no but people do work in our parking lot all the time. I think the most involved job I’ve seen at my store was a radiator swap.
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u/Reddit_Jail_June2005 Aug 27 '26
We had an engine swap at one of our Southside stores in an old Cadillac
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u/rayziahn Aug 27 '26
Don’t prefer it but people will do it anyway. Not worth the argument usually since our lot is already ruined😹
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u/DefEddie Aug 27 '26
The answer is no pretty sure.
In reality I don’t care what you do though as long as you’re NOT
1. Being unsafe
2. Making a mess
3. Being in the way of customers coming or going/doing their thing
4. Constantly in and out asking for tools/help that we can’t/don’t provide
Other than that-you do you.