Wichita car dealerships offer free oil changes for laid-off workers, Longwell says
Wichita workers laid off this year won’t have to let their car engines deteriorate while they look for work.
Rusty Eck Ford and Midwest Kia are offering free oil changes for workers laid off this year, said former Mayor Jeff Longwell, who became director of community outreach at Eck Auto Group after leaving office last month.
Longwell said the dealerships are sponsoring the program in partnership with O’Reilly Auto Parts and Hampel Oil Co.
He said the laid off workers are “in a difficult situation” and the companies are “just trying to help.”
He said the synthetic oil change and car service check is worth about $40.
Wichita has been plagued with layoffs lately, due largely to the worldwide grounding of the Boeing 737 Max jetliner after two deadly crashes overseas last year.
Spirit AeroSystems, which makes fuselages for the 737 Max and is Wichita’s largest employer, has announced a planned 2,800 layoff due to Boeing’s halt on production of the planes.
Layoffs are also trickling through the local supply chain that makes parts for Spirit.
To take advantage of the free oil change, owners of any brand of car can present their separation papers at either Rusty Eck Ford, 7310 E. Kellogg, or Midwest Kia, 8725 W. Kellogg.
Longwell said the offer is good at either dealership “to make it convenient whether you live east, central, or west.”
In addition to Eck’s two Wichita dealerships, the free-oil-change offer is also good at the company’s Midwest Toyota and Ford dealership at 1100 E 30th Ave. Hutchinson.
This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 5:01 AM.
