I will never change my own oil again.

[dwco5051]

For the first time in my life I paid to have my oil and filter done. I was shopping at "the big box store" and just noticed the price sign in the automotive section for oil changes and out of curiosity asked how much for my Duramax as the change oil light had come on that morning. Found out that the change, lube job, battery check, tire pressure check, etc was about $4.50 more than the materials would cost me. Put the truck in the service line, took the dog for a walk, and it was done. I did tell the service tech I had replaced the U-joints and they had fittings and he replied they do look for that. No laying on the gravel (there is never room in the shop to get my truck in without moving two or more pieces of equipment) with oil running up to my armpit when doing the filter. No more having to crawl out and back in when I can't find the wrench that I am laying on to put the drain plug back in since at 79 I am just not agile enough to turn over in a cramped space.

Best 5 bucks I ever spent, now if I could just get them to do house calls for the rest of my equipment I could sell my filter wrench.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I know too many people that didnt have filters tightened or drain plugs tightened at walmart for me to ever use them

hope your experience remains positive.

 

[alldodge]

Totally understand your point, but the couple nits I have are:
They never prefill the filter
They cut things out of the way if its a problem for them

My diesel like yours has a turbo, and it gets the oil after the filter with a direct line. The turbo once started spins fast and needs oil, if the filter was not prefilled it will be a couple seconds before oil reaches it.

Took my Mom's car to an oil change place for its 8th oil change, I did all the others, but didn't have time. Its a toyota matrix and all good. The car has plastic pieces under the car to deflect dirt/water/other and are held in place by plastic snaps. Next time I go to change the oil, almost every plastic snaps have been cut off and the flat pieces are being held only by one in each corner.

I go to the oil change place and ask where these snaps are and low and behold they have no idea what I'm talking about.

My point, is there is no one that will take better care of your machine then you. Having someone which is being paid minimum wage doesn't really care.

 

[wahlejim]

I know too many people that didnt have filters tightened or drain plugs tightened at walmart for me to ever use them

hope your experience remains positive.

+1 on this one! I work with a guy who bounced around between oil change places for awhile. Big box stores, 10 minute fast lubing places, you name it. He said on average they replaced about 3 engines a year due to oil plugs not being replaced, filters not being installed, loose plugs and filters. If you do go this route, at least double check the work, don't always take their word for it

 

[wahlejim]

Also, mark your filter with a paint pen or something similar. They don't always change them.

That is what led me to this site. I paid a nearby dealer to winterize my boat the first year I owned it. It was supposed to include an oil change, gear lube change, greasing everything, etc. $300 later, I got my boat back. Still had the dates on the oil filter and fuel/water separator that I put there. I unscrewed the engine block plug and some water came out. Not enough to indicate that they didn't drain it, but enough to make me question how thoroughly they did. None of my fittings had fresh grease, gear lube was questionable. Best I could tell, they pulled some drain plugs for a couple of minutes, put them back in and called it a day. I went to the manager the next day, explained the situation, and he offered to 're-do' it or I could take in store credit. Bargained for a $350 prop he had on the shelf and never looked back! For $300, I can pull a couple of plugs.

 

[tpenfield]

I am skeptical of places that do oil changes and other car maintenance 'on the cheap'. You have to figure that they need to make money to stay in business, so you are not having an all-star team with the best materials do the job. I have had my local service station do some oil changes, but often, I just do it myself.

That way I know the quality of the oil and filter and if everything is tightened and put back together properly. I suppose when I am older and increasingly less agile, I may change my ways . . . or just get a 2-post car lift, so I don't have to bend down and crawl on the ground.

 

[Scott Danforth]

for what its worth, even the dealers cut corners.

 

[four winns 214]

When he was a teenager in college, a friend worked in a big box store “auto center”. He was dismissed because he was too thorough. He would do things like clean terminals when changing batteries. The manager said to him when firing him, “You do good work, but I just can’t use you.”

 

[poconojoe]

I went to one of those quick lube joints ONCE. I didn't like how fast they did it. Kind of scary.
it's however hard to pass up my local Chevy dealer's deal. For $49.99 they change oil/filter, rotate tires, top off fluids and check battery. Definitely worth it, plus I don't have to get all messy and worry about recycling the oil. I always check their work. I mark my wheels beforehand too. Never caught them doing wrong...so far.

 

[ajgraz]

I think we can cut the OP some slack, being 79yo and all...

But I agree that DIY is the best way to make sure it's done right. Also, you get to see with your own eyes what else may be going on down there, like fluid leaks, busted boots and bushings, etc, etc.

 

[robert graham]

I do all my own...to my satisfaction. And while I'm doing it I can carefully inspect everything for other issues.....

 

[bigdee]

At 79 we have to gracefully surrender what we once could do! This old fart is still hanging in there but its getting tougher.

 

[dwco5051]

I do have to admit it was with some trepidation that I let them do it. When I got home I did a quick look at the underneath to make sure all the visible grease fitting were done and there were no oil leaks. Sort of in my nature to trust no one. About 30 years ago when I still had my airplane I had the local FBO replace one of my magnetos that was acting up. A great facility with top notch A&P mechanics that serviced a lot of corporate and state aircraft. I told them as soon as I got filled up with fuel I was leaving on a couple of hundred mile trip and started to do my preflight checklist in their hanger. As I reached in through the cooling air intakes in the cowling to feel around for bird nests and such they laughed and said “there ain’t nothing getting in there in our hanger.” You should have seen the look on their faces when I pulled out a flashlight they left lay on the left cylinder bank.

 

[JoLin]

I don't do my own auto maintenance anymore, either. Nothing beats having a long-standing relationship with a local repair shop. I and my family been going to "Joe" for over 30 years. Originally it was just for brake jobs and "big stuff", but when my health deteriorated I started using him for everything. It's paid off in a lot of little ways, especially with the kids. My daughter had a wiper arm fly off the car on her way to school during a downpour. Joe went out in the pouring rain, replaced the wiper arm and sent her on her way. No charge. I have a half dozen similar examples. He isn't the cheapest option, but he and his guys are very trustworthy.

My .02

 

[ezbtr]

At 79 we have to gracefully surrender what we once could do! This old fart is still hanging in there but its getting tougher.

I hear that, as I get older (only 54) my old aches and pains come about much more often, kinda frustrating, not being able/willing to do what you used to and then farming things out

 

[Harritwo]

I generally have the Navy Base Auto Shop do mine. Currently it is $15.00 plus oil & Filter. Not bad, ASE Certified, and everything I check after they did the work makes me feel good about their quality. The Big Box like Walmart, Jiffy Lube, etc.. i wont even let them change the oil in my lawn mower.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I get my oil changed at the dealer I leased my silverado from, negotiated that as part of the lease.

 

[Grub54891]

Same issue with quik lube, they overfilled the oil, including the transmission, power steering, and brakes. I went back, showed them what they did.
I asked them to remove the oils to the correct levels. They didn't know what to do. I said go get a turkey baster, suck out what you did to the correct levels. They actually did it!
The brake and power steering were easy, also the motor oil, simply dribble a bit out the drain plug till it was right.
The transmission took them awhile, with a hose on the turkey baster a little at a time...lol They were not happy with me. Didn't care, never went back.

 

[Tim Frank]

I don't do my own auto maintenance anymore, either. Nothing beats having a long-standing relationship with a local repair shop. I and my family been going to "Joe" for over 30 years. Originally it was just for brake jobs and "big stuff", but when my health deteriorated I started using him for everything. It's paid off in a lot of little ways, especially with the kids. My daughter had a wiper arm fly off the car on her way to school during a downpour. Joe went out in the pouring rain, replaced the wiper arm and sent her on her way. No charge. I have a half dozen similar examples. He isn't the cheapest option, but he and his guys are very trustworthy.

My .02

^^^^ Could not agree more. Tough to find and establish that kind of relationship but priceless if you can.
Our "Joe" took our dog for the weekend when we got called out of town on a family emergency.
Dog thought he had been to summer camp.

 

[dingbat]

Love the antidotal stores of I heard, someone told me, etc........

Ive not changed the oil in any off the 4 cars I support for at least 6 years. 3,000 mile oil changes are a scam. Change the oil every 5-7k miles if it needs it or not.

Refuse to pay extra for a “better” oil filter. Dad work at a oil filter factory to get thru collage. Today, we run with this label. Tomarrow we run that label.

Guess I’ve been lucky the past 6 or so years, 1/2 million plus miles