Indiana Jiffy Lube: A Family's Story
The Terrells have been saving motorist's time since 1977.
Hoosier families have created a remarkable number of innovations with nationwide impact. These families are true pioneers in their fields. Case in point: The Terrells and the drive-through oil change.
In 1977, to change the oil in your car you had to get out a dishpan, jack your car up, crawl under, drain the oil, change the filter and refill the engine with lubricant. Great if you have the day off and don't mind oil spots on your jeans.
Or you could go to the neighborhood gas station garage or car dealership and wait for two hours reading old magazines and drinking day old coffee.
Doug Terrell and his business partner Bill Gruppe had other ideas. They wanted to create a place where you drove your car in, waited a few minutes in your car or in a nice clean lobby, got your oil changed then drove out in a jiffy.
In 1977 these two Hoosiers started a quick oil change store named McQuik's, in Muncie, later opening more stores in Indianapolis. At first people didn't know what a McQuik's was. It took time, along with some advertising, and people finally came around to the convenience and professionalism of a drive-through oil change. A new niche auto business was born.
Doug Terrell's idea was so successful the Quaker State Oil Company bought their company, and wanted Doug to manage them as the quick oil change business surged across the country in the 1980s and 90s.
After a while, Quaker State wanted him to move to Texas, "I had kids in school here, and I wasn't interested," says Doug.
So the Terrells bought back 10 franchises, one of them the original Kokomo Jiffy Lube at 1226 East Markland Avenue that they had opened in 1980 along with a second Kokomo location Doug had built in 1995 on U.S. 931 at 3711 South Reed Road.
As the drive-through oil change business expanded, the Terrells and their franchises still provided the same great service, selling Quaker State products.
In 1999, Shell and Pennzoil bought out Quaker State and changed the name of their stores to Jiffy Lube.
Doug Terrell has since sold the company, Indiana Auto Care Jiffy Lube, to his son Chad, his daughter Rachel, and his son-in-law E.J. Williams. They still run Indiana Jiffy Lube with the same excellent customer service, innovation, and quality Pennzoil products. But Doug still likes to get involved. In fact through the years the whole family got involved,
"My dad ran the one in Marion...then my mom ran it, then my brother ran it, plus the the one in Kokomo."
So remember when you need an oil change, tires, or a battery, go to the family who started it all and for three generations has taken care of Indiana's oil change and car maintenance needs.
For your next oil change, battery, brakes or tire purchase visit one of the two Kokomo Jiffy Lube locations, 1226 East Markland Avenue and 3711 South Reed Road, US 931.
For more information, coupons for discounted oil changes and other car maintenance go to,
https://indianajiffylube.com/#locations
