Poll: DIY maintenance

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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!!!

 

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.

 

^You can rotate your tires. I do it myself with a jack and stands.

 

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!

 

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.

 

If you CAN change your own oil, you SHOULD change your own oil, and that goes for trannies, diffs, and t-cases, too...

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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..

 

I do the HOG, but the dealer does the truck for free, and free is good.

 

Definitely do my own. I love bonding with my taco. Don't trust the lube places or the stealerships! Screw 'em

 

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.

 

^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).

 

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!