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Most states don't have full service stations anymore. I remember my mom pulling into one, the guy checks under the hood, tells my mom she's about a quart low, mom buys a quart along with the gas. Looking back on it now, I feel it was a scam. I was always taught to let the engine sit off for a while to allow the oil to settle down before checking oil level. If you check the oil right after turning off the engine it may show a low level. I check the oil before getting on the road. I wonder if adding oil to an already full sump resulted in oil leaks?
Gone are the days of such service stations. Self-checking vital fluids is something every car owner should know how to do. Too bad most people need idiot lights to tell them them fluids are dangerously low or the air pressure is down 10 PSI.
Best time to check the oil is first thing in the morning. All the oil is at the bottom of the sump and the dipstick will read true without smearing.
I have not had to add oil to a car in over 20 years, and when I did before that, the car was from the late 60's. I stopped even checking my oil over ten years ago, now it does not get touched except between changes, at each change the level has been fine.
Cars do not leak and/or burn oil like they use to, no need to check during every fill up or before you leave. Also, these "idiot lights" are accurate and the most sophisticated engines in the world use them just fine.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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The lack of cooling off the engine would not cause it to read a quart low, it would only make a slight difference. Those kids used to not put the dipstick all the way down to show it low, sell them a quart, put in a little and keep the rest for their own oil burning beater. Cars did burn a lot more oil in those days than most modern engines, but some today will use a quart or more between changes (Subaru, Audi, BMW).
Also it takes time for all the oil to get back to the oil pan. I worked at a full service Mobile station in the early 70's when I was 19. We had to use oil spouts to pour the oil because the oil came in cans not bottles like they do today.
A friends father, a colorful fellow, was regaling about his days as a full service station attendant. One of his "tricks" was to pull the dipstick and wipe off a portion of the oil from below the 'Full' line and then show the customer to justify topping it off. He would then take an empty dummy quart, pretend to fill, re-dip the stick and show customer the original, 'Full', amount.
I can't ever obtain a reliable reading so soon after shutting the engine off. I usually need to wait 30-45 mins for the oil to drain back to pull the stick and get an accurate read. If I do it soon after shut-off, the entire stick is coated in oil.
Also, the Nissan 3.5L tends to be a burner. My DD infiniti uses a little oil, so I do need to regularly check it. I usually do it at lunch at work after the car sits 3-4 hours
I pumped gas at full-service (there wasn't any other kind) stations when I was in high school in the late 60's.
We were well aware that it took time for the oil to drain down to the pan and we adjusted our recommendations accordingly.
One incident I'll never forget....I'm checking this lady's oil and it was WAY low...just a smidge on the end of the stick. I told her she was at least two quarts low. She says, "how much does it hold?". I said about five quarts. And she says, "Oh, then I have plenty of oil left".
I used to have Nissan Pathfinder that only held 3 quarts of oil, so, if it was a quart low, it was low. It didn't really burn any oil though. That was the only vehicle I have ever had that didn't burn any oil, or burned very little.
I have heard people say that some newer Toyotas are oil burners. I once had a car that would burn a quart every 350 miles and I really didn't think much of it. I didn't really even need to check the dipstick. Just put a quart in every Sunday. Neighbor once asked, "Do you change your oil, or just add oil?"
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