Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
I don't care if I'm driving my own car, or a rental, or indeed a friend or family member's car. I always check under the hood. If something goes wrong, that could have been easily prevented, I'm not going to risk it or waste hours of my time on the side of the road waiting on a wrecker.
When I was back in CA last month, I had a rental '16 Passat 1.8 TSI that was ticking like crazy. A quick look under the hood - the oil was right on the full mark, but pitch dark and "watered down". So I called the rental company, and was told if I had the oil changed, I would be reimbursed. Picked up 6 quarts of German Castrol 0W-40 from Walmart for $38.93 and an OEM 06L-115-562 filter from the VW dealer for $10, changed it myself and presented both receipts when I returned the car. They refunded $48.93 back to my credit card.
Often times, I try and hand pick what I'm renting where possible. Although I've had no issues with companies like Avis or Budget, some of the smaller places like Fox or Firefly tend to have slightly older vehicles that appear to have been maintained on a very tight budget. Nothing like a fleet with no brand tires and squeaky brake pads!
I question the logic of doing this yourself...you didnt get paid for labor..probably a better idea to have a dealer change it or not bother at all. The whole point of a rental is not having to maintain it. I get checking oil and air pressure..but as long as it aint empty I aint doing nothing with it.
This is another case of BITOG non sense. Why would one assume liability for performing maintenance on a car you are renting? The poster said the "oil looked black". The poster must have a great set of fingers to rub some oil between them and come up with such a analysis. Since when is the color of oil an indication of the condition without performing tests? What is done on this board in the name of oil is astonishing....quite frankly!
1. Thank you for your opinion.
2. You're naturally entitled to your own opinion of some form or another.
3. I could care less about your opinion.
4. Thank you for complimenting on my fingers, little did I know I had super powers!
5. It's my time and money. Someone brought up I wasn't paid labor, I'm not bothered.
Everybody is weird in their own unique way here, and to me, that's what makes BITOG worthwhile. Some people have the xW-20 f3tish, complimented by a Fram Ultra filter. To others, Toyota is God and Group III basestock is the best thing since sliced bread. Either way, none of that is any of my business.
Personally, I dislike driving cars that are not "clean" based on my own set of "standards", and I dislike driving cars that have what I consider "faults" - black oil and ticking lifters being two simple examples. Whether said vehicle is registered in my own name, or Daffy Duck is not of any concern, so long I am the one behind the wheel. Whether you judge me on that or not, I am without a care in the world.
If you're going to act like an Internet tough guy, judge a group of people based on what goes on in your head, backed by stuff you've read about online with barely any shop tech to back it up, please, do us a favor and save yourself the hassle.
Nope-it's way too much fun on here busting up "stereotypes" and BITOGisms. However, if you don't like my comments feel free to use the ignore button. It works pretty good!
Now maybe I will go used car shopping for a Crown Vic, and put the greatest tires in the world on it (Michelins) while deciding if it's really prudent to use 0w-20W oil while I check to see when the oil was changed last in that rental car.......OH-and I need to tell my neighbor those Chinese tires he installed on his car are going to get us all killed on the highway.