Topic: Car Talk: with Meta and Walter
squeegee !first/o5zA started this discussion 12 years ago #33,408
Dear Meta and Walter:What is your opinion on oil changes? I bought a brand new Mini Cooper in 2003 that i kept for 5 years and absolutely destroyed. I was told to change the oil every 10K-15K miles, and the car even included a dashboard indicator light to alert me of oil changes. The light would pop on every 15K and i'd go have the oil changed. After only a few years the car was burning lots of oil and ran very loudly. There was a clicking, or a fast tapping noise my dad called "the lifters" that he said were ruined due to me neglecting to change the oil every 3K. I began changing my oil every 3K, but the damage was done and slowly, by year 6 actually, i had thrown a rod and fucked the engine.
I can't help but feel that had i changed my oil every 3K like i had always done before that i would have avoided the whole problem and been able to sell the car for twice what i got for it. What do y'all think? change the oil every 3K regardless what the manufacturer says, or trust the manufacturer and synthetic oils and change the oil at 10k or 15k or whatever absurd mileage the manual specifies on some of these brand news cars?
also i'll add that currently i drive a VW and change the oil every 3K and have had no problems despite it being a used car and 1/3 the price of the mini i bought new.
i will not buy a new car ever again, btw. worst expenditure of money ever imho. did you know if a 16 year old crashes a stolen car into your brand new 3 month old car and you have to have extensive repairs and components are replaced that it voids the manufacturer warranty for basically the whole vehicle? yeah... they'll be like, "that part SKU is not covered under your warranty, that's a new different part. You'll need to take it up with the repair shop from now on if you have, you know, like engine troubles of any kind. we can replace the leather shifter boot that get's torn by an internal screw that's too long though. do you want the new shifter boot?"
Anonymous B joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 30 minutes later[^] [v] #462,495
*sigh* Don't we already have a "Car Talk" program on...
Actually. I might be interested in what Meta or Nexus have to say. Could we have "Car Talk" with Meta and Nexus??
Could we also have an alternate "Car Talk" with to4str, cause that would rock too.
Actually. I might be interested in what Meta or Nexus have to say. Could we have "Car Talk" with Meta and Nexus??
Could we also have an alternate "Car Talk" with to4str, cause that would rock too.
(Edited 1 minute later.)
Meta joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 24 minutes later, 55 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #462,497
@OP
Dear Squeegee,
Which oil grade were you using? You can get away with a 10k oil change interval with Mobil 1 full synthetic but I wouldn't recommend trying it with, say, Pennzoil 10W-30 conventional oil. You shouldn't be too hard on yourself, though. You were following the manufacturer's recommendations. The real cause of your problems was buying a British car. British cars are hopeless and expensive and break down all the time. Since you bought a British car I'll assume you're an Anglophile and sum up the situation in the British vernacular: the dealer is taking the piss.
Instead of a small, effeminate, motorized shopping cart I would suggest a Ford Crown Victoria or Chevy Caprice. They are made in Detroit by real men from giant slabs of pig iron and they are indestructible. They aren't "modern" with sissy faggot things like bluetooth or independent real suspension but they feature what really matters: a thumping V8 soundtrack, towing capacity, plush bench seats, and the ability to do insane drifting and burnouts.
@previous (B)
I'll be glad to participate. To4str will need a lot of red spraypaint, and some towels to dry out his car's trunk.
Dear Squeegee,
Which oil grade were you using? You can get away with a 10k oil change interval with Mobil 1 full synthetic but I wouldn't recommend trying it with, say, Pennzoil 10W-30 conventional oil. You shouldn't be too hard on yourself, though. You were following the manufacturer's recommendations. The real cause of your problems was buying a British car. British cars are hopeless and expensive and break down all the time. Since you bought a British car I'll assume you're an Anglophile and sum up the situation in the British vernacular: the dealer is taking the piss.
Instead of a small, effeminate, motorized shopping cart I would suggest a Ford Crown Victoria or Chevy Caprice. They are made in Detroit by real men from giant slabs of pig iron and they are indestructible. They aren't "modern" with sissy faggot things like bluetooth or independent real suspension but they feature what really matters: a thumping V8 soundtrack, towing capacity, plush bench seats, and the ability to do insane drifting and burnouts.
@previous (B)
I'll be glad to participate. To4str will need a lot of red spraypaint, and some towels to dry out his car's trunk.
Meowth joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 57 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #462,501
Meta replied with this 12 years ago, 1 hour later, 3 hours after the original post[^] [v] #462,506
@previous (Meowth)
I hear to4str's in talks with Krylon about introducing official to4str-endorsed "BMW brake caliper red" and "Laser blindness green" colors.
I hear to4str's in talks with Krylon about introducing official to4str-endorsed "BMW brake caliper red" and "Laser blindness green" colors.
squeegee !first/o5zA (OP) replied with this 12 years ago, 4 hours later, 7 hours after the original post[^] [v] #462,507
@462,497 (Meta)
the oil i used was what the dealership provided under their service deal. They used full synthetic. Also the engine was designed and built by Pontiac. idk, that kid wrecking into my car was really what fucked everything up. I should have sold it then and there but there was so much depreciation after that... i felt like i had to keep it five years or i'd be out so much money.
I actually loved the car, they're fun as hell to drive. It rides like a go-cart or a dune buggy. Really it felt like my uncle's friend's 1/4 car from when i was a kid. just fast as fuck and baja styling. If i had it to do over again, i'd probably re-buy it, but this time i'd get it with 15" steel wheels with thick tires rather than 17" aluminum mags with low-profile run-flats. "but it's an S, it needs cool wheels." keeping that thing rolling cost me a fortune, those tires are 330 bucks. each.
i probably went through 10 of them.
the oil i used was what the dealership provided under their service deal. They used full synthetic. Also the engine was designed and built by Pontiac. idk, that kid wrecking into my car was really what fucked everything up. I should have sold it then and there but there was so much depreciation after that... i felt like i had to keep it five years or i'd be out so much money.
I actually loved the car, they're fun as hell to drive. It rides like a go-cart or a dune buggy. Really it felt like my uncle's friend's 1/4 car from when i was a kid. just fast as fuck and baja styling. If i had it to do over again, i'd probably re-buy it, but this time i'd get it with 15" steel wheels with thick tires rather than 17" aluminum mags with low-profile run-flats. "but it's an S, it needs cool wheels." keeping that thing rolling cost me a fortune, those tires are 330 bucks. each.
i probably went through 10 of them.
Meowth replied with this 12 years ago, 17 hours later, 1 day after the original post[^] [v] #462,546
Meta replied with this 12 years ago, 2 days later, 3 days after the original post[^] [v] #462,821
@462,507 (squeegee !first/o5zA)
Black steel wheels are undoubtedly the best. They're strong, cheap, and no one's going to jack them while you're at work. If you had gotten a Crown Victoria, the kid in the riced out Civic would have been toast. All you'd have to do is hose it off the fender and beat the dents out with a ball peen hammer.
@previous (Meowth)
It will come with a coupon for 20% off ecstasy and a sweepstakes to win an all expenses paid trip to Cambodia.
Black steel wheels are undoubtedly the best. They're strong, cheap, and no one's going to jack them while you're at work. If you had gotten a Crown Victoria, the kid in the riced out Civic would have been toast. All you'd have to do is hose it off the fender and beat the dents out with a ball peen hammer.
@previous (Meowth)
It will come with a coupon for 20% off ecstasy and a sweepstakes to win an all expenses paid trip to Cambodia.
squeegee !first/o5zA (OP) replied with this 12 years ago, 1 hour later, 3 days after the original post[^] [v] #462,833
@previous (Meta)
Actually the kid was driving his Grandmother's Crown Vic and he was able to drive off. My front axle was broken, a wheel was torn off, the engine was displaced and the supercharger was fucked. Not to mention the body work... It literally took them 60 days to fix it, and the cost was so close to total that i still can't believe they didn't just total it out. The damage was 14 thousand dollars. I was so disappointed. It was my first, and only brand new car. After that, i will never buy a brand new car again.
They are worth too much if you get into an accident.
:(
Actually the kid was driving his Grandmother's Crown Vic and he was able to drive off. My front axle was broken, a wheel was torn off, the engine was displaced and the supercharger was fucked. Not to mention the body work... It literally took them 60 days to fix it, and the cost was so close to total that i still can't believe they didn't just total it out. The damage was 14 thousand dollars. I was so disappointed. It was my first, and only brand new car. After that, i will never buy a brand new car again.
They are worth too much if you get into an accident.
:(
Meowth replied with this 12 years ago, 1 week later, 1 week after the original post[^] [v] #463,757
HaikerensGuide !dBGi/iH4eY joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 28 minutes later, 1 week after the original post[^] [v] #463,758
@462,833 (squeegee !first/o5zA)
No shit. May as well just keep on buying old police cars, man. Soon enough, the chargers will be cheap like the crown vics.
No shit. May as well just keep on buying old police cars, man. Soon enough, the chargers will be cheap like the crown vics.
Nexus !jNexusRe/. joined in and replied with this 12 years ago, 1 week later, 3 weeks after the original post[^] [v] #465,489
@previous (HaikerensGuide !dBGi/iH4eY)
The problem with Interceptor Chargers is they are all pretty much V6, and if you can find one the modern V8 hemis have a tendency to drop a valve and grenade the engine.
The problem with Interceptor Chargers is they are all pretty much V6, and if you can find one the modern V8 hemis have a tendency to drop a valve and grenade the engine.
(Edited 16 seconds later.)
Nexus !jNexusRe/. double-posted this 12 years ago, 4 minutes later, 3 weeks after the original post[^] [v] #465,491
@462,497 (Meta)
+1 for the 4.6l Ford. Damn things are nearly indestructible. Just get the proper tool and replace the spark plugs if it is a 3V, then replace coil packs, and air filter. Clean the injectors too with some seafoam in the gas tank for good measure too.
@462,821 (Meta)
Steelies look amazing with a decent set of half moons.
+1 for the 4.6l Ford. Damn things are nearly indestructible. Just get the proper tool and replace the spark plugs if it is a 3V, then replace coil packs, and air filter. Clean the injectors too with some seafoam in the gas tank for good measure too.
@462,821 (Meta)
Steelies look amazing with a decent set of half moons.
(Edited 2 minutes later.)
Nexus !jNexusRe/. triple-posted this 12 years ago, 12 minutes later, 3 weeks after the original post[^] [v] #465,492
@OP
> I can't help but feel that had i changed my oil every 3K like i had always done before that i would have avoided the whole problem and been able to sell the car for twice what i got for it. What do y'all think? change the oil every 3K regardless what the manufacturer says, or trust the manufacturer and synthetic oils and change the oil at 10k or 15k or whatever absurd mileage the manual specifies on some of these brand news cars?
Synthetic oils may have a life of 10-15k miles, but the filters do not. The oil filters on synthetics should be changed every 6000 or less.
> I can't help but feel that had i changed my oil every 3K like i had always done before that i would have avoided the whole problem and been able to sell the car for twice what i got for it. What do y'all think? change the oil every 3K regardless what the manufacturer says, or trust the manufacturer and synthetic oils and change the oil at 10k or 15k or whatever absurd mileage the manual specifies on some of these brand news cars?
Synthetic oils may have a life of 10-15k miles, but the filters do not. The oil filters on synthetics should be changed every 6000 or less.