Too old to change oil ?

[Ranger Lariat]

I will readily admit it is harder than it used to be. But I have never trusted dealership service departments or most private shops. They never take care of your car like it was their car.

Agree 100% because more than 50% of times I've brought vehicles to the "Dealer" (and... I've only ever used Dealer Service Depts for services I can't do myself - my thinking... if it's a Dealer and they REALLY screw something up it's going to be easier for me to get the fix "fixed", or... go after the Mfg) I've had problems. One that required me getting a lawyer and invoking "Lemon Law".

I've had something screwed up (this is EXACTLY why I have not addressed the windshield recall on my "new" only 5K miles truck. The truck would be at the Dealer, and the dealer would then outsource / call in a glass repair firm to do the work. But I'm so actually terrified damaged would be done to the exterior or interior of my still pristine truck I'm not planning to do anything about it, yet.) on both relatively simple services and more complex ones WAY too often by a "factory trained dealer service department".

Now... this being my first ever Ford in 40+ years of only buying new vehicles, and mine so far never being to the dealer for anything, I of course can't say. And as we all know.... "Ford where quality is Job One" ? And of course we all know this because of.... windshields not installed properly, transmission issues, "bucking and surging" problems, "Oil catch cans", missing or "deleted" seemingly important items (engine cover / water intrusion) etc., etc.

So like many here (and I have "free oil changes" at the dealer) I do as much of my own service as I can, because as you say "They never take care of your car like it was their car."

Fifty-six years old here, and in the next few weeks (5 - 5.5k mi) I'll be doing my second oil change and first tire rotation myself. And when I pop the hood to add oil I'll see the hood struts and engine cover I had to buy, the ones that attach to the ball joints and threaded studs Ford did leave installed when they "deleted" the cover and struts.

Sponsored

 

[Ranger Lariat]

58 and refuse to let anyone work on any of my vehicles unless absolutely necessary. I bust my axx to take care of my vehicles and to have someone go in and half axx it , leave bolts or fasteners out, or my favorite of all time douse my engine or chassis with oil and leave it there to smoke and burn off - NO THANK YOU. Yes you have driveway spills, yes its a general pita in the Florida heat, yes going to the dump to dropoff my used oil 2x a year is a bit of a pain but I know the jobs are done right with quality materials I used etc. I have been this way since my teens on all my vehicles and its worked for me .

Exactly.

 

[Bud]

I am 86 and earlier this year I had someone else change the oil in the Ranger for the first time. I also had my Jaguar oil changed this week by someone else. The Chevy Volt is next. It is just getting too hard to get up once I am down. Still sailing.

 

[Bat-1]

What were we talking about again?

 

[Kemo Sabe]

Considered posting as a poll, how old is too old ? Well today there was an ominous sign I am on the cusp, had changed oil in 2 family cars in the last 6 weeks and both non events, that ended today as I badly located the collection pan, positioning it to rear of the drain plug vs to the side and a gusher created a disgusting oily mess on the garage floor, followed by an extended period of profanity. ( our Hyundai has a fumoto) I'm 71 and have been changing oil countless times since around 15 yrs old. Oh and to add insult to injury I had a slight miss with the filter, triggering another period of extended profanity. This change was done at 7k miles, monitor said I had 1.5k miles to go, however if the oil was sent out for an analysis I'd be surprised if there wasn't shearing as it seemed a bit thin - judging how quickly it spread all over the floor, lol.

So who is the oldest grease monkey on here ?

I changed my oil again in June. At that time, I was 80 and one month. 1943, May baby. I began changing oil on our 1953 DeSoto, Firedome, when 10.
That’s back when I drove it over drive way ruts, crawled under and dumped The old oil on the ground. I recycle now, of course.
I still crawl under the truck, but it has to be on ramps to clear my “thickness “!
I figured out the oil filter, but it’sa pain to reach over that left from tire . Sometimes I rotate the tires and remove the filter. But my thickness requires another step; a ramp or floor Jack.
Having a nice shop now keeps me out of the sun, cold!!!
Going to keep moving!
Keeps me “limber”!?
Kemo Sabe

 

[Kemo Sabe]

Inspiring the no of septuagerians still going strong, in retrospect my issue was largely mental , blindly placing the drain pan behind instead of to the side, hadn't screwed up in previous changes, fortunately garage floor is coated so ready to put it all behind me.

Lol. I had to learn how to aim my bucket to catch that old oil!!!!

 

[Blue Streak]

Lol. I had to learn how to aim my bucket to catch that old oil!!!!

Catching the old oil is never a problem with my never miss drain system. For oil pan & oil filter spout.

 

[Kemo Sabe]

Catching the old oil is never a problem with my never miss drain system. For oil pan & oil filter spout.

We’ll, I’ll be!!!!!!!! Good one!!

 

[Cabose-1]

I am 49. Unfortunately, old injuries, are making mechanic work less doable for me sucks knowing i know how to do stuff and cant, and dont trust mechanics. So, ill hang on as long as i can.

 

[puckdodger]

57 and I've made more oily messes than I care to count, broken the odd bolt that shouldn't be broken and spent more money saving money than I needed to. But I love doing the work and learning new ways to swear ?.

 

[Friday yet?]

58 and refuse to let anyone work on any of my vehicles unless absolutely necessary. I bust my axx to take care of my vehicles and to have someone go in and half axx it , leave bolts or fasteners out, or my favorite of all time douse my engine or chassis with oil and leave it there to smoke and burn off - NO THANK YOU. Yes you have driveway spills, yes its a general pita in the Florida heat, yes going to the dump to dropoff my used oil 2x a year is a bit of a pain but I know the jobs are done right with quality materials I used etc. I have been this way since my teens on all my vehicles and its worked for me .

THIS!

 

[Robert Scott]

I am 82. Still change oil/filters/rotate tires, wash/wax the Ranger and the Corvette. We live on 10 acres. There is lots to do in the gardens in addition to cutting, splitting and stacking firewood. We all need to stay active and busy. If not, the Grim Reaper will be knocking at your door.

 

[REDWM]

I'm 75 and would still do oil changes on the Ranger and Bronco Sport if Ford hadn't made them so darn complicated. Like removing the skid plate to get to the drain plug and the left tire to remove the oil filter on the Ranger. Our new Bronco Sport has fiber board/cloth all across the under carriage so I don't even know where the drain plug and filter are located yet without pulling all that dumb fabric off. I still rotate tires but it gets harder to left them up to put on the wheel hub, especially on the F-150. However, I try to stay in shape by riding my mountain bike at least several times a week. Lately, it's been so hot (over 90) every day that I do the exercise bike inside in the AC. I figure that exercise is the fountain of youth.

 

[Friday yet?]

62 here. Knees hurt but overall still in good shape. (I just ignore the knees for the most part. Well, other than squatting. That gets my attention!)

Basically I am an anal son of a bitch about my vehicles. The mechanical stuff. Not cleanliness. (Not a huge fan of washing cars. It's a necessity as needed, NOT a weekly enjoyable event.)

Anyway, I just do not trust shops. Period. When I change the oil, I know it's done right. Ditto tire rotation. Ditto brakes and other minor things. More involved stuff and I suck it up and go to the shop. Just too hard to get to stuff on new vehicles. But on those "shop" occasions when I pick it up, I go over it with a fine tooth comb.

I plan to continue handling it myself until I just flat cannot do it anymore. And with a little luck that'll be a good long while yet. I need the piece of mind knowing it was done the way I expect it to be done.

 

[Dean]

59 here. The first time I changed the Ranger it was a pain. But now that I know how it works it's not too bad. I don't have the skid plate.

I just don't understand why Ford can't make it so the oil isn't dripping all over something.

I'm in good shape, so I'll be doing oil changes myself for a while longer.

..until we are all driving electric and then we won't have to do oil changes.

Sponsored