Poll of the Day > Hate getting my oil changed

(+) Yeah! (+)

They always say they recommend synthetic for my car but my owners manual says I don't need to use synthetic. When I say I don't want synthetic because it's way more expensive they get pissy with me.

Why are mechanics like that

Take your own oil

It really depends on how long you want to keep your car. If you buy a new car, or a new used car, on a regular basis, you might as well buy dino oil. If you like your car and want to keep it a long time, or you drive a classic like I do (95 Caprice), then the full synthetic will keep your engine in pristine condition for much longer.

Or you can split the difference and get semi-synthetic. It's better than dino, but less expensive then full synth.

Lots of them are crooks two quilklane managers from two Ford dealerships were investigated and fired for fraud. They just fire them and hush it up. There was a Tuffy autoshop I used to use in Ohio where the guy explained how there's no way he could stay in business legitimately. Guess the guy trusted me. I always got a second opinion ever since then. Even though it's generally more expensive, I always take it to dealership mechanics now.

Getting your oil change sucks.

Jen0125 posted...

They always say they recommend synthetic for my car but my owners manual says I don't need to use synthetic.

If it's never had synthetic, don't put it in, if it's only ever had synthetic you can't downgrade without it causing damage to the engine.

It can be quite funny to watch a mechanic, at their own expense, do a complete engine flush because the customer specifically stated they wanted regular and the technician thought they could upsell by just putting it in and hoping the customer would pay the expense.

KodyKeir posted...

If it's never had synthetic, don't put it in, if it's only ever had synthetic you can't downgrade without it causing damage to the engine.

Word for word what I was told by a mechanic. Mine started with synth so I just kept it. It's like $50 every 5k/3m I take it every 2500 or 5 months. I don't drive my car much.

I did a synthetic blend just to be safe

But the mechanic didn't explain any of what kody did and if he had he may have been able to scare me into buying full synthetic

He just kept weakly pointing to his computer screen showing they recommend synthetic

Straughan posted...

Word for word what I was told by a mechanic. Mine started with synth so I just kept it. It's like $50 every 5k/3m I take it every 2500 or 5 months. I don't drive my car much.

They want to charge me $120 that's why I was like uh no. When my bf moves in he said he can do it for me.

Jen0125 posted...

They want to charge me $120 that's why I was like uh no. When my bf moves in he said he can do it for me.

Yeah it's easy as fuck, but my hoa doesn't allow it. I haven't changed my own oil since 2002. I'm sure some people do it with their garage closed, but I like them to inspect my car anyway. Last two times I needed a slow leak patched. Another $30

Got my oil changed recently.

How the fuck did it get so expensive? I always just get regular oil, used to be like $25 or so, now everywhere wants $50! They cite the increasing cost of oil, but a) it didn't fucking double in price; and b) most of the cost has always been the labor, anyway.
Is it another example of companies using "inflation" as an excuse to price gouge?

Straughan posted...

Yeah it's easy as fuck, but my hoa doesn't allow it. I haven't changed my own oil since 2002. I'm sure some people do it with their garage closed, but I like them to inspect my car anyway. Last two times I needed a slow leak patched. Another $30

I'm lucky enough to own a house in a non HOA. When I was buying I told the realtor I want no HOA and the house that kicked off my desire to buy a home (and the one I bought) was perfect.

streamofthesky posted...

Got my oil changed recently.

How the fuck did it get so expensive? I always just get regular oil, used to be like $25 or so, now everywhere wants $50! They cite the increasing cost of oil, but a) it didn't fucking double in price; and b) most of the cost has always been the labor, anyway.
Is it another example of companies using "inflation" as an excuse to price gouge?

Yes. They wanted to charge me $120 for a service I used to pay $80 for. I have gotten full synthetic when it wasn't price prohibitive but I'm not paying $40 more for the same service, sorry.

I do like the variability of yards in non-hoa residential. The ones in Buffalo I used to live by looked cool. One is a green fence with shitty landscaping the very next is brown wood, nice and clean, the next is nothing, the next is a shiny metal fence. It was like jogging past a neighborhood science fair of yards

Straughan posted...

I do like the variability of yards in non-hoa residential. The ones in Buffalo I used to live by looked cool. One is a green fence with shitty landscaping the very next is brown wood, nice and clean, the next is nothing, the next is a shiny metal fence. It was like jogging past a neighborhood science fair of yards

My neighborhood is very lively, colorful and diverse in appearance thanks to not having an HOA. If anyone ever moves here and tries to form an HOA I will not be joining.

This is one thing I like about having an old cheap car, I don't really stress too much over stuff like what oil to use. Hopefully by the next time I need a car I'll be able to get an electric one and then never have to deal with oil changes again

RagOnAStick posted...

This is one thing I like about having an old cheap car, I don't really stress too much over stuff like what oil to use. Hopefully by the next time I need a car I'll be able to get an electric one and then never have to deal with oil changes again

I'm hoping that Volvo comes out with an electric sedan soon. They have electric CUVs. If they released one next year I could probably justify buying it when it becomes an older model at a less expensive cost. I always buy Volvos used.

Jen0125 posted...

I'm hoping that Volvo comes out with an electric sedan soon.

The only thing that could kill Volvo's was themselves, had one that was thirty years old and it only died because of the superdumb fuel pump set up; it was designed with two, and when one dies the other dies and now you have to replace two 70's era fuel pumps, one is in the tank and the other you have to tear off a body panel to get to, but nobody manufactures the part anymore anyway.

everything about cars annoys me

have to maintain them, put gas in them, pay insurance, find parking

its too many things

I mean, I do fully synthetic because that's what the book says, and I only get the oil changed every 10,000 kilometers or so.

Car runs fine and just got over 200,000 kilometres on the odometer (I bought it with just over 50,000 kilometres on it). In fact, more than once, I've gotten the oil changed, the mechanic said something along the lines of "hey, your oil is super clean, are you sure it's due to be changed?"

I feel like the real grift is in them convincing you to think that you need to get your car's oil changed every 3 months.

A car is a synthetic creature that requires synthetic oil.

You wouldn't make stir fry using synthetic oil.

KodyKeir posted...

The only thing that could kill Volvo's was themselves, had one that was thirty years old and it only died because of the superdumb fuel pump set up; it was designed with two, and when one dies the other dies and now you have to replace two 70's era fuel pumps, one is in the tank and the other you have to tear off a body panel to get to, but nobody manufactures the part anymore anyway.

I'll never buy another make as long as I can find one. I had a 2002 Volvo S60 I drove into the ground. Now I have a 2013 Volvo S60 that I'm trying to take way better care of. It only has 86k miles so I can drive her for a LONG time if I maintain her.

GameReviews posted...

I mean, I do fully synthetic because that's what the book says, and I only get the oil changed every 10,000 kilometers or so.

My owners manual says synthetic is not required for my engine so that's why I usually don't go full synthetic

I use synthetic oil and 93-94 octane fuel

supergamer19 posted...

I use synthetic oil and 93-94 octane fuel

I use 89-91 octane because I have a turbocharger

Where do you guys go? The place by me (Take 5 I think) I just pull in, don't have get out of my car, they ask me if I want what I got before and then just give me that. They also check my tire pressure. Theyll even check it in between oil changes for free.

There was a time where I came in and they told me I didnt need an oil change yet, I think this was right when things were beginning to open up again post covid.

Jen0125 posted...

They want to charge me $120 that's why I was like uh no. When my bf moves in he said he can do it for me.

You upgraded so hard. The difference is insane.

I like saying things like "no, I'll be getting what I came in here originally to get, thank you very much".

If they try again, just look at them, tilt your head down, and raise your eyebrows.

Jen0125 posted...

I use 89-91 octane because I have a turbocharger

what kind of car do you have, tc?

GranTurismo posted...

what kind of car do you have, tc?

2013 Volvo S60 T5 2.4L

Jen0125 posted...

My neighborhood is very lively, colorful and diverse in appearance thanks to not having an HOA. If anyone ever moves here and tries to form an HOA I will not be joining.

That is what shotguns are for (to keep them from moving in that is).

yeah my car can take 87 but i put 91 in every time

Yeah, we do our own oil changes on cars, trucks, and lawnmowers. Its messy, but satisfying. When we get an electric car, itll be one less to do.

last time i got my oil changed my car broke down less than 5 minutes later and never worked again because according to my (now former, RIP) mechanic, the engine was totaled

may be because i had been driving with no oil for a long trip, but Id like to blame the people who did the oil change

never getting an oil change ever again after that

JigsawTDCII posted...

last time i got my oil changed my car broke down less than 5 minutes later and never worked again because according to my (now former, RIP) mechanic, the engine was totaled

may be because i had been driving with no oil for a long trip, but Id like to blame the people who did the oil change

never getting an oil change ever again after that

Heck it really mightve been their fault. Sounds like something that would happen if the drain plug wasnt put back in.