Can anyone help advise me about first oil change

[Mythical_Legend]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Wallet flush. They may ocasionally find something that needs to be fixed. They tend to recommend things due to age and milage vs wear.


do you think the tire rotation is good/necessary?

 

[Mythical_Legend]

Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
If you don't have an owners manual, here's one on eBay for $24.99:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-INFINITY-I35-OWNERS-MANUAL-PLUS-HOLDER/162670151790?fits=Year%3A2002%7CMake%3AInfiniti%7CModel%3AI35%7CSubmodel%3ABase%7CEngine+-+Liter_Display%3A3.5L%7CTrim%3ABase+Sedan+4-Door%7CEngine%3A3.5L+3498CC+V6+GAS+DOHC+Naturally+Aspirated&hash=item25dfe5886e:g:nCwAAOSwmFpZts8u&vxp=mtr


I'm a child of the internet, I can find just about anything online for free lol. The manual is https://www.infiniti-techinfo.com/refgh0v/og/infiniti/i30/2002-infiniti-i35.pdf

the part about the oil reads

SAE 5W-30 viscosity oil is preferred for
all ambient temperatures. SAE 10W-30,
10W-40 viscosity oil may be used if the
ambient temperature is above 0°F

So i'm probably gonna stick with the 5-30 but i'm not sure why the previous owner went ith the 10-40

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Maybe it burns a bit of oil? You'd be fine with any of the 3. I'd try the 5w30 and if it burns, switch to 10w30 or 10w40 the next oil change.

 

[Mythical_Legend]

Hey man I just got off the phone with an auto center. They were busy so i couldn't ask all of my questions but I found out their 29.99 standard oil uses castrol and the 34.99 uses something else but it's better for high mileage cars (I have 80 something thousand on mine). What do you pay for your change and what package do you use?

 

[4WD]

Use Castrol but if they try to upsale a bunch of things just decline and come back here with questions …

 

[MParr]

Ah, the old Firestone Tire & Shakedown.

 

[Mythical_Legend]

I'm pretty stupid when it comes to car stuff but I learned how to check the oil when I first bought the car and it never burned any oil. I don't know if that's because it's heavy oil or what.

 

[Mythical_Legend]

Originally Posted By: 4WD
Use Castrol but if they try to upsale a bunch of things just decline and come back here with questions …


Is walmart trusted though? I just googled it and a bunch of people are making fun of getting an oil change done at WalMart and a couple horror stories. Would Walmart be better to go to than the Fleet Tire Place? They're both about the same distance and price.

 

[Mythical_Legend]

Originally Posted By: MParr
Ah, the old Firestone Tire & Shakedown.


Can you elaborate please?

 

[askani79705]

Walmart here has a $26 Quaker State special. All they do is change the oil.

 

[4WD]

During my cancer treatments (120 miles/day six weeks) … Firestone changed my oil with Pennzoil Platinum ~ (from a six gallon box) ~ it was a mature staff and they did not try to sell me a thing …

 

[i_hate_autofraud]

I only went to the dealer, etc, because of warranty requirements then did my own changes.

Dealers rush the shop so bad they make mistakes like using impact guns to remove the oil plug
and stripping the threads!

If your car takes a spin-on oil filter that goes almost straight up onto the engine, then I'd prefill
the filter for less dry-start.

If you want to do your own changes, do something extra a shop won't do: If you have just over 1/2"
clearance all the way around that spin-on oil filter, I'd add a pair or at least one FilterMag, the magnetic
field pulls out wear metals from the oil, keeping it noticeably cleaner longer! I've been doing it for
4 years now. See the Pics in this PDF, same results I get:

FILTERMAG vs HOMEBREW
https://app.box.com/s/uxvu8dmscf5wcgftutdm0ejqwgn86tw7

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
For about $45-60 you should be able to get it done at a nearby Infiniti or Nissan dealer. If they are too high, I'd look up a NAPA certified shop. Finding a good independent auto repair shop is as tough as finding a good doctor. Also if you don't have an owners manual. you may be able to find one on eBay. Infiniti USA's web site does not go back to 2002..

FYI I had a 1996 I30 that my wife drove and liked a lot.


On second thought, if you only drive 2,000 miles a year it would be a decent option to go to your local Infiniti dealer for a basic conventional oil change (5w-30 and an OEM Nissan filter). It won't break the bank, and you only need a tire rotation every 5-6K miles (2-3 years). Just be leery if they try to upsell you on anything. You should have a few Infiniti dealers in Broward County and your local area.


Why would you do this unless you suspected other issues. When you can DIY for under thirty dollars with quality full synthetic as opposed to a conventional change at the dealer for more money. Full synthetic 50% less wear than conventional oil.

 

[Donald]

All the quick places want to upsell you to $100 worth of services. They have wanna-be mechanics.

Now is a chance to try out an local indy mechanic on something simple.

 

[ecotourist]

I've been changing my oil for something like 50 years, so I obviously believe in that concept. But unless you have reasonable mechanical skills, I'd suggest having a ride along mechanically minded friend 'help you' with your first change. There are a few things that can go wrong and as a newbie, they're more likely to happen to you - which would put you off DIY oil changes for life.

Some things that can go wrong - in no particular order:
1) draining the wrong part (like the transmission)
2) cross-threading the oil plug
3) can't get the filter off
4) not getting the gasket off with the filter - ending up with two gaskets and a major oil leak
5) drained the oil but can't get the filler cap off
6) car falling off the jack/blocks

I don't think anyone would mind helping you with that first change, especially if there's a beverage starting with a "B" and rhyming with "Deer" involved.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
For about $45-60 you should be able to get it done at a nearby Infiniti or Nissan dealer. If they are too high, I'd look up a NAPA certified shop. Finding a good independent auto repair shop is as tough as finding a good doctor. Also if you don't have an owners manual. you may be able to find one on eBay. Infiniti USA's web site does not go back to 2002..

FYI I had a 1996 I30 that my wife drove and liked a lot.


On second thought, if you only drive 2,000 miles a year it would be a decent option to go to your local Infiniti dealer for a basic conventional oil change (5w-30 and an OEM Nissan filter). It won't break the bank, and you only need a tire rotation every 5-6K miles (2-3 years). Just be leery if they try to upsell you on anything. You should have a few Infiniti dealers in Broward County and your local area.


Why would you do this unless you suspected other issues. When you can DIY for under thirty dollars with quality full synthetic as opposed to a conventional change at the dealer for more money. Full synthetic 50% less wear than conventional oil.


Why? Because the OP is a newbie who has never done his own OC before, he only drives 2,000 miles a year, his 2002 model was made for conventional oil and the VQ engines of that era do pretty well on conventional. Kapiche?

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: i_hate_autofraud


Dealers rush the shop so bad they make mistakes like using impact guns to remove the oil plug
and stripping the threads!


This might belong in the category of urban myth.
I've never actually seen nor heard of any shop using an impact on an oil drain plug.
To the OP, unless you have physical limitations that make it impossible or you don't have a suitable venue available, changing the oil is dirt simple on 95% of the engines out there and not too much harder with the rest, although some installations do make getting at the oil filter a little difficult.
You can find helpful video of your very model car or any other online to remove any unknowns from the process.
They'll even tell you what size socket you'll need.
I'd guess 17 mm, but I could be wrong.
For an inexpensive no-nonsense and no upsell oil change if you can't or won't DIY, any Walmart TLE is your best bet.