Charger owners!!!

[Hi-FiDelity]

I like to know that it was not only actually done but done right. I've had friends take there car to jiffy lube only to find out that while they were charged for an oil change all they did was replace the filter and call it a day, or worst yet not put any oil in at all.

[papacueball]

I understand where you are coming from. I used to do it myself, too.

FWIW, the place I take mine to has no waiting room. You stand there and watch them change your oil. I don't lay on the floor and watch the oil drain out, but you could. The guy that puts the new oil in shows the dipstick to the bossman and the car's owner before the hood goes down. Good enough for me.

[Hi-FiDelity]

I understand where you are coming from. I used to do it myself, too.

FWIW, the place I take mine to has no waiting room. You stand there and watch them change your oil. I don't lay on the floor and watch the oil drain out, but you could. The guy that puts the new oil in shows the dipstick to the bossman and the car's owner before the hood goes down. Good enough for me.

Sounds good enough for me as well Jason. that would be a shop I would trust.

[chad]

Done, cover is off, I had it off for a while then it had to go in for warranty work so I put it back on beforehand.

Much better not having to dick with that.. Maybe Garagemahal II will have a lift? Who knows?

[chad]

DAYS after I bought the Dakota, a VERY rare edition, I took it in for an oil change before I took it on a trip. They never drained the oil, but they put oil in it.

Fortunately I checked the oil before I left and concluded a WTF on the dipstick. Wondered why it ran like shit for the 2 miles on city streets I drove it home. It had 10 guarts of oil in it, no lie.

I have NEVER gone to an oil-change place since, never will, till i get too old to crawl under a car.

[Hillbilly SQ]

I used to change my own oil religiously. Then I decided it was worth paying a little extra to let the place my family has used since the early 80's do it instead. They use 7 quarts of Kendall synthetic blend and a NAPA filter. And look everything over good. They're also very honest. I drop it off, dad picks me up for lunch, and it's always ready when I get back an hour later. Considering I only get my oil changed twice a year (at 5000 miles) it's worth the $50 or so. They also rotate the tires I bought from them for free.

[chad]

I rotate my own tires too

[chad]

So yesterday, 800 miles from home the alternator goes up in smoke, quite literally, have never seen that before. It finally died on the corner on the way into the dealership. I pushed it into the quick service bay in 90+ degree heat and ugly humidity.... In dinner clothes.

Today this hits the news....

http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/2011...r-failure.html

3 things:

1. No alternator or battery light. Shit, you can check the trans temp from the car dash, but the battery voltage? NOPE!
2. The message "Battery savings mode" means you are hosed, as does the smell of burning electrical, an awful sound, and everything in the car shutting off to conserve energy... Like the Apollo 13 Mission.
3: These people have the best service department I have ever experienced in any industry, including Yamaha Custom Critical-ing me a new console after a huge failure on the road. We were out the door with a new alternator (which are like hen's teeth) in under a hour.
http://www.gulfchryslerdodgejeep.net/index.htm <---- that place rocks.....

[Hic]

glad to hear that it appears everything is coming up roses on this one for you !

[papacueball]

How many miles on the car, Chad? I've seen it mentioned a couple times that it happens around 50k, and I'm getting really close to that.