Oil Change Fun

[Johnny O]

Time to change the oil in the wife's Taurus today. No biggie, only done it about 30 times already. Drain it, change filter, put the new oil in. Been having issues with the filter coming loose so the last few times I snugged it down with the filter wrench (yes I know you;re not supposed to do that), plus on a 3.0 Vulcan Taurus the oil filter is in the front between the exhaust manifold and starter. Easy to see, hard to get your hand around it. I go to snug the filter and there are sparks everywhere. WTF??? The filter wrench arced between the starter cable and whatever. Crap, I've still got grass to cut and now this. Get another socket, remove the battery cable, get the filter wrench off. Start it up, back it off the ramps, JFC, oil everywhere!!! Another WTF? I figure I tore the filter gasket. Put the drain pan under the car and go to K-Mart (it's closer than Wally Mart) get another filter, some oil, and cat litter to soak up the oil on the street. Take the old new filter off and see that apparently when the filter wrench arced it burned a hole in the filter can. Meantime I've got an EXXON Valdez sized oil spill in front of my house. Good thing it happened now because after another ten years of greenies running the government that will be a life sentence in jail.



It's also 90*+, humid as hell, got the grass cut and dumped, and I stink worse than a locker room right now. And I still have to get down to the boat club and install the new battery I bought for the jetski this morning (it's on the charger). All this after I put the clothes dryer back together this morning after putting a new roller in it.





So how was your day?



[/rant]

 

[Mark K 2]

And this is why I pay $19.95 for my dealer to change my oil.

 

[swshawaii]

Got my "arc welding" lesson many years ago changing a 220V water heater element.

Nearly cut my large crescent wrench in half, lot's of smoke and an awful smell.

Didn't turn off the main circuit breaker to avoid resetting the house clocks. :banghead:

 

[Johnny O]

And this is why I pay $19.95 for my dealer to change my oil.

My main issue is time, not so much the money. I have $19.95 to pay for someone else to do it, I don't have an hour or two to sit at the dealer waiting. When I got my first Sport Trac the dealer gave me a coupon for the first four oil changes free but I only used two because it took too long and I said screw it. I will pay other people to do stuff if it will take them less time than it will take me. Normally I'm done with an oil change in 15 minutes or less and that counts the time getting out the ramps and tools and putting them away. I'm the sort who will yell at the microwave to hurry up.

 

[Robert Caffyn]

Sure sounds like a candidate for the Darwin Award! Just kidding, sorry to hear, glad it wasn't worse. Bob



PS: Where do you guys get $19.95 oil changes? My guy charges me over $90.00 for Mobil 1 and I bring my own filters. Sheeesh, life in New Jersey sucks.....

 

[David Ponder]

You have a DEALER that changes oil for $19.95? Not even the local "Iffy" lube is that cheap in KC.

 

[Johnny O]

PS: Where do you guys get $19.95 oil changes? My guy charges me over $90.00 for Mobil 1 and I bring my own filters. Sheeesh, life in New Jersey sucks.....

How bad is Jersey when people move to PA for a tax cut? :bwahaha:

Wal-Mart, a jug of Mobil 1 is $25.97 and a Motorcraft filter is $3.97, and change it myself. Save the oil in a 5 gal jug and take it to the county recycling center when it gets full.



Upside, after this incident I went to K-Mart for more oil and another filter since it is much closer than Wally-Mart. They sell Purolator and I got a PureONE which has a textured finish on the outside and you get a much better grip for tightening it. I'll be getting those from now on.

 

[Richard McAlister]

A couple of dealers in my area offer $19.95 oil changes for cars you buy from them.

My arc welding experience was when I grounded my metal watch band against the alternater. Had a watch band burn pattern for weeks.

 

[Les C]

I recently got an oil change in Daytona Beach, FL @ a Havoline Express Lube for $16.99 w/their coupon. Wednesday's is their Ladies Day w/an oil cahnge for $18.99.

 

[Kevin Lang]

Why would an oil change place have a "Ladies Day"? I thought the point of those was to get the ladies in cheap to lure in the guys to blow money.



After all, as the Most Interesting Man <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLDL78WgAaE">says, "When you pay for just yourself, you usually get what you pay for".</a>



This sounds like much more "fun" than I'd like to have. On the filters, why not use one that has the socket attachment welded on?

 

[Johnny O]

On the filters, why not use one that has the socket attachment welded on?

I never tried one on the Taurus but 1) there isn't much room between the end of the filter and the exhaust manifold and 2) they cost $12.



Saw a new Dos Equis commercial yesterday.

"Both sides of his pillow are cool."

"When in Rome, they do as he does."

 

[Richard L]

They also said that "If he patted you on the back, you would add that to your resume" . "If he you slapped you in the face, you would thank him" :bwahaha:



But I do like Dos Equis beer....:haveabeer:



...Rich

 

[Les C]

KL... not sure why exactly they have a "Ladies Day" but prior to finding the $16.99 coupon in the paper, I was going to let my wife drive the Adrenalin to Havoline on Wed. for the $18.99 oil change, w/me riding shotgun. Would you think they can over sell other services on "Ladies Day" perhaps? I'd hate to think so.

 

[Dennis Shelley]

In the long run, you are still ahead dollar wise. Anything that happened is now (Today) O.K. since that was a loss now, put a plus on your side with a 6 pack. Cars are more complex, but the facts are most routine maintainence can still be done in the driveway all the rest is for the pros to earn a paycheck. Everyone wins.