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I've often wondered if some shops put in any old oil regardless whatever higher grade you order, and whether some actually change the filter, I mean, how many people actually check those things?
Yes they are known to use whatever "house brand" they normally use rather than putting in what you specified. The bigger oil change shops have a pump with a pull down hose connected to a 55 gallon barrel of whatever brand oil they normally use and they just shoot it in the car. They don't have to mess with opening bottles and using a funnel to pour it in and all of that, they just push a button and it pumps the oil in. A friend of mine went and bought the specific synthetic oil he used in a camaro and took it to a local oil change shop for them to change the oil. They didn't carry the type of oil he used and they told him it would be fine if he went and got and brought it to them. So he drops the car off, gives them the oil and filter and reminds them that he wants that oil and filter in his car. He comes back a couple of hours later after they called and said it was ready and as he is walking in he notices his bottles of oil and the filter still sitting in the shop against the wall where they had told him to put it when he was there earlier. So he goes in and the guy picks up his paperwork and starts ringing him up and he decides to just ask the guy if they used the oil and filter he brought just to make sure. Guy says yep and he says well that is funny because my oil and filter are still sitting out there right where I left them. They ended up changing the oil again with him watching and used his oil and filter and didn't charge him for the oil change and of course apologized and all that. My buddy has changed his own oil ever since that day.
My buddy has changed his own oil ever since that day.
A lot of people think I'm a glutton for punishment changing my own oil, because "it's only $20!".
Well, those places either do sketchy things like you described or just use it as a way to get you in the door and then do a hard upsell on various other filters and treatments. It costs like $65 to get someone trustworthy to change your oil, and more if you want better oil and filters.
Back when I drove a 1980s Chrysler K-car as a teenager (mid 2000s) I'd have to add a quart or two of oil every month or two. One time I bought a quart of SuperTech oil, walmart's brand, from a sketchy gas station. It poured out pitch black. I didn't know any better at the time, but I now recognize that I poured someone else's used oil into my engine. Someone must have used the quart and then returned it. Honestly, in that car, dirty used oil was probably better than nothing
I have always changed mine myself. It takes me less time to do it myself than the time someone else spends at a "quick lube" place waiting to get theirs changed.
A lot of people think I'm a glutton for punishment changing my own oil, because "it's only $20!".
Well, those places either do sketchy things like you described or just use it as a way to get you in the door and then do a hard upsell on various other filters and treatments. It costs like $65 to get someone trustworthy to change your oil, and more if you want better oil and filters.
Back when I drove a 1980s Chrysler K-car as a teenager (mid 2000s) I'd have to add a quart or two of oil every month or two. One time I bought a quart of SuperTech oil, walmart's brand, from a sketchy gas station. It poured out pitch black. I didn't know any better at the time, but I now recognize that I poured someone else's used oil into my engine. Someone must have used the quart and then returned it. Honestly, in that car, dirty used oil was probably better than nothing
You could not see if the seal was broken before you poured it you can here it tearing when you twist off the cap like a gallon of milk cap.
I have always changed mine myself. It takes me less time to do it myself than the time someone else spends at a "quick lube" place waiting to get theirs changed.
No me no more cheaper to go to dealer i never use a 10 minute oil change place dealer only. That way it’s on their computer system if anything happens. I have a coffee and relax while they change my oil for $20 with coupon and they wash my vehicle when done. Just got this in my email today $20 oil change
I have said this before, the reason I DIY is that unless you go to a one-man shop, the least experienced "tech" will do your oil change. While it's easy to do right, there are plenty of ways to screw it up, including cross-threading, overtorquing, or leaving loose the drain plug, wrong grade of oil, not the brand you prefer (all real car guys have a preference) - cheap oil filter, too much or too little oil. I always put some oil in the new oil filter, don't hold your breath for a "pro" to do this.
That said I do have a decent garage/shop with good lighting, compressed air, etc. Although I frequently do oil changes outside that shop in decent weather. And I have a topside oil changer that means on my old Camry and Scirocco, I don't need to raise or get under the car at all.
Now what I need to do is get a lift in at least one bay of that shop...
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