Oil change question

[outofyourmind]

A smog certificate??
What the hell is that.
No such thing in Oklahoma.
We just pollute and the wind blows it to Texas because they suck.

 

[DanBengalfan]

read the conditions of your warranty.

 

[BTHOtu]

Sounds awful. We used to have emissions tests that looked for that, now they just plug into the OBD and if no check lights or error codes are thrown...good to go.

That's what's good about an aftermarket tune. When I install my cat deletes in a couple of weeks and put it on the dyno my tuner will program around the error code.

 

[BTHOtu]

read the conditions of your warranty.

Never used a warranty. Never paid for an extended warranty they try to pressure you into when you sign the sales contract. Only people that benefit from them are the ones selling the car. Last time I bought a car they asked if I wanted the extended warranty I said "No thanks. All the shit I'm going to add to it would just void the warranty anyway." I thought the guy's eyes were going to pop out of his head.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

not really hype, if you have a manufacturer warranty and dont have proof of oil changes every 3K that 3000.00 timing chain job may not be covered.

Oil used to change with the seasons, but the biggest change in actual oil is they stopped putting the molybdate in the oil, thats the gunk that helps the oil stick to the metal parts and not run off into the pan, so cold starts that used to be protected are no longer protected. EPA outlawed it with the air pollution scam that also worked to get more new cars sold. If you can get some, you can go 15000 no problem, but until then, the oil is cheaper, breaks down faster and needs to be changed more often.

Actually the manufacturer says every 5000 miles. It's the folks changing your oil for a fee that recommend every 3000.

 

[4down20]

I spend a shit load of money buying the synthetic oil. Costs me about $80 for an oil change(that includes having it done for me, but doesn't include the oil filter which I buy myself, so $90).

I'm supposed to get it changed every 10k miles with what I have(of course the stupid sticker they like to put on my car still says 3k), which would be just under once a year. But I've been doing it around 5k so far just because I have a hard time going 10k without worry(I'm not 16 anymore when I could drive 30k without changing so long as the car ran).

Am I stupid?

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Thanks for both of the above informative replies. After checking my owner's manual, which I obviously should have already done, and learning that the recommended upper bound between oil changes is twice what's specified by the old rule of thumb, I'm embarrassed to admit that I have wasted a lot of money over the years and unnecessarily produced a lot of waste oil. At least the Edmunds article makes it clear that a lot of others do the same.

Ironically...a car mechanic (not a friend, etc.) told me the same thing as the Edmonds article notes several years ago....yet my car "alerts" me to change @ 3k...I just ignore it until I reach between 5 & 6k

 

[thedddd]

an inspection?


what kind of fascist dystopia do you live in?

As anyone that lives in PA what a racket that is.

 

[HammerDown]

I spend a shit load of money buying the synthetic oil. Costs me about $80 for an oil change(that includes having it done for me, but doesn't include the oil filter which I buy myself, so $90).

I'm supposed to get it changed every 10k miles with what I have(of course the stupid sticker they like to put on my car still says 3k), which would be just under once a year. But I've been doing it around 5k so far just because I have a hard time going 10k without worry(I'm not 16 anymore when I could drive 30k without changing so long as the car ran).

Am I stupid?

You can go 15k without any worry.

 

[thedddd]

As for the oil changes I would recommend if you can do them yourself. They rip you off on the filter at those places and no real guanrantee of the oil quality.

Also think about the folks that work that those places. Normally not real mechanics and just random people hired to undo a drain plug, undo a filter and pump oil into your car. Like going to a tax preparer at the little kiosk at the entrance of Wal Mart no real experience and just follow a manual/computer program. Also they are geared towards speed and not accuracy or understanding any issues with your car.

 

[outofyourmind]

a lot of people in this thread seem overly concerned with the "next guy" to own your car

 

[ATL96Steeler]

As for the oil changes I would recommend if you can do them yourself. They rip you off on the filter at those places and no real guanrantee of the oil quality.

Also think about the folks that work that those places. Normally not real mechanics and just random people hired to undo a drain plug, undo a filter and pump oil into your car. Like going to a tax preparer at the little kiosk at the entrance of Wal Mart no real experience and just follow a manual/computer program. Also they are geared towards speed and not accuracy or understanding any issues with your car.

I changed oil myself for a while...saved about $15 which is nothing to sneeze at imo, but I'm no mechanic either, meaning longer to do it and after the 3rd time I had all this oil to dispose of and I don't want to say what happen to it. Al Gore would have a fit.

Now they have recycling places to take it...now, I'd rather pay the extra $15-$20 and I just watch the guy.

 

[thedddd]

a lot of people in this thread seem overly concerned with the "next guy" to own your car

LOL...it is the goal to get it to that point.

 

[thedddd]

I changed oil myself for a while...saved about $15 which is nothing to sneeze at imo, but I'm no mechanic either, meaning longer to do it and after the 3rd time I had all this oil to dispose of and I don't want to say what happen to it. Al Gore would have a fit.

Now they have recycling places to take it...now, I'd rather pay the extra $15-$20 and I just watch the guy.

Oh very true and as long as you take it to a real mechanic and not a "quick" oil change place you will be fine. But still keep an eye on the filters. The one they put on most of the time is half the size of the ones you can buy at the part store.

I do my own because I always have, dad was a mechanic and he made us do are own.

LOL about the disposal I take mine to the recycling place but as a kid back in the '70's/'80's, yeah Al wouldn't want to know were we dumped it. Lets just say when these trees in the one wooded area behind my parents old yard recently got cleared out if you looked at the stumps there were some age rings that were all black.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Oh very true and as long as you take it to a real mechanic and not a "quick" oil change place you will be fine. But still keep an eye on the filters. The one they put on most of the time is half the size of the ones you can buy at the part store.

I do my own because I always have, dad was a mechanic and he made us do are own.

LOL about the disposal I take mine to the recycling place but as a kid back in the '70's/'80's, yeah Al wouldn't want to know were we dumped it. Lets just say when these trees in the one wooded area behind my parents old yard recently got cleared out if you looked at the stumps there were some age rings that were all black.

My dad wasn't a mechanic but very handy with cars and did just about everything himself until the distributor cap era ushered in. That's who taught me how to do it...so true on the filters, precisely why I started watching them, to see which filter comes off, goes on and the oil they put in it...I go to a full service garage for oil change...I'd like to think they're real mechanics, but can't say for sure.

 

[rjshull]

You should be able to take your oil to any part store for free, I change the oil, and put it in to a large plastic container, about 5 gallons, then I take it to Auto Zone. You could just refill the 5 quart bottles and take it in and let them dispose of the bottles. They then turn around and sell the used oil.

I always use Mobil 1 Extended Performance Full Synthetic on my cars, and always change it before winter hits to get any condensation out that accumulates during Summer/Fall.

Also, always listen the engine engineers. They designed the car to operate with a specific oil, use it.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

I pour my used oil into the ground next to my garage. I figure it'll seep down into Mother Earth and future generations can pump it out to use in their cars. So, I'm "recycling."

I try to do my part.

 

[fknhippie]

I pour my used oil into the ground next to my garage. I figure it'll seep down into Mother Earth and future generations can pump it out to use in their cars. So, I'm "recycling."

I try to do my part.

I pour mine under the neighbor's car...

 

[rjshull]

I pour mine under the neighbor's car...

Now thats just wrong, I can see your look on his face the first time he see's the oil, he is going to flip that he has a massive leak. The best part would be if he has a brand new Benz or something real nice.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

I pour my used oil into the ground next to my garage. I figure it'll seep down into Mother Earth and future generations can pump it out to use in their cars. So, I'm "recycling."

I try to do my part.

I pour mine under the neighbor's car...

That is an awesome feeling...but the guy stained his driveway so the oil won't soak in and stain anymore.