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A spirit that is not afraid

Anytime Oil bringing mobile oil changes to Auburn

<p>Taylor Putman, founder of Anytime Oil. Contributed by Taylor Putman.</p>

Taylor Putman, founder of Anytime Oil. Contributed by Taylor Putman.

Working on cars had always been a part of Taylor Putman’s DNA. The great-grandson of a service shop owner, he is the latest in a line of mechanics that had passed Putman's Alignment Shop in Gadsden, Ala., down through the generations. Yet his involvement happened in an unconventional way.

“I started researching around and nothing like that was offered around here, like a mobile service where they'll go to your house or to your work,” Putman said. “And I saw an opportunity.”

Several months ago, Putman started Anytime Oil, an Auburn-based mobile oil change business that will service clients’ vehicles wherever they choose to have them serviced. He said that he was inspired to start the business after “taking multiple cars and going and sitting at a shop,” which consumed valuable time.

On average, each oil change lasts between 20 and 30 minutes and will cost $95.00 for domestic vehicles. Starting out, Anytime Oil will operate one van that will run upwards of six hours per day.  

While several bouts of COVID pushed the planned start date back to the middle of October from late September, Putman’s belief in the idea was validated after he received positive community feedback.

“My wife posted on Facebook one time that just said, ‘coming this fall,’” he said. "And the excitement about it has confirmed to me that it was a pretty good idea.”

Despite the traditional family history in automotive service, Putman, originally from Boaz, Ala., graduated from Auburn University in the spring of 2018 with a bachelor’s in biomedical sciences. 

After planning to move to Arkansas with the intention of attending medical school, he instead accepted a quality manager position with the West Fraser Timber company. Once Putman had saved enough money, he began TDP Capital to begin investing in and selling various business ventures, one of them being Anytime Oil.

Background knowledge of vehicle service after summers spent at the family shop combined with an entrepreneurial mindset led Putman to convert a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van that can “take away chances of spills.”

“There are actually going to be suction tanks on that van, so it can go through the dipstick where you check to see how much oil you've got,” Putman said. “It'll go through there, suck the old oil out, and then put the new oil in.”

Putman believes that the process combined with customers being able to receive an oil change from the comfort of their home or place of employment is what has led to the initial demand for Anytime’s services once it opens.

While Anytime will initially focus on oil changes, Putman hopes to expand into tire rotation and other basic maintenance services, although that is yet to be determined. For now, he says he is focused on finding and training quality candidates, which he is actively seeking in the midst of a tight labor market.

“The only thing left to do is we're getting wraps [for the van] for advertising,” Putman said. “Other than that, it's ready to go.”


Daniel Schmidt | Assistant News Editor

Daniel Schmidt, senior in journalism, is the assistant news editor for the Auburn Plainsman. 


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