Anyone change their own oil?

[UGADawg96]

Been doing it myself for over 20 years. $30 for synthetic oil and filter. Track it via a google sheet, entry in Fordpass log, and captured pics of receipts and date-sharpied product in google photos.

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[jfalat]

i change all my own oil.. run platinum plus and ford oil filter.. usually if you find a good deal on amazon its barely 40.00 bucks all in..

 

[kieefer]

I keep a small notebook in the glove box for all maintenance and repair records. Date, mileage, service detail. Never bothered with entering stuff in any manufacture app. This simple method has never failed me, and I can easily go back to see when something was done. When I sell my near mint looking and driving vehicle in 10, 15, 20 years there's never been a question if maintenance has been carried out. The condition of the vehicle speaks for itself. If it is sold to a private buyer they even get the log book.

I do the same with a three ring binder including all the accessories I’ve added. Recently sold my Ranger which at the time I thought was going to be my last truck, had a nice folder full of stuff and negotiated top dollar for the trade-in on my new KR.

Will be doing the same with this truck too along with using the Ford Pass app for services…..now that I see that option.

 

[Powerboost_Law]

You can add your own service records in the mobile app. It's recommended to keep your receipts for the oil and filters. You can also add your own entries to Carfax.

I did not know that. ?
Thanks for that info I will search it.

 

[NVRANUF]

If I change the oil myself, and later have to file a claim on the ESP, will the dealer give me grief because there is no computerized record of the oil change?

DIY, I keep a log of maintenance in excel and non-fading PDF scans of materials receipts.

I have always changed my own oil, unless a car had free service through the dealer for a period. I also don't trust that they do the work, do it right, and use the right oil. The "quick-lane" / oil change techs are usually the newest, youngest, employees, and often not actual mechanics either at a dealer or at a grease monkey. That's why they do stupid things like suggest replacing your K&N air filter if it's dirty.

Regarding the Ford ESP... You are right to be cautious. I have fought aftermarket warranty company's on two occasions, and won (never had any issues with Ford ESP) but you definitely need to keep all your receipts for the oils and filters you buy. I scan them also and save them on Google Drive to defend against the fading receipts. I also self-enter the records in Carfax so there is something in a consumer database too (more for resale value than anything else). Lastly, I keep a simple running Google Document with dated bullet points for each maintenance I do. Just date, mileage, and a description of what I did (ex. Oil and filter change) and then I put the Amsoil Invoice number for the purchase of that oil to cross reference it to.

I learned from going through arbitration hearings that the warranty companies try to use every loophole in the contract to get out of paying. On one of mine they tried to say that there was no VIN on the receipts ?... So I hand wrote it on there and the arbitrator was satisfied with that. Now when I order my Amsoil though, there is a place for "comments" where I put "oil change for VIN xxxxxx..." so it's actually printed on the invoice. A warranty company also tried to say once that just because I bought the oil, it doesn't mean that I actually put it in my vehicle. ? The arbitrator on that one just believed me over the warranty company representative and ironically commented that even though a consumer has a receipt from a dealer doesn't mean there is proof the dealer actually changed the oil either (I liked that arbitrator). Luckily, I have a camera in my garage, so now I just save a low resolution video clip of me changing the oil, and put it on Google Drive with the receipts. I know it seems excessive but I've had to fight for over $10,000 worth of repairs across 2 vehicles and 2 different aftermarket warranty companies, both involved timing chain / timing guides / cam phaser repairs.

 

[Powerboost_Law]

If the vehicle is under Warranty I use the Dealers, I also have a Parts & Service account. Once the Warranty is up I have a shop, so my staff or even I have been known to service vehicles from time to time, I can not believe how much money I save when we service the 6.7L Diesels our selves, I keep lots of filters in the parts room. I had some issues with a fuel system on a 6.7 Diesel, I had a Fleet Guard filter in that truck, the Mechanic at the Ford Dealer made a big issue about it, I applied for AWA, and Ford approved it, this was a CP4 pump failure, Ford recinded the AWA because I used a Fleet Guard Filter and not a Ford one, that do gooder diesel tech cost me an additional 8K I almost went back in the shop to look for the idiot.

 

[digitaltrucker]

If the vehicle is under Warranty I use the Dealers, I also have a Parts & Service account. Once the Warranty is up I have a shop, so my staff or even I have been known to service vehicles from time to time, I can not believe how much money I save when we service the 6.7L Diesels our selves, I keep lots of filters in the parts room. I had some issues with a fuel system on a 6.7 Diesel, I had a Fleet Guard filter in that truck, the Mechanic at the Ford Dealer made a big issue about it, I applied for AWA, and Ford approved it, this was a CP4 pump failure, Ford recinded the AWA because I used a Fleet Guard Filter and not a Ford one, that do gooder diesel tech cost me an additional 8K I almost went back in the shop to look for the idiot.

Did you seek anything from Fleet Guard?

 

[Powerboost_Law]

Did you seek anything from Fleet Guard?

Just technical information showing the microns that the mesh in the filter is, Ford doesn't publish what microns their filters are, I had to send it to an independant lab. I was going to get in a big fight and litigation over it all, then got busy with other things, I will just eat the 8K and buy only Ford filters, sometimes it's just easier to blame myself for not buying Ford filters in the first place, if I would of done that I would of saved $8,000.00.

 

[NMMIKE]

I've been using Grease Monkey for oil changes every 5k miles; full synth oil change runs around $120. This cost, and the oil threads I've seen here, made me wonder how many truck owners change their own oil.

Do you change your own oil?

I compromise. I buy Mobil 1 full synthetic premium at Walmart , 12 quart bag. And then pay dealer $40 to change oil, rotate tires and inspect. Every 5,000 miles. 2024 F150 3.5 eb ,, tow a trailer a lot during the summer including some high altitude.

 

[Paul Neubauer]

I almost always change my own oil which still costs around $100 but the dealership was over $250. If I pay them to top off the DEF, they are close to $300!

 

[Powerboost_Law]

I almost always change my own oil which still costs around $100 but the dealership was over $250. If I pay them to top off the DEF, they are close to $300!

Yeah, I find they really soak people whi have Diesels. I got some F350 and F550 trucks as well.

 

[zx6roclet]

I always do my own oil since changes. Wife however got a new explorer with a maintenance package we didn’t know about. We used to use the Mobil service for oil and the last trip the mechanic spilled oil all under the car, didn’t clean up one drop undercar, pulls it back into driveway and hands me the keys. I come back out later and there is oil all over the driveway. Called ford and that little fucker was back in our yard in 10 mins but I’ll handle the oil now.

Attention to detail is everything and the tire rotaters and oil changer high school kids they hire don’t give 2 shits. Won’t be using that service package and will do it myself out of pocket now.

 

[ThumperF150]

Depends on the vehicle but usually yes, I change my own oil. Did the first one on this truck a couple days ago at 2080 miles. I’ll do the next at 5,000 then every 5,000 after that. I have full skids so I needed to remove several to get it done.

I installed a Valvomax which I prefer over to Fumoto. Future oil changes will be quick and easy as full skid removal will not be needed.

I bought oil and filter from Ford so I paid a premium. Kept the receipts and logged it on the receipt and in the Ford mobile app “just in case.”

Warranty is pretty useless for me as I only put 2-3000 miles a year on my vehicle. By the time the warranty expires I only have 10,000 miles on my vehicles and even a Yugo could last that long.

 

[Larrymoe]

Many of us do, many of us do not.

No way I'd pay $120 for an oil change that costs me $30 and a little time.

Where in the world are you getting 7 quarts of oil for $30?

 

[Larrymoe]

5 quart jug of Motorcraft 5W-20- $35.99
1 quart 5W-20- $7.99 (x2)
Oil filter- $14.99 (for lowest quality filter available)

Total cost if I do it- $66.96 + taxes

Cost at the dealership- $55.76 (last time I did it)

This is the first vehicle of mine I've paid someone to change the oil. I don't mind doing it, but the dealership does it for less than I can afford to buy the materials.

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