Premium Guard PG6161 — Cadillac ELR

[FlyingVan]

I installed a Fumoto oil drain valve in every vehicle I own. No chance of ever stripping the pan. I wonder if I took my car in to have the oil changed, would they be smart enough to just open the valve to drain the oil or would they unscrew it? But I'm not taking my cars in anywhere for an oil change, at least until I can crawl underneath and do it myself. By that time though I will probably drive an electric car that doesn't need oil changes.

 

[Fair enough]

PG seems to have copied the unusual Mann style base plate for these cars. German Opel derived engine I believe. Even though says Made in China on it. No adbv either like oe GM. It seems PG is careful about meeting the specs.

 

[TXCarGeek]

PG seems to have copied the unusual Mann style base plate for these cars. German Opel derived engine I believe. Even though says Made in China on it. No adbv either like oe GM. It seems PG is careful about meeting the specs.

I thought the base plate was strange as well. I’ll be cutting open the pg STP XL that I installed once I’m done with this oil change.

 

[MrkofXcellence]

Car dealers typically employee “bottom rung” kind of guys to perform oil changes . While some are conscientious - many just don’t care to do the job correctly (i.e. carefully installing oil drain plug and only tightening enough to snug up the crush washer . Oil filter should be tightened 3/4th of a turn more once gasket makes initial contact with metal).

FYI, the 3/4 turn has been increased to 1 full turn. TSB about oil leaks. I should say this is regarding OEM GM oil filters, I don't know about others. I find it telling that the oil change described above at a GM dealership didn't employ the use of an OEM filter.

 

[MrkofXcellence]

I absolutely detest dealership service departments. On my current Chevy SS, I’ve had three out of three services where they consistently messed up something that necessitated me returning the car. Each time my car was in there, it took the entire day, despite their assurances that it would only take an hour. As a result, I forfeited the remaining free oil changes and started taking it to the local lube shop.

Like you, I have never taken advantage of any free oil changes. Honestly, it seems like anytime someone other than me starts touching my truck I find problems. Those lube tech jobs at dealerships are definitely their starting positions. I wouldn't want them rotating my tires either. It seems like people have just no concept what damage they can do with unrestricted torque on air wrenches. I know my rotors won't be their training grounds.

 

[Fair enough]

Imo it is better to use the filter with an adbv on that engine. Fram 3387 size. Lucky the drain bolt wasn’t stripped. I wouldn’t go back. I think they sell repair plugs if it does happen.

 

[Dborch41]

Like you, I have never taken advantage of any free oil changes. Honestly, it seems like anytime someone other than me starts touching my truck I find problems. Those lube tech jobs at dealerships are definitely their starting positions. I wouldn't want them rotating my tires either. It seems like people have just no concept what damage they can do with unrestricted torque on air wrenches. I know my rotors won't be their training grounds.

I'm 61 and still capable of doing almost all the maintenance on my vehicles, but it's not as easy as it used to be. I'm dreading the day when I'm physically no longer capable of doing simple jobs like oil changes, with all these horror stories I just don't trust anyone to put the same basic care into the work that I always have no matter whose car it is (I've done a lot of "favors" for family members as well).
That alone is a pretty good incentive to take reasonably good care of myself. I'll keep going for as long as I can still crawl out from underneath my truck, omnipresent "dad noises" notwithstanding.