Micro469 wrote:Are you Americans "nuts" or just the Californians??
How often do you guys get Oil Changes? I take my car in every 3000 K
I think I resemble your remark. I am a California Resident and Citizen. My excuse: I was born here! Do I like it here? Yes and no. The taxes suck, there are too many "rats in the cage" (learned in college the more rats you put in a cage the more agressive they become), properties are obscenely expensive (but mine are paid for), and the government is overly intrusive and sucks. However: The WEATHER is great!!!!! On New years day I have been surfing without a wetsuit and comfortable. On the same day I could have gone to the desert to dirt bike ride or to the mountains to ski or snowboard. If you can't buy it here, you don't need it. We have some of the finest Universities in the country. Everything in life is a compromise! I can't think of anywhere else that meets my needs any better (I hate hot and humid and temperatures below 65 during the day!).
Oil change every 3K? Are you nuts? The automakers don't agree with you:
http://www.boston.com/cars/news/article ... intervals/
I change mine every 5K as it's really easy to keep track of that way but I could go longer w/o a problem.
When I was too sick to change my own oil I took my car in to one of the "quick change" places, ONCE. The charges were obscene!!!!!! I went back to topping up all fluids, greasing all hinges, checking for leaks from engine, transmission, and gas tanks, and checking tire pressure for myself. I also clean my own windows, and check my own lights, and change the oil and filters myself. All for the price of parts only! I know for a fact that I am not being charged for parts that don't need replacing and that the work is done correctly! I also bought a computer program and interface that allows me to read and reset all of the OBD II trouble codes including abs and air bag for GM and Fords! As a result, I recently fixed the ABS system on my van (Quoted $500 at dealer) by myself using a recycled part from "pick your part" (the self service junkyard) for $40 and fixed my wife's car with a new set of spark plugs when the dealer said it needed a new cat converter and was willing to charge me over a thousand dollars for their efforts. Neither my wife's car (200k miles) or my van (115k miles) have EVER been to a dealer or garage except for warranty repairs or free services! My wife's car actually came with free lifetime oil changes at the dealer we bought it from. Two factors caused me to walk away from this "deal". First when gas hit $5/gallon it cost me more to drive to the dealer than the oil and filter would cost me. Second, and more importantly, the list of suggested "repairs" they always provide after their "inspection" was nothing short of fraudulent!!!!! They wanted over $400 to install new brakes as they claimed the originals were worn out. I got home, took the pads out (a half hour job at best/worst), compared them to the new pads I had purchased and found the front pads had 40% of the original material remaining and the rear pads had 60% of the original material remaining. I left the old pads in (but did replace them when they did eventually wear out). Included in the estimate for the brake job was an eight dollar can of spray "brake cleaner". Gimme a break! As soon as you apply the brakes they're gonna be covered with dust anyway so why make em squeaky clean. Waste of time and money. My money (or really Suzy's money as she still has a job but I don't, ha).
Nuts? I don't think so. Besides they let me out of the insane asylums that I was confined in (twice)! Really! I'm not kidding (but that is another story and you can read it as Eric's story at
www.sedgwickcms.blogspot.com, just scroll down a bit)!
So, I have my "certificate of sanity", how about you!
"Accusations of nuts" beget "accusations of nuts" or "As you sow, so shall you reap". I read or heard that somewhere!
Cheers,
Gus
The opinions in this post are my own. My comments are directed to those that might like an alternative approach to those already espoused.There is the right way,the wrong way,the USMC way, your way, my way, and the highway.
"I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it." Klaatu-"The Day the Earth Stood Still"
"You can't handle the truth!"-Jack Nicholson "A Few Good Men"
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. The Marines don't have that problem"-Ronald Reagan
by eamarquardt » Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:29 pm 
it's not everyone thats 'nuts' John, just the bureaucrats. Reality need not apply 
