Dealers & Swirls

[HealthyCivic]

After reading about so many bad experiences with dealers washing cars when asked not to it's made me want to avoid them. I keep my car up real well so it concerns me when I leave it in anyone else's hands to be honest. As Mike Phillips says, nobody cares about your car as much as you do. I also don't want them to scratch the car while working on it so that I don't even notice til' a month later or something or put dirty tools/hands on it.

But I have no experience changing my own oil. I read an article and watched several videos about it but do you guys think it's realistic to go out and buy a bunch of equipment to change my own oil for the sole reason that I don't want someone to accidentally swirl up/scratch/damage my car? Do you think that's being too paranoid and I should instead just make a good relationship with my dealer? My parents tell me that I should bring the car in for an oil change so that I can meet the service people and make a good relationship with them. That way when I have to take the car in for a big issue, I know who I can trust.

By the way, in case you can't tell by what I already wrote, this will be the first time I take the vehicle to the dealer's service people.

[RaskyR1]

Re: Dealers & Swirls

Todd from Esoteric Detail actually billed the company that changed his oil and scratched his car...

http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-det...l-vehicle.html


I change my own oil now and aviod the dealer whenever possible. If you have to go in make sure the car is spotless and walk the service manager around the car. Tell them if it's not in the same condition when you come back you will bill them for the damage and loose your business for good.


Rasky

[CieraSL]

Re: Dealers & Swirls

I would take it to the dealer (or a reliable mechanic that you trust) for an oil change. You don't want to run the risk of doing something wrong, especially dealing with stuff under the hood. As far as the dealer washing it is concerned, seems to me that another member on MOL made a paper sign that said "DO NOT WASH THIS CAR" in big letters and laminated it (or put it in a protective sheet so he could reuse it) and just put it in the window or someplace like that so everyone would know not to wash it. Maybe you could try that. Hope this helps.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Dealers & Swirls

It's a personal decision as you have to decide if it's worth it to you.

I wait till AutoZone has the Fram Filters with the Grip Guard coupled with a name brand of oil on sale and then buy the filter and oil for both the cars I change the oil on.

It's usually around $16.00 to $17.00

Change the oil, drain the used oil into a sturdy, clear plastic bottle so it can be seen what's in it, (One gallon Niagara Water bottles work well so do one gallon Arizona Tea jugs), and then take it to AutoZone and they will collect the used oil and give me back my jug for the next time.

How hard or how difficult the oil is to change depends upon where the oil filter and the drain plug are located and how heavy your rig is to lift.

My Jimmy is high enough off the ground I don't have to jack it up, my little Datsun truck is so light that it's easy to jack-up into the air and of course always use a Jack Stand for safety reasons.

Our local Honda Dealership didn't put the drain plug on correctly once when they changed the oil in our Honda and that's really a very simple task, so taking ownership can give you peace of mind the job will be done right the first time.

[SVT Lightning]

Re: Dealers & Swirls

I would take it to the dealer (or a reliable mechanic that you trust) for an oil change. You don't want to run the risk of doing something wrong, especially dealing with stuff under the hood. As far as the dealer washing it is concerned, seems to me that another member on MOL made a paper sign that said "DO NOT WASH THIS CAR" in big letters and laminated it (or put it in a protective sheet so he could reuse it) and just put it in the window or someplace like that so everyone would know not to wash it. Maybe you could try that. Hope this helps.

This is what I do...I have 2 signs. One gets taped to the inside of the drivers window. And one on the steering wheel. The good thing about getting your oil changed at the dealer is that they inspect many other things that you may overlook....belts, tire pressure, air filter, hoses.....they want your business!

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: Dealers & Swirls

2 bad experiences:

The 1st was many years ago when I took my old Honda Accord to an Econolube for an oil change. A week later the oil light is coming on, so I check under the hood. Oil all over the manifolds and engine block, the oil cap nestled snugly in a manifold crevice, right where the oil change guy left it. I took my car to my regular mechanic and had to pony up some good money for an oil analysis. Fortunately the remaining oil showed little contamination and I drove that Accord for 11 years. Lesson learned: Always check your mechanic's work, no matter how trivial or routine the service.

The 2nd incident involved my new Accord just a few months ago. My bumper got dimpled in a parking lot and I had to take the car into a paint and body shop. I specifically requested NO COMPLIMENTARY WASH. The service manager noted it in the work order, I felt confident everything would be OK. When I picked up my car 3 days later, a lot guy was wiping down my car with a dry chamois!

After examining the paint, I pointed out some horrific scratching to the service manager. The SM called over the lot guy and asked him how he cleaned my car. The lot guy answered he had "dry-washed" my car - wiped it down with a damp terry cloth and "buffed" it dry with a dirty chamois. The service manager told the lot guy that dry-washing was not a "good method" for dark cars, and that he should only do that on lighter cars!!! The SM offered to have his guys spot buff my car, I declined because there was no way these guys were ever gonna touch my car again. Besides, spot buffing? And his guys were not professional detailers, which to me sounded like they were just going to hide the damage rather than remove it. I had it professionally polished by a dedicated detailer.

But the upshot was that's how I found MOL

[AeroCleanse]

Re: Dealers & Swirls

I just order my Amsoil oil and an EaO oil filter, crawl under the truck and do the deed. Only having to change the oil once a year is a big plus.

[SpazSi]

Re: Dealers & Swirls

I change all the oil myself... try to do as much as I can myself. Big things on my Evo like transmission work and that I let a shop up in Plymouth, MN take care of.

I refuse to let dealers touch my car anymore. 1) they think I'm just a regular "Joe" that only cares if the dirt is off the car so they abuse it to get that result and 2) last time I was in a dealership, I asked for a quote on a transmission filter/fluid change on my Intrepid and they said it was old enough to use any old ATF and not Mopar ATF+4. They said Intrepid transmissions drop all the time around here too... GEE I wonder why?

Don't be afraid of oil changes. Besides, it helps you get close to your car and understand the thing better. It's a big confidence builder too when you're just starting out working on cars. Start with oil changes and pretty soon you'll work your way up to starters, clutches, then entire engine swaps in no time

[Tuck91]

Re: Dealers & Swirls

i have actually had pretty good experiences with my dealership when i take my truck in. They never wash it even when its dirty and they put paper mats on the floors and cover the seat with plastic so nothing from their cloths rubs off on my nice cloth seats.

[PaintPolisher]

Re: Dealers & Swirls

This is what I do...I have 2 signs. One gets taped to the inside of the drivers window. And one on the steering wheel. The good thing about getting your oil changed at the dealer is that they inspect many other things that you may overlook....belts, tire pressure, air filter, hoses.....they want your business!

This is the exact process I do on my cars for the dealership.

My Accord '91 has a washer that needs to be replaced when changing the oil and every oil change place in the area has failed to replace it, so I drip oil and find a puddle in the garage.

The dealership gets my business, no issues, no puddles and I am a happy camper.

[Ryan L.]

Re: Dealers & Swirls

I agree with your parents, take it to the dealership and build a reputation. That's what we've done with all our cars. With the Honda they know not to wash it or touch it and we are on first name basis with most of the employees there. Same with the Jeep, they know not to come back saying there is a problem because you lifted it (which almost every dealership says).

While I do change the oil in them sometimes, we usually take them in anyways just to have them check over everything and do any warranty work needed.

Ryan

[wyseilmykkar]

Re: Dealers & Swirls



Have a "heart to heart" chat with the service manager. Let them know you are *very* passionate about the appearance of your vehicle and that you understand that they offer a complimentary wash, however you would feel more comfortable if you were the one touching the painted surfaces.

Most dealers that I have been to will usually take precautions to protect the interior, like the paper floor mat, plastic on the seat, sometimes plastic on the steering wheel or latex gloves, etc.

If they truly care about your business, they will respect your wishes. If they don't, try another dealer until they do.

[HealthyCivic]

Re: Dealers & Swirls

Ryan & wyseilmykkar,

One of the things that makes me agree with you guys is that I'm overlooking the fact that I'll still have to take it to a dealer eventually and it'll be better if they know me and my "requirements" haha. If I can get the dealer to work with me, then I can take it to them for EVERY issue whereas if I do my own oil changes, eventually there may be a problem I won't be able to fix and then I'll have to take it in to the dealer who doesn't even know me and also explain all this other stuff.

That makes sense to me. On the other hand, who knows, maybe I'll try my hand at changing my own oil for fun sometimes but I don't know, buying a jack stand, oil filter wrench, filter, and oil may be a bit pricey for me when I start college haha.