Vehicle Oil changes

[bartjoebob]

Pretty much since forever, I've always done my own oil changes in vehicles; except of coarse work vehicles. Wife got a 2019 Charger RT a while back, and it won't go on ramps, and Way to low to crawl under, so I've had my son run it up to the non-chain tire/lube place I take work car. It's always been expensive (IMO) at $120; but ok. Today, wife is Way over, no time to run it to the other place, 45 min away; so I steal it at lunch and run it to one of those, 5 minute, stay in your car, chain places. Da'Yum, $174, for basic synthetic, basic filter, and a $35 cabin air filter. Is it just me, or is that ridiculous. The $120 place; they atleast vacuum the car, and leave you a mint with a Bible verse on it; and I'm up there every 7500 miles with the work car. They are a but out od the way, and not that fast, but.....

You were hosed. In our region there is a chain called Prompto. Most full synth oil changed are in the neighborhood of $50. Looks like $90 for something STR specific.

Pricing/ Products - Prompto 10 Minute Oil Change

PRICING/PRODUCTS - Basic Service: Synthetic Blend, Full Synthetic, Motor Oil Grades,Conventional, Motor Oil

promptooil.com

 

[WinterDeere]

He left and a couple miles down the road his van died...he closed the hood without ever putting any oil in it.

I had this happen to a buddy 20+ years ago, and my question for your brother is the same as it was to him: doesn't every vehicle on earth have an oil pressure light that lights up bright red right in the center of your gauge cluster, to tell you there's no oil pressure??? Maybe not everyone looks for this after an oil change, but... a couple of miles?!?

I can be pretty scatterbrained, and always worry I'm going to do this to myself, but I do watch that oil pressure gauge like a hawk on that first start-up after changing the juice.

 

[Indiana haymaker]

Pretty much since forever, I've always done my own oil changes in vehicles; except of coarse work vehicles. Wife got a 2019 Charger RT a while back, and it won't go on ramps, and Way to low to crawl under, so I've had my son run it up to the non-chain tire/lube place I take work car. It's always been expensive (IMO) at $120; but ok. Today, wife is Way over, no time to run it to the other place, 45 min away; so I steal it at lunch and run it to one of those, 5 minute, stay in your car, chain places. Da'Yum, $174, for basic synthetic, basic filter, and a $35 cabin air filter. Is it just me, or is that ridiculous. The $120 place; they atleast vacuum the car, and leave you a mint with a Bible verse on it; and I'm up there every 7500 miles with the work car. They are a but out od the way, and not that fast, but.....

I used to do all my oil changes, on my low cars I have some 2x12 cut offs that I stack with about 4 inches in between the starting point of each so they are easy to drive up on then onto the ramps, I have also used a pneumatic car jack stand that wil lift on side of the car and lock. I quit doing it several years ago when the local car repair shop was charging $20 for an oil change, now he is $45 but still a good deal, $120 - $174 is robbery, shop around or check their websites for coupons

 

[Syncro]

Our new 2024 Rubicon came with three free dealer oil changes, however from past experience I'm very reluctant to have anyone touch any of my vehicles, even for simple things like changing the oil. Some years ago my mother-in-law bought a new Volkswagen and at the first oil change brought it to the dealer, when she got home I checked the oil level and it was one quart above the fill line and looked like the filter had not been touched. In another incident, my daughter brought her car into one of the quick change places and they over tightened the drain plug. Her car has an aluminum oil pan and it was a major job for me to fix that, I could imagine some gum chewing idiot using a breaker bar to tighten the filler plug! Most recently our new Ford Transit went in for an oil change at the dealer I bought it from, they reset the instrument panel to 100% but the oil and filter were not touched. I called it their attention and they promptly made up some excuse as mixing it up with a different vehicle. On another occasion many years ago after buying new Wheels for my new Ford F-150 I had one come off on the way home because the lug nuts were never tightened, so my reluctance in even having someone wash my vehicles. The peace of mind I have knowing it's done right is worth more than the money saved.

 

[WinterDeere]

I could imagine some gum chewing idiot using a breaker bar 1/2" LiIon impact driver to tighten the filler plug!

Updated it to the 2020's for you.

 

[jdecaro]

Pretty much since forever, I've always done my own oil changes in vehicles; except of coarse work vehicles. Wife got a 2019 Charger RT a while back, and it won't go on ramps, and Way to low to crawl under, so I've had my son run it up to the non-chain tire/lube place I take work car. It's always been expensive (IMO) at $120; but ok. Today, wife is Way over, no time to run it to the other place, 45 min away; so I steal it at lunch and run it to one of those, 5 minute, stay in your car, chain places. Da'Yum, $174, for basic synthetic, basic filter, and a $35 cabin air filter. Is it just me, or is that ridiculous. The $120 place; they atleast vacuum the car, and leave you a mint with a Bible verse on it; and I'm up there every 7500 miles with the work car. They are a but out od the way, and not that fast, but.....

Hi Paul,

My car has about 5" of clearance and I can't just drive it up the car ramps or it will hit and push the ramp before my wheels get close. I have to lift the front of the car up before it hits the car ramps. To do this (on each side) I lead the ramps with some stuff to get my wheels off the ground before I drive up the ramps. I drive over, a 2"x4", then a 3"? red brick. I put the end of the ramp on the red brick. That way I'm able to clear the ramps. When I lived in an apartment, phone books worked well.

Regarding places like "Jiffy Lube"; I've had issues. They are in such a hurry that they forget to replace stuff, like plugs and caps. Always check your oil and your caps/plugs before you leave (I do that no matter where I take it).
Jim

 

[charlessenf]

Pretty much since forever, I've always done my own oil changes in vehicles; except of coarse work vehicles. Wife got a 2019 Charger RT a while back, and it won't go on ramps, and Way to low to crawl under, so I've had my son run it up to the non-chain tire/lube place I take work car. It's always been expensive (IMO) at $120; but ok. Today, wife is Way over, no time to run it to the other place, 45 min away; so I steal it at lunch and run it to one of those, 5 minute, stay in your car, chain places. Da'Yum, $174, for basic synthetic, basic filter, and a $35 cabin air filter. Is it just me, or is that ridiculous. The $120 place; they atleast vacuum the car, and leave you a mint with a Bible verse on it; and I'm up there every 7500 miles with the work car. They are a but out od the way, and not that fast, but.....

If you're not prepared to walk away, you deserve the 62% penalty!

There is absolutely no reason to be jammed up over an Oil Change. It is not critical - give or take a couple thousand miles or a week or two.

I like (the fella?s) suggestion that you fix your ramps somehow, then buy your oil and filters on sale and DIY. I hear the DIY guys vacuum the vehicle and do the winders!

If you must take it to an Oil Change Place call and ask the price. The tire shops seem to offer a free rotation with an oil change ('free' relative to what others charge for the service w/o rotating anything but the oil filter.

Shop around if you want a deal! Did you say $30 for a CABIN FILTER? Jeeze look on Amazon or Walmart (Wlamart often has better prices online than on the shelf (per recent experience buying bolts for my Side terminal Battery - but CORE CHARGE on a Battery is Higher if you pay on line and they give you a Walmart credit card when you bring in the old battery!)
Problem is - you've too much disposable income. If you had less to spend, you'd find ways to spend less.

"Watch the pennies" me maw maw would say, "and the dollars'll take care o' themselves."

 

[charlessenf]

The engine was trashed and JL denied responsibilty.

Once in 1970 something I was headed North from Florida and decided to get an Oil Change in my '67 Opel Kadett 'L' on a Friday. When they put it up on the lift, they punctured the oil pan! They had to scramble to find a Buick Dealer with one in stock and wound up replacing it, changing the oil, filter, rotating the tires and apologizing - all 'on the house.'

Another time, my wife took the Hyundai in for brakes and they sold her a pair of rotors. Fortunately, my wife demanded they put all the old parts in the trunk (and checked). When I got down to Florida I called around to find the specs on the rotors (given the car's mileage there was no war she 'needed' new rotors). Armed with that information I went to the shop, explained the situation and asked for a refund of the parts and labor. The (manager?) checked the book and came out with his calipers to measure the rotors in the trunk: a) they measured within spec, and b) when he turned them over, he saw that his mechanic had written that number on the rotors themselves!
I got my money back - well her money back.

 

[Skrizan]

I had this happen to a buddy 20+ years ago, and my question for your brother is the same as it was to him: doesn't every vehicle on earth have an oil pressure light that lights up bright red right in the center of your gauge cluster, to tell you there's no oil pressure??? Maybe not everyone looks for this after an oil change, but... a couple of miles?!?

I can be pretty scatterbrained, and always worry I'm going to do this to myself, but I do watch that oil pressure gauge like a hawk on that first start-up after changing the juice.

You know, I never thought of, or asked that question. He is a chronic pot smoker though, so who knows? I would have thought the oil change place was the cause immediately, but I'm not a pothead.

 

[charlessenf]

"I'm not a pothead"

When I was stationed overseas (60's) one could purchase a large bag of weed (like a quart-size) for a dollar.

Two things. With all the brass about, I was hyper vigilant and, no one ever called me on it. Though once I did have an officer notice that one of the pins my NDSM ribbon had come loose (from across the room! eagle eyes!) and called out to me to correct it!

This by way of saying that, 'high as a kite,' I completed my work under such watchful eyes of those 'in charge' without any impact upon my performance.

Idiot lights BTW are supposed to illuminate every time you start the vehicle and every time the oil pressure drops below X.

To paraphrase grannie, "Supposed" spoils many a good story."