What's the dumbest thing...?

[LouDawg]

What's the dumbest thing anyone has said to you about motor oil and/or auto lubrication in general? I ask because my wife continually asks the stupidest questions I've ever heard in my life...but then, I can't really expect much from her. If she ever got motor oil on her hands, she'd probably faint and die right there on the spot... Just thought it would funny to hear some of the, I'm sure, hilarious things people have said!

 

[Matt89]

At Advance Auto I inquired whether they had any PureOne filters 'in the back' since the display case was empty. The young fellow asked me "What, you don't like the Frams?" I said thanks and went on my way...

 

[simple_gifts]

Well, as a tribute to the power of marketing, I could not convince my co-worker that Mobil-1 5W-30 was an ok, but not optimal choice for his 2000 VR6; This despite providing 2 PDF files that came directly from Volkswagon One PDF explained the 50x spec appropriate for his vehicle and another showing the oils that meet the spec (0W-40 on there, 5W-30 not) I also C+P'ed directly from the Mobil-1 website showing the "European formula" 0W-40 oil that meets numerous GERMAN specs and how the 5W-30 meets none. His friend that owns a VW shop told him M1 5W-30 is "the best" and he wants "the best" (3K changes too...) for the Jetta. The written word apparently has no power over perception. I'm tempted to buy some GC for him, but I'm not convinced that it wouldn't end up in the garbage. Not sure how I get 8K-10K miles OCI on my car and I don't use "the best"

 

[LouDawg]

While changing my oil last night, my wife asked if I was changing the air filter.

 

[hominid7]

I have a good friend who does not know (or care) about cars. He is 25, grew up in Japan and his family did not own a car and he never drove a car until he moved to the US, so i can certainly understand his lack of interest. I heard him start his Ford Escort and it sounded as if the valves were going to shoot through the hood any moment. I asked him when the last time he changed his oil was. His response was, "Oh it doesn't need it, i checked and there is still oil left in there". Long story short..... I checked, and it had been 1 year since his last oil change, but he had only put 5000 miles on the car in that year, so it wasn't *that* bad. We got the oil changed, and all was well

 

[Kestas]

Not oil-related, but I once bought replacement steel brake lines for my car. The kid at the counter told me to "First warm it in your hands so it'll bend easier!" I was a student of metallurgical engineering at the time and got a kick out of that ignorant remark.

 

[OriginHacker21]

Had a friend who let me check the oil level on his BMW. After running the oil for 10,000 miles - it looked black as mud. Also, oil was barely touching the dip stick. He responded: "My BMW can handle it and besides, the BMW mechanics know what they are doing." BMW recommends 15,000 miles per oil change. Makes me wonder how many people spend $50,000+ on a car and think that it doesn't need any service whatsoever.

 

[jmacmaster]

The best friend of one of my sons had his Toyota pickup, which he'd bought new, towed to a dealer because it wouldn't run. After checking it out thay asked him when he'd last changed the oil and oil filter. He said he had never changed them. They asked him why and he replied that he didn't have time. The truck had 70 something thousand miles on it. The engine was shot.

 

[Mustang_Cougar]

quote:

---

Originally posted by OriginHacker21: Makes me wonder how many people spend $50,000+ on a car and think that it doesn't need any service whatsoever.

---

Probably far fewer than the masses of people who buy $15K cars and behave the same way. Seriously, the amount one pays for a vehicle has nothing to do whatsoever with their understanding of vehicle maintenance. In fact, one could argue that higher $$$ vehicles are better maintained than cheaper ones. Why? There are two main reasons for not maintaining a vehicles: 1) Laziness (or ignorance) and 2) Cost. Laziness permeates across the vehicle spectrum, but maintenance cost is certainly a bigger issue for people who buy cheaper vehicles than those who can afford higher priced ones.

 

[CoosBayDave]

Many years ago someone I thought knew a lot about engines and lubrication told me that MMO was made from chicken fat.

 

[ChrycoPsycho]

This isn't oil related but funny nonetheless. I was in the process of rotating the tires on my truck one afternoon, had the truck on jack stands and was inspecting brakes, rotors, etc. The wife asked what i was doing and I told her I was inspecting the brakes and rotating the tires. She asks "don't the tires rotate when you drive"? nuff said, and I'm a dead man if she reads this posting...... Chris

 

[SSQ]

Friend's bro bought his 2003 M3. Asked me if he should get "oil" at the gas pump, or are the "oil" at stores better. In Chinese, motor oil and gas are all called oil, and he thought it's the same thing.

 

[GMorg]

Two stories in the same thread: http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=51;t=000918

 

[michaelc80]

From another website-a poster advised that you should only use straight weight oils. Multiweights caused significant engine damage and should never be used in any engine, old or new, in any climate.

 

[Brikhead]

VW Jetta TDI owner wants to do his 1st D.I.Y. OC on his car. Goes to dealer to purchase OE oil filter & VW approved Castrol 5W40. During OC procedure, owner unknowingly drains trans. fluid, replaces trans. drain plug, replaces oil filter, then fills engine 5 fresh qts. of 5W40. Afterwards, owner decides to celebrate his false sense of accomplishment with a liesurely drive. He didn't get very far. The damage report: 1 longblock TDI engine, 1 Turbocharger/exh. manifold assm., 1 Cat. conv., not to mention a lot of labor time. ...apparently the car didn't go far enough to grenade the tranny.

 

[OriginHacker21]

No dipstick for the oil? haha that's gotta hurt the pride.

 

[Jim 5]

A female friend of ours noticed a bottle of Mobil 1 in my wife's trunk. I'm not lying when she said knowingly that the oil was there "in case we periodically needed to top up the car's battery". I responded that it was actually dual purpose. Yes, it was used for topping up the battery, but we also use it periodically to lubricate the muffler bearings.

 

[Schmoe]

When I asked my ex wife when she changed the oil last after we first met..."Oil??? I just put gas in it." Should have known at that time not to marry her. Current wife already knew how to change her own oil, that it is a waste of money to put high octane in a "regular" octane tuned car, knew how to cook, was working her way through college at a bar....I knew it was love for me.....

 

[wantin150]

I once went about 50K without an oil change. The truck leaked enough to where I just put a qt in a week or so. Young and dumb. Filter was way full,I'm sure! It was pretty black when it came out. Truck still went 176,000 before the head gasket went. Not oil but I once did the brakes and had the rotors "turned". I had an issue so I had them "turned" again. My wife asked "Now aren't they back to the same location?" I guess she thought I was just switching sides. I once added a qt and a half to my sisters little chevy. When I told her it was low, she got MAD at me and said that I just wasted the oil as she was going to get it changed soon anyway. Needless to say, she toasted the engine shortly thereafter.

 

[MIAMI-DADE]

It seems the bulk of people haven't a clue to what oil their putting in their car.When i asked several people what grade oil their using their answer was i don't know>whatever the 10 minuite place puts in or whatever the dealer is putting in.They haven't even heard of synthic oil or synthic blend.These are people which range in age from 20 to 90.