Oil Change

[LeftWing]

See, what you have to do now is re-read page two of this thread reading 'tranny' as what most people think the word means. Pure comedy.

Maybe it's the beer - I dunno.

[psicodude]

Originally Posted by pope04

Speaking of synthetic, are you able to extend the intervals?

I put Castrol Syntec in my vehicle, and I was told by the pimply-faced kid at Cantrash that I could go longer (ie farther) before I had to change my oil.

I've always been a 5000 km, DIY kinda guy. Just thought I'd try synthetic once.

I have a new BMW X3, and there is no real set service interval for oil changes. (It's synthetic, btw). When I turn the vehicle on, it tells me how many more km's I have until I should get it changed. Service dude told me it goes up or down depending on your driving style. I guess average is 25,000 but they have seen a few over 40,000. Of course, this is a dealership, so who knows.

The service guy I spoke to went on and on about how oil changes are a huge scam and even normal oil can go 8 or 9,000 km's easy.

[NightOfTheLivingRED]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Where do you guys take your cars for an oil change? Are they all pretty much the same? What price can you expect to pay for a 4 door sedan?

My car has 47k on it, any point in getting a synthetic oil at this point?

Dude why so many questions. It's only a oil change. It's not like you gotta get your tranny replaced or something. I say do it yourself or go to minute lube or something.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by NightOfTheLivingRED

Dude why so many questions. It's only a oil change. It's not like you gotta get your tranny replaced or something.

I would suggest reading the entire thread before making such comments. Many people have posted stories of problems; from not getting it done right to having the end result a blown engine.

[CrispyGriz]

I worked in the WAL MART tire shop and a couple other places for just over 2 years and i heard of a motor being blown because of the work of someone i knew once. Oil changes are the easiest thing in the world to do. There is a reason why guys who do them are called oil monkeys.

If someone has messed up at all you will know after backing out of your spot and seeing the oil on the ground because all that can really be done to mess up is a loose filter or drain plug.

I know from experience that most people who work in a tire shop or oil bay can tell you exactly how much oil a vehicle needs by looking at the engine.

But at the same time, it is also true that the staff turnover at places like this is immense and they will hire pretty close to anybody. The new guys are watched fairly closely though from my experience.

If you go to somewhere like a MR Lube or heaven forbid a WAL MART tire shop, watch them do the work and make sure they don't make a mistake.

As a side note for those willing to risk it, a Walmart Oil change costs about 5 dollars for the labour involved and is around $20 cheaper than anywhere else. The shop is there to get people in the store not to make money. Their goal is to break even and nothing more.

[DuffMan]

If you want something done right, do it yourself.
I only trust minute lubes, walmarts etc, to get my tire air and blinker oil changed. they can't screw that up can they?

Originally Posted by some guy

Oil Changing Instructions for Women:

1. Pull up to Jiffy Lube when the mileage reaches 3,000 since the last oil change.
2. Drink a cup of coffee.
3. 15 minutes later, write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle.


Money spent:

• $20.00 for oil change
• $1.00 for coffee.
  
  TOTAL: $21.00

Oil Change Instructions for Men:

1. Go to store, spend $50.00 for oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree.
2. Get home to discover that the used oil container is full.
3. Instead of taking it to local repair garage for recycling, dump in hole in back yard.
4. Open a beer and drink it.
5. Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.
6. Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.
7. In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
8. Place drain pan under engine.
9. Look for 9/16th box end wrench.
10. give up and use crescent wrench.
11. Unscrew drain plug.
12. Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil ; get hot oil on you in process.
13. Clean up mess.
14. Have another beer while watching oil drain.
15. Look for oil filter wrench.
16. Give up; poke oil filter with screwdriver and twist off.
17. Beer.
18. Buddy shows up; finish case of beer with him. Finish oil change tomorrow.
19. Next day, drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car.
20. Throw kitty litter on oil spilled during step 18.
21. Beer. No, drank it all yesterday.
22. Walk to 7 Eleven; buy beer.
23. Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.
24. Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
25. Remember drain plug from step 11.
26. Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
27. Discover that the used oil is buried in a hole in the back yard, along with drain plug.
28. Drink Beer.
29. Uncover hole and sift for drain plug.
30. Discover that first quart of fresh oil is now on the floor.
31. Drink beer.
32. Slip with wrench tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame.
33. Bang head on floor boards in reaction to step 31.
34. Begin cussing a fit.
35. Throw wrench.
36. Swear 10 minutes because wrench hit Miss July (1992) in her overabundant chest.
36. Beer.
37. Clean up hands and forehead and bandage as required to stop blood flow.
38. Beer.
39. Beer.
40. Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.
41. Beer.
42. Lower car from jack stands.
43. Accidentally crush one of the jack stands.
44. Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during step 23.
45. Beer
46. Test drive car.
47. Get pulled over; arrested for driving under the influence.
48. Car gets impounded.
49. Make bail: Get car from impound yard.


Money spent:

• $50.00 parts
• $25.00 Beer
• $75.00 replacement set of jack stands
• $1,000.00 Bail
• $200.00 Impound and towing fee
  
  TOTAL: $1,350.00