From: chucko@kronos.arc.nasa.gov (Chuck Fry)
Subject: Re: Dirty oil after change?
Keywords: oil changes
Organization: Recom Technologies, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 21:24:40 GMT

In article <18ocibINN159@seven-up.East.Sun.COM> jimv@hienergy.Eng.Sun.COM (Jim Vienneau  - Sun Microsystems) writes:
>The truth is: LACK OF MAINTENANCE is what kills most engines, not what brand
>of oil you use or if it's changed at 2K or 5K. Most people just don't
>seem to change it at all or at 20 or 30k when they think of it. This is
>doubly true for automatic transmission fluid.

Amen.  My roommate is this way.  She wouldn't even take her bomb to a
quick-lube place if I didn't pester her about it twice a year, or even
offer to take it myself.  (I won't change oil on her car anymore...
Taurus oil filters are a brass-plated bitch to get out!)

>The other truth is: trust no one to work on your car. Dealers and garages
>are there to make a buck off you, they don't care if you get 50K or 250K 
>out of your car. The quick lube places WILL NOT grease your car (they
>know you can't tell) and may or may not damage the drain plug, replace the
>filter, etc. The dealers and garages will misdiagnose your problem and replace
>good parts. When they find this didn't fix the problem, they will claim
>that the already replaced parts were bad too. The auto repair and 
>maintenance industry is as crooked as they get (OK, there's probably a
>few honest ones, but I haven't found one yet).

Um, if you hadn't noticed, there aren't many places to grease on a
late-model car.  My '89 Mustang had zero grease fittings as delivered.
That's right, exactly none.  (Since then I've installed greasable tie
rod ends, and will eventually get greasable ball joints.)

I do check my roommate's car when the quick-lube place is done with
it, to make sure that it has had clean oil put in.  Due to her
past maintenance habits, the oil gets dirty quickly, so I have to
check within the first day or two.

I'm embarrassed to say how many times a shop has hit me up for
maintenance that either wasn't necessary or couldn't have been done in
the first place (e.g. "adjusting the play in the rack-and-pinion" on
my Mustang: no such adjustment exists!).  I used to buy it, but I hit
my limit when a well respected shop around here tried to sell me a new
fan belt, when I had replaced it myself just 3 months earlier!

And they try to pull these stunts on a gearhead!  I can imagine what
the, um, automotively challenged must feel like when they receive this
treatment.

There is a general lack of competence in the auto repair business,
which is equalled only by the lack of respect it shows for its
customers.  (Which lack of respect is reflected by the customers back
to the shops...)  I get tempted to go into the business every now and
then, but I don't think it's worth the hassle.

>Sorry, I kind of got off the track a bit (a bit jaded I guess, or maybe it's
>experienced). The bottom line is: Do reasonable maintenance, make sure it's 
>done right (ie, do it yourself), and you'll be sitting pretty. Don't worry 
>about the oil getting dark, it's just doing it's job.

But I can't do everything myself... yet.

Anyone out there know of a good home alignment setup?

 -- Chuck Fry  Chucko@charon.arc.nasa.gov
    Tired of being overcharged for a 15-minute job
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech