Oil change poll

C

chumch

Experienced Member
Joined
16 October 2000
Messages
608
Location
North Ridgeville, OHIO, USA
What are your thoughts on:

1. Doing it your self

2. Taking It to Valvoline Instant Oil change (or the like)

3. Taking it to the dealer


Just curious...esp the instant oil change place question because then you dont have to get dirty but also it's in sight. Do you know if at one of these places they change the oil pan washer?
 
I do my own oil change. I drive the rear up on ramps and get underneath. It's pretty easy.
FAQ section has details on how to do it.
 
i take mine to the local dealer. they only charge 24.95 which is a steal!! the oil filter alone costs me 17 bucks!!!
they also offer a complimentary car wash which i DO NOT take advantage of. for those of you that take your car to tustin acura i highly recommend you don't let the lot boys wash your car. just speaking from experience.
 
supergreen125 said:
for those of you that take your car to tustin acura i highly recommend you don't let the lot boys wash your car. just speaking from experience.
Click to expand...
Typical of most car dealerships. They use a drive through type car wash with hard water, and it's no the best way to treat your paint. I always prefer to hand wash it myself at home, with soft water.
 
My . 02

1. Doing it your self - The way I do it, just to keep a watchful eye on the goings on under/in the engine for my self is worth the effort and 1/2 hour of changing my own oil!

2. Taking It to Valvoline Instant Oil change (or the like) - I have 2 friends that own instant oil change places here in NY, both of them DO change oil pan washers ... and both of them use a bulk oil for their cheap oil changes ... you pay more for the better oil such as blends and synthetic ... PLUS ... I cant take my car there because their places have pits in the floor and my car will not clear them to get in!

3. Taking it to the dealer - The guy who owned my car first had the oil changed every 2k at a dealer, I cant see paying that much for the same (non specialty) work others can do for less ... and like I stated to 1. I like doing it myself!
 
PHOEN$X said:
Typical of most car dealerships. They use a drive through type car wash with hard water, and it's no the best way to treat your paint. I always prefer to hand wash it myself at home, with soft water.
Click to expand...

I just take it to the dealer because I prefer the genuine Honda oil filter as opposed to the aftermarket type and it's fairly inexpensive. Plus the hazardous waste fee they take care of.

I too hate it when they wash your car with just an oil change, even after I tell them specifically NOT to. Next time I'm insisting on watching the process start to finish.
 
I change myself. Tip: I use a gallon size freezer bag when removing the oil filter. Keeps the mess to a minimum.

Side note: I'd love to see what an employee at a typical quick oil change place would say/do when faced with the oil-fill cap on my BBSC engine. :eek: :confused:
 
svalleynsx said:
I just take it to the dealer because I prefer the genuine Honda oil filter as opposed to the aftermarket type and it's fairly inexpensive.
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I buy the genuine Honda oil filter from the dealership, it's around $10-$14 I believe.
Ojas said:
Hazardous waste fee? What's that in relation to an oil/filter change? :confused: Is that something specific to your state?
Click to expand...
Yes, here in AZ we are charged this fee to dispose of the old oil. I guess Texas doesn't have this fee?
 
PHOEN$X said:
Yes, here in AZ we are charged this fee to dispose of the old oil. I guess Texas doesn't have this fee?
Click to expand...
Oh wow. I did not know that. Here in TX, I just walk to the back room of any auto parts store to dump my oil and filter.

I figured all states would do this (even if it meant subsidizing the the extra disposal costs the stores incurs) to curb illegal dumping... And I thought Texas does not care about the environment! :D
 
Oil Change

I like to change my own oil.
It gives me a chance to check under the car to see if anything has changed. If something might be rubbing somewhere, or if a small leak may be starting. I can check the inside of the tires for anything unusual. I check hose and linkage conditions.

It just helps me feel safe because I know the condition of things for myself and not just what someone tells me.

It makes me feel more connected to my car.

:)
 
No NSX but been changing oils on both my cars since I even started driving. Its fairly easy and you know you've done the job right when you do it yourself.

Not saying all places are like this but I've known people who work at one of those "quickie oil changes" shops that don't really care if they've done the job right or not.
 
" I take mine to the dealer. For $20, it is not worth my time to do it myself"


Hmmmm. I have just the opposite take on this issue given my local dealer's policies/hours. Beaudry Acura offers no Saturday service hours (contrasted to their Honda dealership a scant 30 second walk away, or Scottsdale Acura who does as well). This is a real imposition by virtue of the fact that I have noone to drop me off at work if I leave the car there-- I am single and live alone, and Beaudry does not offer either to drop me off, or a loaner for the morning which I could return during lunch. I don't have the luxury of bringing the car in and waiting for them to finish since I have the sedation cases early a.m. and can't live around their schedule. So I really have no way to get the car in to be serviced other than to take time off from work (and lose money). So there you have it, my Beaudry of Tucson dilemma. No whining, just the facts. So is this situation reflective of Acura service in general or an anomaly? I just find it ironic that an Acura dealership which boasts the JD Power awards for customer service offers less extensive customer service than the adjacent Honda dealership. Just thought I would see if there are similar experiences out there, or is this 'paltry dilemma' unique to me?
 
Ojas said:
Hazardous waste fee? What's that in relation to an oil/filter change? :confused: Is that something specific to your state?
Click to expand...

oil=HAZARDOUS WASTE

Yes, in Calif. they very much look down upon you if you illegally dump toxins like motor oil, radiator coolant, tranny oils down sewers or even backyards. A good law since it's known to cause untold damage to wildlife and the ecosystem.

Most counties have curbside pickup on trash days for the do-it-yourselfers who change their own oil. Either way, you're paying someone to legally get rid of your old oil.
 
I trust no one except my good buddy Brad Able at
AUTOLOGIC INC. in Houston TX. I take my car to him for everything. I have had bad experiances with dealerships (Valve cover gaskets not seated properly--oil leak, timing done incorrectly) (This was not in Houston though)

Thats Brad Able at Autologic Inc. 713 516 2081
For all your NSX needs, maintanence or performance.

(Yes I am rubbing it in)
 
I do my own oil changes, not that big of a deal with the limited mileage I drive my NSX. Only do one oil change a year and use Castrol GTX oil. I use the time under the car to look over every thing, CV boots, any leaks, rear tires, exhaust, etc. Removing the right rear tire makes getting to the oil filter super easy and while it s off I check the brake pads.

FYI Daliracing sells filters by the case 10 for $100 + Shipping.
Anyone neer Milwaukee want to split a case? PM me
 
i can't get dirty!! even if i could, i would end missing a nut here and bolt there................so i had my done professionally for $45 with synthetic vavoline oil!!
 
My dealer gives free lifetime oil and filter changes with the purchase/lease of the car, so every 3,000 miles, I bring them the car, they change the oil, and I ride off without a bill. I'm happy, car's happy;)
 
I change it every 4 months with Mobil 1 Synthetic. I put about 4-5k miles on it a year. I get the OEM filter from my local dealership for $9. The price was so good, I bought a couple of them.

Mobil 1 Synthetic: $24 (available as any Wal-Mart)
Acura NSX Oil Filter/washer: $9

I do notice some filters have 6 holes and others have 8 holes. Whats the difference?

I will probably start doing it every 6 months because the oil still looks pretty clean.
 
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