Wanted to see if there was anyone else out there that has the shop change their oil, and they complain that its very hard if you have a CAI since it sits right on top of it....
What did you do to make sure that they really changed your oil? IVe been giving them my own filter and oil....

I know the last shop that changed it did it because the guy scraped up his arm pretty good gettin the filter out But I just moved and the guy workin on it asks me how its usually done, and then 10 minutes later he's out and says it ready....


Thanks!

 

Start marking your filters ,and ask to see the one he's taken out to make sure it has the mark.
Just tell him you save them for warranty purposes or something if he questions you.

 

even easier is to buy a tube of tamper seal and put a line on the cap of the oil filter down to the housing and then put one on the oil drain plug to the oil pan. if they even tried to remove either, the tamper seal would break. Its like a blue goo substance.

 

just do it yourself, its really not hard, all you need is the tool for the oil filter housing i think its a 32mm socket and a few extensions and ratchet and your golden.

just ask them to see your old filter then, you should kinda have an idea of what it looks like.

Where i work, i get frusturated when the people ask me to see the old part i changed but thats for like repairs, for oil changes i can understand. If you dont trust that place take it to the dealer.

 

Its as easy as pulling the dipstick to check the oil. The filter on the other hand is kind of a pain since its inside. I doubt a mark would last on it from a marker, unless you like etch it on part of the plastic.

 

I always do it meself...why risk a motor for a simple task?

 

well i always stand there while i watch them change my oil. I bring my own Mobile 1 and my own filter and watch them do it. Hell, it only costs me 5 bucks!!! i let someone else have the headache.

 

It is really easy to tell if they changed your oil. Pull the dipstick and see if it looks like honey or mudwater. If it looks like honey, it is fresh. It is hard to change the oil period on these regardless of a cold air intake due to the location of the intake. Remember, the stock intake goes in the same spot.

 

The only thing with that is you cannot always tell if the filter was changed.


Also when it is winter and 15 degreess F out than it's worth paying a little extra to have someone fo the oil change for you. Just take it to a place where you can see everything there doing to the car. You usually can make sure they change the oil, but cannot always see if the filter is being changed

 

tell them all cobalt ss/sc have the same intake set up.

By the way who is doing your car? I am on the road all this week and need to take it to hendricks but if they are giving this much greif i may not????

 

It is very simple. Then again I have a 2.2L and the 2.0L engine setup is different since the intake goes OVER the oil filter on the 2.0L.

I did all mine myself when I had the oil change. I've done all my maintenance myself. Now since I do not have access to a machine to turn my rotors I'll have to hit up my friend at a shop.

I've noticed for a lot of people its easier to have someone else do it. I mean you do not really pay more to have someone else do it with the price of parts. I let the dealership change the oil in my truck because a) did not have time b) it was free.

btw- At the shop I used to work at. If the customer requested to see the oil filter you had to show it. We got into a rush one day I was changing 6 vehicles at once(everyone was busy sitting on their butts and I was the 'oil change' guy). Forgot to change the oil filter on one vehicle, and I got fired for it. Small dealerships suck to work at.

 

Agreed, no matter how new the car may be. My parents wondered why I was doing my own oil changes on my 07, even though I had a free oil change card at the dealer. I know the car is better off in my hands than in anyone elses.

 

the intake has NOTHING to do with the filter. i don't take it to a shop, i do it myself. anyone that has a "performance' car should be able to change their own oil in my opinion. all you have to do is take out one bolt to drain the oil. and then take out the filter. there's no reason why anyone can't do it themselves.

i would suggest learning to do it yourself. you'll save some money, and you'll know it was done right.

 

I normally do my own oil changes and have no problems however i am comming up to the mark were i need to change my oil and i will be driving all over nc this week for buisness and wont have a chance. YES that means even 9-11 at night.........Plus it will cost me 58 at the dealer which is what it typically cost me for an oil change if i do it myself.


but back to the original poster, what dealership are you getting it done at? that way i know to possibly not go there.

 

i watch them change mine to make sure they do it... matter of fact, i'm about to go get it changed here in a bit. haha

 

Thanks for all the advice...when I lived in Apex, I had the Colony Tire across the street do it...Unfortunately now I moved back to Cary and I am not allowed to work on the car at my apartment complex. Just dont always have time to do it because I work all the time. For me its just a convienience thing...I buy the oil and filter and let them do it, i usually take it in right before an autocross, but everything else I have done myself
Thanks again