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Does anyone do oil changes on their own even under warranty?

lilDumpsterRat

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This is my second type r, the first was a lemon.

When i brought the last type R in for the free service they somehow pinched the oil filter such that it burst at one point and it started leaking all over the damn engine bay and undercarriage. it appeared they had used some type of wrench on it and squeezed the filter housing so hard it deformed. I dont trust the dealer at all to do even basic things, Id rather just change the oil myself.

Is there anything i need them for on the first free maintenance? I don't remember them doing anything special.
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Bald Wonder

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I do. In most cases, "under warranty" ≠ free oil change, but a free or cheap oil change usually = conventional oil, a cheap filter, and green mechanics. I don't feel like skimping on quality for things like that.

The nice part about having a dealer service your car is that they'll report their work on CarFax, which helps maintain the value of the car. However, you (and any other reputable shop) can do that, too.
 

fg4juke

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I do. As for warranty concerns, Honda says you can change your own oil if you're competent and provide receipts, while maintaining warranty coverage.

I try to avoid any shop I do not trust (which is basically any Honda dealer) touching my car at all if I can avoid it
 


Spart

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The employee at the dealership that handles the oil changes likely makes less money than the janitorial staff and has a vocabulary that consists primarily of curse words.

So no, I don't let that person touch any vehicle that I care about. They'll never have the attention to detail that I have, plus I take oil samples for used oil analysis and I like to cut my filters open to examine them as well.
 

ctechauto

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In owning cars for almost 25 years I have never purposely chosen to let the dealer do an oil change, unless it was to use the "free" (rather, included-but-i-paid-for-it-baked-in-price). So maybe a total of 3 times in my driving life. But I'll gladly do an oil change for customers.
 
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jtlctr

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Oh, you betchya! No way I’m trusting a dealership service center with my car. The last 2 oil changes I did aside from my own car were for my dad's girlfriend and my dad. Both had previously had it done by their dealership. Her drain plug was so tight that I had to use the full strength of my leg pushing on the wrench to loosen it. The threads on the plug were actually damaged by over tightening. My dad’s oil filter was so tight that I had to modify an oil filter wrench to accept a half inch breaker bar in order to get the leverage needed to break it loose.
I’m happy to pay the $35 and squirm around in the gravel on my day off in order to preserve my engine.
 

alSpeed2k

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I do as well.
 


AspecR

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This is my second type r, the first was a lemon.

When i brought the last type R in for the free service they somehow pinched the oil filter such that it burst at one point and it started leaking all over the damn engine bay and undercarriage. it appeared they had used some type of wrench on it and squeezed the filter housing so hard it deformed. I dont trust the dealer at all to do even basic things, Id rather just change the oil myself.

Is there anything i need them for on the first free maintenance? I don't remember them doing anything special.
Dealership does all my oil changes but I'm an outlier, the dealerships I go to are filled with Honda enthusiast techs, also helps that I get to go in the service area and watch them work so I know its done properly.
 

PNEUMA

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I always change oil/filter in my vehicles myself.
the fewer people that touch my cars/bike, the more comfortable I feel. I try to keep that number of people at 1, meaning me only 😊
 

Superhatch

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I've only had a dealership do work once on a BRZ when they first came out and had a taillight recall. It took them 3 tries to not crack the housings when putting them back in.

I don't really let anyone else work on my cars aside from my alignment guy.
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