New car... should I let the dealer change the oil?

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Changing your own will save time and money, and you won't have to worry about the dealer's minions doing something dumb.

It's also likely that the oil and filter you install will be of higher quality than that which the dealer would install.

As stated, save the receipts, and mark them with odometer mileage.
 
While the warranty is in effect, I'd go with the dealer. If there are any "maintenance issues" you can produce the receipts.

Once that's over, I'd do it myself. In fact, 3/4 of the fleet is coming up on an oil-change and I can't wait.
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The Cobalt will be visiting the dealer in October for an oil change/check even though the cost is going to be way more than if I did it myself -- even if I went out and bought the synthetic oil at regular price. But who here does that?
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If you don't trust the dealer to do the oil change under warranty, they I wouldn't have bought the car from them.
 
Originally Posted By: Familyguy
My dealer offered me "free" oil changes for the life of the car.


Free oil changes at the Toyota dealer in Deerfield Beach Fla means the oil does not get changed...It happened to my sister and some other people I know...Complaints to Toyota fell on deaf ears and they could not care less...What the dealer does is bring the car to the back for about 20 minutes then brings up front.

If you are offered free oil changes don't take your eyes off the car for even a second and check the oil before you pull away.
 
Originally Posted By: Eddie
With a new vehicle, it can be good to build a repore with a dealer. I'd let them do the first and maybe second oil change.


I would stick to dealer for sure until the warrenty runs out..If you don't like that dealer find another one you like.
 
Originally Posted By: Sink
I would like to have it serviced at the dealer. The main reason for this is that it looks great to have consistent service records and I know that they are stored in the computers as well. Also, laziness.


This was my rationale for taking the car to the dealer to have it serviced. It's really no more expensive to have it serviced at the dealer--I'm always getting $19.99 coupons in the mail for LOF, and the Motorcraft Synthetic Blend and MC filter cost almost that much at Walmart, more than that at my local Schucks.

The first time I took it to the dealer, there was a slight leak from the oil filter, which was spun on but not tightened. The second time, it was under-filled by a quart. That was enough for me.

When I went to change it, the breaking torque on the drain plug was about 3 times the torque spec. on my aluminum oil pan.

I'm sure the dealer has many very qualified mechanics, but I'm not sure they have those guys doing the $20.00 LOF... I'll stick with doing it myself, keeping my receipts and calling it good. I also update everything online, and I can print that out for someone if I sell the car. If I were looking for a used car and someone had been updating the records and had receipts, that would be good enough for me.

The other issue is time. I'm lazy, too--but it's just so much quicker for me to do it myself rather than going into the dealer. Then again, changing the oil on a 3.0 Duratec is a 3 minute process, and I don't even have to put my car on ramps. On my Eurovan, I felt differently... I'm not sure if that's a consideration with your car or not?
 
Originally Posted By: tmorris1
If you don't trust the dealer to do the oil change under warranty, they I wouldn't have bought the car from them.


You really don't know how the service department will be until you use them.
 
Originally Posted By: Familyguy
My dealer offered me "free" oil changes for the life of the car.


I always believe those "free" oil changes are paid for somehow. Either at the time of sale, or during those "free" service visits, you'll pay eventually.
 
Only trust 2 sevice bays out of 10 around here. U Wont know till you try though.

-Funny note: I had a new, big ford truck and brought it in for my free oil change. They have a quick OC spot at the dealership with glass windows so you can watch from the service waiting area. Well, the service person was this very short woman, and she required a ladder(!)to open my hood. She got bulk oil in a pitcher and climbed the ladder. She could barely reach the oil fill. I saw here pouring the oil for what seemed an eternity. When I got the vehicle back - I routinely check the level befor driving off. When I opened the hood I saw oil splashed ALL OVER THE PLACE; on hoses and belts and the battery and fan shroud. I checked the level on the dipstick and it was almost a quart low. So 5 qts in the engine and 1 everywhere else
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Needless to say, I didnt get any more free OC's at this Ford shop in Salem NH.
 
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19 years old?? Change your own oil man!

Dealer trust? That's a pretty general statement when there are so many different individuals that can work on your car.

I had an experience recently with a friends VW that came to visit us from out of town. Before she left she had VW perform an oil change and air filter. As with all of my wife's friends who are towing 1, 2, or 3+ kids around I always offer to check their car out before they leave my house to return home. What did I find when I checked out that Golf 1.8T? You won't believe me, but here were the results:

1. Giant flat head screwdriver (12+ inches) laying over the right front strut assembly. Just sitting there.. no word of a lie. I asked if it was hers, and she said not a chance. She was going to go back to the dealer and lay into them for that 'mistake'.

2. Tires were WAY over inflated. All four tires had different pressures ranging from 40 - 55 psi.

I asked her for the invoice of the VW service to check what they did, and total was $120 for oil change, air filter, and general inspection. What a mess that could of had serious implications.

NO ONE touches my car but me, and if it has to go to the dealer I insist that I'm there to watch. Sorry, my safety is worth more than convenience.
 
My Mazda dealer gave me two free oil changes on my new CX7. I was talking to the mechanic? as he drained the 6 quart sump. He changed the filter element and then replaced 6 quarts of MC 5w30 blend oil from quart bottles. Can't beat that. I have had some service departments that drive your vehicle out to the service location a 100+ feet away behind a fence and won't let me go there. I don't go to dealers like that and tell them so. If they don't want me to stand 20 foot away and watch then it is not my kind of dealer.
 
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The main reason for this is that it looks great to have consistent service records and I know that they are stored in the computers as well.


Great for resale "value added" ..but if you're keeping it to 100k ..that's not going to be a factor except in a private sale.. and merely confirms that on THAT aspect, you're not pulling a fast one. "By the numbers" service records are great, albeit at higher costs. It does tend to sway the warranty genie in your favor on border line stuff. If you're footing the bill for the meat and potatoes ..they can forgo the gravy when the time comes. If you never used them, then they have no reason to extend any "forced good will" since they have no reputation to uphold.

An former girl friend of mine had the 5 speed in her Cummins go bad over a year out of warranty. Since she had maintained it to the OEM schedule at the dealer they paid for one or the other (either the time or the trans/parts) on the job. I'm not sure if it was the factory or the dealer finagling it or what.

When she asked, "What can you do for me", they had a reason to do it. Maintaining a vehicle by the book should result in no premature fatigue on anything.
 
Due to being treated rudely by the finance person I was given some free oil changes on my Chev Silverado. I rarely let anyone touch my vehicles but I wanted them to check all of the lube points since it is 4WD. After the oil change I am verifying they checked all of the lube points and saw oil dripping from the crankcase drain plug. It was finger loose. They didn't do anything other than change the oil, and the only bolt they touched they didn't tighten!
 
Do yourself a favor and change your own oil+filter,just make sure you keep your receipts.In the process you'll have some fun
and maybe learn a little something too.
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Many GM dealers are using Mobil Clean 5000 as their bulk oil. That's what it comes with from the factory. When I bought my new Malibu I negotiated 3 free oil changes at the dealer, so I will do that and go by the OLM....which is taking me out to 11,000 miles. Gasp !

I too have the Ecotech engine. It looks unbelievably simple to service with the filter cannister up top and easily accessible and you can reach the drain plug w/out even putting the vehicle on ramps. When I use up my freebies, I'll be servicing it myself.
 
As long as you follow the warranty requirements (i.e. OLM or mileage) and double check the dealers work I don't see where they can really create a problem.

If they forget to put oil in it, you'll notice that by pulling the dipstick and can poke them in the eye with it.

If they strip the drain plug and you can show that they've done all the work, it'll be covered.

If they use cheap oil, BITOG has essentially concluded that even Supertech changed at regular intervals is sufficient.

I'd suggest taking in your own oil and possibly even a filter. My Toyota dealership did a change for me for under $19 when I provided the oil and filter. In my case, it was cheaper to purchase the filter from the parts department and hand it to the service department to avoid a 2nd mark up on the price (the service guy told me this bit of information). It's still more expensive than a driveway change, but they also do some other maintenace related checks that I generally fail to do.
 
I prefer to let the dealer do the oil changes 'cause it's documented. You can take a 5 quart jug of PP or M1 to the dealer and let them use that if you prefer.
 
My other issue with having dealers do oil changes is it seems like every car i work on, moms, brothers, wifes friends, that have had dealer or shop oil changes is the GD oil filter in spun on with about 9000 ft/lb of torque. I have actually had trouble getting a drain bolt out one time, Seriously! who trains these people. Sorry for that little rant, but it really irritates me.
 
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it looks like my first oil change will be ~6100 miles (between 6000 and 6500

Your FIRST oil change at around 6K? Most guys like to get the factory fill out of there well before that..
 
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