oil changes
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,873
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From: St. Peter
Yeah, depends on the weather, its fairly cold out here in minnesota, and with school you dont have alot of time before it gets dark out either, especially with wrestling, (i really dont see the light of day for about 3 months). But our mechanic does it for like 20 or somthing, and cleans the windows and tideys up the truck a little bit. so if its cold, and snowy, then to the mechanic. Or just wait 5 min.
(You know the jokeQ: You know what you do if you dont like the weather in MN? A: Wait 5 min) Ha Ha Ha, i'm sorry i'll stop now!
(You know the jokeQ: You know what you do if you dont like the weather in MN? A: Wait 5 min) Ha Ha Ha, i'm sorry i'll stop now!
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
I always do my own, and it costs me about $35 because always use mobil 1 synthetic oil and a delco, wix, or motorcraft filter. Thats about how much a dealership charges for a regular oil change. The funny thing i found is that gm dealers sell mobil-1 synthetic oil for NINE bucks a quart, when it costs like $5.50 at a parts store. So it costs like $50 to get a synthetic oil change there, it would cost a lot less if people just bought the oil themselves and brought it to the dealer, but nobody ever thinks about that.
I wouldnt even go to one of those jiffy lube places if the life of my car depended on it. I've worked there unfortunatly. They use the cheapest pos parts, the nastiest oil, and the guys working there are complete idiots.
My mom let one of those places talk her into changing the rear diff fluid in her van, the rear end died like 4 months later. When i was younger i remember her telling me she had the trans fluid changed at jiffy lube, the trans died like 2 weeks after that.
I'm not sure how you can kill a trans or a rear end that fast, i'd think you'd have to dump a pound of buckshot in with the fluid or something. But they figured out a way...
I wouldnt even go to one of those jiffy lube places if the life of my car depended on it. I've worked there unfortunatly. They use the cheapest pos parts, the nastiest oil, and the guys working there are complete idiots.
My mom let one of those places talk her into changing the rear diff fluid in her van, the rear end died like 4 months later. When i was younger i remember her telling me she had the trans fluid changed at jiffy lube, the trans died like 2 weeks after that.
I'm not sure how you can kill a trans or a rear end that fast, i'd think you'd have to dump a pound of buckshot in with the fluid or something. But they figured out a way...
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,854
Likes: 1
From: Des Moines, Iowa
or just don't put any fluid in it! thats how the rear end in my burb was killed back in 93. took it in before a trip cross country and on the way home it locked up. my mom was so mad she had to walk home.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Your going to hate me .... It costs nothing to 2.75 ( for the Motorcraft filter. I do it at work on a lift in a heated shop.
....If i didnt have access I would pay the $30 to have someone do it right... you get what you pay for.
....If i didnt have access I would pay the $30 to have someone do it right... you get what you pay for.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 35
I *like* changing my own oil, it makes me feel like I am doing something good for it, which I am. It is the mindset of a person who cares for his vehicles. I also have *every* factory service manual for my truck. Engine, body, electrical, emission and the aftermarket junk like Chiltons.
There are some cars I don't change oil on. Ford Contour is one. I could not find where it was. Luckily, it wasn't mine but a relative's.
There are some cars I don't change oil on. Ford Contour is one. I could not find where it was. Luckily, it wasn't mine but a relative's.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 2
From: WA
I refuse to go near those places, they're morons in the first place. Oil Can Henrys told my mom that her licence plate light that was out would cost her $600 if the cops pulled her over, they wanted $20 to fix it, no way. There's other things that I've seen too, it's worth it for me to just change my own oil.
Junior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
From: Victoria BC
I wil only trust two people to change my oil, myself, and a buddy of myne, also a ford fan. The penzoil oil change here cost at least $30 Can, If you need more than five liters thats extra$ and they love to sell you extras like diff oil changes, tranny flushes, rad flushes. The best is the $10 oil flush half a liter of ATF and half liter of motor flush. My buddy used to work there.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Yeah, to reiterate, really stay clear of speedy lubes or whatever. If you got to pay someone else to do it, take it to a dealer.
I've heard so many stories, and even seen some about jiffy lubes screwing people. The one i worked at for a short while, their scam was they'd ask everyone if they wanted their rear diff fluid changed. they'd say "yeah...well we checked your rear differential fluid and it really looks bad, you're really going to have to change that or it could cost you BIG".
The funny thing was 75% of these cars were FWD. I didnt see one single person who realized that they didnt have a rear differential.
And the RWD drive cars that paid to get it changed. They just didnt do it, but charged them for it.
I knew this one lady who came to me complaining about her car is running like complete crap. I checked the oil, and it was like freaking tar. I asked her how long ago it was that she had an oil change, she said like a week ago. She even dug in the glovebox and showed me the reciept from the speedy lube.
I drained the oil....and it was like asphault almost. I even saved a jar of this stuff to show people. I changed the oil twice, and ran top end cleaner and atf to try to clean it out before i was fairly happy with it.
I informed her she shouldnt go to this speedy lube anymore, as they were just taking her money but not doing anything.
I've heard so many stories, and even seen some about jiffy lubes screwing people. The one i worked at for a short while, their scam was they'd ask everyone if they wanted their rear diff fluid changed. they'd say "yeah...well we checked your rear differential fluid and it really looks bad, you're really going to have to change that or it could cost you BIG".
The funny thing was 75% of these cars were FWD. I didnt see one single person who realized that they didnt have a rear differential.
And the RWD drive cars that paid to get it changed. They just didnt do it, but charged them for it.
I knew this one lady who came to me complaining about her car is running like complete crap. I checked the oil, and it was like freaking tar. I asked her how long ago it was that she had an oil change, she said like a week ago. She even dug in the glovebox and showed me the reciept from the speedy lube.
I drained the oil....and it was like asphault almost. I even saved a jar of this stuff to show people. I changed the oil twice, and ran top end cleaner and atf to try to clean it out before i was fairly happy with it.
I informed her she shouldnt go to this speedy lube anymore, as they were just taking her money but not doing anything.
Last edited by RJR99SS; Dec 4, 2003 at 06:23 AM.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 0
I just pull it in the garage, slam the air jack under it, and I takes longer to grease the front end and check all the suspension parts & steering than it does to change the oil.
I've seen too many scum bag jobs done at quickielube places, nobody turns a wrench on my truck but me.
Only exception is tires, that is one thing I don't have the equipment available to do myself.
I've seen too many scum bag jobs done at quickielube places, nobody turns a wrench on my truck but me.
Only exception is tires, that is one thing I don't have the equipment available to do myself.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: Jersey
That's an entire new thread...how many of you can actually pull into your garage...i've got 3/4 of mine of junk including my john deere mower...which i was supposed to build a shed for this past summer
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,873
Likes: 0
From: St. Peter
haha, funny, our craftsman rider is sitting in the middle of it with an air compressor next to it among other misc things, and our garage is soo small even if there was nothing in it there would be almost no place to work
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,011
Likes: 0
From: South Dakota
As a kindness to your favorite mechanic could you give your vehicle a quick wash and dry to remove the snow and debris before taking it in for work. When I was with DOT my boss had us pull our trucks in about 5 min. before we had to crawl under them. Always hated dripping snow and salt.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,628
Likes: 0
From: Baileyton, TN
My intention is to retire somewhere where I build the place.. and the biggest building there will be my workshop. I want to be able to get anything into it, and lift anything up, to work on it. I know the workshop will cost twice the price of the house, because all I need in the house, is the office, for the computer, Kitchen to cook delicious food in, somewhere to eat the food, and somewhere to sleep. Added on to one side will be somewhere to wash things, and the other side will be the restrooms.. 
Tiny house, easier to heat. Large workshop, more room to save money doing everything. Any job becomes easier when you aren't crawling around in the gravel.
Theo
Tiny house, easier to heat. Large workshop, more room to save money doing everything. Any job becomes easier when you aren't crawling around in the gravel.Theo
