Vehicle Oil changes

[pmsmechanic]

Hope you used a Genuine Gates Fleetrunner cogged belt. All I run are Greenstripe Gates Fleetrunners I'd never buy any modern vehicle with a timing belt simply because most modern engines, the valve train is an interference fit, IOW, a broken belt equals the valves hitting the pistons when valve timing is lost. I much prefer timing chains running in oil or in the case of my wife's Suburban, timing gears My Focus RS has timing chains.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a timing belt provided they are changed at the manufacturers specified interval. And there are numerous quality timing belt manufacturers.

 

[Yander]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a timing belt provided they are changed at the manufacturers specified interval. And there are numerous quality timing belt manufacturers.

Agree, My Gen 1 Tundra has a timing belt, I was going to do it myself then decided to let a Toyota dealership do it. They did a nice job. I put an oversized radiator in it and next it gets a new Spinacher muffler and exhaust system.

The Tundas do not die if maintained.

 

[Skeletor]

I have a hellcat challenger and you can get it on Ramps with different pieces of wood to slowly increase the incline. My dad had a 4 post lift and I gotta do the same thing to get it on there too. You can get anything up a ramp if you increase the incline over a long enough span.

Or you can get some quick jacks.

 

[Racer4]

Been changing oil in cars since before I could even drive. I do all my own and haven’t really ever paid someone to do it. A couple free oil changes at the dealer, but that’s it.

Recently had hernia surgery and couldn’t really roll around on the ground much. My car is a 2017 Audi A6 and needed an oil change last week. I have a suction extractor that I haven’t used yet for oil changes, so I decided to finally try it out. Works great, and I’m confident that I got 99% of the oil out. And I didn’t have to jack anything up or remove the 15+ fasteners holding the belly pan on. Great time saver.

Just changed the oil in my F250 the normal way, since I don’t even have to jack that up to get under it. Have to do that in the driveway because it doesn’t fit in the garage.

 

[Hay Dude]

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.....

On my Ram 5500, I let the dealer do it. They have a “Quick Lane” and I really trust their diesel tech. Their prices aren’t that bad and they use a Cummins filter and Shell Rotella every time with same viscosity. I also get a serice record and that is a BIG deal for the person I sell the truck to.

Now my tractors & mowers? All done by me.

 

[NoTrespassing]

I stopped changing my own oil several years ago. I've been buying cheap full synthetic oil at Rural King along with a filter. I take my truck and Mazda to my local mechanic who puts it up on the lift and changes the oil for $25. He always checks the vehicle over during the change. Unfortunately, he's pretty ill right now and might not be working much longer. I feel guilty worrying about who will change my oil when he's in such bad shape.

I don't trust many places to work on my vehicles. The local Ford garage can't figure out how to get the right amount of oil in my wife's turbo charged 2.7 liter and they put 2 of the directional tires on backwards!

I need to find another local shop that I can trust.

 

[Paystar]

I just can't trust those quick lube places. But prices seem to vary.

It used to cost me more for oil changes at the VW dealer for my wife's Jetta and Tiguan than my F150 5.0 costs me at the Ford dealer....and the F150 takes 9 quarts.

 

[Paystar]

On my Ram 5500, I let the dealer do it. They have a “Quick Lane” and I really trust their diesel tech. Their prices aren’t that bad and they use a Cummins filter and Shell Rotella every time with same viscosity. I also get a serice record and that is a BIG deal for the person I sell the truck to.

Now my tractors & mowers? All done by me.

I used to let my Ford dealer do all my oil changes, but now they have that "Quick Lane" bay so now I do it all myself.
Because they will no longer make an appointment for me to get in. They say just come and get in line.
So I told them, if you think I'm going to drive 40 minutes to town just to sit there in line, no thanks.

 

[JJT]

I value my time. I can change my oil and filter in less than 15 minutes. The nearest quick lube is 30 minutes away, (one way). I do have a 4 post lift, it's invaluable.

 

[TractorTYMe]

Hope you used a Genuine Gates Fleetrunner cogged belt. All I run are Greenstripe Gates Fleetrunners I'd never buy any modern vehicle with a timing belt simply because most modern engines, the valve train is an interference fit, IOW, a broken belt equals the valves hitting the pistons when valve timing is lost. I much prefer timing chains running in oil or in the case of my wife's Suburban, timing gears My Focus RS has timing chains.

This was German made Bilstein kit

 

[Gale Hawkins]

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.....

After getting the used 2016 Nissan Leaf SL in 2019 no oil changes became one feature that put a smile on my face. Well before it's second anniversary the 2023 Model Y will hit the 40,000 mile marker without its first oil change job.

 

[NoTrespassing]

After getting the used 2016 Nissan Leaf SL in 2019 no oil changes became one feature that put a smile on my face. Well before it's second anniversary the 2023 Model Y will hit the 40,000 mile marker without its first oil change job.

Isn't there an EV thread around here somewhere still?

 

[5030]

I just can't trust those quick lube places. But prices seem to vary.

It used to cost me more for oil changes at the VW dealer for my wife's Jetta and Tiguan than my F150 5.0 costs me at the Ford dealer....and the F150 takes 9 quarts.

Understandable. I've read about numerous scams at the quick change oil places in the past.

 

[5030]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a timing belt provided they are changed at the manufacturers specified interval. And there are numerous quality timing belt manufacturers.

I agree but.. Key is changing them in a timely manner or the result of inaction can be very expensive. Therein lies the issue. If it's working fine, why change it, kind of like checking the pressure in your tires, sort of. Serpentine belts can look just fine but are ready to fail.

 

[ericm979]

I've done Ducati motorcycles

If you can do a Ducati valve adjustment you should be able to do nearly anything mecanical. (For those who don't know it's a desmo engine with no valve springs, there are opener and closer cams)

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

Get you wife to test drive a Tesla (set up a drive at the website) and most likely she will be hooked.
EV's have a lot less moving parts and logically have less maintenance. I have to remind my daughter who drives our GM Bolt to high school to fill the windshield wiper reservoir. That's it.

At <20 mpg on that Charger you will spending less on fuel (electric cost).

My wife don’t even want to test drive one. She don’t care for them and she likes the sound of a V8

 

[Yander]

After getting the used 2016 Nissan Leaf SL in 2019 no oil changes became one feature that put a smile on my face. Well before it's second anniversary the 2023 Model Y will hit the 40,000 mile marker without its first oil change job.

But we do our religious oil changes so we can keep our vehicle 10 or more years. Let's see if you're still smiling about your Leaf in 10 years.

 

[Yander]

My wife don’t even want to test drive one. She don’t care for them and she likes the sound of a V8

You mean because they are Fugly! Agree

 

[RustyA]

Here is an example why I can't trust anyone else to maintain my vehicles...Brother in law stops over to borrow a tool. I say hey it's September let me test your antifreeze while you're here. He says just had it at dealer for oil change. I grab my tester and his reservoir is so low I can barely get a sample. Added 1/2 gallon of correct red premix to it and inspected for leaks but found none. How is it possible to charge $70 for an oil change and not glance at clear reservoir right next to oil fill much less test for winter protection.

 

[Yander]

Here is an example why I can't trust anyone else to maintain my vehicles...Brother in law stops over to borrow a tool. I say hey it's September let me test your antifreeze while you're here. He says just had it at dealer for oil change. I grab my tester and his reservoir is so low I can barely get a sample. Added 1/2 gallon of correct red premix to it and inspected for leaks but found none. How is it possible to charge $70 for an oil change and not glance at clear reservoir right next to oil fill much less test for winter protection.

I took my son's girlfriend car in for a transmission service and they said the antifreeze wasn't very pink and wanted to change it. We had flushed it about a month earlier but didn't use pink antifreeze. I said no thanks we just flushed it.

I think I need to start doing transmission service too now.