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

[SGP NPC]

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.
[/QUOTE]

How would report maintenance to carfax myself?

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[zumbooruk]

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.

How would report maintenance to carfax myself?
[/QUOTE]
I use the Carfax Car Care app on my iPhone

I have used it for years to track maintenance for five vehicles.


Not just oil/filter change, but also tire rotations, air filter, brake fluid, any anything else I've done to the car.

I also use it to record every fuel fill up.

Only recently my shop joined and started reporting.

 

[Montrix]

I don't think I've ever had a dealership change the oil on any of my cars. When I was about 150 pounds heavier and didn't move as well, I brought my own oil and filters to a local shop I trusted. Now I do mine, my wife's and my parents in the driveway or garage using ramps. It's not so much that I think I can do it better, it's that I know how it was done and what was used. If I mess it up, that's on me.

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.

How would report maintenance to carfax myself?
[/QUOTE]
I think only shops can report it to CarFax, the app doesn't seem to actually record it and not all shops report it either. I personally keep a log book and *try* to keep receipts as well.

 

[AZCWTypeR]

I change my own oil, etc. and record it on Carfax. My dealer appears aligned with Carfax and sends reminders for service. Carfax has a couple check boxes for performing service yourself. I just changed the oil & filter last week and recorded it.

I removed the TCU and have been using the CTR less, so Carfax's mileage estimate was way overstated.

I haven't found the TCU in my wife's CRV Sport Hybrid and it looks as though Carfax knew the exact mileage a couple weeks ago. BTW I'm not fond of spy devices, so this TCU will get removed at some point.

 

[optronix]

Enthusiasts = know-it-alls

I won't disagree that there's probably higher risk in having the dealer do the oil change, so if you're risk averse you're better off doing it yourself.

But you people act like you're handing over your firstborn child to be circumcised. Look up "pearl clutching" or "cringe"- it's this thread.

 

[Websitesdown]

Enthusiasts = know-it-alls

I won't disagree that there's probably higher risk in having the dealer do the oil change, so if you're risk averse you're better off doing it yourself.

But you people act like you're handing over your firstborn child to be circumcised. Look up "pearl clutching" or "cringe"- it's this thread.

Ruh roh.

 

[AspecR]

If you're gonna go to a dealership for service, do your best to go to one that has actual Honda enthusiasts working the service department. Not easy to find at all but it will be worth the effort in the long run.

 

[SonicRSC]

I will NEVER let anyone else change my oil again. I have had the drain plug left loose and pop off, overtight filter, and you will not know if they put a new crush washer on until you check it later. Over/under fill the oil level...etc. I also do my break in oil & filter change on any new vehicle at 1000 miles. The very first time you remove the drain bolt they usually have a torque mark from the factory that you can use to realign and make sure you don't over tighten yourself. I enjoy my oil changes, and know that every step is done correctly. If I plan to keep a car I always change every 3-5K regardless of the oil type. I am an Amsoil fan and it has never failed me.

 

[jtlctr]

Enthusiasts = know-it-alls

I won't disagree that there's probably higher risk in having the dealer do the oil change, so if you're risk averse you're better off doing it yourself.

But you people act like you're handing over your firstborn child to be circumcised. Look up "pearl clutching" or "cringe"- it's this thread.

As someone who has looked at a lot of work done by other mechanics, I have to disagree with your “pearl clutching” comment. There is some seriously bad talent out there, especially in the case of dealerships. I don’t think there is a high probability of catastrophic damage, but considering all the incompetence or just plain old laziness, there’s a strong case to be made for avoiding dealerships. I also think the method of using labor manuals to pay technicians is highly flawed. If someone gets paid for 1 hour of labor, regardless of the actual time they spend on a job, more often than not, that person will rush through the job to fatten their paycheck.
Unless you’re uncomfortable with changing your oil, I say it’s well worth the $50 or so to do it yourself.

 

[zumbooruk]

I have yet to find a mechanic who is attentive to details and takes the time to do everything right without mistakes.

Nearly every time I used a mechanic, for either something as simple as oil change or more complex stuff that I could not do myself, they did something wrong, incomplete, etc.

For them it is just a job.

For me it my cars that I want to keep for a very long time.

For oil changes I use high quality oils (used to be Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, but just bought Mobil 1 ESP) and filters (used to be Fram XG, now Purolator, and probably back to Fram after I verity that filtration efficiency is the same as original)

I also use Valvomax https://www.valvomax.com

Easy, fast, no mess, but what they don't mention is how messy is the filter change...

 

[scottjua]

Well I just did my first change on my own… second for the car only to discover two bolts are missing from the under cover. I know 100% that it was the dealer that forgot to put them back on, because those are the only hands that touched the car since I’ve had it, since the first oil change was free… I took advantage of it.

Pretty annoying… and never again. Now I have to try to get them o give me replacement bolts from months ago…

 

[AZCWTypeR]

I've always had a garage and tools to perform my own service. I don't mind buying needed tools, except for tires and only because good machines are big and expensive.

After owning several VW/Audi/Porsche/Subaru, the maintenance on Honda's is minimal. So I don't mind changing oil and using oil I want.

I've also known others who got home from service with zero oil pressure and puddles under their car. I've also seen pieces of oil pan threads come out with overtightened drain plugs after "professional" service. I don't mind doing it myself and I've never made a mistake.

 

[AZCWTypeR]

Well I just did my first change on my own… second for the car only to discover two bolts are missing from the under cover. I know 100% that it was the dealer that forgot to put them back on, because those are the only hands that touched the car since I’ve had it, since the first oil change was free… I took advantage of it.

Pretty annoying… and never again. Now I have to try to get them o give me replacement bolts from months ago…

Regarding the under-tray bolts, everytime we changed oil in my son's FK8 at least one fastener was missing and they were all there and torqued at the previous change. Not Honda's best design. Amazon sells spare fastener sets, so must be a common issue.

I switched to the WOT cooling plate, so no longer using the weird Honda fasteners myself. Even then, I swapped out the WOT Allen head screws for flange head bolts.

 

[ctechauto]

I have yet to find a mechanic who is attentive to details and takes the time to do everything right without mistakes.

Nearly every time I used a mechanic, for either something as simple as oil change or more complex stuff that I could not do myself, they did something wrong, incomplete, etc.

For them it is just a job.

For me it my cars that I want to keep for a very long time.

For oil changes I use high quality oils (used to be Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, but just bought Mobil 1 ESP) and filters (used to be Fram XG, now Purolator, and probably back to Fram after I verity that filtration efficiency is the same as original)

I also use Valvomax https://www.valvomax.com

Easy, fast, no mess, but what they don't mention is how messy is the filter change...

We're out there. Started my business years back because I, myself, were one of those people who didnt trust dealerships (I really only direct customers to dealerships if its a clear warranty issue). I was friends with other independent shops, learned from them when I was growing up, and started my own thing for Hondas. Been a car enthusiast for 25 years now. People come to me because of that, and my attention to detail, and full transparency and have no problem owning mistakes if I make them and being humble (no one is perfect, just dont be careless or lazy). I tend to even be overcommunicative and provide frequent status updates and pictures during the job.

As far as those pesky undertray bolts - replaced them on a recent customer of mine free of charge with extras I purposely stock because they're so commonly need to be replaced and told him about it up front when I inspected the car before I started the work

 

[optronix]

As someone who has looked at a lot of work done by other mechanics, I have to disagree with your “pearl clutching” comment. There is some seriously bad talent out there, especially in the case of dealerships. I don’t think there is a high probability of catastrophic damage, but considering all the incompetence or just plain old laziness, there’s a strong case to be made for avoiding dealerships. I also think the method of using labor manuals to pay technicians is highly flawed. If someone gets paid for 1 hour of labor, regardless of the actual time they spend on a job, more often than not, that person will rush through the job to fatten their paycheck.
Unless you’re uncomfortable with changing your oil, I say it’s well worth the $50 or so to do it yourself.

Again, you won't see me disagreeing. For something like an oil change, it's almost trivial and the risk drops to something you can 100% control. I'm here to tell you I get it.

It's just the nature of some of the comments in this thread, it just makes my skin crawl.

I'd name names but some of them like to claim I'm already on their ignore list. It's just hilariously CRINGE. I hate that word but there's no better description.

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