Replacing oil drain plug with generic screw?

[Herz]

Well my drain bolt on both my GM trucks had to be replaced. The NAPA ones that cost 6 bucks have magnets that actually attract stuff I got to clean off every oil change but the cheapo 3 dollar one from Kragen rusted with in a 8 month span and contained no magnet.

There is a reason they cost 6 or 7 bucks, however it is up to you. Go to a hardware store match the threads perfectly it is very easy to ruin oil pan threads AFAIK.

 

[tom slick]

Originally Posted By: Chuck1986
For everyone telling me "it's just $4":
Yes, it's cheap. Yes, it's very affordable. BUT it's the principle of the matter - I'm not one to let myself get ripped off on something stupid like this.

If you go to a baseball game, do you hesitate when they charge you $4 for a bottle of water? Same principle applies here. Again, it's not about affordability, it's about adhering to the principles of frugality. If everybody did this, they wouldn't get away with these bogus prices!!


How are you getting ripped off? it's a specialized bolt that you are going to replace once in a lifetime. If that's the case why do you drive an Eclipse GT when "in principle" you could drive a much cheaper car.

BTW I do buy that $4 water at a ball game. I knew when I bought the ticket that everything there is expensive. If I wanted to be "frugal" I'd go to a friend's house and watch the game on his cable, using his electricity and eating his food. Or I'd go to a bar, claim I was a designated driver, and drink free cokes and eat free pretzels while watching the game.

 

[brianl703]

If the $4 bolt lasts 100,000 miles, you cost per mile for the bolt is 0.004 cents.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Chuck1986
For everyone telling me "it's just $4":
Yes, it's cheap. Yes, it's very affordable. BUT it's the principle of the matter - I'm not one to let myself get ripped off on something stupid like this.

If you go to a baseball game, do you hesitate when they charge you $4 for a bottle of water? Same principle applies here. Again, it's not about affordability, it's about adhering to the principles of frugality. If everybody did this, they wouldn't get away with these bogus prices!!


In the amount of time you've been fussing about it on the forum you could have bought the $4 bolt, put it in and been off doing something more important.

You can make the $4 up on something that really matters.

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: Chuck1986
For everyone telling me "it's just $4":
Yes, it's cheap. Yes, it's very affordable. BUT it's the principle of the matter - I'm not one to let myself get ripped off on something stupid like this.

If you go to a baseball game, do you hesitate when they charge you $4 for a bottle of water? Same principle applies here. Again, it's not about affordability, it's about adhering to the principles of frugality. If everybody did this, they wouldn't get away with these bogus prices!!


Why not just buy a machine shop and get it for $1

 

[severach]

You're not being ripped off. That's what it costs to bring you a custom part which rarely breaks. Your oil pan bolt is a metric fine thread and the least you'll pay for a metric bolt that size is $2.50 at the hardware store and it will cost you $5 in gas to find it. See there, you can't even deliver it for less than $4. No pay buy the pound at TSC for you. Try the dealer. Sometimes they are less than aftermarket.

There are plenty of places to save money. An oil pan bolt and the custom washers they come with is not one of them.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
In the amount of time you've been fussing about it on the forum you could have bought the $4 bolt, put it in and been off doing something more important.

You can make the $4 up on something that really matters.


Seriously...

 

[Chuck1986]

Gentleman, I want to inform you all that I bit the bullet the bought the drain plug made for the designated purpose! They even happened to have a $3 one in stock at AAP

 

[Chuck1986]

Originally Posted By: tom slick
Originally Posted By: Chuck1986
For everyone telling me "it's just $4":
Yes, it's cheap. Yes, it's very affordable. BUT it's the principle of the matter - I'm not one to let myself get ripped off on something stupid like this.

If you go to a baseball game, do you hesitate when they charge you $4 for a bottle of water? Same principle applies here. Again, it's not about affordability, it's about adhering to the principles of frugality. If everybody did this, they wouldn't get away with these bogus prices!!


How are you getting ripped off? it's a specialized bolt that you are going to replace once in a lifetime. If that's the case why do you drive an Eclipse GT when "in principle" you could drive a much cheaper car.

BTW I do buy that $4 water at a ball game. I knew when I bought the ticket that everything there is expensive. If I wanted to be "frugal" I'd go to a friend's house and watch the game on his cable, using his electricity and eating his food. Or I'd go to a bar, claim I was a designated driver, and drink free cokes and eat free pretzels while watching the game.


On the note of the $4 water: I was extremely upset this one time I brought a water bottle to a Diamondbacks and they wouldn't let me bring it in (they allowed my food though). You can imagine I had a word with them.

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: Chuck1986
Originally Posted By: tom slick
Originally Posted By: Chuck1986
For everyone telling me "it's just $4":
Yes, it's cheap. Yes, it's very affordable. BUT it's the principle of the matter - I'm not one to let myself get ripped off on something stupid like this.

If you go to a baseball game, do you hesitate when they charge you $4 for a bottle of water? Same principle applies here. Again, it's not about affordability, it's about adhering to the principles of frugality. If everybody did this, they wouldn't get away with these bogus prices!!


How are you getting ripped off? it's a specialized bolt that you are going to replace once in a lifetime. If that's the case why do you drive an Eclipse GT when "in principle" you could drive a much cheaper car.

BTW I do buy that $4 water at a ball game. I knew when I bought the ticket that everything there is expensive. If I wanted to be "frugal" I'd go to a friend's house and watch the game on his cable, using his electricity and eating his food. Or I'd go to a bar, claim I was a designated driver, and drink free cokes and eat free pretzels while watching the game.


On the note of the $4 water: I was extremely upset this one time I brought a water bottle to a Diamondbacks and they wouldn't let me bring it in (they allowed my food though). You can imagine I had a word with them.


They probably have a concession area that sells water OR people bring vodka into their facility in water bottles. You seem like you are really struggling to be able to fit into society. Not every system or business is designed to rip YOU off.

 

[Tornado Red]

Why has no one recommended replacing the drain plug with a Fumoto valve? Then never have to replace a drain plug again.

 

[bigbird_1]

Originally Posted By: Tornado Red
Why has no one recommended replacing the drain plug with a Fumoto valve? Then never have to replace a drain plug again.


Because they drain way too slowly.

 

[severach]

OP is barking loud enough about a perfectly normal priced oil plug. The hue and cry from a $30 Fumoto would be much greater.

 

[Vizzy]

Originally Posted By: Chuck1986
For everyone telling me "it's just $4":
Yes, it's cheap. Yes, it's very affordable. BUT it's the principle of the matter - I'm not one to let myself get ripped off on something stupid like this.

!!


Yep if you calculate cost per mile you are not being ripped off really...

This is a bit insane, but there you have it, this is modern day USA.

You should be more decerning when choosing your battles, this is CLEARLY not worth it...The potential of having a failure on your costly investment is just lunacy.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I happen to be frugal - but not cheap. I do most of my own home construction and boiler servicing - mainly for convenience, and, I know if I did it right (or wrong) - its on me! What gets my Scotts blood a boilin is when I go to the Subaru dealer and buy the OEM service filter for $4.95 then they want to charge me $1.19 for a drain plug WASHER. These are penny china parts and I'm OK with a guy making a bit of profit but not 100X profit. So, I always say no, and the counter person says, "your gonna have a leak" and I say, Its OK , its under your warranty