Flagship FastLube
My poor car has had an ordeal or two recently but it always appreciates a nice oil change, complete with clean air filter and topped-off fluids! Flagship FastLube in Waipio was a place that I stumbled on by accident (probably because I was hanging out at Mililani cemetery, or Costco which is right next door).
For only $39.95 they will change your oil, change your oil filter, top-off your other fluids (water, transmission fluid, brake fluid, etc.), check the air in your tires, check the belts and hoses, and the list goes on. They were so efficient, friendly and trustworthy, that I made sure to return a few months later for another go ’round!
Fortunately for us (me and my car) we were right on time so there was no sludge in the engine or anything like that. Flagship changed the oil while I waited over at Seattle’s Best coffee shop a door or two away and then we were off and “on the road again!”
Don’t even let me start talking about what I have experienced or the things I have seen happen to other car owners when dealing with oil changes done by other companies. I was skittish when I went to Flagship for the first time because they were new and unknown to me. Now, I wouldn’t go anywhere else. I also wouldn’t recommend anyone else!
There are also some very quiet but helpful things that they do, too. If they see something wrong, they’ll tell you. The reminder sticker that they place in a quiet corner of your windshield never fades and you can still read it no matter how old it gets — the ink does not smear! I can always tell exactly how many miles I have to go before it’s time to change the oil again.
Since I don’t use my car an awful lot, it was actually several months before it was time to return for another oil change. By that time, other things had started to go wrong. The battery cables were loose and required a shake now and then. It is not good to have your car die on you at the most inopportune times. A dead engine at a traffic light in Kalihi, at night, is BAD news when the light turns green and you have to jump out and shake the cables!
Flagship tightened those cables without even blinking. I asked if they could, and they did. While completely unrelated to an oil change, there were no questions, and there was no charge. All done. On the road again without having to pop the hood!
Life is good when you have things to do and you can rely on your car. Then there comes a time when you’re pressed for time and end up in Kalaeloa with a nail in your tire! Great! I’m at least three miles away from anything or anyplace with an air hose or a service station. My car and I take a risk and make it to Kapolei before the last remaining air runs out of our now almost-to-the-rim flat tire. At least it wasn’t one of my two new tires.
Whew, we made it! Service stations with air hoses! Since there were no mechanics to fix anything, the only thing left to do was fill up the tire with air and fly to Waipahu in search of an open tire place, or something. I’m trying to stay calm as I only have about 30 minutes to fix this flat and get to Mililani Town Center which was at least 15 or 20 minutes away.
Wait! I see a place with people working on cars! There were a lot of cars and the line was long. I told the young woman behind the counter about my predicament. I asked her if they fixed flats and she confirmed that for me. Then I asked her how long it would take. She went to check if they could help me with my time predicament. Yep! They took me right away.
Of course while I’m waiting I have to take pictures of this new and wonderful place that is helping me. It was only then, that I noticed the word “Flagship.” Now I’m excited!
“Don’t you have a location in Mililani? You know, by Costco?”
“In Waipio? Yeah.”
“Really? You guys are my company, you change my oil! I didn’t know you had a place in Kapolei! Maybe I’m in your computer!”
I think I was but now I don’t remember. Irrelevant. I paid about $20 and was on my way to Mililani in no time! I even got there ahead of schedule!
The little sign you see to the right was found at the Kapolei location of Flagship. If that’s their mantra, I can certainly go with that! Yep, it’s on their website too! You will also find their other available locations listed there as well.
I was hoping to find them on Facebook but they’re not there, yet. We have to work on this! I told them that Lex Brodie’s is there so they should be too!
Thanks, Flagship, for keeping my old girl reliable! Please, Beanie (that’s the car), no more drama for a while? Flagship has successfully added itself to my list of darling companies!