OK - hope this not a FAQ

So, where do I take my max for an oil change ?

Is the quality of oil and filter good at the neighborhood Jiffy lube ??
Or should I take it to a Dealer ... problem is dealers need me to make an appointment and the earliest they have is around mid of next week !

Any advice ?

thanks!

 

In the past, I've gone to quick lube places and I have never had a problem. But now that I'm using Mobil 1 synthetic, the quick lube places charge $50 for a synthetic oil change and I'm not willing to pay that. So I started to change the oil myself and I get a synthetic oil change for the cost of a conventional oil change that way.

 

Go to Nissan or change it yourself. I use Mobil 1 as well.

 

If you are not mechanically inclined ask around, get some leeds, and find a good local service staion. You can usually find one that offers package deals of coupons, IE: for about $60 it will have multiple deals on oil changes, tire rotations, coolant flushes, etc... My dad has one and he saves a bundle. Make sure you first test the shop and are happy with their work. Good luck and welcome.

 

i take my vehicles (still under warranty) to the dealer
i've heard stories from close friends of problems with
quick change dealers that put on the wrong size filter and
all the oil leaked out and had the engine blow.........
guess who's responsible...not nissan. have to go to court
with the quick lube place. if a nissan part blows up,
nissan covers it (usually)
just my $0.02

 

The problem with Jiffy Lube is that each place is wildly inconsistent with another. Watch them if you can. If it's warm out, they usually leave the doors open, so I just stand outside and make sure they know I'm there. I've caught them putting the wrong oil in before. You never know whether you get the employee of the month or the local dumba$$.

Reading this over, I same could probably be said for Nissan dealers. I usually watch them too.

 

Makes sense .... but once I tried to be around the nissan mechanic when he was servicing my car .. but the guy said something about insurance liability if I stand inside the workshop area and politely asked me to move a$$.

How do u manage to watch over a nissan tech ?
thanks!

 

When I don't have the time, I sometimes give the dealer my own oil (Mobil1 synth) and tell them to change it along with the OEM oil filter.... I think they only charged me like $12....

 

My local dealer has their service and parts counter in the same area, so I just nicely ask if I can stay inside while they work on it. Just make sure to stay the he11 out of their way. I usually just stand in the corner and watch. If they aren't busy you can sometimes strike up a conversion with them while they are working. Then once they see you a few times and get to know you, you are golden.

 

is it possible they are taking your oil and putting in dino? just a thought, i like to change oil myself, make you feel like you've accomplished something.

 

Funny you mention scratches cause at the last oil change the Nissan dealer washed the car and, in the sun, i saw those fine scratches you only see at an angle ..next time i'm saying "don't wash the car PLEASE!"

 

nah...... I've watched the guy before do the change. Plus, they would charge me for oil if they put in their own stuff....

 

Niether. Do it in your driveway. I use Mobil 1 and the K&N filter. To be totally honest, Id even question the quality of the dealer. Our dealership was using some kind of regular FORD MOTORCRAFT oil for Gods sake!!!! And to hell with what they were putting on as an oil filter, I dont even know what brand it was....

Anyway, as the saying goes, if you want something done right, do it yourself.......or at least done to your standards.

 

Actually, many people here seem to think the Nissan OEM filters are better than most. I haven't had my 2K long enough to attest to that though.

 

Mobil 1 filters all the way. They filter best and use synthetic fibers.

 

Do Mann filters work on Maximas?

Oh yeah, to answer the thread, what you can do is go to some shop and just give them your filter and oil. I do that with my car and they charge me under $10.

 

Got an auto parts store and buy your own filter and oil. Then you can take it to Jiffy Lube and they will only charge you the labor. Every time I've went they've let me watch them do it as long as I stay out of the way. That way you can see if they make a mistake and so on and so forth. I've always had good luck doing that. Plus, most Jiffy Lubes will check all your fluid levels, air filter, the under-side of the car, etc.

Tony

 

excuse my negativity,,,but if you dont know how to change your rides oil,,,you shouldn't own a maxima

i have seen the nissan guys change the oil, they don't even let the oil drain completely. and they use whetever brand they get cheapest

i have been using 5w30 mobil 1, but will start using tri-synthetic mobil. as far as the filter i just bought a carton of em from the nissan parts store

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by dba1999us
[B]excuse my negativity,,,but if you dont know how to change your rides oil,,,you shouldn't own a maxima

A lot of us do have the intelligence to change our oil but either don't have the time, tools or space to do so.

Tony

 

your friendly Nissan dealer near you

 

are you on KRACK do your research

 

I use the Nissan dealer just because mine does it for $15 and they guarantee a half hour or it's free. Like someone said a couple of posts ago, a lot of us would do it ourselves but we have no place to. My apartment complex doesn't allow any work on cars more severe than changing wiper blades.

 

thats understandable, bfr i bought my house i used my friends house to do it,,,there is a story behind it,,,i took my 4th generation to GoodYear once. they changed the oil and lubed all the important parts ,,the car sat over night, in the morning there was a puddle of oil. i just have a habit of checking under the car. so i call them up and said there is oil leaking from the oil pan bolt,,,they got all ****ty and said that wasn't caused by them,,,so i tightened the bolt, and it stopped the leak. had to add 2 quarts....

so kids here is y i dont trust them. you all know what the result would have been if i wouldn't have checked for oil leaks,,i would've had a seized motor,,,,,,goodyear

 

I had my first few oil changes at a Mobil 1 Goodyear Certified station, where I thought I could trust the guys. I went there because my Nissan dealer wouldn't allow me to watch, so I politely let him know that my business would go elsewhere.

Well the first few changes went well, and my guard went down. The third time (9000 miles), I had to make some phone calls and didn't watch the guy. The next day I pop the hood to peek at my washer fluid level (twas mid winter, in Minnesota...need tons of washer fluid) and lo' and behold, the OIL CAP WAS MISSING! Holy Shmoley, I run to the dealer and get a replacement cap, go to the station and ripped the manager a new one. I made them rechange the oil and I haven't been back since. Thank god nothing non-oil got in there.

If you're finicky about your car, you can only be sure about what's happening to it if you do it yourself. I now use Fram Tough Guard filter and Mobil1 synthetic. All ya need is a towel, a pan, a funnel, a wrench, a little flat ground, a quick turn of the steering wheel to the right, and about 15 minutes. That equals the irreplaceable "peace of mind."

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Spartan5
[B]I had my first few oil changes at a Mobil 1 Goodyear Certified station, where I thought I could trust the guys. I went there because my Nissan dealer wouldn't allow me to watch, so I politely let him know that my business would go elsewhere.

true that

 

just change it yourself...
15 min job...
let the oil drain... put on the new oil filter. close the oil drain, put in new oil... the easiest thing in the world..

 

everytime you change your oil try not to drip any oil on the ground. i'm down to less than 5 drips. thats a cool game you can play with yourself while you change your oil. that damn filter aways gets me.

 

a good friend of mine swears he was shorted a few quarts of oil at a Jiffy Lube. He had it changed the day before a 800 mile road trip. He got an oil light about 350 miles into the trip.. pulled over, checked, no oil on stick. Added 2 quarts and got it back to full. Of course, he went back a week later to ream them and they said his car must have burned oil... well, his mazda isnt that old and for the record, he hasnt used a drop since.

I would use the nissan dealer (if I didnt do it myself) just because they can handle the liabilty better if something goes wrong.

If you are patient, you dont even have to jack the max up.. its a very easy change. The only reason someone shouldnt do their own oil is if they cant find a recycle place. Luckily all of our local Exxon stations will take your oil for free...

 

Went to Jiffy Lube... had a nitemare... They wouldn't stop playing w/ my hella horns, turned igition while the car was on 2x, for some reason, the carpet was wet afterwards...

dunwanna think 'bout it... never goin' again...
DIY4LIFE,
bp

 

on what I need done I will change it myself. I had to take my her in for a check engine soon light, so I gave them the Syn and let them do it. Also my local shop rotates my tires with a change, which is a pain in the ***, I still do it myself sometimes so I can clean behind my rims. The worst thing about changing my own oil is disposing of the old oil.

 

Where is the filter on the 3.0 engine? Mine is a 3.5 and the filter seems to be in a tricky location, there is a plastic 'shelf' under it blocking my hand from being able to unscrew it.

 

I have always changed the oil in all of my vehicles. FYI - Jiffy Lube and most other quick change places will dispose of your old oil. I use a closed-top drain pan that has a tapered top w/plug in the center and a side spout with cap ($10.00 Walmart job) - it holds about two oil changes. When it is filled, I put it in the trunk and stop by my local Jiffy Lube where they promptly drain it and return it.

 

the 3.0 liter filter is under the engine on the passanger side.. look at your owner's book and find out where it is... if it's in the same location as the 3.0 liter, all you have to do is turn your wheel all the way to the right.. then from the passanger side wheel, you can just take that plastic out then you will see the filter right there

 

I just did this recently, would the dealer eventually not want you to do this so you could buy their oil?

 

i do the same thing. i take it to Advance Auto PArts. But i have to walk in the back and empty the container myself