Breakin Oil Change

[JrG18m]

My car is about to pass 3000 miles on it. I can't get an appointment at Subaru til next week. Is there a good reason why to have it done at the dealer? Do they do something that I cant do at my house? As long as all they are going to do is change the oil, i can do it at my house, correct?

[tan]

yes, you can do it at home.

[JrG18m]

I just wanted to make sure because when I bought the car the salesman told me that the first one should be done at the dealer. I was like..."ok...". Anyway, THanks!!

[SD_GR]

Take it in and have them check all the fluids, fix the rattles in your dash and back seat area and trunk, and make your trunk close properly though... These are common sample faults. If you do it yourself see the oil change sticky thread and keep all receipts. When you're at the dealer buy a handful of crush washers for home.

[r0xz0rz]

crap, hey guys i got 40 miles till 3k. the dealer just told me that
the first oil change was free. but the dealership i got it at is
100 miles away! Can I just have a regular place change my oil? or do i have to do it there for warranty reasons?

thank you!

[SD_GR]

It's a good idea to have them look the whole car over at 3K.

However, you or I or Oprah or absolutely *anyone* can change your oil and maintain all warranty requirements, provided:
- You use an API starbust symbol oil in the correct grade, viscosity, and quantitiy stated in the manual.
- You follow the maintenance schedule stated in the manual.
- You keep all your receipts and document all service, including mileage done and date done.
- You will need a crush washer from a Subie dealer, though you might be able to re-use the old one and if you do decide to go to an oil change place, they will almost certainly use the old one or even lose the old one and use the power of prayer.

If you do decide to use a quick-change oil place, make sure:
- The don't push down on the hood/bonnet, since it's aluminium and can wrinkle, costing hundreds to fix.
- You keep your receipts.
- If you have an automatic, make sure they *don't* pull the autobox's filter, which looks like an oil filter to the uninitiated.

If you do it yourself, check the sticky threads on this forum for more info. Have fun!

[r0xz0rz]

wow thank you so much. i think i will just drive down to f**in phoenix and have them look. hey is that you in the powerlifting picture>?

oh yah....the first one is free right (oil change) so can I go to a diff dealership and have them do it? like a closer one? or would they
be all wierd cuz i didnt buy from them. plz help! I dont wanna drive far.

[SD_GR]

Originally posted by r0xz0rz
hey is that you in the powerlifting picture>?

Don't I wish... No, that's 3-time Olympic gold medalist, multiple world record holder Pirros Dimas (GRE). Pound for pound, one of the strongest men in recorded history. At 83 kg or so body weight, he's totalled ~400 kg in the two lifts...

Edit: Just to give you an idea, what you see on that bar is a little over 200 kg (440 lbs or so). I weigh much more than Dimas, and I can only deadlift that weight to my waist. He's about to lift it *over his head.*

I don't know if you can go to another dealeship, you might just call and ask. Mine was only 45 miles away so I bit the bullet and went.

[r0xz0rz]

I ended up going to the closer dealership...they dont do it for free...its only at the one you purchase it at. They used 15W-30
on me. I bought some crush washers too (they called them
drain plugs?). I watched him do it...doesnt look hard, except when
he first looked at it he said "Wow...this is different" So I was hoping he wouldnt just be stumbling through it....all that was
different I guess was that big plastic cover that is help by bolts and snap clips.

P.S.

I saw a Sti driving around a week ago. I was talking to the oil change dude, about it, and he told me that guy took it offroading and drove it under a barb wire fence. Stratched the hell out of his roof, windows molding and jacked his alignment up. What and idiot....like 1 week into owning it!

[SD_GR]

That sounds suspiciously like the guy overcooked it and ran out of real estate -- fences rarely, if ever, jump out at oncoming traffic. I can kinda see it happening though, new car, big power, big rally scenes in the mind, big fence coming up fast, big oops. Shame. Least nobody's hurt from what you say.

[r0xz0rz]

Well, I keep hearing all these horror stories of scoobies getting thrashed, rear ended, etc. The worst I have had happen was...this was kinda amazing (to me at least)....I guess I was going really fast one day and a rock flew up and got lodged in the opening nex to my right fog light. It cut into the body like a hot knife through butter. Nice scratches on the opposing sides. Sucks. It had to pull HARD to get it out. I got pictures ill post later....

On that note....I cant seem to find any mesh or standard (solid) fog light covers sold anywhere! I can get the Sti logo ones....but I think that looks cheesy on a WRX. Anyone know of some good places I could look up? I got a WR Blue Pearl '04 Rex Sedan.