I committed three BiTOG automotive no-no's

[GaryMX5]

I have sinned as well. I changed my oil without properly warming the motor and I topped up my sister in laws car with 5w30 when it had 0w-20 in it. Would doing community service at a walmart quick lube forgive my transgressions?

 

[LDB]

I've been a member here for 20+ years and l will confess that l recently did three things that have always been frowned on here:

1. Paid $119 for a synthetic oil change at the dealership.

2. Allowed dealership to upsell me on a cabin air filter for $59 followed by a "cleaning" of the vents for another $100.

3. Took the car through an automatic car wash.

I guess l am getting old because l would have NEVER done #1 and 2 when l was younger. I used the excuse that it was "too cold" to do it myself. But at least l got a free cup of coffee at the dealership.

Well, I have a local shop we use for everything not warranty or otherwise free. We pay $90 for a full synthetic oil/filter change. We know it is done right and with A list products. My days of crawling on the ground under cars are definitely gone. I think it's about $40 for air filter but it's been long enough I don't remember. And I go to the ride through in your car wash as it is too hot/humid most of the time to be out on the driveway plus I can't read my Kindle if I'm actually doing the washing. But I'm old(ish), 67.75 yesterday so I have an excuse.

 

[Patman]

When I first moved to my condo in 2021 I was using fast lube places for a while, I even paid extra for them to change the air filter and cabin filter. But that was only for a short period of time and then my father moved to a townhouse in my city so now I do all of my oil changes in his driveway.

I’m guilty of using the automatic car wash with my Civic. I pay $25 a month for unlimited washes and I typically get about 7 or 8 a month. And it isn’t a touchless wash either But this car isn’t a show piece, I don’t care if it has micro scratches on the paint. I just like it to look good from ten feet away and it does.

 

[notharry]

Lets see... ive been to the dealer three times. Once I was told I needed a ball joint that I didnt need, (Still on the car after 5 years). Once was a airbag replacement recall and they left pry marks in the dash, broke a vent, left out about 12 screws in various items. They fixed most things free but dash is still ruined. The other they did an alignment and after three redos the car still pulled to the right where it didnot before. It has been touched by a shop this one Subaru shop 3 times for warranty issues. Tire shop that razor cut the bellows on a CV axle (was fine before I went in). However thats the world we live in. Who do you blame?

 

[JimPghPA]

The more post I read, the less I want to ever let any shop have access to my vehicle.

 

[joekingcorvette]

I don't understand why people don't like automatic car washes. The one I use in my area has been great and I run everything the Rav4, F-150, and the Civic through on a very regular basis. The truck doesn't get driven much in the winter due to I want to keep it out of the salt. The Corvette doesn't see an automatic car wash. In all reality there is nothing a car wash has done other than maybe some very small swirl marks which are easily waxed out and I would get swirl marks if I hand or wand washed the vehicles too. It's just so easy to run them through and the wheels and tires always look great. I would spend hours doing all this by hand with 3 vehicles. Anyway as far as the oil change and air filter upsell and vent cleaning that would be a hard pass for me. I do understand having someone else do the oil and air filter if it's cold outside or you don't have the time or feel like doing it yourself. Sometimes it's nice to just sit back and enjoy the show.

 

[Astro14]

A year ago my friend Debbie, who owns the i8, asked me to help her adopted daughter as the Toyota dealer wanted over $2000 for what ended up being an oil change on her newer RAV4 hybrid. I looked at the exhaust and rotated the tires, just like their work order said.

A jug of M1 0w16 and a Toyota filter for the win! I think we might have gotten heavy and swapped the cabin air filter as well...

Jeff, Jeff - does your wife know that you are offering “extra services“ and “getting heavy” with the ladies in the neighborhood?

 

[JeffKeryk]

Jeff, Jeff - does your wife know that you are offering “extra services“ and “getting heavy” with the ladies in the neighborhood?

Wifey knows I'm happy when I'm in the garage pulling wrenches... Oh yeah, and let's just say I married up!

Joking aside, even though we have our differences, Debbie is amazing. She and her husband fostered like 35 children over the years. They were hardly well off... She has so many people that call her Mom, no way I can keep up. When Ken got cancer and died way too young, she asked me to help with her vehicles. Ken was a special guy, one of those rare people who you would meet and it seemed you knew him forever. That crazy megawatt smile. Ken was aces.

At his memorial, a social worker told the story of a troubled kid who cussed Ken and spit in his face. Ken held him and said, "I will never let you go."

 

[addyguy]

I have a shed with oil, ramps, pans, funnels in it…a driveway to work on on a quiet street…
I still get the oil changed in the garage at the CT I work for. Getting the car up onto ramps, getting under it, cleaning everything up isn’t as fun or as easy as it used to be, and finding time to do it isn’t always easy either.

 

[ripcord]

I still enjoy changing oil and doing maintenance on our vehicles, plus the cheapskate in me is strong.

 

[meep]

Let’s go in together, we can buy the OP a can of Slick50 PTFE treatment!