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Poll: DIY maintenance

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by applawman, Sep 23, 2009.

?

Do you change your own oil?

Poll closed Oct 23, 2009.
  1. Don't let anyone else near my truck!

    85.4%
  2. Don't have the time

    5.5%
  3. Would rather pay someone else to do it

    9.1%
  1. Sep 24, 2009 at 3:21 PM
    #21
    jandrews

    jandrews Hootin' and Hollerin'

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    A-TRUCK, Fat Kid in the Bed, Custom Pinstriping, Ported and Polished Muffler Bearing, Hi-Performance Bed Mat
    I always use OEM parts. Who knows the vehicle and what it needs better than the manufacturer?


    Sort of. There's a gasket on the drain plug that's *supposed* to be replaced at each oil change. I re-use mine 3 or 4 times before replacing.

    Most dealerships will give them to you free if you ask.
     
  2. Sep 24, 2009 at 4:14 PM
    #22
    jefferson

    jefferson needs to stop cruising Buy/Sell/Trade....

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    Sex Panther
    San Diego (North Park!), CA
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    toyota brand hitch and uhaul wiring harness, fog lamps on anytime, bed lamps, map lights on with dome, day time running lamps, remove secondary air filter, painted bumper grill, Double Din touch screen stereo, Sockmonkey custom SR5 decal, door & seatbelt bells disabled, painted engine cover, installed compass/temperature overhead console, failed mod: passenger side auto down window switches, weathertech front mats, RedLine hood struts, Cheap Beep piezo buzzer locking beep, 5100s in the front set at 2.5, 5100s in the rear, AAL, hitch safe, revenge fab sliders, bed bar, prerunner light, cb wired
    Change the washer screw. dealer will have it but usually autozone has it too.. i dunno if someone already answered this. i didnt bother reading to find out :D
     
  3. Sep 24, 2009 at 4:19 PM
    #23
    PhatTaco

    PhatTaco Well-Known Member

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    Jerry
    Georgia
    Vehicle:
    07 PreRunner SR5
    Backup camera, wheel locks, locking gas cap, tailgate anti-theft device (hose clamp).
    Do it myself and always have with all my cars. Have a friend who took his VOLVO in to the dealer for an oil change. When he got it home he checked it out and found that the oil was still dirty and the filter had not been changed but they did top up his windshield washer fluid. I don’t know if anyone who owns a VOLVO can learn a how to change oil so maybe he didn’t have a choice.
     
  4. Sep 24, 2009 at 4:26 PM
    #24
    Ty's Taco

    Ty's Taco Well-Known Member

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    Tyler
    Sweet home Alabama
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prerunner SR5 Sport Pearl Black
    Ask visa or my wife. They both constantly remind me how much I've got left to spend.
    My dealership sucks when it come to maintenance. I got a free oil change with the purchase of my truck and decided to have them rotate the tires while they were at it. They cross threaded one of my pro comp lugs and I ended up having to replace the stud and buy new lugs for the wheel because they said I couldn't prove that they did it. Also they put the lugs on so hard with the impact wrench that I broke a splind key trying to get one of the lugs off with a breaker bar. NEVER again!!!
     
  5. Sep 24, 2009 at 5:07 PM
    #25
    mws4ua

    mws4ua I'll try being nicer if you try being smarter.

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    Matt
    Birmingham
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    I wouldn't say I don't let anyone else near my truck (I can't rotate and balance my tires, after all), but I do most of my own maint.
     
  6. Sep 24, 2009 at 9:30 PM
    #26
    WilsonTheDog

    WilsonTheDog Kylie's dad

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    Eric
    Myrtle Beach SC
    Vehicle:
    07 Prerunner SR5 DC/SB V6
    Magnaflow 12576 muffler & chrome tip, Westin step bars, 27% tint, Pop N Lock, AFE ProdryS, bed mat, Husky liners, D-rings added, Access Literider tonneau, Pioneer 4-ways all around, GY Wrangler Duratracs 265/75/16, 5100's @ 1.75", 1.5" AAL
    ^You can rotate your tires. I do it myself with a jack and stands.
     
  7. Sep 25, 2009 at 12:09 AM
    #27
    Dilsky

    Dilsky There go my nipples again!

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    Shawn
    Edmonton AB
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    2.5" Fox Extendable Coilovers, LR UCAs, Agri-Cover Larado soft top, Pop'n Lock, 48" Hi-Lift Jack, 20" Incubus Offroad rims
    i hae always changed my own oil till I got my tacoma. Now even though it is a lot easier to change the oil on the truck since I don't have to jack it up....I don't do my own.

    I get mine done at toyota for Free!
     
  8. Sep 25, 2009 at 12:33 AM
    #28
    Claudio D

    Claudio D Member

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    saugus mass
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    rubber bed mat undercover tonneau hitch step-bumper protector
    That being said I do all oil changes on my cars. Im a bit heavy also 230+- my chest is close stomach closer. Of course ramps and jacks on my vette. The dealer wanted a 100 bucks to do my Z06 less than 50 thru w-mart. You see everything close up and catch problems early that way. Full synth on all bike too.
     
  9. Sep 25, 2009 at 1:31 AM
    #29
    Illuminaut

    Illuminaut life's a conspiracy

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    .75" Front Aluminum Billet Spacers = 1.5" Lift ((silly mud flaps removed pending trimming)) AFE Pro Dry S with secondary filter removed 265/70/16 Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armors mounted on Limited Edition Toyota Black Bajas
    If you CAN change your own oil, you SHOULD change your own oil, and that goes for trannies, diffs, and t-cases, too... :amen:
     
  10. Sep 25, 2009 at 5:23 AM
    #30
    mws4ua

    mws4ua I'll try being nicer if you try being smarter.

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    I can rotate, yes.... but I can't balance. For $50-ish it's worth a lifetime rotate/balance at the Goodyear shop a mile from my house.
     
  11. Sep 25, 2009 at 5:36 AM
    #31
    KeithB

    KeithB Well-Known Member

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    Cheshire, CT
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    SWB '09 Tacoma DCSB Sport 4x4
    Wheels and Tires: 17x8" Ultra Goliath wheels with P285/70R17 Falken Wildpeak AT3/W tires, Suspension: Fox coilovers set at 2", TC UCA's, 1.5" lift 3 leaf pack with overload left in Other: TRD SS exhaust, Pioneer AVIC 4100 H/U with Android Auto (awesomeness), sat radio bluetooth, Accessories: Toyota roof rack, black Toyota running board steps, cargo divider, weathertech floor liners, Literider roll up soft tonneau, thule bars over tonneau, USB ports front and rear, seat heaters, birddawg mirror riser Cosmetic: window tint, grillcraft black mesh upper/lower grill, vinyl armrest in doors, Clazzio black seat covers with blue stitch, Redline steering wheel wrap Lighting: fogs only mod, back up lights, amber interior accent lighting, amber 10" LED light bar in hood scoop, 33" LED bar behind the lower grill, amber lamin-x on fog lights, Tacomabeast headlights and matching tails.
    I used to do my own oil changes on my '01 but now I get lifetime free oil changes at the dealership on my '09. I'd actually rather do it myself cause I really don't trust anyone else but it's free. More of a PITA IMO to get to the dealership while the service dept. is open (I work during those hours 9-12 and 1-4) and wait an hour. Rather do it in the evening on my own time in 15 minutes.
     
  12. Sep 25, 2009 at 6:25 AM
    #32
    mws4ua

    mws4ua I'll try being nicer if you try being smarter.

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    2018 GMC Sierra SLT Z71 4x4... Yeah yeah, I know.
    I didn't buy new, so I have no idea if this is possible, but I wonder if you could have gotten anything off the cost of the truck if you told them to keep their free oil changes.
     
  13. Sep 25, 2009 at 12:02 PM
    #33
    Dilsky

    Dilsky There go my nipples again!

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    Shawn
    Edmonton AB
    Vehicle:
    07 TRD Sport
    2.5" Fox Extendable Coilovers, LR UCAs, Agri-Cover Larado soft top, Pop'n Lock, 48" Hi-Lift Jack, 20" Incubus Offroad rims
    Usually oil changes are included only when you do all your servicing at Toyota. Luckily for me one of the sales guys slipped up and said I get my free oil changes regardless of where I get the rest of my services done. So I just drop by every once and awhile for my free oil change. Usually on my way to Calgary sonce they have an express lane so it only takes about 20 mins.
     
  14. Sep 25, 2009 at 12:21 PM
    #34
    MJonaGS32

    MJonaGS32 MJ on a GS

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    Drifter wedge camper, Dual battery, OBA, ARB locker, 4.56 gears
    people that say they have no time is BS. If you go to your local Jiffy Lube or wherever oil changers are done, chances are, other cars will be there, thus resulting to a longer wait.

    time is not an issue, it's laziness and/or not knowing how to do it. :p
     
  15. Sep 25, 2009 at 12:49 PM
    #35
    TacoMO

    TacoMO Well-Known Member

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    fly over zone
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    Shell
    I mostly do my own, and use amsoil. I just traded a 03 4Runner for my tacoma. It's a 09 I found a few months ago with 17k on it.
    I am closing in on 36k already.
    W/ Amsoil I will go 10k between changes. Otherwise I'd be under it every month..
    Yes, I'm a traveling salesman..
     
  16. Sep 25, 2009 at 12:52 PM
    #36
    vinnyvavoom

    vinnyvavoom Well-Known Member

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    of course
    I do the HOG, but the dealer does the truck for free, and free is good.
     
  17. Sep 25, 2009 at 3:42 PM
    #37
    Ric'sTaco

    Ric'sTaco Active Member

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    Moses Lake, WA
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    Definitely do my own. I love bonding with my taco. :D Don't trust the lube places or the stealerships! :devil: Screw 'em
     
  18. Sep 25, 2009 at 5:53 PM
    #38
    Husker_in_KC

    Husker_in_KC Well-Known Member

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    Tinted Windoz, TruXedo, Toytech lift, beefed sliders, got winch.
    Used to always have the dealership do service and so forth. Then from the awesome\evil website got motivated, lifted the truck and just got new wheels and tires. So also decided to do my 30k service on my own and switched to synthetic in the process. Funny thing is went to replace my cabin air filter and there was not one there. Called and complained at the stealership they basically claimed I was lying. HHmmm like I will go back and have them work on my truck anymore.
     
  19. Sep 25, 2009 at 6:03 PM
    #39
    WilsonTheDog

    WilsonTheDog Kylie's dad

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    Eric
    Myrtle Beach SC
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    07 Prerunner SR5 DC/SB V6
    Magnaflow 12576 muffler & chrome tip, Westin step bars, 27% tint, Pop N Lock, AFE ProdryS, bed mat, Husky liners, D-rings added, Access Literider tonneau, Pioneer 4-ways all around, GY Wrangler Duratracs 265/75/16, 5100's @ 1.75", 1.5" AAL
    ^I believe '05's didn't come with them. Someone will verify this.

    I received no free oil changes. I didn't ask for them either because, since we're on this thread topic, I don't want them touching my truck unless it's absolutely necessary (meaning, if I cannot fix something).
     
  20. Sep 25, 2009 at 7:01 PM
    #40
    linkfeeney

    linkfeeney Well-Known Member

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    link the stink!
    Sewell, NJ Eh!
    Vehicle:
    09 Doublecab TRD Off-Road! Magnetic Grey!
    I like to put good stuff in my truck! Dealer puts in regular oil and not synthetic.
    I put Amsoil in the winter time... hard to change oil in the cold outside.. and Mobil 1 or Pennzoil or Valvoline in the summer. Which ever the cheapest at wal-mart! :)
     

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