maintenance - dealership question

[makulitz]

hey guys.. just a quick question.. my car's up for maintenance schedule but i wanted to change the engine oil and transmission fluid myself before i make an appointment in my dealership.. the reason behind this is that I'm planning on changing my fluids to RP. do u guys think this would be fine with the dealership? and also, what are the precautions that i need to do so it won't affect my warranty?

[rookie b]

Just keep your receipts and you'll be fine

[makulitz]

and should i tell them the mileage of the engine when i changed it myself?

[ExtraSlow]

Just a tip for people using Royal Purple, Redline, Amsoil or any of those other Racing/Premium options. Make sure the one you are using has the correct API rating as per your owners manual.
Not all of them do.

Keep a log of the date, mileage, and the receipts for the oil and filer, and you're good to go. You don't need to tell the dealership, they won't care, and they'll probably try to talk you out of it.

[makulitz]

Thanks for the input.. However, if i dont tell them they might change my oil as per my maintenance sched because im planning to do it right before my appointment..

[DEATH2000]

What does your warranty say? I know a guy who was not allowed to do their own oil changes as per the warranty. The dealership stated that they could not prove the oil that he bought was actually going into the truck unless it was done at the dealership. And this guy was a licensed heavy duty mechanic and yet still they said no.

[ExtraSlow]

The Dealership lied to your guy. No warranty can force you to use the dealership for oil changes.

[J-hop]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
The Dealership lied to your guy. No warranty can force you to use the dealership for oil changes.


Don't think it has to be at the dealer but I was always under the impression that you had to have it done at the dealer or an approved shop.

Why else would minute lube advertise "warranty approved oil changes"???

I would be very careful even if they allow you to, don't want to ever give them a leg to stand on in terms of not honoring the warranty.

[ExtraSlow]

The reason that Minute lube advertizes like this is to trick you as well. They don't want you going to Wal-Mart, Crappy Tire, or your local mechanic.

Manufacturers don't "approve" of mechanics or lube places. They chose a standard that the oil has to meet, and anyone using that oil is "approved."

[makulitz]

but they cant void your warranty if it doesn't have something to do with a breakdown of the car for instance isn't?

[M.alex]

Originally posted by makulitz
but they cant void your warranty if it doesn't have something to do with a breakdown of the car for instance isn't?

They can do whatever the hell they feel like doing; then you've got to fight them over it.

[MrSector9]

If you get your oil changed by someone else, yourself OR even your dealer and something goes wrong from the oil change itself warranty will not cover any of it, the shop, person has to cover it.

Reason being it is going to be lack or oil, loose drain plug falling out, something dropped in engine or wrong oil used, all of these things are extremely easy for the manufacturer to tell and then the warranty will not be paid to the dealership, or if you had someone else do it the dealer's techs will usually mention this upfront if you are trying for warranty.

Keep all your receipts for materials, buy good product that meets manufacturer specs. and with the exception of you making a mistake you should have nothing to worry about with warranty being "void"

To be 100% worry free just buy the oil and drop it off with the car when they do the service and request your own oil be put in, this also keeps you on good terms with your usualy service department as then they sometimes will go out of their way to make sure you are looked after.

[makulitz]

i'll consider that input.. im gonna try and contact them about this just to make sure.. i know they only put conventional oil in my car so i thought of switching to RP.

[swak]

Why not just avoid all the headaches, buy the fluids and filter you want etc and tell them to use them.
You're prolly gonna end up paying for the labor regardless being a scheduled maintenance.

[DEATH2000]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
The Dealership lied to your guy. No warranty can force you to use the dealership for oil changes. In the conversation i had with him he stated that he was not allowed to perform his own DIY oil changes. Again, their argument was they couldnt prove the oil he bought was actually put into the truck. He bought it used, and i never asked where from.


Originally posted by makulitz
but they cant void your warranty if it doesn't have something to do with a breakdown of the car for instance isn't?
Yes they can. When i was younger i borrowed my mom's SUV to go to BC for the weekend cause my car didn't have enough room. Drove out, brought it back. She drove it for another two months then something inside the engine broke. When she went to claim the warranty they said "not enough oil changes were performed based on the amount of milage". The SUV was bought used and the warranty was 3rd party, but they still said they wouldnt cover it. Bullshit in my opinion. Most warranty providers still go by the 3,000 mile oil change even though oil technology has advanced so much you can go 10,000 km or more depending on the oil and filter used.

[revelations]

When I worked at a GM shop (not as a tech, but a lowly assistant) - we denied several warranty engine break downs because of obvious cases of neglect such as having the FACTORY oil filter in place still at 30,000kms and horrendous amounts of sludge in the top end.

Dealers also treat different vehicles with a different standard. Some high performance vehicles (eg. RX8) require METICULOUS maintenance schedule adherence.

There was a thread a few years ago going through this exact same scenario with an owner of an Rx8 who was being denied warranty because he did his own oil changes.... but he didnt have any receipts to back it up.

[sillysod]

I don't know anyone that has an engine failure due to using a different oil brand than the recommended one (providing viscocity is the same). As long as you change your oil regularly (even with the cheapest cdn tire brand) you will not damage your engine due to oil break down.

I run German Castrol in both cars because it's only $15.00 more and I do it every 10,000kms or 1x a year. However, I have never heard of someone having their engine fail due to regular maintenance and using inexpensive oil.

Run whatever floats your boat.

[DEATH2000]

Originally posted by sillysod
I run German Castrol in both cars because it's only $15.00 more.
Where do you get it from? Been looking for a store carrying German Castrol and have come up empty.

[ExtraSlow]

Third party warranties are a scam anyway. They're only profitable because they deny 95% (not an actual statistic) of all claims.
I'm 100% only discussing manufacturer warranty on a new vehicle.

Any that story of the RX8 sounds legit. No receipts for oil, no log book, no warranty.

[lilmira]

Originally posted by DEATH2000

Where do you get it from? Been looking for a store carrying German Castrol and have come up empty.

Crappy tire, I pick up a dozen bottles when they are on sale.

[sillysod]

Originally posted by lilmira


Crappy tire, I pick up a dozen bottles when they are on sale.

yep

[DEATH2000]

Originally posted by sillysod


yep
Seriously? I looked when i was their and i have yet to see German Castrol, or 0w-30. Everything i looked at said "Made in the US".

[lilmira]

Originally posted by DEATH2000

Seriously? I looked when i was their and i have yet to see German Castrol, or 0w-30. Everything i looked at said "Made in the US".

Small bottles only, they don't come in the big jugs.

[Rat Fink]

.

[HuMz]

Yeah I always buy a factory oil filter and my own synthetic oil for my own changes then just keep the reciepts and write down the mileage.

A dealership can try to do whatever they want, but if you can prove that you've changed the oil at regular intervals then it would be pretty tough for them to deny a claim unless you bring it in with the oil way under/over filled.

[makulitz]

my car is an 07 v6 mustang has 54XXX in the odo and this would be the first time i'll do my own oil change prior to my maintenance sched.. cause i thought of putting RP fluids in it.. i just drive this car every summer so basically i only get it serviced once or twice a year.. i've only put 18k in this car since i've owned it for the past four years.. btw, where did u get that sheet u were talking about?

[Rat Fink]

.

[makulitz]

thanks man!