Oil Change Only at Dealership?

That's what I did before the last oil change, and Valvoline gave me grief about it, I think mainly because the filter looked to have been kind of damaged or worn out. The oil was at the correct level.

They told me to get a better filter than what they offer, and then I could maybe get 6-7k, which I thought was not really enough. I was under the impression that 10k is fine with synthetic.

 

What do you think of these filters? Supposedly they're OEM:

edit: for some reason I can't post a link to amazon. Try this:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007OW6JEI/

 

^^ Yep

 

Yep what?

 

^^ Good choice
Now explain who gives a sh1t what 'valvoline' says ?
If you are so keen to save a little money then change the oil yourself. I do, so I end up paying about $15 a year to keep my car in maintenance spec wrt to engine oil/filter.

 

They showed me the filter they took out, and it looked a bit "squished" in the vertical dimension. Their reasoning was that the filter was getting clogged but the engine kept pulling oil thru it, so it squished it. They said a better filter would be the solution.

I'm not interested in changing my own oil at this point.

 

and their next line was to sell you a better filter at $10?

 

Those look to be Toyota filters. Still, I can't see purchasing multiple filters, online, with all the shipping and rigmarole: when I'm gonna change the oil, I buy enough oil and a single filter, at the parts counter of a nearby Toyota dealership.

 

Then I say don't sweat the extra dollar for a better filter.

I buy the stuff I will need for all my scheduled maintenance for 2-3 years in one or two purchases. That way the shipping charges are reasonable.
E.g, oil filters

Mendel: I can see your point of view, but I prefer to plan ahead a bit to save money, and have the parts on hand so I do not have to run to the store for a single item or two. Truly though, the maintenance schedule is so light and the parts so cheap that this becomes an exercise in splitting hairs.

 

Valvoline told me they'd discount the oil change price if I brought my own filter. So the price is largely a wash, but I get a better filter, more miles out of it, thus less frequent oil changes.

This item has free shipping, so it's $4.75 per filter. That has to be cheaper than buying it from the dealer.

 

I don't see the oil filter being the weak link, the item determining oil change interval. Any decent filter will outlast the oil. Maybe just follow Toyota's schedule?

 

Sounds good.

The only downside is having some idiot work on your car. I sure hope you are checking the oil level after the service and the following morning.

 

The only downside...

 

I like to hear you say "trusted mechanic" because I don't think there are enough of them.

I get my oil changed at the dealer, because they offered me "free oil-changes for life" when I bought the car. I was a bit skeptical at first, because it is a natural opportunity for them to prey on you for all types of unnecessary work. But I have been pleasantly surprised so far; they inspected my air filters and let me know that they were still clean and didn't need to be replaced. I know some dealers who would have given me no option (without a fight) but to replace them.

I know I have the option to do my own oil-changes at any point, but so far, this is a good and convenient option, plus the oil-change is done at no charge. They also gave me a great deal on winter tires, and they're storing my summer tires until spring. I'll probably have them changed at the same time I get the oil changed.

 

Incredibly, the screw-up rate at the quickie-lube places is far above normal probability. You'd think anyone could handle the simple job of changing oil, but it's surprising what kind of performance results from paying near minimum-wage.

 

Correction: is associated with

 

^ It's a perfect storm: unscrupulous, cost-cutting, upselling franchisee, with inexperienced and poorly paid employees, servicing any-and-all makes and models.

 

I have to admit, a quickie-lube chain here seems to have found a reasonable formula for doing it right. They have a signed checklist system, whereby employees check each other's work and sign-off on it. The girl who does the sign-in, goes around to the cars, offering free coffee while they wait.

I have to question one procedure (even though it benefited me) is when you have been waiting in line for an extended period of time (due to some complication with the oil-change in front) they offer to put you to the head of the line in the adjacent line. The guy in that line, whom I was placed ahead of, was mighty pissed-off, (judging by the rubber marks he left when he took off). I'm not sure if that stunt gained them any customers.

 

I've noticed the "squishing" with cartridge filters in other cars (Chevy Cavalier and Mazda3), and I believe it's normal and part of the design of the filter itself. When comparing a used, squished filter to a new one, it appears the new filter is made about 1mm too long, so that when you tighten down the cap you "squish" the element slightly. This probably is intended to create a good seal on each end so oil can only go through the filter media. As long as the media isn't torn during the squishing, it will still filter properly.

 

Maybe so, but they ought to be able to get a good seal reliably without crushing the filter if the part contacting at least one end of the filter is appropriately spring-loaded. That would also reduce the need for tight tolerances on the length of the filter.