All posts by stuart

From Our Customers: Love This Place!

Oil Can Henry's in San Francisco, California
Oil Can Henry’s – San Francisco, CA: 300 7th Street (at Folsom)

Oil Can Henry’s – San Francisco, CA:
5 out of 5 stars on Yelp
Love this place!
Friendly, caring, efficient, knowledgeable, reasonably-priced, and modern in their customer care.
Services are done while (you sit) in your car monitoring progress on a video screen, their menu of services is clear and transparent. I wish all the oil changes are like this one. Unfortunately many haven’t changed a bit since 1999.
~ Lindsey O.
San Francisco, CA

Anniversaries: Full Steam Ahead in Bremerton

Oil Can Henry's in Bremerton, Washington
Oil Can Henry’s in Bremerton, Washington: 5793 State Highway 303 N.E.

The U.S. Navy has played a central role in the life of Bremerton, Wash., for the community’s entire history.
The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard was established in 1891, a full decade before Bremerton was incorporated, and has operated uninterrupted since.
The shipyard was a flurry of activity during World War I as workers built 25 subchasers, seven submarines, two minesweepers, seven seagoing tugs, two ammunition ships, and about 1,700 small boats.
During World War II, the shipyard supported U.S. and Allied fleets by repairing damaged battleships and returning them to action.
Today, Naval Base Kitsap is the Pacific Northwest’s largest naval shore facility and provides the Navy with maintenance, modernization, and technical and logistics support.
Visitors to Bremerton can immerse themselves in naval history with visits to the Puget Sound Navy Museum and USS Turner Joy Museum Ship (a Naval Destroyer). They can also enjoy festivals such as the Bremerton Summer Brewfest (July15-16), Kitsap Wine Festival (August 13) and Bremerton Blackberry Festival (Sept. 3-5).
Bremerton also serves as a perfect home base for visits to Seattle (a scenic, 60-minute ferry ride across Puget Sound) and awe-inspiring Olympic National Park (just 54 miles to the north).
Oil Can Henry’s has proudly served the community for a decade. We opened our Bremerton service center on July 5, 2006, and truly enjoy the opportunity to provide quick, convenient vehicle maintenance that drivers trust.
Thank you — and great job! — to our hard-working team of friendly, trained technicians in Bremerton.
We’d also like to recognize the eight other Oil Can Henry’s service centers also celebrating July anniversaries. Congratulations to:

 
Sources:

From Our Customers: The Most Pleasant Experience

Oil Can Henry's in Sumner, Washington
Oil Can Henry’s in Sumner, Washington: 1313 Valley Avenue

Oil Can Henry’s – Sumner, WA:
5 out of 5 stars on Yelp
I just had the most pleasant experience having the oil changed in my vehicle. What professional, courteous and friendly people.
As they go through their oil change procedure, they shout out everything they’re doing. Then they show you your oil dipstick so you can be assured that they actually did fill it to the proper level.
This was just a very, very, very nice experience.
~ RaeAn C.
Kent, WA

Anniversaries: So Much to Choose from in Wenatchee

Oil Can Henry's in East Wenatchee, Washington
Oil Can Henry’s – East Wenatchee, Washington: 159 Valley Mall Parkway

Washington’s Wenatchee Valley offers residents and visitors an abundance of choices.
Thirsty? Dozens of wineries, breweries and cideries provide exceptional locally-crafted beverages.
Hungering for tasty, fresh food? The Wenatchee Valley is home to a vast array of agriculture, including apple, pear, cherry, and produce farms. In June, farmers are busy harvesting asparagus, apricots and cherries.
Feeling the call of the wild? The Wenatchee Valley, which enjoys 300 days of sun every year and four distinct seasons, provides a smorgasboard of outdoor activities to keep you happy. With hiking, boating, biking, golfing, camping, and fishing, there’s something to enjoy any time of the year.
Oil Can Henry’s joined the Wentachee Valley community seven years ago, when we opened service centers in Wenatchee (May 20) and East Wenatchee (June 3).
While local drivers have a choice of vehicle maintenance providers, we’re proud that they continue to choose Oil Can Henry’s and our trusted service in ever-increasing numbers.
A tip of our Gatsby cap to the hard working teams of Oil Can Henry’s technicians in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. Thank you for providing quick, convenient and thorough service that drivers trust!
Congratulations, too, to the fantastic teams at these five centers, which are also celebrating June anniversaries:

From Our Customers: Getting the Job Done Accurately and Efficiently

Oil Can Henry's in Soquel, California
Oil Can Henry’s – Soquel, California: 2878 South Rodeo Gulch Road

Oil Can Henry’s – Soquel, CA:
The staff was courteous, informative and friendly and I love that you get to stay in your car for service.
I especially appreciate that they have a monitor next to the driver’s side window where you can watch the technician do the work and see for yourself that they’re getting the job done accurately and efficiently.
The old school outfits topped it off for me and made me smile, thus the 5 stars wasn’t a question for me.
~ Gina R.
Santa Cruz, CA

Weird Traffic Laws You Have to See to Believe

Weird Traffic LawsWhile most of us can cite a traffic law or two that just rubs us the wrong way, we understand that those laws were enacted with good intentions.
There are, however, a few that have clearly outlived their original purpose, didn’t make sense to begin with or are oddly specific. For example, it’s apparently illegal to read a comic book while driving in Oklahoma (no word if you’re OK cracking open a copy of War and Peace) or to frown at a police officer in New Jersey.
We’ve navigated the Internet and collected the following examples from the states where drivers do, fortunately, have the right to enjoy oil changes and other fast, friendly preventive maintenance services at their local Oil Can Henry’s. Enjoy!
CALIFORNIA:
It’s against the law for women to drive in a housecoat.
In Glendale, it’s against the law to jump out of a car traveling more than 65 MPH.
In Chico, you’re not allowed to plant rutabagas in the street.
COLORADO:
Denver prohibits driving a black car on Sunday. (While that sounds restrictive, Minneapolis traffic law goes even further by prohibiting the driving of a red car on Lake Street at any time.)
IDAHO:
Nonagenarians with an affinity for motorcycles may want to avoid Idaho Falls, where it’s illegal for anyone over the age of 88 to ride a motorcycle.
OREGON:
Drivers who are driving on a sidewalk (we thought for sure there would be a law against that) are required to yield to pedestrians.
It’s also against the law to use your vehicle to “prove your physical endurance”.
WASHINGTON:
In an admirable attempt to keep its citizenry safe, Washington state requires that motorists with criminal intentions stop at the city limits and telephone the chief of police prior to entering town.
 
Don’t worry, we didn’t forget about Arizona. Our research uncovered references to a law in the city of Glendale that prohibits driving vehicles in reverse, but we also found numerous posts disputing its existence. So, it appears lawmakers in the The Grand Canyon State are on the ball.
Reflecting on the  above list, our everyday traffic laws seem downright reasonable. So, get out there and enjoy the open road.
Safe motoring from all of us at Oil Can Henry’s!
 
Resources:

Anniversaries: A History of Success on Route 26

Oil Can Henry's in Tanasbourne, Oregon
Oil Can Henry’s – Tanasbourne, Oregon: 2055 N.W. Town Center Drive

U.S. Route 26 is rich with history.
Portions of the highway retrace the original Oregon Trail as it travels from Ogallala, Nebraska, through Wyoming and Idaho on its way west to the Oregon coast.
The stretch of highway that runs from Downtown Portland to the coast was nicknamed Sunset Highway for the sunset emblem worn by the Portland-based 41st Infantry Division, which, according to the Oregon Historical Society, was among the  first U.S. troops to deploy in WWII after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
In the late 1970s, a large retail development named Tanasbourne was established along the highway, 11 miles west of downtown Portland. As detailed by Wikipedia, the name is “a hybrid of the Middle English term bourn and tenas from the Chinook jargon. The latter term translates as small and the former as creek, giving the term tanasbourne the meaning of small, pretty creeks.”
The Oil Can Henry’s – Tanasbourne service center opened its doors two decades ago, on May 13, 1996, to serve local drivers and employees of burgeoning nearby companies such as Intel and Nike.
The center has grown with the community and today is renowned for the quick, convenient and thorough service provided by its friendly, trained technicians.
Congratulations to the fantastic crew at Oil Can Henry’s in Tanasbourne, Oregon. Thanks for your hard work!
And a tip of our Gatsby to the five other centers celebrating May anniversaries:
* Corvallis, OR. 14 years (5/4/02)
* Florence, OR. 8 years (5/23/08)
* Newport, OR. 14 years (5/13/02)
* Sierra Vista, AZ. 27 years (5/18/89)
* Wenatchee, WA. 7 years (5/20/09)

From Our Customers: Good People. Great Work.

Oil Can Henry's in Albany, Oregon
Oil Can Henry’s – Albany, Oregon: 1757 Pacific Blvd. S.E.

Oil Can Henry’s – Albany, Oregon:
First time at Oil Can Henry’s since I moved to Oregon.
I’m cheap and usually go for whatever I can find that’s fast and inexpensive.
Not only were these guys reasonably priced but I loved that they communicated with me about all aspects of my car. They looked at everything I was curious on and I left fully satisfied.
I highly recommend this spot. Good people. Great work. I’ll be back for sure.
~ Josh N.

From Our Customers: Exceptional Communication

Oil Can Henry's in Antioch, California
Oil Can Henry’s – Antioch, California: 2749 Hillcrest Avenue

Oil Can Henry’s – Antioch, California:
What a slick little place to get your oil changed!
I’d brought a book to read in a waiting-room but I didn’t even get out of my car, as they have you drive into the garage and stay in it while they change your oil and complete inspections.
It’s a neat process and there’s exceptional communication going on in that garage which is not only entertaining to listen to, but confirms what’s being serviced and inspected.
It’s a fun little time-warp feeling with the older era clothing. The whole time I wished I had my nephews with me; they would have been ecstatic to watch it all.
I went first thing in the morning and was in and out in record time.
~ Courtney D.
San Diego, CA

April Showers: 9 Tips for Safe Spring Driving

April Showers: 9 Tips for Safe Spring DrivingWhile it’s true April showers bring the promise of beautiful May flowers, the often rainy Spring weather we “enjoy” in April can also create treacherous driving conditions.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, there are more than 1.2 million weather-related vehicle crashes every year. The overwhelming majority of those crashes occur on wet pavement (73%) or when it is raining (46%).
Here are nine vehicle maintenance and driving tips to help you enjoy safe driving during the wet Spring months ahead:
 
VEHICLE MAINTENANCE
Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Over-inflated and under-inflated tires are unsafe, can reduce fuel economy and increase the likelihood of hydroplaning on wet roads.
Check your tire tread. Most new passenger car tires have a tread depth of 10/32″ or 11/32″. While tires with 2/32″ or less tread should definitely be replaced, keep in mind that tires can begin to lose their effectiveness before that point. Learn more, including how to test your tire tread with a penny, with this informative post from Les Schwab.
Make sure you can see and be seen. Improve visibility by replacing worn wiper blades to help ensure you can see the road and other vehicles. Check that your headlights, brake lights and turn signals are operating correctly so other drivers can see you. Wipe off your headlights occasionally; you may be surprised how much that can improve their effectiveness.
Test your brakes. Watch and listen for signs your brakes are wearing out. If your vehicle pulls to one side or if you hear grinding or squealing when you brake, have your vehicle inspected right away. It may be time for a brake repair.
 
ON THE ROAD
Increase the distance between you and other vehicles in rainy conditions. Stopping on wet pavement can require two to three times more distance than on dry pavement. So, be sure to leave plenty of room between yourself and the vehicle ahead of you.
Know what to do if your vehicle hydroplanes. Hydroplaning occurs when a layer of water gets between the tires and the road and the tires lose contact with the road. If your vehicle starts to hydroplane,  the Oregon Department of Transportation recommends that you take your foot off the gas pedal,  gently apply the brakes and steer straight ahead until your vehicle regains traction.
Turn your lights on. Drive with your low-beam headlights on, day and night, to increase your visibility to other drivers.
Be careful of standing water, which could flood your engine and do significant harm to your vehicle. If you can, drive around large puddles, running water and flooded streets. If you can’t, proceed slowly so you can stop and back out if needed.
Watch for potholes. Winter weather can be particularly tough on our roads. Keep your eyes open for potholes that, if you hit them, could damage your vehicle. But don’t swerve suddenly to avoid a pothole; by doing so, you could cause an accident of a different sort.
 
Resources for this article:
Oregon Department of Transportation
U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration
AAA