Do you change your own oil?

So I just changed the oil in my truck this past weekend. I took it to the dodge dealership. I must say.... it was a horrible experience.


I have been to this dealership many times in the past to get my previous Ram 1500's oil changed (had a maintenance plan which apparently does not carry over to my new truck, which is extremely annoying. I mean, its the same motor, takes the same amount of oil and everything). I showed up at 7:30 a.m. (service opens at 8 a.m.) and got in line. I had 6 vehicles in front of me.


Then they open and they start getting everyone their stuff (logging their name, vehicle, etc.) and they do so in order. Whoever they do first gets their vehicles serviced first and so on. Well, they took 2 other vehicles before mine (which added at least 30-45 minutes onto my wait) despite me trying to tell them I got there before those other 2 vehicles. This is basically the same as going to starbucks super early waiting in line and then when you get to the register the cashier says sorry, I'm going to take these two people further back. You can wait another hour..... I imagine most people would be mad. The 2 cars that they took before me had the exact same service done. Oil changes. So it was not that they had something totally different being performed and a different group of techs. were working on those 2 vehicles.

It comes down to this is a poorly ran operation and is extremely disorganized. They don't have the same manager as before for the service department (the head guy) and there were several other new faces.





I also asked for a tire rotation and they never did it (I watched them do the entire oil change). I believe they just forgot to do it. The rear tires showed the tread was lower than the fronts. it clearly needed to be done. I won't be in there again for another 5-7k for the next oil change(the ram guide says 10k). The service manager who I already did not like due to them taking vehicles coming later tried to cover up the fact they did not do the rotation by saying it did not need it (it was literally him that did it). Even though the tread was less in the rear and I was doing at the mileage they have ALWAYS recommended (5k). He said I don't want to waste your time and money when I mentioned they never rotated the tires. I'm thinking what? You already wasted my time and you are a dealership.... you want everyone's money!?! And you know what.... just owning up to it and saying they forgot would sit way better with me than this guy trying to feed me some B.S.


I was there until 10:15 a.m. for an oil change..... So almost 3 hours. Technically 2 hours and 15 minutes by their time since they opened at 8 a.m. but still....

So I think I am now going to change my own oil.... I was only going to the dealership out of convenience (and making sure the work is done by a qualified tech.) but clearly that is something I am not getting by going to them. I have talked to friends and they have said that they just do walk ups to their Ford dealerships and can get an oil change done within 45 min total.

Lots of issues previously for my wife and I at the Chevy dealer we purchased her car at.

We have her serviced at Goodyear, they do what we pay for.

I didn't purchase my ram from a dodge dealership, so I change my own. I will have Goodyear do the rotation.

Only ford dealer I've has experience with was a long wait, they did wash the truck.

Doing my own oil is about $60. That's buying 10 quarts of castrol edge, and a wix filter. Plus the knowledge it was done properly.


Sent from somewhere with confusion.

My dealer is usually pretty quick to do stuff like this. I also take my own oil in and they just change it. Costs me $16 and now I don't have to get rid of thr dirty oil and filter. Not too bad if you ask me!

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I do all the family autos= 4 Myself! Now I have my son to help but he enjoys doing it with me.

Always have Always will. Until the old body just can't do it no more! I don't trust anyone else doing them.

I made this job very easy by adding a Fumoto Drain Valve to every auto. No Wrenches ever needed. Maybe a filter wrench every once in a while. Also {made} a pair of Very Strong Secure Ramps. There is Never a Mess! Never oil spattered on parts of the undercarriage.

I also took the effort to buy 2 very strong light weight floor jacks to do my own tire rotations. {Once Before Summer-Once Before Winter} takes about 15 min. Got so sick of the Tire Shops Torquing the dam lug nuts down so tight the wife or daughter could never have the strength to get them off if they had a flat on the highway. Plus all the cross threading of the nuts was ridiculous. Add a dab of Anti-Seize to each lug and we are good to go.

I understand 100%-->Some owners don't have a good place to do their own OC. Or maybe a close place to take their used oil to be recycled. I understand why it is so much easier and less of a headache just to take it to a reputable shop or dealership to have it done.

I will say this--->I would never let my Ram out of my site! I would watch everything they remove and add. The main thing is the drain plug being tight and oil filter snug and not cross threaded.

Also the dealer whom I bought my Ram from is around 2 1/2 hours away. I'm not driving that far just for a simple oil change. Local Dealer instructed me for oil change or any service done--->Since I did not buy the Ram from them I will always be pushed to the back of the Line! I Fired Quickly back with & You A$$ Hats wonder why I never buy from You! That type of Attitude Right There! I saved over 6K dollars going to the city to buy. Now your little sensitive A$$ is butt hurt! Due to the fact I didn't let you Screw Me on Price and also have to pay tag/title/tax.

xrsman said:

My dealer is usually pretty quick to do stuff like this. I also take my own oil in and they just change it. Costs me $16 and now I don't have to get rid of thr dirty oil and filter. Not too bad if you ask me!

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That is the part I hate most about doing it myself... disposing of the used oil.

SyN said:

I do all the family autos= 4 Myself! Now I have my son to help but he enjoys doing it with me.

Always have Always will. Until the old body just can't do it no more! I don't trust anyone else doing them.

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Exactly! You do it yourself you know it is done right for sure. Its the only way to REALLY know.

I will change my own oil till i'm unable to hold a wrench, i'm the only mechanic i trust!!!!

Take it to the dealership they said....for convenience they said....

I have yet to have a good experience with a dealership service department of any kind. I've come across a few good independent mechanics but I'm still inclined to just do it myself. By the time I set up the appointment and drive there I'd be half done already. I'm not good at waiting at all and I don't intend to work on that either

I haven't changed my own oil in 5 years because I've had free oil changes with my Jeep Grand Cherokee, not sure if I will have that with the new Ram I am buying though. But one thing the dealer did tell me is that one of the perks of having a business when you buy from them is that you get some priority service. If you go there without an appointment and there are more than 4 or 5 vehicles ahead of you then you get bumped up in line. Maybe that is similar to why some people were taken ahead of you.

If I were to do it myself, I'd only be able to in the Summer months as my garage is not heated, not insulated and hell, not even big enough to fit the Ram into.

And, if I did, finding a place to dispose of the waste oil would take me on a 40+ ONE WAY drive (and then they have a minimum amount and a maximum amount, both of which are not feasible enough to justify the wasted fuel to go there)...

I started doing it myself after I asked for full synthetic motor oil package and they ended up giving me penzoil gold conventional and synthetic blend. I'm pretty new at this stuff but I can easily figure out an oil change and have done it so far without issues. Also changed rear diff fluid on my own too. I still have a couple changes left but I want PUP in my vehicle.

How much do tire rotations usually cost ? Now that I think of it if I bring my own oil to service stations don't they usually do a rotation free correct ? Might be worth it just to get the oil changed by them if I spending a few bucks for a rotation anyways.


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It's the only way to be sure

misuracaf10 said:

I started doing it myself after I asked for full synthetic motor oil package and they ended up giving me penzoil gold conventional and synthetic blend. I'm pretty new at this stuff but I can easily figure out an oil change and have done it so far without issues. Also changed rear diff fluid on my own too. I still have a couple changes left but I want PUP in my vehicle.

How much do tire rotations usually cost ? Now that I think of it if I bring my own oil to service stations don't they usually do a rotation free correct ? Might be worth it just to get the oil changed by them if I spending a few bucks for a rotation anyways.


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I am not sure how much they were going to charge me, as when I had it done before at the dealer it was covered under my maintenance plan. It couldn't be very much i'd imagine.

I do think so places will do a free tire rotation with an oil change.

I always do everything myself .I trust nobody. most people have the I don't care it ain't mine attitude . oil takes 10 mins to do and when I fill a 5 gallon bucket of oil up I wait until autozone closes and sit it at the back door .problem solved.

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On top of what others have said in regards to not trusting anyone to do the oil change, I also have another problem. With ANY oil change I do in my vehicle, wife's or friends I have a serious OCD when it comes to getting oil on components. Especially my truck, being that the electronic steering rack Is right below it and I CAN'T STAND oil on engine or suspension components because I like everything nice and clean for when I DO have a leak I don't need to guess where it's coming from. I constantly clean my engine to keep it clean and oil changes can make a damn mess if you aren't careful. Color me crazy but I like a nice and tidy oil change no matter what.

Being an aircraft tech by trade also doesn't help the cleanliness issue lol.

I do it myself, #1 its cheaper #2 I dont trust wrench monkeys.

DILLIGAF said:

I do it myself, #1 its cheaper #2 I dont trust wrench monkeys.

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why yes it dllygaf

Thanks for everyone's input. It looks like I am going to start doing it myself.

I just need to make sure I keep good documentation and keep receipts of each oil change. In the event something with the motor breaks I have heard you would have to provide evidence that you properly maintained the vehicle.

You don't need to keep receipts for the oil and filters for all the years you do your oil changes (it can't hurt through). What you need to do is to keep a detailed log with the date and mileage of each change and what was done. Remember that you also need to keep records of other maintenance if you are doing it yourself too. This log will be needed if they ask for records on a warranty repair.

I do all of the routine maintenance since day 1. The less hands that touch my truck, then better.

Ok so there's at least 4 other people that go to the dealer.

I trust my dealer but then again I have a great relationship with the Service manager as well as one of the advisors. I have never had a bad experience(only did one oil change)

I guess if I was to have a bad experience I might go somewhere else but until then I'm happy with my dealer.

I booked my first oil change for 8am and I was first in line and out by 9am but I had a couple things checked as well as the service.