Do your own oil changes? - Wal Mart content

[jerrykr]

I pretty much don't change my own oil anymore, I just collect those oil change special coupons that NTB sends out, and let them deal with it. But, (there's always a "but").

My beater Miata was abused by my son, who sludged it up, never changing the oil, despite my reminders. It's a real tribute to Miata that the engine still runs and uses no oil.

Anyway, now that I have it, I'm making up to the old girl by changing the oil myself, frequently with cheap name brand oil. It always comes out black as night, so I know there's a way to go yet.

Today, I made a change, and was about to pour the new oil in, when I noticed that the 5 qt of Quaker State looked really funny. I then realized that I did not have to break the cap seal. Some dingle-berry must have done a 4 qt change, filled it back up with water or anti-freeze and took it back to walmart.

To wally worlds credit they exchanged it for me without a receipt. I made sure to tell them not to put it back on the shelf. If I hadn't noticed, my little Miata would be toast now.

I called up my buddy, who mechanics for a living with my story, and he admitted that like me, he never thought to check the cap seal before.

So, pay attention if you buy your own oil changes. Look at the caps.

(steps down off soapbox, exits to the right).
.

 

[schwinnmesa]

Wal-Mart... :roll:

 

[SCHWINNRAY69]

I can't believe that someone would do that :|

 

[Bendix]

thanks for the heads up on the oil, i've not heard that one before.....i'm not surprised by much of anything in retail. we have folks put old tubes in new tube boxes and try to return them fairly often :x

 

[CCR]

i drive a lot for work so i end up doing my own too, i usually buy oil by the case but i every once in a while i will buy a 5 qt jug to last me til next go round, i never would have thought such a thing until now :idea:

 

[Rustinkerer]

You'd think they'd have put the old oil in there! :lol: -Adam

 

[jerrykr]

If they had returned the old oil, I may not have noticed, dirty oil, poured out of a jug does not look so black. At least it would not have toasted the engine.

We had a POS Blazer once with that POS 60 degree V6. It had an intake gasket let go, and dumped the coolant into the engine. My wife drove it home, and I could not fault her for that. Oil looked like chocolate mousse. Antifreeze destroys engine bearings very quickly, as I suppose water thinned oil would. Expensive experience for a vehicle barely worth the repair.

Some oil comes with that irritating foil seal. Be thankful. Quaker State just makes you break the cap and it's ring.

 

[masterpoop63]

thanks my vw is now same from stupid walmart people thanks!

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Good thing you looked, I'd say throw some Z-max in the oil there to clean it out, I use it in my car and I've managed to make it last so far it's got 580,000 miles and still going strong, but it's a veggie oil /diesel so they do that......lol. Now if I can figure out how to make it not smell like McD's fries........lol.

 

[FunkyStickman]

I don't trust the yokels at Wal-Mart any more. Not that they could change the oil on my car anyway... the filter is the cartridge kind, and directly under the supercharger. It's hard enough to change when you already know how to do it.

I've seen people return stupid things to wal-mart, and the returns people didn't blink an eye. I just don't trust them.