Any reason to stick with stealership for oil changes?

[brkdncr]

While I have no problem doing things like pulling an engine or converting and old car to EFI, I don’t do oil changes on my new vehicles. It’s too messy and the time/cost savings isn’t enough.

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[anomdeplume]

I do my own.

• The time difference between dealership and doing it myself is non existent and often in my favor. I can change the oil and filter in less than an hour. I recycle the oil at my convenience on my next trip to or passing by the auto parts store.
• The price difference for full synthetic between at the dealership and DIY is currently about $35 in my area. For me, that’s worth it to do it myself. I understand that statement is relative to the individual. I taught my son how to change his own oil. He did so all through college. He’s an electrical engineer now so it’s not as “worth it” to him anymore. But, he knows how to do it.
• I installed a RONIN drain plug on the first oil change. I’ll recoup that cost in two DIY changes. It saves time and mess.
• But, I will say that the O-ring replacement for the oil filter can give you issues. I had one slip off and fling across the garage. Took a few minutes and an extra set of eyes to track that down.
• As for the non Ford quick lubes, I haven’t used them in decades. There are too many variables in play. If you don’t do it yourself, then take it to a Ford dealership. There are still variables but overall they are in your favor over a 3rd party quick lube.

 

[jackiseverywhere]

Price difference between diy and dealership isn't drastic so I prefer taking it in. It's also nice having a paper trail of work/service done in the event of warranty issues.

Not sure about dealers in the SD area but Gosch Ford in Temecula is pretty quick, turn around time is usually about an hour or so.

The San Diego area dealerships, at least Chula Vista Ford, takes FOREVER. I stupidly didn't get a ride back to my house because i thought it would at most, take an hour to do. I came in at 8 am and I think I left around 2:30ish. I learned my lesson. I have the prepaid maintenance plan for brakes, suspension, tire rotations, etc, and oil changes are under there, so since i spent the money, I feel compelled to take it in, but damn, they take their sweet sweet time with it.

 

[Sledge]

I always did oil changes on my 2014 JK at the stealership, since it was easy to crack the oil cooler housing by over-tightening the filter. My 2.7L Bronco is about to hit 6kmi and I want to do the first oil change. Rather than waste time with appointments and multi-hour waits at the dealer (or all day drop-offs), is there a reason I should not take it to a local oil change place and get it done in under an hour?

lemme tell you a story: the car is a flex with the 1st generation 3.5 L ecoboost Engine, purchased new along with a 120k mile extended warranty from the same dealer. At around 100k it was determined by the dealer that it had a stretched timing chain, which is an expensive repair on that engine. Though still within the warranty period, the warranty company was not going to cover the work because I couldn’t find one of my early oil change receipts. A scuffle occurred, and eventually (after two weeks of scuffling) a senior manager at the warranty company relented and sent an inspector from the warranty company to confirm there was no sludge or other kind of build- up in the engine after the dealer had the front-end removed from the engine, which was successful. this Was all from missing one single oil change receipt. for that one oil change I had taken the vehicle to a different oil change place than usual, and I could not recall where. All other changes were performed at my usual oil change place, and they were able to produce satisfactory receipts for all of other oil changes. This Was not a dealer issue; the dealer was actually very helpful in the “scuffling phase“ of the whole thing, which ended up taking two weeks. My personal conclusion: （1) a non-dealer oil change place is fine, but keep track of your entire history. (2) dealer is fine, but keep track of your entire oil change history (3) don’t change your own oil until your warranty expires. My 2 anyway.

 

[Area51BS]

For what Mullinax charges for change, disposal and rotation included I just take it to them.

 

[Ranbronc]

at the dealer i always get 3 months of XM radio free after an oil change.

last one I did was Walmart and it reports to car fax or something like that the oil change was done.

 

[pdilecce]

I do my own.

• The time difference between dealership and doing it myself is non existent and often in my favor. I can change the oil and filter in less than an hour. I recycle the oil at my convenience on my next trip to or passing by the auto parts store.
• The price difference for full synthetic between at the dealership and DIY is currently about $35 in my area. For me, that’s worth it to do it myself. I understand that statement is relative to the individual. I taught my son how to change his own oil. He did so all through college. He’s an electrical engineer now so it’s not as “worth it” to him anymore. But, he knows how to do it.
• I installed a RONIN drain plug on the first oil change. I’ll recoup that cost in two DIY changes. It saves time and mess.
• But, I will say that the O-ring replacement for the oil filter can give you issues. I had one slip off and fling across the garage. Took a few minutes and an extra set of eyes to track that down.
• As for the non Ford quick lubes, I haven’t used them in decades. There are too many variables in play. If you don’t do it yourself, then take it to a Ford dealership. There are still variables but overall they are in your favor over a 3rd party quick lube.

Ditto Ditto Ditto

I don't like blowing my Saturday waiting on my Oil change at a dealer. I only go for warranty work. I grew up working on cars. I knew and know all my cars better than any dealer mechanic.

 

[asorkey427]

I always did oil changes on my 2014 JK at the stealership, since it was easy to crack the oil cooler housing by over-tightening the filter. My 2.7L Bronco is about to hit 6kmi and I want to do the first oil change. Rather than waste time with appointments and multi-hour waits at the dealer (or all day drop-offs), is there a reason I should not take it to a local oil change place and get it done in under an hour?

Install the Ronin rapid oil change plug. Makes it easy. I had the first oil change at the dealer and had them install the plug then.

 

[Red Squatch]

The dealership gives me the first one free so I'll do my own after that. I've always enjoyed doing my own.

 

[FIREGROUNDIMAGES]

I enjoy doing it myself and would rather use high quality oil at a fraction of what they charge. I'll save my points for t-shirts in he gift shop

Also, from a warranty perspective please note your Ford app has a place to track all "Maintenance" done to your vehicle. It will also show all your dealer visits in there too. So you can keep track of all personal and dealer services performed in order of completion. The information you enter is also transferable to the next owner, so no more glove box of paper you throw at the next buyer. You can also include pictures too!. I usually just list what I did/mileage, and then show a pic of the receipt for the oil/filter as an example and also reminds me what I used last time to be consistent.

It just kills me when you drop off your new car and some new to the job 18 yr old kid grabs your car to change your oil, since its newbie work.... Not everyone cares the way you do. 2 cents

I did not know that about the app! Thank you. Just looked at it. I just couldn't find where you could add photos of receipts?

 

[vrtical]

I live too far from a dealership so thats not ideal. I installed a Ronin plug and just do my own its easy when you dont have to use a jack and stands to get to it. I also do my mustangs but those are done mostly annually. The other car, I take to a Valvoline oil place and they have been good, same reason not close to the dealership. I have extensively been documenting the oil changes on the braptor (now 2).

 

[Bill K]

I enjoy doing it myself and would rather use high quality oil at a fraction of what they charge. I'll save my points for t-shirts in he gift shop

Also, from a warranty perspective please note your Ford app has a place to track all "Maintenance" done to your vehicle. It will also show all your dealer visits in there too. So you can keep track of all personal and dealer services performed in order of completion. The information you enter is also transferable to the next owner, so no more glove box of paper you throw at the next buyer. You can also include pictures too!. I usually just list what I did/mileage, and then show a pic of the receipt for the oil/filter as an example and also reminds me what I used last time to be consistent.

It just kills me when you drop off your new car and some new to the job 18 yr old kid grabs your car to change your oil, since its newbie work.... Not everyone cares the way you do. 2 cents

Was unaware of that Ford App feature. Will have to use this when I start doing maintenance. Thanks.

 

[Canyon Coolers]

I always did oil changes on my 2014 JK at the stealership, since it was easy to crack the oil cooler housing by over-tightening the filter. My 2.7L Bronco is about to hit 6kmi and I want to do the first oil change. Rather than waste time with appointments and multi-hour waits at the dealer (or all day drop-offs), is there a reason I should not take it to a local oil change place and get it done in under an hour?

If the Quickee Lube puts the 2.3 filter in instead of the longer 2.7 you may lose that engine. I dont know all the specifics but a local quickee lube toasted a brand new Bronco engine. Honestly those kids are so high and just warm bodies I don't totally trust them with an open Bronco filter. I might trust them with the more common fully enclosed filters.

 

[mike8675309]

The Dealership is nice because everything is tracked there, including consumable usage which helps if something odd happens that requires a warranty. It makes that process easier.
That said, I'm not doing that anymore since I added the skid plates. I prefer to handle that myself now.

 

[mike8675309]

If the Quickee Lube puts the 2.3 filter in instead of the longer 2.7 you may lose that engine. I dont know all the specifics but a local quickee lube toasted a brand new Bronco engine. Honestly those kids are so high and just warm bodies I don't totally trust them with an open Bronco filter. I might trust them with the more common fully enclosed filters.

2.3 is a canister screw-on filter, not a media filter like on the 2.7. The 2.3 canister screws onto the side of the block. It would be impossible for an oil change place to screw that up.

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