Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
MB dealer near my house charges $250 for an oil change, most MB engines need 8-9 quarts M1 0W40 and they provide a MB C-Class 1 day free rental (actually the rental is included in the oil change price of $250).
Do it myself costs me less than $30 (oil bought on sale plus rebate) and 45-60 minutes only rather than make an appointment, drive to dealer, wait inline, talk to service rep, get a car rental, return to dealer to get the car after paying big check. The total time to/from and at dealer is about 90-120 minutes.
The same for Honda and Lexus, I save more than 70% with DIY and I get to do it whenever I feel like it, weekday evening or night or Saturday-Sunday morning ...
HMMM.... "Saturday-Sunday morning..." What time did you start on Saturday night?
Did the 1st oil change on the wife's SC400 last week. "SOMEBODY" (or "...BODIES") over time (it is, after all, a 17 year-old vehicle) managed to mangle 4 of the 10 fasteners for the underbody panel, stripping the threads on both the bolts and/or the holes, replacing them with an unholy mix of oversized sheet metal screws, oversized bolts, etc. After I got the panel off (and stopped cursing) I found that the oil filter had been put on so tightly that I needed to dig out my old, trusty oil filter strap wrench...
Opps! Not the big one, the small one. (I just know it is in here somewhere: it was just last decade that I used the small one the last time...)
Now, how do you get a strap wrench around the filter when it is so tight to the wiring harness that you can barely slip the metal strap between it and the wires? Good thing this appears to be the ground cable (I hope!). Now, how do you get it to turn since they put the oil cooler/ps lines(?) right in the way? These Lexus engineers must have learned from the Germans how to design something so that it is almost impossible to access without the "correct factory tool" (Ever try to loosen an alternator, p/s, a/c or tensioner on a W126-Series V8 without the "Special MB-Approved tool" that looks like 1/2 a swastika?)
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(p.s. It actually can be done if you are willing to grind away about 1/2 the side of a 17mm box end wrench so as to get it on the nut/bolt...)
So, now I get to look for the right sized NYLON fasteners plus larger washers (the boys & girls at the Stealerships and/or fast oil change places managed to FINALLY "remove the underbody panel" by merely ripping it off when they couldn't get the fasteners off)... Must not have used the air wrench a time or two!
TOTAL COST: 5 quarts Spectrum 5W-30 $7.49, NAPA Gold filter $3.49, misc. fasteners, washers, etc. from stock = $10.98
On the other hand changing the oil & filter on the W126 was just a dream: didn't even spill one single drop of oil from the drain plug, the filter canister, O-ring or crush washer!
TOTAL COST: Hengst filter $6.67 (by the doz.), 4 quarts 20W-50 SynPower & 4 quarts 20W-50 MaxLife @ $0.99 after rebate = $14.59
Ahhh! Those German engineers!
Cheers!