Your thoughts on 15,000 mile oil changes..

[WillSports3]

It's not one dealer, it's a lot of the dealerships here, period. I got everything from Toyota, Mazda, Lexus, Subaru, and Ford. They're all combined experiences.

[oneheadlite]

WillSports3 - Sorry to hear about your experiences.

I left the dealership to be able to provide the kind of service I feel people deserve. It had turned too much into a big money machine that they wanted you to keep helping feed. I'm now at an independent and have been much happier. In a perfect world, you'd find an independent so you get the advantage of someone who specializes in your brand but isn't out to make enough money off you to put their grand-kids through college.

But, everything requires screening. I've seen invoices from other "Specialists" who do as you say - double charging for labor (They replaced a water pump and thermostat, but charged labor for both - Hey crooked people: You remove the thermostat to replace the water pump, and the water pump labor reflects that...).

I have a hard time with catch-all shops, especially rapid oil change places. I lose count of how many cars a month we have come through with leaking chinese rapid oil change filters (I literally have one on my hoist right now - garbage quality o-ring was leaking and made a mess, filter collapsed, damaged the $50 filter cap). I've also seen where shops will charge regular MSRP or higher for junk knock off parts. I've also heard too many stories of things like: "technician" drained the transmission instead of the engine oil, then double filled the engine oil.

Maybe the problem is you're getting a technician that just isn't going to care as much, since they type of customers they get... well, don't care as much.

One I saw that drove me nuts (customer had given us their records for review for a problem they were having): Cust gets oil changed. Oil filter cap comes apart from garbage filters/long intervals. The corner garage charges them MSRP for the cheapest aftermarket cap I've seen. Next oil change 8 months later, they charge them for another one, because that one failed when they took it out. They didn't even honor their warranty, they just kept taking money. Shocker, the car came to us because that shop was out of their diagnostic depth. They had thrown all the (cheap quality, full price) parts they could think of at it, but still couldn't fix it...

Side note: MSRP is just that - Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price. I don't know of a dealership around here that doesn't "Matrix" their parts pricing. It's not a set upcharge; it may be a 15% markup for low dollar parts, then a 10% for higher dollar, but go back up above that.

Another side note - just yesterday I had another car that needs a $3k + valvetrain repair. Checked the records on the mothership, confirmed it had 3 oil changes it's first 55k of life...


I'll stop.

[MIsnowman]

I would argue against that one (Manufacturer recommending what's best for the engine). As it was explained to me back when I was at a dealer training class (regarding other manufacturers maintenance plans at the time). You have to remember that each oil change counts against the car's total carbon footprint (and maintenance costs). If each car gets one less oil change under warranty, that's (let's say) 7 quarts less of oil that counts against their numbers. Multiplied by however many cars, you can see how much better they look when you trim that out. Keep in mind also that their goal is to get the car through the warranty period. I think of BMW less as "Brought My Wallet" (though it's that too...); I'll play Mike Phillips here and quote myself, since I haven't seen other people using the phrase - it's more like: "Barely Made Warranty". The majority of the repairs we're doing are on cars with 60k-120k. Unless manufacturers have a powertrain warranty past 50k, I find it hard to believe their focus is 200,000 mile longevity. Their focus is power to weight and fuel economy, and however they have to get there. Hence the increasing use of Zero W Thin oils.

This is all just my opinion from what I see with the cars I work on every day. I will happily admit I know nothing about how asian or domestic cars tolerate different oils/filters/intervals. I'm no engineer, so I can't say how the various additives or binders or modifiers in oil come into play at various mileages, I can just tell you - the cars of owners that follow lower intervals have less big issues than those that don't.

I'm replying on my work computer - later I'll try and dig out pictures of the inside of an X3 that was dealer serviced and followed the service light to the letter. Then another picture of a similar year/mileage 335i that did about every 5k with the same oil.

I tend to agree with most of what you said here. I'll also add that extending oil change intervals also reflects positively on cost of ownership. As fewer and fewer drivers perform their own routine maintenance, requiring oil changes (or any other routine maintenance) less frequently can be used as a marketing ploy for lowest cost of ownership claims and the like.

A guy who used to work with my dad traded vehicles every two years and the only time he had the oil changed was right before he traded it in, so it wouldn't still have the factory filter on it. This was years ago when there was less tracking of maintenance records. It might not have done much damage, but this always comes to my mind when debating between buying new vs year or two old used.

[oneheadlite]

Here’s a filter a dealer tech friend sent me from a lease return - pretty much same scenario you mention with your dad’s coworker.

[Larry A]

remember 1000 mile oil changes, then 2000 mile oil changes then 3000 , 5000, 7500, 10,000 oil changes someday we may never have to change oil.

[Bill D]

My Toro lawnmower claims the oil never needs to be changed but I change it once a year. I want the thing to last.

[PaulMys]

My Toro lawnmower claims the oil never needs to be changed but I change it once a year. I want the thing to last.

That is crazy. Almost like they want the thing to grenade so you have to buy another one.

[mk9750]

remember 1000 mile oil changes, then 2000 mile oil changes then 3000 , 5000, 7500, 10,000 oil changes someday we may never have to change oil.

The transmission fluid in my Lexus is supposed to be "lifetime". In order to change it, requires serious gymnastics, a colostomy bag with a hanger, and I think you have to have a permission slip signed by two dead people. I've watched videos of people doing it, but I haven't gotten brave enough to try. But at over 100k miles, I'm getting close.

[PaulMys]

The transmission fluid in my Lexus is supposed to be "lifetime". In order to change it, requires serious gymnastics, a colostomy bag with a hanger, and I think you have to have a permission slip signed by two dead people. I've watched videos of people doing it, but I haven't gotten brave enough to try. But at over 100k miles, I'm getting close.

Do people with colostomy bags detach them before weighing themselves, or is that cheating?

[Big Dave]

The transmission fluid in my Lexus is supposed to be "lifetime". In order to change it, requires serious gymnastics, a colostomy bag with a hanger, and I think you have to have a permission slip signed by two dead people. I've watched videos of people doing it, but I haven't gotten brave enough to try. But at over 100k miles, I'm getting close.

It's the same with my FJ Cruiser, but I knew the previous owner had towed a caravan with it, and was a smoker, but that's a different matter. So I took it to a transmission guy I trust, with 130000 km on it he recommended a basic service at least, but I opted for the major service, after he showed me the old fluid, black, nasty and original, so about 5 years old, but no metal shavings in it. I also opted for the better of the 2 fluids he had available for mine. All up close to $500, but peace of mind is worth it. He also said, no transmission should be considered "sealed for life".

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