Help with dealership oil change advice

[HoosierDaddy]

Lol wut?

So you can go back to BEFORE the dealer screws up your car.

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[HoosierDaddy]

My dealer has been servicing my Mustangs since 2007 with zero problems.

It happens. I knew a guy who smoked 2 packs a day since a teenager. Lived to be 90; never had a lung problem.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I might give one of these a try.


QuickJack 5,000-LB Capacity Portable Car Lift

Good choice. Temporarily out of stock. They run that price often.

When you get the shipping email it will have one tracking number but there are 3 boxes, each with a different tracking number. If you go to your Costco account orders page, you should be able to find the other tracking numbers. Why? Because the &*%#s sometimes just ship 2 of them. Not lost, just plain never given to UPS. Then you get to ship the ones you got back (free of course but you have to be there) because they can't figure out and don't trust you to tell them which one is missing.

 

[tom_sprecher]

I used to do all my oil changes, but my local dealer does an oil change in 1/2 hr with full synthetic Motorcraft and filter for $40. I can't even buy the stuff for that price.

Still do them on the F250. That would cost $125 with just Rotella T4. The "Diesel Mechanic" labor rate is too damn high.

I might give one of these a try.


QuickJack 5,000-LB Capacity Portable Car Lift

I tried that lift once and found it to be a PITA. The only access was from either end of the car. On jack stands you have access from the sides as well.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I tried that lift once and found it to be a PITA. The only access was from either end of the car. On jack stands you have access from the sides as well.

Definitely need a good creeper. You can get in from the sides but just in front of front wheels or behind back wheels, so more travel time on the creeper for central work.

Always some trade-off.

But lifting both sides of the car at the same time is not only quicker but safer than a jack. To get the car to the height the Quickjack does jacking one side at a time, the car gets pretty tilted (going up or down). So, more care is required to make sure the car doesn't shift on the jack stands on one side while lifting or lowering the other.

 

[Lo Pony]

Those are excellent. I want a pair too

 

[Thundersteel]

Race Ramps make oil changes MUCH easier.

 

[MikeHTally]

Never been comfortable getting under a car supported by jack stands. I use these to get under all our rides:

I can remove the ramps and just use the pedestals.

 

[MikeHTally]

I wish I can dyi. However I dont have a hoist. Are there places I can go to hoist for a few and allow me to work on it? One would think the dealer would do a nice job without causing a problem?

At one point years ago, there was a chain of locations that would rent lift space. They also had the major tools many folks couldn't afford and only needed once. There was a tech there who could provide advice and some coaching. One was slated for here, but never opened. I suspect the insurance costs were pretty steep.

As for the dealer, remember: the guy changing oil there today may have been fired by Jiffy Lube last month.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Race Ramps make oil changes MUCH easier.

ALL ramps make oil changes much easier compared to a Quickjack or jack and stands. Takes seconds to drive it up ramps. Easy to get to filter and drain even at ramp height. Quickjack for when you need more height or access to more things or need to remove wheels.

 

[Bullitt0819]

I might give one of these a try.


QuickJack 5,000-LB Capacity Portable Car Lift

I have one of these. Haven't used it a lot, but it works as advertised and lifted my '65 Mustang just fine. I also have a grease pit and between the two I've got most of the benefits of a 'real' lift.

My father and I always--with a few rare exceptions--did all maintenance on all our cars, tractors, ATVs and trucks (currently nine total). But he's gone and I get to maintain them all myself; my dealer offers 'Free Oil Changes for Life' every 5K miles or 5 months, so I let them do the first one on my Bullitt. They did OK and disposing of 10qts of oil responsibly is a big hassle for me so, until they screw up I'll go with them

 

[Bullitt0819]

I used to do all my oil changes, but my local dealer does an oil change in 1/2 hr with full synthetic Motorcraft and filter for $40. I can't even buy the stuff for that price.

Still do them on the F250. That would cost $125 with just Rotella T4. The "Diesel Mechanic" labor rate is too damn high.



I tried that lift once and found it to be a PITA. The only access was from either end of the car. On jack stands you have access from the sides as well.

Yeah, it's mostly useful if you need to get all four wheels off the ground, like for rotations or pad changes, etc.

 

[Bullitt0819]

Never been comfortable getting under a car supported by jack stands. I use these to get under all our rides:

I can remove the ramps and just use the pedestals.

Just don't use cinder blocks; I've heard of them crumbling (exploding).

 

[DarkestHour]

Just get a set of race ramps buddy

 

[Shifting_Gears]

I would say there’s no one to be held accountable. I say this because A; yes the mechanic could’ve used a higher degree of caution knowing the jack was there and B; if you were paranoid about letting them pull it onto the lift and they allowed you to do it, you trusted the techs motions versus checking in advance (unless I missed that part). Holding someone accountable over a superficial scratch on the underbody is about as pointless as holding the department of transportation accountable over a rock on a highway doing the same damage.

Not to be a dick, but it’s pretty cool they were allowing you to drive it on the lift in the first place. Be glad you used good judgment and backed off instead of continuing on the ramp and left with something annoying and superficial.

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