Dealership Oil Change Woes (PT.2) UPDATE

"sefeing, actually bought an E46" (sefeing90)
08/27/2014 at 11:00 • Filed to: None

Hey guys, as some of you may remember, I posted !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! about a horrible dealership service experience I had yesterday. Well, I thought it was all over and they had satisfied me with a free change & free next change, but I was very wrong. I came home to find that they either didn't use a funnel, or were just plain careless in putting the oil in one of the three times. There's oil residue on my engine cover, as well as pools on my valve cover (see pictures). How can I get this oil out of there? I pride myself in keeping my car looking & running great, and this is absolutely unacceptable. There's no reason the car should look worse than it did when it went into the shop, so I'm pissed. I'm okay doing this myself, but I don't know if I need to worry about water or anything near those plugs. I would take it back to have them do it, but I can't trust them at all anymore.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

I'm calling the manager to tell him I don't care about the free oil change, and to see if they have a relationship with a local detailer who can clean this up for me. I don't want their techs anywhere near my car, and I want them to pay for this to be cleaned.

If I can't get this done, I plan on attacking w/ Simple Green, water, microfibers and a shopvac. It's really hard to get into the crevices, so I'd like to spray a lot out with water, but don't know what electronics (half the engine bay) I need to worry about. I'd imagine it's all water resistant, but I don't know.

Here's my thead on focusst.org if you want to see. I've already send a complaint to Ford corporate, as well as a terrible review on DealerRater.

Pictures:

It's pooled more than the pictures show.

UPDATE: Well, apparently Kinja didn't post this. I spoke with the manager, and he said he will have the car detailed on their dime. Going to drop it off tomorrow or Friday. As much as I'm afraid to leave the car with them, I can't imagine they mess it up more.

DISCUSSION (36)

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > sefeing, actually bought an E46
08/27/2014 at 11:04

props to the manager for trying to rectify the situation at least. We'll be expecting some sparkly clean glamour shots after the work is done of course.

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
08/27/2014 at 11:05

Of course! I'm going to try and drop it by tomorrow morning. Hopefully they stick to their word. He was very respectful, and very disappointed in his dealership's work from what I can tell. No backtalk at all.

FrederickLawOlmsteez > sefeing, actually bought an E46
08/27/2014 at 11:12

I thought it was a requirement that if you post here, you AT LEAST change your own oil. Sorry, a fellow ST owner could not resist!

CalzoneGolem > sefeing, actually bought an E46
08/27/2014 at 11:14

Oh no oil in your engine bay! Must be all the beaters I've driven but I can't even pretend to be offended by this.

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > FrederickLawOlmsteez
08/27/2014 at 11:14

OUCH! haha. I think I may start doing it on my own. I just need to get jack stands & a jack and such. Don't know if my ST will fit on the 40 year old metal ramps that are rusting on the side of my house :(.

Frankly, oil changes at the dealership aren't terrible. Synthetic blend comes to 40ish and you get a 10 dollar rebate card. full Synth is 70ish w/ a 10 rebate. Not a bad price and supposedly Motorcraft oil isn't terrible.

qbeezy > sefeing, actually bought an E46
08/27/2014 at 11:15

Great job staying on them. At least it is the detailer. This is why I try to do all basic maintenance my self. And props to the manager as well.

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > CalzoneGolem
08/27/2014 at 11:16

Haha. On any of my older cars I wouldn't have been, but this thing is my first brand new car, and I baby it. Also, I expect that a DEALERSHIP leave the car in the same or better condition than when it was brought in. They probably thought I wouldn't notice, but I guess the tech didn't notice my OPPO sticker :)

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > qbeezy
08/27/2014 at 11:17

Thanks. Yeah I give him credit that he did the right thing. I don't know how to approve your comment :(

CalzoneGolem > sefeing, actually bought an E46
08/27/2014 at 11:18

I think you need to readjust your worldview on dealership services.

crowmolly > sefeing, actually bought an E46
08/27/2014 at 11:18

If it makes you feel any better the detailing guys are probably different than the oil change guys.

FrederickLawOlmsteez > sefeing, actually bought an E46
08/27/2014 at 11:21

You'll save back the cost of the jack stands and jack after the 3rd oil change. I have the metal ramps and they are a little scary sometimes when I'm laying under the car and they shift their footing a tiny bit. Not a pleasant sound with 3100 lbs above you. BTW, I've done oil changes on the ST with just a floor jack. Although, I do use a jack stand as a backup in case the jack fails. If I were starting over, I'd definitely get the rhino ramps or the 2-piece racing ramps.

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > CalzoneGolem
08/27/2014 at 11:22

You're probably right... After this experience I will. I found a fairly good shop not far from my house, but I'm still looking for my go-to independent shop.

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > crowmolly
08/27/2014 at 11:22

Sure as hell hope so.

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > FrederickLawOlmsteez
08/27/2014 at 11:24

Nice. There was an awesome deal for a decent floor jack & jack stands through sears, but it was one day only. I'd like to get something that'll allow me to work on the car too, just to further my knowledge on how to work on my own vehicle. I've done oil changes on friend's cars before, but never on my new baby.

RazoE > sefeing, actually bought an E46
08/27/2014 at 11:25

Take pictures of EVERYTHING before you drop it off. Seems like one of the techs isn't happy (think of him as a chef that keeps getting food sent back; even if it's his fault) and is messing with you.

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > RazoE
08/27/2014 at 11:30

Yeah. I think it might have been two separate techs doing the three oil changes. The tech that did the first and third gave me the keys and talked to me for a minute. He was a nice guy, and showed me that he even wiped the brake dust off my wheels for me. He was also appalled that they wrote the wrong thing so many times, since he was only doing what was listed the first time. The second tech was different from what he said.

OPPOsaurus WRX > FrederickLawOlmsteez
08/27/2014 at 11:32

simular to the OP, I brought my car in for its first oil change so that if there was anything funky the Subaru Techs would notice. That is I couldn;t imagine it being very easy to get under the car to get at the oil filter. Also I have too much other shit to do. Changing my own oil in down the list right now.

FrederickLawOlmsteez > sefeing, actually bought an E46
08/27/2014 at 11:36

If you have a HF near you, they sell a small low profile jack for like $70 (minus 20% coupon). I bought one for track days and it works well.

FrederickLawOlmsteez > OPPOsaurus WRX
08/27/2014 at 11:38

The WRX is the easiest oil change I have ever done. The filter is mounted vertically and you can actually reach it without getting under the car! Disclaimer: this was on my 02 bugeye. Not sure what the situation is on the 2.5 liter.

OPPOsaurus WRX > FrederickLawOlmsteez
08/27/2014 at 11:42

yea this is a '14. i havn;t looked into it at all. I dont need to again for another 6500

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > FrederickLawOlmsteez
08/27/2014 at 11:54

Nice! I see they have one on sale this weekend too.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > OPPOsaurus WRX
08/27/2014 at 12:06

Our 2012 is right on top next to where you put the oil in. Then again ours isn't a WRX.

OPPOsaurus WRX > FrederickLawOlmsteez
08/27/2014 at 12:31

I tried getting the WRX backed onto ramps and it was nearly imposible for me. (traler hitch which was a bitch to do) I'm sure a lot of it had to do with me still being somewhat of a beginner with manual transmission.

OPPOsaurus WRX > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
08/27/2014 at 12:35

I'm guessing thats the oil filter right there with the little white square. infront of the oil cap. (yea I had to go look)

Rico > sefeing, actually bought an E46
08/27/2014 at 12:49

I've learned that there are only 2 places that will treat your car the way you treat your car:

1. You're garage/driveway.

2. A professional detailing shop

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > OPPOsaurus WRX
08/27/2014 at 12:54

I think. Here's the regular 2012 2.0l

Dont know if that helps or not.

Mathias Rios > sefeing, actually bought an E46
08/27/2014 at 12:57

The solution to this problem? DIY. No one cares about your car as much as you do.

OPPOsaurus WRX > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
08/27/2014 at 12:58

yea, thats nto the same

looks to be a pain in the ass

OPPOsaurus WRX > FrederickLawOlmsteez
08/27/2014 at 12:59

doesn;t look fun or easy. I call BS on the 5 minute thing too

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > OPPOsaurus WRX
08/27/2014 at 12:59

I found a picture online for you.

I think this is where yours is. I think this pics off an 09 but I think its the same place.

FrederickLawOlmsteez > OPPOsaurus WRX
08/27/2014 at 13:07

Jack it up on the diff and put the ramps under the wheels.

FrederickLawOlmsteez > OPPOsaurus WRX
08/27/2014 at 13:12

Uhh, Short of pulling the motor, I'm not sure you could have purposely made it any more difficult. This might be a good time to mention that you didn't even need to remove the splash guard on the 02!! I have a feeling this bullshit coincided with their departure from WRC. "No need to design the motor for a speedy oil change that oil requires one tool. Let's make those buyers beg us to change their oil."

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > Rico
08/27/2014 at 13:50

Yeah. The response on the focusst.org forums has been to do it myself and not let them touch it, which I'm leaning towards now. It's easier than I thought to get the coil packs out.

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > Mathias Rios
08/27/2014 at 13:50

You're probably right. the coil packs are easier to get out than I thought, so I might just do this myself.

Mathias Rios > sefeing, actually bought an E46
08/27/2014 at 15:42

Be careful though, it's a slippery slope, you'll be left wanting to do everything on your car once you start!

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > Mathias Rios
08/27/2014 at 15:53

That could be good! Right?!