I have sinned - I let someone else change my oil

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Originally Posted by philipp10
gosh all this silly fretting over a simple oil change.


Touche!

It is easy to crap on the OC places but they certainly are good for those who prefer not to wait for a dealer/garage, or don't have the means or desire to DIY.
 
My daughter gives the oil change shop five quarts and a new filter upon arrival. I provide her with the synthetic oil and Fram oil filter.
They charge her $15 to change the oil and filter...... nothing else gets looked at, topped-off and no free air pressure check of her tires.

They do pressure her once in a while for air filter maintenance and/or windshield wiper replacement. Her vehicles are leases and she only complies when needed.
 
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
My daughter gives the oil change shop five quarts and a new filter upon arrival. I provide her with the synthetic oil and Fram oil filter.
They charge her $15 to change the oil and filter...... nothing else gets looked at, topped-off and no free air pressure check of her tires.

They do pressure her once in a while for air filter maintenance and/or windshield wiper replacement. Her vehicles are leases and she only complies when needed.


She's leasing the car? Why not accept the oil change shop bulk oil?
 
Prior to owning our 2.3 Ecoboost Explorer I never had a problem with a Ford dealer or my Indie doing an oil change. However the 2.3 EB takes at least 20 minutes to correctly drain the oil in order to not over fill it with the refill of 5.7 quarts per the owners manual. FEW oil change place are going to wait the 20 minutes to properly drain the oil, not even the Ford dealer. If I have my Indie doing other work he will let the oil drain while he does the other work. Otherwise I try to do the oil changes myself to ensure they are done properly with the 2.3 EB. The trick is not having to change the oil in the winter months
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Whimsey
 
Originally Posted by hpb


Wow, you're lucky to be allowed inside a workshop at all here, let alone actually drive a vehicle in there!


We have a large chain of fast lube places in Canada called Mr Lube and they have the driver of the car drive it into the shop where they have pits underneath, and then you stay in the car while they do the oil change. The only locations that don't do this are the ones that are located in Walmart stores, as those were converted to Mr Lube a few years ago (they used to be Walmart Tire and Lube Express)
 
Originally Posted by Patman

We have a large chain of fast lube places in Canada called Mr Lube and they have the driver of the car drive it into the shop where they have pits underneath, and then you stay in the car while they do the oil change. The only locations that don't do this are the ones that are located in Walmart stores, as those were converted to Mr Lube a few years ago (they used to be Walmart Tire and Lube Express)


I think that's a great thing, it'll never happen here though - the insurance implications if the driver were to be injured whilst in the workshop would be huge.
 
Well my sister's Infiniti G35 went to a local shop for an oil change a couple of years ago. A few months later I checked the oil when I was visiting. No oil on the dip stick. Added 2.5 quarts to bring it back up to near full. I did the oil change for her a week later, and found that the drain plug washer wasn't the right size (larger inner diameter and smaller outer diameter). Oil was slowly dripping out due to this ill fitted washer.

A couple of years later, it seems to remain quite healthy and not doing anything worrisome. It's on a steady diet of 15w40 now.
 
My Santa Fe is overdue for an oil change by 300 miles. It's winter, so I don't look forward to changing the oil outside. My local dealer is offering $18 oil specials. I'll start going there.
 
In early 2009 I bought a new '08 RAV4 V-6 which has the canister style filter. I decided then and there that I was not going to crawl under cars anymore after a lifetime of changing my own oil. The dealer did all but two of the oil changes. Since then two indy shops have done the most recent ones. I've not had a problem at all.....no drips, no runs, no errors. I've been fortunate.
 
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I've had my oil changed by someone else twice in my life and I'm 55. The first was during an extended period of single digit temperatures where I just didn't want to be that cold. The other was when I was driving a new car on a cross country trip and I wanted to do the second change on a shortened interval. I have gotten in the habit of doing a couple of very short interval changes when breaking in a new engine.
 
Originally Posted by Elkins45
I've had my oil changed by someone else twice in my life and I'm 55.


I salute you, sir !!! I wish I can say the same. I must have let someone else change my oil more than 20 times, I am ashamed to say.
 
Originally Posted by Brigadier
My local Jiffy Lube is great. Took my son's 15 Escape there today for an oil change. Took my own MC 5W20 Syn Blend and STP LL filter,. They even allowed him to go down in the pit so he could see what it looks like underneath.



That's really good indeed.
 
I had both my cars at the dealer last month for their oil changes. First time in forever. One was free and the other was on a special price. Still, can't stop the uneasy feeling for doing it.
 
I have too many horror stories of my own, and hears other people's stories, to trust a quicky lube.
Sister's Ford Ranger consistently overfilled by 1.5 qt, drain plug over torqued, oil filter very loose and gasket barely sealed.. actually dripping oil.
Found my oil fill cap down in the fender recess after a quicky lube, it didn't make a huge mess but the underside of the hood was pretty greasy.
[censored] technicians down at Firestone can't even do a simple tire rotation without gouging my wheels with their pneumatic wrenches. Total BS, idiots.
So, I do nearly all of my own work, except the very heavy or very technical stuff... then I take it to a shop that I trust.
I would never take any of my vehicles to Walmart for service. But I do buy fluids and filters there.
 
The last 3-4 oil changes in the Matrix have been at a local tire place that does a $25 oil change with Valvoline WB 5w30, tire rotation and inspection.

Pros: Price, good quality oil and decent filter, inspection

Cons: left washer fluid cap open, when checking cabin filter they left the damper arm unattached so fixed that myself which was a little tricky, don't think they rotated tires last two visits and tread wear confirms it. Won't go back there. If they can't do the simple stuff right then forget them. Tried to sell me a new cabin filter and a clean, lube, adjust on the rear drum brakes for $89.99.

Never had any issues at the Toyo, Honda or Ford dealers with oil changes. Although Toyo is the worst for upselling.
 
For the last several years, I've taken my Silverado to Walmart for it's yearly oil change. The rear diff has a slow leak and it's easier for them to top it off than me. Never had a problem. I'll probably have them put on new tires next time.
 
My last two experiences were such that I will definitely be changing my oil until I'm too old and decrepit to get on the garage floor.

Most recent experience was a Ford Quick Lane and my sister-in-law's Ecoboost Mustang this past summer. I requested the bump up to Mobil 1. Drove the car to a local coin-op car wash afterward, and after spending about 30-40 minutes drying, vacuuming, and dusting, found that the oil level was below "add" on the dipstick. Called them to advise that I would be dropping back by for a top-up.

While I and 3 technicians pulled, re-pulled, and re-pulled the dipstick in the Quick Lane parking lot, the tech that performed the oil changed exclaimed " I added 6 whole quarts of Mobil 1 5W-20". I requested that they change the oil again, as the oil cap, owner's manual, and their computer, all say 5W-30 for this engine. 10 minutes later, they claimed to be done. I don't think they did anything except top it up.

Prior to that, I took my brand-new 2000 Nissan Sentra to Jiffy Lube for it's first oil change. I drove away, and as I approached the first stop light, smoked oozed out all around the hood, and the stink was unbearable. I pulled over and found that oil was dripping directly onto the exhaust pipe directly under the engine. Back it went. They got back underneath, did nothing, and gave the car back to me, claiming that my block must be cracked. I drove the smoking SOB home, got underneath, and installed a(nother) new oil filter, and tightened it by hand, and then an additional 1/4 turn with a wrench. Added about 1/2 quart of oil and cranked it. No more leaking or smoke.

These two are my previous 2 experiences with having someone change my oil for me. It won't happen again.
 
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