Coyotegray
New member
It would be awesome if someone came up with a remote filter kit you could change easily frm under the hood...
Oil Changes Are Ridiculous!
- Thread starter Architect
- Start date
ray2: :lol:
aa.allen
New member
I'd rather spend an hour changing my own oil than let a quick lube or dealership do it. I always change my oil sometimes my life lets me change hers sometimes she takes it to a quick lube. Two weeks ago as my wife and her mom are about to go out of town my wife asks me to take her expedition to get the oil changed. I argued I wasn't going to pay someone else $70 to change my oil. She tells me she got a Cupon in the mail so it should only be about $45. I put up a fight some more but in the end I take the expedition to a quick lube in the neighborhood. So she can get on the road.
I pull in order a $50 oil change tell them I have a coupon. 3 guys change my oil then disappear and I sit all alone for 10 minutes in the truck with no other signs of life. Finally someone emerges with my bill for $69. My $40 oil change is now $69. I am told it takes a 7th quart which it does that's an extra $12 they didn't take the $10 off plus all the other fees. I just said here is my card get me out of this place.
I get home and get out there is a smear of used oil on the drivers door 3 inches tall and 18 inches long.
I told my wife from now on nobody but myself or one of our sons changes oil on anything I own.
I'll struggle with a skid plate for an hour with a smile on my face before I let another quick lube change my oil
I pull in order a $50 oil change tell them I have a coupon. 3 guys change my oil then disappear and I sit all alone for 10 minutes in the truck with no other signs of life. Finally someone emerges with my bill for $69. My $40 oil change is now $69. I am told it takes a 7th quart which it does that's an extra $12 they didn't take the $10 off plus all the other fees. I just said here is my card get me out of this place.
I get home and get out there is a smear of used oil on the drivers door 3 inches tall and 18 inches long.
I told my wife from now on nobody but myself or one of our sons changes oil on anything I own.
I'll struggle with a skid plate for an hour with a smile on my face before I let another quick lube change my oil
Last edited:
3rdCoast Runner
New member
:usa2:
gm350reratliff
New member
I recommend looking into this skid plate with the filter door: 2010-16 Toyota 4-Runner Front Skid Plate
and this oil pan drain valve: Fumoto Qwik Valve
and this hose and adapter: https://www.amazon.com/HOSE-KIT-NIP...id=1502855790&sr=8-1&keywords=fumoto+hose+kit
Oil changes on my 5th gen are now easy and clean. I would recommend changing the oil hot as the Fumoto slows down the oil just a bit. Gives me time to rotate the tires and hit the zerks with some grease though.
and this oil pan drain valve: Fumoto Qwik Valve
and this hose and adapter: https://www.amazon.com/HOSE-KIT-NIP...id=1502855790&sr=8-1&keywords=fumoto+hose+kit
Oil changes on my 5th gen are now easy and clean. I would recommend changing the oil hot as the Fumoto slows down the oil just a bit. Gives me time to rotate the tires and hit the zerks with some grease though.
sandcrawler
Senior Member
you do realize that you literally just proved my point and then had the nonsense-balls to disagree?
as i said... your 08 FJ had the single VVT-i 1GR-FE — not the same engine. the 5th Gen 4Runner (and 10+ FJ) have the dual VVT-i 1GR-FE. the VVT-i addition on the exhaust cam is why Toyota had to relocate the oil filter, and why it's not the same engine.
these facts have been explained too many times to count — every time this kind of puffed-up, indignant rancor surfaces in threads like this one.
graciedad04
New member
Wow you guys pretty much go by the book on oil changes don't you?. I will keep changing MINE every 3k. I'd rather wear out an oil pan than to end up burning oil earlier. But I drive my vehicles 250 to 300 easily. I am at 250 on my tundra and my wife's 16 tep is over 30k in less than a year.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
yes at that price point I'd let the dealer do it. My wife's 4runner came with 5 years of scheduled maintenance so I look forward to this suv. As for my audi, I do my oil changes. It takes about 20 minutes or so if that, pull up on ramps, drop the skid plate (5 screws), drain plug right there, and filter location is up top.
dealer $119
local shops $79
DIY $20-30
Jetboy
New member
So you did 10 oil changes in the 1st year?
You're wasting time and money. The million mile tundra only had about 110 oil changes - once every 10k miles.
Jetboy
New member
I feel like I'm over paying considering the Lexus oil changes for my wife's RX350 (same exact oil change) are only $50 ea. What's highway robbery is Honda motorcycles. They charge $115 for an oil change on my bike that takes about 1 quart of oil and the filter is $2.50 and literally bolted to the side of the crank case. It's just like doing an oil change on a lawn mower - only easier because you don't have to tilt the engine. $115??? Nope. That one I can do myself.
The dealer I bought my 4runner from has a fantastic oil change service. At that one it's a drive through - as in you don't ever get out of your vehicle. They have 3 people at each bay and the bays are pits underneath. So one person is underneath doing the bottom end work while one guy is doing the engine bay stuff and the third does the paperwork with you at the window. If you want you can get out and watch them do all of the work to your satisfaction. Once the window guy has the paperwork done he aligns the lift pads and the two top guys rotate tires. Easily less than 10 minutes. At my current dealer in Utah it's more like - drop it off, come back in an hour or two.
Last edited:
The cheap price is only worth it if the dealer performs the service correctly...
If you have a top mounted filter on your Audi (As I had on an A4, 525i and JK), no need to even get under the car. Suck the oil out of the dipstick tube (even the A4 still had the tube, just no dipstick) and do a clean and easy 10 minute oil change.
MontenBaik
New member
This makes me glad that the dealership I purchased from offers free oil changes for life
graciedad04
New member
Actually I did 11 in 30k. I did the 1st at 1k miles 2nd at 3k and then every 3k after. I want that engine to be able to be torn down at a million and still look brand new. I have been a tech for 14 years I know how cars look at 200k after you spend the life of them going to 15% on the oil life counter. Generally a car that goes 10k on oil changes by the time it gets to 200 to 250k will burn oil because they didn't change the oil often enough. Oil breaks down over time. I don't trade cars often so I'd rather take care of what I own. If I traded every 100 to 150k I'd probably change my oil every 10k. But I don't, so I'll keep changing mine every 3k. But that's me personally. And as far as time. It takes me about 20 mins and I don't STRIP out the freaking skid plates like the toyota dealer did at the 20k oil change for me. LOL. I used them for the free oil changes and tire rotations but did the ones in between myself and have done the ones since myself.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
northcoast
New member
Changing 0w-20 oil every 3k miles is a tremendous waste of resources.
ToyoT4R
Member
Since I get free oil changes at the dealer I'll have it done til that is used up then I'll have to assess how long it will take me to do it and how much a shop will charge.
I had a Boxster about 8 years ago, it was cheaper for me to have it done at a Porsche shop than do it myself. $20 for filter, 10 qts of synthetic $70-80. Would have cost me ~$100 plus an hour of my time. Shop did it for $120, I'll pay $20 and spend my time doing something else.
I had a Boxster about 8 years ago, it was cheaper for me to have it done at a Porsche shop than do it myself. $20 for filter, 10 qts of synthetic $70-80. Would have cost me ~$100 plus an hour of my time. Shop did it for $120, I'll pay $20 and spend my time doing something else.
ToyoT4R
Member
Do you have an oil analysis done to see if your oil has broken down? This will show if you are just wasting money or being proactive.
graciedad04
New member
Like I said that's me personally I'd rather spend more in short term than much more in the long term. Oil runs me about 40 to 50 every 3k. But an overhaul for using oil runs about 4k? I'll spend the 40 to 50.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
northcoast
New member
This.
And I guarantee the TBN on 0w-20 oil at 3k miles is still plenty high if you're using properly spec'd oil.
bamma
New member
From a pure monetary standpoint, it is not worth my time to change my own oil. The fact that dealerships have their most inexperienced people doing oil changes, I simply don't trust them to do it right.
My sister had an incorrect filter put on her car and it resulted in a seized engine. On myold Tacoma, a tech overtightened the new filter when installing it (used a ****ing filter wrench to put on) and it resulted in about a quart of oil sprayed in my engine bay when they started it back up. Luckily the hood was open and they saw it happen, otherwise that engine may have ended up seized or damaged.
So I have added fuomoto drain valves on my oil pan and replaced the filter canister with an aftermarket billet canister with a fuomoto for easy oil changes. I also added a one piece skid on my 4R for easier access and removal. It has made the process 10x easier.
My sister had an incorrect filter put on her car and it resulted in a seized engine. On myold Tacoma, a tech overtightened the new filter when installing it (used a ****ing filter wrench to put on) and it resulted in about a quart of oil sprayed in my engine bay when they started it back up. Luckily the hood was open and they saw it happen, otherwise that engine may have ended up seized or damaged.
So I have added fuomoto drain valves on my oil pan and replaced the filter canister with an aftermarket billet canister with a fuomoto for easy oil changes. I also added a one piece skid on my 4R for easier access and removal. It has made the process 10x easier.
