changing the oil in a female friends car tomorrow

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Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: sicko
Tell her to take it to a quick lube place for an oil change, and don't get involved.

The car is running "fine" right now, if you change the oil and the car develops any problems in the next 6-10 months, she's going to blame you for it.


Add me to the list of + numbers. STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM THIS AS YOU CAN!

While I've done my a good bit of car work for friends, I only work on cars that I know have been reasonably well-maintained in the past. If I open the hood and there are fluid leaks everywhere and a questionable maintenance history, then I won't touch the car.

In this case, run away, That engine is ready to grenade at any time.
 
Originally Posted By: webfors
I had the same situation last weekend. My wife's friend comes to visit with her two kids in a crv, 2.5 hour drive here and back. Hasn't changed the oil in 2+ years and over 20K miles. No oil showing on the dipstick. I let her know that anything can happen to her car and she knows she's abused it badly. I offer to change it, she agrees.

However, this is a good friend of ours who was eternally grateful for the oil change and *knows* that anything that happens would not be a result of the oil change I performed.

Every situation is different, and the character of the person you're helping is an important variable.

I agree.

However, in this case, everything dime has to report does not give me a warm fuzzy feeling that this girl will be the understanding type should her car grenade in the near future. She has already shown to be irresponsible. She'll be just as irresponsible with her accusations.
 
Wally World makes customers sign a "waiver" if the pre-service oil check turns up clear/dry (no oil on the dip stick).

Lots of issues/responsibilities servicing someone elses car, so they said they do it to protect themselves. And that's exactly what the statement says, walmart can't be held responsible for damages from them changing the oil and filter on a vehicle that comes in with a dry dip stick.

They said it happens quite frequently.....crazy.
 
well i changed it today after looking it over. i would say it has NOT been 30,000 miles,maybe like 10,000 at the most. the oil wasn't abnormally dirty,but the filter was in bypass. i took the oil to walmart for recycling and brought the filter home,i'll be cutting it open soon.

there weren't any chunks of sludge,metal particles or anything else to make me worry about changing it so i did it. i even showed her how to do it,its easy cause its the 2.2 with the filter on top.
 
Originally Posted By: ahoier
Wally World makes customers sign a "waiver" if the pre-service oil check turns up clear/dry (no oil on the dip stick).

Lots of issues/responsibilities servicing someone elses car, so they said they do it to protect themselves. And that's exactly what the statement says, walmart can't be held responsible for damages from them changing the oil and filter on a vehicle that comes in with a dry dip stick.

They said it happens quite frequently.....crazy.


yeah its happens about once a day,sometimes more.
 
Once? On a busy day its a couple times and its very annoying because then that car is holding up the line. I love the ones who we call and call and call, never come back. So we roll it out without doing any work and they finally come back an hour later, "Why isnt my car done." They can get angry about it too.
 
Originally Posted By: dime
well i changed it today after looking it over. i would say it has NOT been 30,000 miles,maybe like 10,000 at the most. the oil wasn't abnormally dirty,but the filter was in bypass. i took the oil to walmart for recycling and brought the filter home,i'll be cutting it open soon.

there weren't any chunks of sludge,metal particles or anything else to make me worry about changing it so i did it. i even showed her how to do it,its easy cause its the 2.2 with the filter on top.


I will say you are a awesome guy...You really go out of your way for people...Your friend was blessed the day she found you.
 
Originally Posted By: CROWNVIC4LIFE
Originally Posted By: dime
well i changed it today after looking it over. i would say it has NOT been 30,000 miles,maybe like 10,000 at the most. the oil wasn't abnormally dirty,but the filter was in bypass. i took the oil to walmart for recycling and brought the filter home,i'll be cutting it open soon.

there weren't any chunks of sludge,metal particles or anything else to make me worry about changing it so i did it. i even showed her how to do it,its easy cause its the 2.2 with the filter on top.


I will say you are a awesome guy...You really go out of your way for people...Your friend was blessed the day she found you.


I agree. Your thoughfulness has been
01.gif
 
dime,

OK you got her oil changed so is she trying to get you toi repair her antifreeze leak????

I hope her head gasket isn't the problem?? Toyotas are notorious for weak head gaskets. That's an expensive fix. You can have a good mechanic torque the head bolts down. Otherwise you practically looking for/at a new engine rebuild.

Durango
 
Originally Posted By: dime
Originally Posted By: ahoier


.... walmart can't be held responsible for damages from them changing the oil and filter on a vehicle that comes in with a dry dip stick.

They said it happens quite frequently.....crazy.


yeah its happens about once a day,sometimes more.


Those are the ones that come in because the oil light on the dash is flashing. It means change the oil, doesn't it?
13.gif
 
Originally Posted By: XS650
Those are the ones that come in because the oil light on the dash is flashing. It means change the oil, doesn't it?
13.gif



*twitch* Don't say that! :-P
 
Originally Posted By: Onmo'Eegusee
Once? On a busy day its a couple times and its very annoying because then that car is holding up the line. I love the ones who we call and call and call, never come back. So we roll it out without doing any work and they finally come back an hour later, "Why isnt my car done." They can get angry about it too.


LOL so true, we page thrice and then pull em out. I would say maybe 2/5 cars come in with at least a quart low.
 
dont mess with a good thing, keep the sludge in engine... but if she does insist try the new ultra and tell us how it runs
 
Originally Posted By: Durango
dime,

OK you got her oil changed so is she trying to get you toi repair her antifreeze leak????

I hope her head gasket isn't the problem?? Toyotas are notorious for weak head gaskets. That's an expensive fix. You can have a good mechanic torque the head bolts down. Otherwise you practically looking for/at a new engine rebuild.

Durango

i didn't see an antifreeze leak while i was there. it was suprisingly dry underneath.
 
OP -- as several others have said -- direct her to a shop.if ANYTHING happens in the near future, it'll be your fault.an upper valvetrain noise, an alternator blows up, a rainy day -- YOU will be blamed. it's common for women, and some clueless men,to place blame for items that fail on the last person to touch the car, since they are mechanically inept. if she goes to a shop, and something should fail, she'll *itch at someone else, and not you.think with your brain,and not your heart.
 
While I generally agree with most folks that there is a fair amount of risk in undertaking this work, I do have to wonder what kind of world we would end up with if everyone stopped being kind to each other out of fear.

robert
 
That's because many of us have been burned by showing kindness, myself included. The posters above didn't go into detail, but they did speak from experience. Sometimes it is necessary to refuse helping someone for the sake of maintaining a healthy interpersonal relationship.

Referring back to webfors post, it depends on the individual you're helping. I now assess the person before I render help to them.
 
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