New Walmart - Oil Change

[Catskillguy]

I have brought the Prius to a few different Walmarts, and they have been fine.


They recently opened a new one near me. I took my wife's car there a week ago for her change. (I started changing my Prius myself, but in 20 degree windy weather, no garage, I don't think so...). Anyway, except that an hour after opening, and no 'manager' had been able to come open the doors at the Tire & Lube express an hour after opening... forcing me to walk about a 1/2 mile to get in.... they did a good job.


Well, I went to the service desk, told the Asst Mgr.. make sure you only put in 3.5 quarts.. OK, no problem.


I get the car back and drive home. I look at the ticket, and see "4 Qts Mobil 1". I suspect it's just standard what they put in. BUT, after letting the car sit awhile, I check the dipstick. ARGHHHHH, it's at least a pinky over the 2nd dot!!!!

Now, do I go back there and wait 1+ hrs while they get to my car, or brave the cold ground and drain some out myself. After some debating in my head, I decide to drain it out myself.

So, I go up the ramps, crawl under the car.... oil drain pain, wrench in place. I notice some oil around the drain plug. Sloppy work? BUT, I suspect worse. As I remove the plug, it's confirmed... NO CRUSH WASHER!! Well, out from under the car, to the shed where I have a couple of Toyota filters with their included crush washer. Back under the car I go, then do a rapid plug remover, washer on, plug back in with my hands now well lubed. It did drain enough to get it 1/4 inch or so below the top dot.

Unless I have no other way, I am always changing my own oil, cold ground or not!

[Godiva]

You should also call the manager up and give him a piece of your mind. Sure, you could fix their mess. But I never would have been able to. And why should you pay for such shoddy work on top of NOT doing as instructed?

Then again, I wouldn't have my oil changed at Walmart either. I'd rather run it dirty until I could take it someplace else.

[dmckinstry]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Catskillguy @ Feb 12 2007, 04:37 PM) [snapback]389214[/snapback]</div>

Unless I have no other way, I am always changing my own oil, cold ground or not!
[/b]

Well, if you want to spend $22 for an oil sampling pump you could use that to pump as much oil out of the dipstick tube as you want. I got mine at the local Caterpillar dealer.

I've only used it once to sample the oil that had been put in the ICE though.

Dave M.

[Beryl Octet]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Catskillguy @ Feb 12 2007, 07:37 PM) [snapback]389214[/snapback]</div>

So, I go up the ramps, crawl under the car.... oil drain pain, wrench in place. I notice some oil around the drain plug. Sloppy work? BUT, I suspect worse. As I remove the plug, it's confirmed... NO CRUSH WASHER!! Well, out from under the car, to the shed where I have a couple of Toyota filters with their included crush washer. Back under the car I go, then do a rapid plug remover, washer on, plug back in with my hands now well lubed. It did drain enough to get it 1/4 inch or so below the top dot.

[/b]

It might have been easier and less messy to just unscrew the oil filter and empty it. I learned the hard way one time helping a friend whose car was overfilled by a quart or so. Hot oil, fingers, and a little metal drain plug make for a great comedy experience.

[malorn]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Catskillguy @ Feb 12 2007, 06:37 PM) [snapback]389214[/snapback]</div>

I have brought the Prius to a few different Walmarts, and they have been fine.
They recently opened a new one near me. I took my wife's car there a week ago for her change. (I started changing my Prius myself, but in 20 degree windy weather, no garage, I don't think so...). Anyway, except that an hour after opening, and no 'manager' had been able to come open the doors at the Tire & Lube express an hour after opening... forcing me to walk about a 1/2 mile to get in.... they did a good job.
Well, I went to the service desk, told the Asst Mgr.. make sure you only put in 3.5 quarts.. OK, no problem.
I get the car back and drive home. I look at the ticket, and see "4 Qts Mobil 1". I suspect it's just standard what they put in. BUT, after letting the car sit awhile, I check the dipstick. ARGHHHHH, it's at least a pinky over the 2nd dot!!!!

Now, do I go back there and wait 1+ hrs while they get to my car, or brave the cold ground and drain some out myself. After some debating in my head, I decide to drain it out myself.

So, I go up the ramps, crawl under the car.... oil drain pain, wrench in place. I notice some oil around the drain plug. Sloppy work? BUT, I suspect worse. As I remove the plug, it's confirmed... NO CRUSH WASHER!! Well, out from under the car, to the shed where I have a couple of Toyota filters with their included crush washer. Back under the car I go, then do a rapid plug remover, washer on, plug back in with my hands now well lubed. It did drain enough to get it 1/4 inch or so below the top dot.

Unless I have no other way, I am always changing my own oil, cold ground or not!
[/b]

I am a biased dealer of course, but why would anyone take a vehicle to Wal-mart or Jiffy-lube to get serviced. The people who are working on your vehicle are for the most part dealership rejects. We put in at least a couple of engines a year that have been ruined by the local Jiffy-lubes and Wal-Marts.

[Charles Suitt]

Gotta throw in a "Dealer" comment... POSITIVE

I have a Dealer Service Department that does an excellent job. My previous Prius (2004) was serviced with them for over 2 years. At 10K miles on the '04, I changed to Mobil-1 5W30 and took in 3½ qts of oil to prevent overfilling. I never had an overfilled crankcase. They were also good to follow my "by the numbers list" to the letter, including the tire pressures I requested. Needless to say, they will be servicing my 2007 Touring Edition when service is needed.

If you live in the Dallas TX area and want a recommendation, send me a PM.

[Catskillguy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Feb 13 2007, 01:30 PM) [snapback]389581[/snapback]</div>

Gotta throw in a "Dealer" comment... POSITIVE

I have a Dealer Service Department that does an excellent job. My previous Prius (2004) was serviced with them for over 2 years. At 10K miles on the '04, I changed to Mobil-1 5W30 and took in 3½ qts of oil to prevent overfilling. I never had an overfilled crankcase. They were also good to follow my "by the numbers list" to the letter, including the tire pressures I requested. Needless to say, they will be servicing my 2007 Touring Edition when service is needed.

If you live in the Dallas TX area and want a recommendation, send me a PM.
[/b]

OH, yeah.. I forgot that other annoyance. I forget to tell them leave the tire pressure alone... and they lower it down to sticker levels.

Yep, last time for me at Walmart

[keydiver]

I will NEVER go to Walmart for an oil change again. When my wife and I did a 9600 mile roadtrip last year out west I stopped at the Walmart in Pocatella, ID for an oil change, they said no problem, and I waited around/shopped for an hour. The manager paged me, and I thought that meant they were done with the oil change, when instead he told me they WOULD NOT change my oil because my car "was modified". He said it is their company policy not to change oil on any "modified" cars.

[Rest]

This is why I always change my own oil, no matter what. Even dealerships screw it up. I am amazed at how many people won't do something that is so simple yet if done incorrectly can ruin an engine. It's one of the few things owners can do themselves.

Not to mention how many places take your money for an oil change yet fail to do it. http://www.nbc4.tv/video/9152183/detail.html

[DaveG]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rest @ Feb 17 2007, 03:51 AM) [snapback]391972[/snapback]</div>

This is why I always change my own oil, no matter what. Even dealerships screw it up. I am amazed at how many people won't do something that is so simple yet if done incorrectly can ruin an engine. It's one of the few things owners can do themselves.
[/b]

I take mine in to get the oil change, partially because I don't want to do it myself (although I have in the past on other cars), partially because it's $32 including tax, so not particularly expensive, but mostly because the dealership gives me the receipt on it with the milage recorded, so I can put everything in my files.

When it comes trade-in time, I can pull out the entire folder detailing everything that's ever been done (all on-schedule), and push for better trade-in value.

(Late 2008 I'm guessing