Varmint
NES Member
It was always immediately obvious in my cars (which recommend 91) if I put regular in it. Knocking and/or laggy performance.
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Car oil change
- Thread starter Echo 225
- Start date
It was always immediately obvious in my cars (which recommend 91) if I put regular in it. Knocking and/or laggy performance.
Bigfudge16
NES Member
I hope to some day have the time to give a damn about such things like the OP. I hope youre also checking to make sure the trimmers at supercuts are within length spec, they could be screwing you out of an 1/8" of cut
NHKevin
NES Member
Charge more.
Amputee Marksman
NES Member
I started changing oil on my parents car in the early 70s before I could even drive (legally). I continued perform oil changes, tire rotations and most maintenance on all my cars until 3 or 4 years ago. I didn't enjoy it anymore and in fact sometimes it was a pain in the a$$. I got tired of rolling out the floor jack and jack stands and climbing under trucks/cars etc. I also got tired of pouring the used oil into jugs and having it sit around until I could take it back to where I bought it. WalMart and Autozone were never a problem taking back used oil but Costco hassled me more than once about taking it.
I found a good local mechanic and never looked back.
Grendizer138
NES Member
Lol. Don’t you charge for tire disposal?
I never really found online companies like Tire Rack to be any cheaper than the mom and pop place I’m loyal to, but if a shop ever left tires in my trunk without warning me they would 100% be back on their doorstep the next morning.
Danor
NES Member
After two bad experienced with dealership oil changes I decided to do them myself. It is a pain in the ass between four cars in the family including my kids, and my motorcycles the piece of mind and cost savings are worth it. Once you get a system its a quick process. As far as returning oil my local Bj's just has you drop the jugs outside the overhead doors of their service area. Easy.
lowbuckbob
NES Member
I've been changing the oil on my cars since around 1970. I've heard too many horror stories of screw ups at dealers and quick lube places. Want it done right? Do it yourself.
I change the oil on my Tacoma myself because I can get under it but my wife's Sonata is so low to the ground that I can't get under it and ramps don't work because the air dam on the car is so close to the ground, I can't get it to go up onto the ramps before the air dam strikes the ramps pushing them of the way. I thought that maybe I could put the ramps behind the front tires and back up onto them but it's still too low. I have no place on my property that I can drive it to where I can hang the front end over a low area where I can get under it. My place in NH had a place I could do that so for now, I have to take it to a place here in town that charges $49 for the oil change...no places around here other than mom and pop garages. I could take it to the local Walmart
![[thinking]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/010.gif "Thinking [thinking]")
...or not.
Steve600
NES Member
Having several older vehicles, mine still have the original tie rods, ball joints, etc…. They also have grease fitting which new cars don’t. None of those oil change places will ever grease them correctly and I have no idea what kind of cheap grease they are putting in. It does take longer to do it yourself, but if you have a place it isn’t that bad especially on an older vehicle.
Amputee Marksman
NES Member
Not disagreeing with you at all. All I'm saying is that at 60+ years old and having a prosthetic leg and a bad hip and back I made the decision that working on my vehicles was something I wasn't going to do anymore.
Coda
NES Member
This is one of the reasons I do a LOF myself, It is not just the horror stories of ruined engines.
I need to get the manuals out to remind myself of where all the zerk fittings are on my different vehicles (some are well hidden). No way is the lazy grease monkey at the shop going to do that, you are lucky if 1/2 the fittings get grease.
I am getting old, but as long as I am physically capable I am doing all oil changes and brake work myself.
Grendizer138
NES Member
It’s fine to get your oil change done at a shop, but ever since the below happened I check oil level and that the drain plug is snug before I leave the dealership.
RumRunner
NES Member
If I was to bring my own oil and/or filter to a shop, I would expect to pay the same price as if they provided it and it would just save them the cost of the products for the pain of me bring my own.
However, I wonder if shops would even want to do that, and take the liability of a product they didn't provide when doing their service. Seems in today's world that could create some issues if a problem came up after a service.
However, I wonder if shops would even want to do that, and take the liability of a product they didn't provide when doing their service. Seems in today's world that could create some issues if a problem came up after a service.
PaulR
NES Member
This pretty much.
I've always changed my oil, even when I was a kid. My older brothers taught me. Now I'm 52 and have at least 8 vehicles I change oil for, not to mention all my machinery too. Damn I should get a waste oil furnace. I have at least 2 or 3 five gallon waste oil containers going at all times.
I enjoy it though, I have a 30x50 heated garage, bathroom, beer fridge. I could basically live out in the garage.
![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
556USER
NES Member
I have 2 approximately 30" lengths of 2x6 stock that I place onto my steel ramps to get around that issue. One end of the 2x6 rests about halfway up the ramp and the other end on the ground. This essentially changes the angle of the ramp. Car's wheels end up right where they belong on the steel ramp.
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xero2099
NES Member
id only go to dealer while car was still under warranty once is out of warranty i would do it myself
I actually thought of doing this. Because the Sonata is the only vehicle we have that would need something like this, I was thinking about attaching the 2x6 to the ramp semi permanently and just dragging it out whenever her car needed the oil changed which would be about every 3 months or so.
Coda
NES Member
Maybe this is what the dealership is putting in his car, then it would be the correct forum.........
RumRunner
NES Member
That's going to be one expensive oil change lol. What around 160 of those little bottles for most cars
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Lucus
NES Member
Unless it's a lease or under warranty who the he!! would take it to a stealer-ship this day an age. One of my white collar friends just had his BMW's battery changed at his dealership for $575.00. They told him they had to re-calibrate the electronics system.
![[rolleyes]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/042.gif "Roll Eyes [rolleyes]")
RumRunner
NES Member
I went to the dealer with my truck because I had 20 free oil changes. Not sure how much it was worth to me with the amount of time it took there compared to anywhere else, but free is free I guess haha. Would never go to a dealer for that if I had to pay, just takes way too long.Unless it's a lease or under warranty who the he!! would take it to a stealer-ship this day an age. One of my white collar friends just had his BMW's battery changed at his dealership for $575.00. They told him they had to re-calibrate the electronics system.
Garys
NES Member
Toyota uses 83 foot pounds.
Amputee Marksman
NES Member
One of my white collar friends just had his BMW's battery changed at his dealership for $575.00. They told him they had to re-calibrate the electronics system.
Re-calibrating the car/electronics to a new battery is an actual thing in a BMW.
BMW BATTERY REGISTERING & PROGRAMMING EXPLAINED
In the good old days when your BMW battery died one could go to the local auto shop, pick up a new one, replace it at home and get back on the road. Unfortunately, with the late model BMW's battery replacement is not as simple yesteryears. The new batteries need to be replaced by a dealer or qualified Euro specialist with the right tools to either register or program the car to your new battery. Failure to do so can result in overcharging of your new battery or even electrical malfunction.
So sad to hear stuff like that for simple repairs. I remember a friend of mine replaced the window switch in his Saab or Volvo and it didn’t work. He bought it from a dealer and when he called them about it they said that his car’s computer had to be refreshed by them in order for it to recognize the new switch, which they of course charged him for doing.
Garys
NES Member
I went to a non dealer shop that specializes in Toyota and Honda. They charged $110.00 for an oil change. They also flushed and refilled my brake fluid. At 82,000 miles I thought it was a reasonable maintenance procedure. That came out to about $140.00 or so. Their labor rate is $125.00, so not significantly less than the dealer in MA I used to go to.
They also quoted $500.00 to change out the two rear shocks. Those aren't struts, they are just regular shocks. KYB which is the OEM for Toyota. Even if the shocks are $150.00 for the pair (they're actually less) There isn't, and it's maybe, maybe, 1 hour labor.
They have a good reputation and I'd bring it there for something more serious, but I can likely find another shop to do the shocks for less. Plus, where I am now they have a lot of mobile mechanics who will come out to your house or wherever and do minor work.
They also quoted $500.00 to change out the two rear shocks. Those aren't struts, they are just regular shocks. KYB which is the OEM for Toyota. Even if the shocks are $150.00 for the pair (they're actually less) There isn't, and it's maybe, maybe, 1 hour labor.
They have a good reputation and I'd bring it there for something more serious, but I can likely find another shop to do the shocks for less. Plus, where I am now they have a lot of mobile mechanics who will come out to your house or wherever and do minor work.
Unless it's a lease or under warranty who the he!! would take it to a stealer-ship this day an age. One of my white collar friends just had his BMW's battery changed at his dealership for $575.00. They told him they had to re-calibrate the electronics system.
Garys
NES Member
Not that I needed another reason to avoid German made cars.
A friend had a series of mid to late 1980s BMWs. They weren't horrendously expensive to keep running. Then he "upgraded" to a used Audi Quattro. He bought it from a non Audi shop that specialized in German cars.
It was nothing but trouble and like the MG Midget he bought out of college spent as much time at the shop as in his driveway.
The final straw was when the convertible top became intermittent. The shop diagnosed it as needing a $3,000.00 hydraulic pump. Which "might" be the problem, but they weren't sure because it "might" be the $1,500.00 wiring harness. It brought it a repair shop that specialized in VW and Audi products. They diagnosed it as a break in the wiring harness and fixed it for $300.00.
He dumped that car and bought a 2005 Miata. He's been happy ever since and is now driving a 2016 Miata.
A friend had a series of mid to late 1980s BMWs. They weren't horrendously expensive to keep running. Then he "upgraded" to a used Audi Quattro. He bought it from a non Audi shop that specialized in German cars.
It was nothing but trouble and like the MG Midget he bought out of college spent as much time at the shop as in his driveway.
The final straw was when the convertible top became intermittent. The shop diagnosed it as needing a $3,000.00 hydraulic pump. Which "might" be the problem, but they weren't sure because it "might" be the $1,500.00 wiring harness. It brought it a repair shop that specialized in VW and Audi products. They diagnosed it as a break in the wiring harness and fixed it for $300.00.
He dumped that car and bought a 2005 Miata. He's been happy ever since and is now driving a 2016 Miata.
chris_1001
NES Member
You can use bimmer code (an app) to register the battery. But yeah, it’s a thing…
mikelawtown
NES Member
I’m 51 and had many many vehicles sometimes 4 at once and I have never had another person/ shop change my oil.
I just bought another GMC and the dealer said I get a few free oil changes and I just said you don’t have to worry about me using that
I just bought another GMC and the dealer said I get a few free oil changes and I just said you don’t have to worry about me using that
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