Who does your oil changes?

originalthoughts · Apr 25, 2010

I take it to the dealership since it's free for the next 25K miles.

SlurpeeBlueMetallic · Apr 25, 2010

Me! I just changed my oil earlier this afternoon... the V6 is ridiculously easy and I added a Fumoto drain valve as well. Takes about 15 minutes, including checking/filling various fluids, and most of that time is waiting for the old oil to finish draining.

Crownedcustoms · Apr 25, 2010

I do it myself. I don't like anyone wrenching on my truck but me.

jodapa · Apr 28, 2010

I do my own - I like to keep up with what is going on under the hood - I also am leary about a $7.00 Hour employee touching my baby!

hoeflich · Jun 19, 2010

I love DIY oil changes...makes me balls hang a wee bit lower!! Argh!

kramer2k · Jun 19, 2010

Ever since a Jiffy Lube type place (Big 10 Tires) FUBARd the transmission in my old 2004 Honda Accord, I do all maintenance on my own.

Read on for this tale.... (I simply copy/pasted from another forum that I posted this on years ago. Hence the language used.)

This all started with just a simple oil change.

Friday afternoon I take my car to a local automotive shop so they can change my oil. I waited around for them to do the 20 minute job. As I was leaving I idled around the corner of the shop to leave the rear of the parking lot. A few seconds into my departure I hear and feel a small to medium "bump."

<-- This is me at this point

In telling the story numerous times I've related the sound and feel to that of running over a soda can. I thought the sound was significant enough to turn around and see what I had just ran over. Moreover, I saw a small stream of fluid trailing me. Now, keep in mind my immediate thought was that the oil filter had fallen off and I ran over it. Hard to believe? Yes, but I have heard of it before. In retrospect, I'm damn wishful that it had been the oil filter. Read on, you'll understand why.

Before I could make out what it was that I ran over a vehicle pulled up to the area where I felt the bump and proceeded to wave me down. As I walked closer to the guy he told me as he held it up that a flashlight had fallen off my car.

<-- This is me at this point in time.

The nerves are now reaching a critical stage as I walk back to my car. And as quick and I exited my car, walked to the guy to get the flashlight, and walked back to my car, a puddle of deep red fluid had flooded the concrete under my engine bay. By now, most of you have figured out that my car has lost all of its transmission fluid. Still in denial, I went back into the shop to tell the manager of the events so far. He does one of these numbers on the way out to my car. --> Yeah, I was past that and was now to this ( ).

We're both now wondering WTF happened so we push the car into one of the bays onto the lift. By now, I'm standing at the entrance of the car bay outside the shop. Employees of the shop now begin to congregate around my car and I'm looking and listening for some signs here. I see this this and a few of these . Now I'm really wondering WFT is going on. The head honcho of the shop calls over to me and says....."NOT good, not good at all." He motions for me to come over to have a look-see. I look up and almost do one of these , but rather start into one of these

I look up and see this....

It turns out, and you may have to read it again, that a FRIGGIN employee left the damn flashlight in my engine bay. As I was idling away the flashlight fell through the engine bay and landed in a PRECISE, EXACT, ABSOLUTE manner in which it stood up and accepted the full weight of my car as I was slowly moving forward. The flashlight was not even scratched, but MY TRANSMISSION NOW HAS A GAPING HOLE IN IT. The pictures may not show it well, but the metal plug is pushed all the way through. It is just sitting there to keep track of it and to allow them to weld it back properly. The flashlight penetrated all the way through and popped out a metal plug.

They had it towed to a local transmission specialist who is going to weld it from the inside. They will have to tear it down, and weld in a patch. Another option was to get a new casing, but I really don't want to wait as long as he said it may take to get a new one in. With the transmission being cast aluminum, a weld will easily take hold and create a section that is stronger than before.

So, that's my story of the weekend and now I'm still in disbelief. I absolutely LOVED this car. It just feels like it's scarred somehow, and I'm just not sure what I want to do with it now. I'm in a rental car for now. The shop said Thursday is when I should get her back, but we all know automotive dates are tentative as hell. I'll update whenever I get anything new.
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rmerchant3 · Jun 19, 2010

bb609 said: ↑

I don't trust anyone to change my oil. Dealers are no better than the Jiffy Lubes of the world.
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This has to be one of the most ignorant post I have read in a long time...

Floki · Jun 19, 2010

When I bought my Tacoma the dealer included 2 years of oil change/tire rotation as part of the deal. After two years is up I'll probably do it myself since the oil filter is staring me in the face (2010 V6).

kramer2k, that has to be the worst story I ever heard. I am sorry for your loss and hope it never happens to any of us. I used Valvoline for the oil changes for my previous vehicle, but I think I'll take over after my two years of free oil changes from the dealer.

silver taco · Jun 19, 2010

I do agree that it is best to do your own, however I get mine changed at a pep boys I trust. For a change with pennzoil syn it costs $52 after mail in rebate.

Barnone · Jun 19, 2010

Faster to DIY than take somewhere to have it done plus less expensive and I know what is used.

Chris(NJ) · Jun 19, 2010

Without a doubt, one of the easiest vehicles to do an oil change in. No reason for anyone to pay someone to do this. pick up the oil locally and diy!!

tacomarotto · Jun 19, 2010

peice a cake.... diy....

sbeau1960 · Jun 20, 2010

My Toyota dealer only charges $37 for semi-synthetic and it looks good on the service records to have it dealer maintained.

Jetfixr · Jun 20, 2010

Tillers_Rule said: ↑

Take mine to Toyota. They only charge $30. I figure that's maybe $5 or so more than it would cost me and it's way more convenient.
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Plus you get a Toyota oil filter, and you don't have the hassle of disposal. Most times i have a coupon in the mail for 19.99 and they have a 30 minute drive thru bay so i don't spend alot of time, i also get to do an underside inspection as well, by me.
Jet

tacomathom · Jun 20, 2010

While the maintenance package is in effect I'll go to the dealer. After that I'll do it myself (meaning my son the mechanic will do it for me).

Barnone · Jun 21, 2010

04LTtacoma said: ↑

I usually change the oil myself. There has been a few times I had the dealership change the oil in my tacoma since I get a better price than the normal customer.

How may of you change your diff oil, power steering fluid, and coolant?
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I change all the fluids myself per the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual.

kramer2k · Jun 21, 2010

Barnone said: ↑

I change all the fluids myself per the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual.
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+1

Having access to the base auto garage makes tasks a TON easier. Free tool checkout and many different kinds of lifts. They also have a tire mounting machine and balancer. But I don't know how to work the thing.

tacobo670 · Jun 21, 2010

actually.... BP does my oilchanges lol. they do good work!

Lurkin · Jun 22, 2010

tacobo670 said: ↑

actually.... BP does my oilchanges lol. they do good work!
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Are they still charging you an Oil Dump Fee?

calaniz0312 · Jun 22, 2010

I've got free maintenance for 2 years so it makes sense to just take it to the dealership and get it done there.

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Who does your oil changes?

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hoeflich Its all mod on the inside

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tacomarotto Tempus Fugit, Memento Mori

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Jetfixr What was I thinking??

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Welcome to Tacoma World!

Who does your oil changes?

Best place to get your oil changed at ?

The dealership

Jiff Lube type place

Your self

#261 originalthoughts Well-Known Member

#262 SlurpeeBlueMetallic FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU...

#263 Crownedcustoms Well-Known Member

#264 jodapa New Member

#265 hoeflich Its all mod on the inside

#266 kramer2k Well-Known Member

#267 rmerchant3 Insert nonsense here

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#271 Chris(NJ) Well-Known Member

#272 tacomarotto Tempus Fugit, Memento Mori

#273 sbeau1960 Well-Known Member

#274 Jetfixr What was I thinking??

#275 tacomathom Well-Known Member

#276 Barnone Guest

#277 kramer2k Well-Known Member

#278 tacobo670 if you have to ask, u can't afford it

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#280 calaniz0312 Well-Known Member

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originalthoughts Well-Known Member

#262
SlurpeeBlueMetallic FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU...

#263
Crownedcustoms Well-Known Member

#264
jodapa New Member

#265
hoeflich Its all mod on the inside

#266
kramer2k Well-Known Member

#267
rmerchant3 Insert nonsense here

#268
Floki Old Sheepdog

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silver taco Well-Known Member

#270
Barnone Guest

#271
Chris(NJ) Well-Known Member

#272
tacomarotto Tempus Fugit, Memento Mori

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sbeau1960 Well-Known Member

#274
Jetfixr What was I thinking??

#275
tacomathom Well-Known Member

#276
Barnone Guest

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tacobo670 if you have to ask, u can't afford it

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