candidman
Dryer sheet aficionado
My wake-up call came when I changed my car oil a few years ago. I don't use a jack. I use ramps for the front, and wheel chocks behind the back tires. And I would use two jack-stands up front for extra protection sometimes, which probably doesn't really add that much extra protection. Then again, after I made this mistake a few years ago, I discovered maybe they do add some protection...I'm not sure. But it did prove my wheel chocks worked.
The mistake I made, was backing off the ramps when I finished, while forgetting to remove the wheel chocks, and the two jack-stands! Forgetting to remove one protection mechanism would have been bad enough, but I forgot to remove both! All I knew was, the car wouldn't back up for no more than a few inches. I thought my gears were stuck or something. I even burnt a little rubber, trying to back off my ramps. I finally got out the car, and saw the two front jack-stands titled between the tire rubber and the frame (on each side), with the front tires almost ready to fall off the ramps. That's how I was burning rubber. It even scraped some of the red paint off my red jack-stands. That's where that red smoke was coming from. The only thing that stopped me from backing my car all the way off the ramps, and onto the jack-stands, was my two wheel chocks behind my back tires. That caused me to burn rubber on my back tires too. Luckily, I was able to drive forward again back onto the ramps, and remove everything. Then I was able to back off the ramps.
I've been very careful not to let this happen again since then, but like I said, that may have been a sign to stop doing my own oil changes. It isn't like I don't feel more senior moments as I get older. Anyway, what happened that day could have been a lot worst. But I don't change my own oil just to save money. The other reason is, my model uses exactly 3.7 quarts of oil. Anything over that, will leave my oil above the full mark. I didn't know that until I had my car for about a year, after I had bought it brand new. I was under a free oil change program from my dealership, that lasted for the first 60,000 miles. The first few weeks I had the car, I would smell bad smoke when I went over 75 or 80 mph. I thought it was my new car engine breaking in, plus I don't drive that fast too often. But I told the dealership about this problem anyway, and they said my car was okay. But I noticed my oil would be over the full mark, when they would change my oil. They told me this was normal.
A few years later, I heard stories about my particular model having a problem with gasoline getting into the oil. I understand it didn't happen on all the models of this type. Rumors were it was more of a problem for people who lived in colder climates. Anyway, they gave us an additional 6 years on our power-train warranty regardless. Then one day, I found out my 1.5L turbo engine only took 3.7 quarts of oil, while the 2.4L engine, that looks identical, takes 4 quarts. After I found that out, I changed my own oil the next time, and my oil stick was right at the full mark were it belonged. So I don't know how many time they put in 4 quarts, instead of 3.7 quarts, but I've been changing my own oil since. But last February, I was due for my first transmission fluid flush, at the same time I was due an oil change. It was so cold, I decided to let them do the oil change, along with the transmission fluid flush. This being a different dealership, I trusted them to put the right amount of oil in. I wound up checking my oil anyway a week later, and it was pass the full mark again.
It seems these mechanics, even at the dealership, are too lazy to do the right thing, and use a measuring cup to get exactly 3.7 quarts of oil, and will instead just pour in 4 1-quart containers of oil in my engine, as though it were a 2.4L engine. They don't expect me to check behind them. Anyway, this is why I still change my own oil, even though I've gotten older. But I'm going to have to find somebody I trust, sooner or later. Too bad I can't even trust these professionals to do a simple oil change. I'm sure glad I discovered the issue about the oil changes in time. The bad part is, some of them may have been doing it on purpose, knowing I wasn't the mechanic type that would check behind them...like I wasn't at one point. You can't be sure if they're even changing your oil at all these days, if you don't see them change it with your own eyes.
The mistake I made, was backing off the ramps when I finished, while forgetting to remove the wheel chocks, and the two jack-stands! Forgetting to remove one protection mechanism would have been bad enough, but I forgot to remove both! All I knew was, the car wouldn't back up for no more than a few inches. I thought my gears were stuck or something. I even burnt a little rubber, trying to back off my ramps. I finally got out the car, and saw the two front jack-stands titled between the tire rubber and the frame (on each side), with the front tires almost ready to fall off the ramps. That's how I was burning rubber. It even scraped some of the red paint off my red jack-stands. That's where that red smoke was coming from. The only thing that stopped me from backing my car all the way off the ramps, and onto the jack-stands, was my two wheel chocks behind my back tires. That caused me to burn rubber on my back tires too. Luckily, I was able to drive forward again back onto the ramps, and remove everything. Then I was able to back off the ramps.
I've been very careful not to let this happen again since then, but like I said, that may have been a sign to stop doing my own oil changes. It isn't like I don't feel more senior moments as I get older. Anyway, what happened that day could have been a lot worst. But I don't change my own oil just to save money. The other reason is, my model uses exactly 3.7 quarts of oil. Anything over that, will leave my oil above the full mark. I didn't know that until I had my car for about a year, after I had bought it brand new. I was under a free oil change program from my dealership, that lasted for the first 60,000 miles. The first few weeks I had the car, I would smell bad smoke when I went over 75 or 80 mph. I thought it was my new car engine breaking in, plus I don't drive that fast too often. But I told the dealership about this problem anyway, and they said my car was okay. But I noticed my oil would be over the full mark, when they would change my oil. They told me this was normal.
A few years later, I heard stories about my particular model having a problem with gasoline getting into the oil. I understand it didn't happen on all the models of this type. Rumors were it was more of a problem for people who lived in colder climates. Anyway, they gave us an additional 6 years on our power-train warranty regardless. Then one day, I found out my 1.5L turbo engine only took 3.7 quarts of oil, while the 2.4L engine, that looks identical, takes 4 quarts. After I found that out, I changed my own oil the next time, and my oil stick was right at the full mark were it belonged. So I don't know how many time they put in 4 quarts, instead of 3.7 quarts, but I've been changing my own oil since. But last February, I was due for my first transmission fluid flush, at the same time I was due an oil change. It was so cold, I decided to let them do the oil change, along with the transmission fluid flush. This being a different dealership, I trusted them to put the right amount of oil in. I wound up checking my oil anyway a week later, and it was pass the full mark again.
It seems these mechanics, even at the dealership, are too lazy to do the right thing, and use a measuring cup to get exactly 3.7 quarts of oil, and will instead just pour in 4 1-quart containers of oil in my engine, as though it were a 2.4L engine. They don't expect me to check behind them. Anyway, this is why I still change my own oil, even though I've gotten older. But I'm going to have to find somebody I trust, sooner or later. Too bad I can't even trust these professionals to do a simple oil change. I'm sure glad I discovered the issue about the oil changes in time. The bad part is, some of them may have been doing it on purpose, knowing I wasn't the mechanic type that would check behind them...like I wasn't at one point. You can't be sure if they're even changing your oil at all these days, if you don't see them change it with your own eyes.
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Interior painting was $1,800 more than the first company. Plus they had a scheme going where you get 10% if you sign within a week. The price I showed you above includes the 10% discount. Didn't care much for that scheme, just give me your best price good for 30 days.
