Why aren't you changing your own oil?

[robvas]

How old are some of you guys? My dad is in his 70's and still changing his own oil

Good way to get under the car and check everything out every couple months.

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[Neggytive]

Most ppl in this thread have a lot more faith in the dealership service department than I ever could; then again I worked there. Saw drain plugs finger tight and forgotten to wrench down, oil filters unchanged due to pita to get to (Cavalier w/ OD trans was great for that one), debut of Hemi engines getting five quarts instead of the required seven and nobody bothering to look up the spec, etc.

All of us that have worked professionally as a tech have seen some lazy or incompetent mechanic screw things up

Late 60's/ early 70's MOPARS with big engines that come in for tune ups with high mileage and the left rear spark plug was OEM because they were too much of a problem for the previous tune up guy to change.

I'm not going to say I never made a mistake but I have had come backs.... one was in the body shop where I pulled the front of a car back to within the specs on the frame machine, but when it was sent back to the shop that sent it to us they were not happy with the way the sheet metal fit and wanted it sweetened up a little.

So it came back, and we pulled it to where the sheet metal fit.

After that we asked that the sheet metal that was going on the car be sent with the car and we hung the panels to assure proper fit.


I knew one tech that was known as " The Comeback Kid" he had so many cars come back with problems after he worked on them. Sure he was fast, and sure he beat the book time, but he was losing all his productivity to comebacks due to his lack of attention to the details

 

[Neggytive]

How old are some of you guys? My dad is in his 70's and still changing his own oil

Good way to get under the car and check everything out every couple months.

I just helped a neighbor with an oil change on a lexus, easy enough to to it is just like a Toyota so I have the filter wrenches and screw in funnel for that right at hand, A week later I fixed some body damage for him....

Another neighbor had a speed sensor go out on his BMW, went in with the scanner, saw which one was not giving data, assumed that there was not damage to the wiring harness and sent him to get a sensor.... pull the tire, pull the wheel liner, split the connector.... easy peasy

I plugged a tire on a golf cart...

coded keys to a cars computer after the owner lost their spare key.... if you have a Snap On scanner you can do a lot of keys, but recently I had a Mazda that I could not access the immobilizer to add a key. I don't know if it was my scanner not having the software or Mazda not letting it out into the aftermarket. We only get so much access with scanners before you have to have OEM licenses, interface modules and have to connect to the OEM's servers to reprogram modules... GM is notorious for that.

When I am in FL I don't mind helping my neighbors out, or friends of my wife that have a car problem that she asks me to look at.... with dealerships getting $180 just to read a code and God only knows if they are doing the most cost effective repair or bending the vehicle owner over I don't mind doing a test drive, scanning the car, and giving them my opinion. Lots of times I write the codes down and clear them and tell them to drive the car.... and more often than not the codes don't come back. I just saved them a day without their car and $180 minimum.

But the cars I hate to work on the most are my own.

That is why my daily drivers for the last 23 years have been Toyotas..... my non daily drivers have included a number of Fords.. 6 that I can think of right off the top of my head and 4 of them have required mechanical repairs, none of the Toyota's have.

 

[Sofa King]

Because I am a dufus when it comes to fixing things. Not from a lack of trying, but I snapped a gear oil bolt on my scooter trying to change the oil. I cracked a saddle bag support trying to adjust the suspension on my Triumph. I spent a solid 48 hours installing a ceiling fan, to have it work for about 2 weeks until it became a decoration.



Everything I touch, I break. I have a high-income job, I simply will over pay for service at the dealer. I positively break everything I try to work on and I always end up spending more money to have someone fix my mistakes.

Well then... I guess your car would be safer at the dealer!

I just helped a neighbor with an oil change on a lexus, easy enough to to it is just like a Toyota so I have the filter wrenches and screw in funnel for that right at hand, A week later I fixed some body damage for him....

Another neighbor had a speed sensor go out on his BMW, went in with the scanner, saw which one was not giving data, assumed that there was not damage to the wiring harness and sent him to get a sensor.... pull the tire, pull the wheel liner, split the connector.... easy peasy

I plugged a tire on a golf cart...

coded keys to a cars computer after the owner lost their spare key.... if you have a Snap On scanner you can do a lot of keys, but recently I had a Mazda that I could not access the immobilizer to add a key. I don't know if it was my scanner not having the software or Mazda not letting it out into the aftermarket. We only get so much access with scanners before you have to have OEM licenses, interface modules and have to connect to the OEM's servers to reprogram modules... GM is notorious for that.

When I am in FL I don't mind helping my neighbors out, or friends of my wife that have a car problem that she asks me to look at.... with dealerships getting $180 just to read a code and God only knows if they are doing the most cost effective repair or bending the vehicle owner over I don't mind doing a test drive, scanning the car, and giving them my opinion. Lots of times I write the codes down and clear them and tell them to drive the car.... and more often than not the codes don't come back. I just saved them a day without their car and $180 minimum.

But the cars I hate to work on the most are my own.

That is why my daily drivers for the last 23 years have been Toyotas..... my non daily drivers have included a number of Fords.. 6 that I can think of right off the top of my head and 4 of them have required mechanical repairs, none of the Toyota's have.

My grandpa was an old mechanic... he swore by toyota as well... and swore at everything else!

 

[Nolasalt]

I'm 55. I don't trust the oil techs at the dealership. The one time I let the dealership change my oil was right after I bought my truck (complimentary first oil change). When the tech removed the filter, he didn't check to make sure the o ring went with the old filter. Installed the new filter on top of the old o ring. Thankfully I saw the trail of oil leaving the dealership. Never again. As long as I'm able to do it, I will.

 

[BimmerDriver]

There is a really nasty attitude expressed in this thread. It's sad.

That aside, some people just don't have the inclination to do their own maintenance. Some don't have the tools, or the room, or both. And some of us are just old and are tired of crawling under a car to save $20.

Now, that whole 6 month dentist thing is worthy of a different thread...

 

[AZ_Ryan]

How old are some of you guys? My dad is in his 70's and still changing his own oil

Good way to get under the car and check everything out every couple months.

Age has nothing to do with it. The choice is about time, money, and convenience.

 

[robvas]

Age has nothing to do with it. The choice is about time, money, and convenience.

There are people saying their too old to get under the csr

 

[MAT1955]

@s197richie ..... I know you're probably speaking metaphorically in your post. I am always polite with techs, explaing my request and I tip generously. If some AH in the oil bay was mad at some other guy then messed with my oil qulaity, to get "even" he better have a really comprehensive dental plan. As for not honoring a reauest to pre fill an oil filter ..... I'd make the tetch watch several videos on the subject (to show he's an idiot), before I kicked his ass so hard he wouldn't be able to sit for a week. You can mouth back to me - but take it out on my veghicle (s) and your have earned a lot of trouble. Yeah, I'm a really well trained old geezer and any mean streak I have only emerges after some really d- bag behaviour done to my vehicles. Then whoever is accoutable will be made a distinct exanple of for the rest of the shop. Only had to do it once, when I was 23 but that dealership still remembers me. FAFO with my vehicles. My car, my request (respectfully) my tip - then prefill the effin oil filter if I tell you to or do it again with my hand on the back of your neck.

 

[ChitownStang]

@s197richie ..... I know you're probably speaking metaphorically in your post. I am always polite with techs, explaing my request and I tip generously. If some AH in the oil bay was mad at some other guy then messed with my oil qulaity, to get "even" he better have a really comprehensive dental plan. As for not honoring a reauest to pre fill an oil filter ..... I'd make the tetch watch several videos on the subject (to show he's an idiot), before I kicked his ass so hard he wouldn't be able to sit for a week. You can mouth back to me - but take it out on my veghicle (s) and your have earned a lot of trouble. Yeah, I'm a really well trained old geezer and any mean streak I have only emerges after some really d- bag behaviour done to my vehicles. Then whoever is accoutable will be made a distinct exanple of for the rest of the shop. Only had to do it once, when I was 23 but that dealership still remembers me. FAFO with my vehicles. My car, my request (respectfully) my tip - then prefill the effin oil filter if I tell you to or do it again with my hand on the back of your neck.

I’ve done a hundred oil changes and never filled an oil filter . I don’t think it’s necessary on modern engines

 

[AZ_Ryan]

I’ve done a hundred oil changes and never filled an oil filter . I don’t think it’s necessary on modern engines

Its not. And Mat1955 loves to flex on this. The problem is, on an S650 you have to turn the filter practically on its side when feeding it up to reattach. In which case you'll spill out most of the oil your pre-filled. So yeah, nothing like threatening violence because of an outdated and ignorant opinion. My money would be on the tech to kick the geezers ass while I cheer.

 

[s197richie]

@s197richie ..... I know you're probably speaking metaphorically in your post. I am always polite with techs, explaing my request and I tip generously. If some AH in the oil bay was mad at some other guy then messed with my oil qulaity, to get "even" he better have a really comprehensive dental plan. As for not honoring a reauest to pre fill an oil filter ..... I'd make the tetch watch several videos on the subject (to show he's an idiot), before I kicked his ass so hard he wouldn't be able to sit for a week. You can mouth back to me - but take it out on my veghicle (s) and your have earned a lot of trouble. Yeah, I'm a really well trained old geezer and any mean streak I have only emerges after some really d- bag behaviour done to my vehicles. Then whoever is accoutable will be made a distinct exanple of for the rest of the shop. Only had to do it once, when I was 23 but that dealership still remembers me. FAFO with my vehicles. My car, my request (respectfully) my tip - then prefill the effin oil filter if I tell you to or do it again with my hand on the back of your neck.

With a 7.5 qt C5 at our dealer you had two choices: leave a half-quart low or take a half-quart dino. Sorry the service director was ignorant of the specs. It's not getting even; it's saving myself from getting pulled into the office by someone who doesn't know what he's talking about. The path of least resistance.

There's a difference between "can you please fill up my vertical oil filter before you screw it on" and talking down to someone with an argument valid on cars from decades ago. My 4.6 filter is about 45 degrees on the mount and I use Mobil 1 to boot but yeah I still put some in before I screw it on. And if you really care about your engine to the point of being cranky about it, you should be using a full synthetic in the first place and not cheapo bulk dino out of a tank.

It would have been the highlight of my day watching the cops load you into the back seat. The days of violence being the norm are long gone.

 

[steveo1960]

Been wrenching my entire life and my cars are rarely farmed out. Other than warranty work. That being said, the belly pan is a PITA for me. My ramps are just barely high enough to reach the rear screws/pushpins. Still, I can wiggle my 66 yo carcass under the car and change the oil myself.

 

[Sig Oris]

In 19 years of ownership I've never once let anyone else change it. During the ownership of my previous car my job said we'd have to pay to do our own services so it was cheaper just to have Honda do it and of course they overfilled it and shrugged it off as not a big deal. I don't care if I have to find an abandoned parking lot and toss the ramps down. Easier to ask forgiveness than permission. Salvage yards and parts store usually give you a pass on any automotive service you perform in their lot.

I used to work as a lube tech in my younger days and since I'm a car guy, yes I cared and knew all the filter numbers, engine codes, capacities etc by heart. But for most ppl this a just a job, and a job with little to no experience or training required. They don't care about your car.

And I do have a mean streak in me. It was a Chevy dealer during the C5; some took seven quarts and some took 7.5. Well I can't bill out half a bottle of Mobil 1; next thing I know some douchecanoe is complaining about an extra eight dollars for his high-dollar sports car. So our service mgr agreed with him and gave him 50% off his next service. Okay I said; well I took an empty Mobil 1 jug, filled it with dino and kept it under the table for any 7.5 vehicles. Enjoy ya cheap dks.

Then some old dude with a pickup asked me if I fill the filter up before I put it on; I said no our equipment isn't set up for stuff like that and instead of asking nicely he tells me that's part of the job and all vertically-mounted filters blah blah so I told him just make sure you specify with your advisor in the future if you have any special requests. And guess who didn't get his filter filled up. Jagoff. If you're so particular about it, do it your damned self.

Fortunately I can afford to have it done and the cost savings aren’t worth the hassle getting rid of the old motor oil. Plus I get my tires rotated.

 

[MAT1955]

@ChitownStang .....strongly disagree. For a recent discussion of pre-filling oil filters see The Oil Geek who did an empiracle study of this. My late uncle a Shell chemical scientist did a number of studies on the importance of pre-filling oil filters. When younger in our family shop (employing 20 technicians building large construction engines and race engines for fun) they irrefutably proved that pre-filling oil filters made a huge difference in engine longevity. Just a couple of years ago Mercury Racing proved the efficiacy of pre-filling oil filters. Have a look at the Oil Geek's video on this topic . It is very informative. I bet you change your mind. Bottom line do what you want. For 30 seconds of work the differences over time are astounding. BTW I pre fill my filter twice. Once for it to soak into the filter media and then to fill the channels.

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