DIY Oil Change on 03-04 M's Who has info&pics

[CakeDaddy]

http://forums.mbworld.org/foru...20049

I came across this while searching for oil change info for my girls mercedes and was wondering if anyone has pics,info, specs, etc.. for our Y34's. Paying $85 for a full synthetic is a joke at the infiniti dealer. Can I get a witness!?!?!

[Mark Linkous]

Word CD,I personally just bring in Mobil 1 to the dealership. They charge me the regular price as if they used their oil. I think that by law you can bring in your own supplies and pay labor even at dealerships.Cheers,M.L

[Manok]

I bust out the rhino ramps, get under the car, open the access flap and drain the oil and unscrew the filter.

Put in 6 quarts oil of your choice (I use 5w30 Ford Super Syn) a new oil filter and bam, oil changed for 10 bucks.

Don't know why you'd go to a dealer for such an easy job unless you have money to burn.

[DELUNASC]

Same here, it only takes alittle bit of time to DIY. The drain plug and filter are both right next to each other making it really easy. I would reccomend changing out the drain plug crush gasket each time to ensure a proper seal.

CD

[ClutchKick]

A lot of dealers will just charge the basic labor rate...

NISSAN dealers charge less for oil changes (wink wink)

I think labor only we charge like 25 or something labor only...

[Mark Linkous]

Hello,The dealer here charges I think $25.00 for the change. It also includes a car wash and a loaner if truly time crunched. I suppose the time spent changing ones oil comes down to opportunity cost, what can you do instead. Me, smoke cigarettes, drink coffee, play Halo 3, and watch my portfolio go down in flames. Totally respect the satisfaction of doing it yourself and knowing it was done correctly. But you do miss out on free donuts and really bad coffee.Cheers,M.L

[CakeDaddy]

Don't know why you'd go to a dealer for such an easy job unless you have money to burn.

yeah I'm starting to ask the same question. I've change oil on previous car and this one shouldn't be any different. thx.

Delunasc,

"drain plug crush gasket" what is the price of this?

ClutchKick,

$25 labor at Nissan! good idea

[Manok]

This is the easiest car I've ever changed oil in. My last car was a mustang cobra and if you've ever changed oil on the supercharged 4.6 in a mustang you know the stuff gets all over your front suspension and every tube, wire in the general area unless you get creative with aluminum foil.

I was shocked how easy this car was, also shocked at how small the filter is.

[ClutchKick]

drain plug crush washers should be at most about $0.75 each...

oil filters... $5.25 each...

for OEM parts that is...

Ive seen some nissan dealers charge $12.50 oil change labor...

At my INFINITI dealer, we do them for about $25

[szh]

also shocked at how small the filter is.

Yeah. It is one of the reasons I change the filter every 3750 miles too. No reason to keep it in too long at all!

The 4.5 liter engines in the first and second-gen Q45's had bigger filters.

Z

[DRIPS]

I was thinking of switching to synthetic oil from the conventional 5w30 i always use. Is there any bad things if I switch from conventional to synthetic oil? I have always changed my oil every 3000 miles.

HOw far can I go on synthetic?

[szh]

I was thinking of switching to synthetic oil from the conventional 5w30 i always use. Is there any bad things if I switch from conventional to synthetic oil? I have always changed my oil every 3000 miles.

HOw far can I go on synthetic?

Hmmm ... I did not switch to gain more miles between changes ... for me, it was to get a consistent, high-quality oil, that would treat the engine right!

Yes, I know that there is a school of thought that the synthetics "last longer", etc., so that you can extend the oil change interva.. However, I would strongly recommend doing an oil analysis on your car, and on your oil, from your engine before increasing the miles! Every oil is going to degrade differently, so doing a careful analysis is better than going it blind on assumptions.

Like I have said in other threads, you can use either a good dino or a synthetic, just so long as you change the oil (and filter) regularly at less than a 5k mile interval. Yes, I do think that synthetic oil is better for the engine (which is why I use Mobil 1 0W-40) but the oil change interval is way more important!! For me, that interval is 3750 miles ... to be half-way between the other work I get done at the dealer at 7500 mile intervals.

By the way, if I was using dino oil, I would still do 3750 mile intervals for consistency ... i.e., I would not shorten it to 3000 miles (a commonly stated number in many places), because any good oil ought to last that long for sure!

Z

[nmgoodthing]

Although I am not running Syntetic oil, I find that paying $54 for an oil change and getting a loaner car is worth it.

The dealer also checks for other things that could be wrong that you do not know about.

If I had time I'd probably do it myself, but I'd be damned if I ever take my car to Jiffy lube or something.

[szh]

Although I am not running Syntetic oil, I find that paying $54 for an oil change and getting a loaner car is worth it.

The dealer also checks for other things that could be wrong that you do not know about.

Agreed. Which is why I use them for the 7500 interval. My local Infiniti dealer gives me a discount for the oil change at that time too, since I take in the Mobil 1 0W-40 for him to use!

If I had time I'd probably do it myself, but I'd be damned if I ever take my car to Jiffy lube or something.

Also agreed! Most definitely please avoid places like Jiffy Lube!!!!

Check out this thread for a recent problem experience with them: zerothread/295123.

Z

[CakeDaddy]

Although I am not running Syntetic oil, I find that paying $54 for an oil change and getting a loaner car is worth it.

The dealer also checks for other things that could be wrong that you do not know about.

If I had time I'd probably do it myself, but I'd be damned if I ever take my car to Jiffy lube or something.

$54 for synthetic at Garcia Infiniti?!?! ..and a loaner !! I get a cookie and get to sit in the M35x in the show room. But seriously Jeff, I could have sworn I got charged $80-85 on my last syn oil change. I'll check my records

edit: my bad; you did say "I am not running synthetic oil..."

[nmgoodthing]

Read my post carefully. I said I don't use synthetic, that's just for a regular oil change, filter replacement, and check up, etc..

......Ha ha I just read your bad! No biggie I don't carefully read post either when I skim through them obviously.

[Mark Linkous]

Hello,I do feel like you did not read my post however. You cruel, cruel man. Kidding. You can purchase 6 qts of your favorite synthetic from Autozone or wherever and bring it to your Infiniti dealership. Mine charges me the base $25.00. Comes out to around $55.00.Cheers,M.L
Modified by Mark Linkous at 8:41 AM 12/4/2007

[szh]

Here is what it costs me for the in-between oil changes:

1. 6 qts of Mobil 1 0W-40 from Kragen: $38.2. Oil filter from http://www.everythinginfiniti.com: $5.3. Crush washer: $1.4. Oil change labor at local Goodyear place: $10.

Total: $54 or so.

The local Infiniti dealer charges about $40 to $45 (including the filter) if I bring my own oil, so an oil change there is closer to $80 to $85.

Also, the San Jose Infiniti dealers no longer give loaner cars for just an oil change, but they are pretty quick to get the change done - and they will wash the car too.

Z

[Mark Linkous]

Hello,Wow, I did not realize my local dealer offered such a good deal. I just dropped of my car for a oil change. Autozone had a special on Mobil 1 for $4.99 per quart. So it was 32.00 for the oil and the dealer charges 23.99 for the change with a car wash, etc... Sometimes I do get loaners even on changes if they are slammed. $85.00 is a bit steep for a synthetic change for sure.Cheers,Mark

[Q45tech]

READ your Nissan Warranty I requires that legal proof of oil and filter changes be available to maintain warranty on engine. Nissan doesn't care which business changes the oil as long as their is a receipt with letterhead, signed, showing VIN, date, mileage and products and amount added.

Self changes are not legal proof, even video can be edited............you would be surprised at the things misbehaving owners try to pull every month............" my mother or grandmother watched me change it" .....will she swear to it it court or take a lie detector test?

I only point this out as a few engines are oil burners and customers try to get new engines when they forget to check the oil and burn them up.

Nissan is observant now more than in the past.

[Mark Linkous]

Hello,God, that is an excellent point. I have always gone to the dealer myself. That would absolutely dissuade me from changing the oil myself. Mark

[szh]

I am very careful to keep all my receipts for oil changes for exactly this reason!

I have the oil purchases, as well as the receipts from the places that did the 3750 interval oil change (showing the car, mileage, etc.). I have used Precision Tune and Goodyear Tire Center ... both of them also keep computer records showing my visits!

And, of course, I have the dealer do the 7500 mile interval regular stuff, so records are also with them for those changes.

Z

[szh]

Wow, I did not realize my local dealer offered such a good deal.

He definitely does!

I just dropped of my car for a oil change. Autozone had a special on Mobil 1 for $4.99 per quart.

Hope you stocked up!

I pay $6 per quart at Kragen. I have seen the five quart bottles at Walmart for less, but my problem is that they do not apparently carry the 0W-40 in that size, and they are always "out" of the 1 qt bottles of Mobil 1 0W-40 when I visit. Annoying!

Z

[gibz4]

I'm about to do my first oil change and got the filter from the dealer.. Does anyone know the part # for the 06 m45? They gave me one and it looks so tiny for a V8.. Part # was INF 15208-9E000. Is this correct? Also i got Mobile 1 (0-W40) 5 quart jug from Walmart for $22 bucks!!!! The shelf said $26 but the receipt came out to $22 each..

[szh]

Does anyone know the part # for the 06 m45? They gave me one and it looks so tiny for a V8.. Part # was INF 15208-9E000. Is this correct?

I believe so - the exact part number should be in the Owner's Manual too (or the Service Manual ... see link in my sig). It is small, yes! Hence my reason for changing it at every 3750 miles when I get the oil change done.

Also i got Mobil 1 (0-W40) 5 quart jug from Walmart for $22 bucks!!!! The shelf said $26 but the receipt came out to $22 each..

Nice!! Every time I go to Walmart, they never have the 5 qt jugs of the 0W-40 at the ones near my house. I end up buying six of the 1qt bottles (note that you need almost 6qts for the M45).

Z

[gibz4]

I believe so - the exact part number should be in the Owner's Manual too (or the Service Manual ... see link in my sig). It is small, yes! Hence my reason for changing it at every 3750 miles when I get the oil change done.

Nice!! Every time I go to Walmart, they never have the 5 qt jugs of the 0W-40 at the ones near my house. I end up buying six of the 1qt bottles (note that you need almost 6qts for the M45).

Z

I got 2 5 quart jugs just in case, i'm sure i'll have to add a few drops before the next oil change anyway... Funny how the Infiniti parts guy didn't know how many quarts i needed when i asked him to make sure.

[szh]

I got 2 5 quart jugs just in case, i'm sure i'll have to add a few drops before the next oil change anyway

Good point!

Usually, I get ten or twelve 1qt bottles ... 6 of them go into the M45 at the oil change and 4.5 go into my wife's Acura 2.2CL.

I usually have between 0.5 to 1.5 bottles around for adding in to my M45 at the half-way point, or to add 0.5 qts to the 4 bottles needed for the Acura.

... Funny how the Infiniti parts guy didn't know how many quarts i needed when i asked him to make sure.

Hmmm ... that is unfortunate. The M45 needs 5-7/8 qts according to the Owner's Manual ... so, I put all 6 qts in (1/8 qt extra is not excessive. )

Z

[fiveliterbeater]

Hmmm ... that is unfortunate. The M45 needs 5-7/8 qts according to the Owner's Manual ... so, I put all 6 qts in (1/8 qt extra is not excessive. )

Z

i do the same thing; i just put in all 6 quarts.

[GJEMD]

Yeah. It is one of the reasons I change the filter every 3750 miles too. No reason to keep it in too long at all! <IMG NAME="icon" SRC="http://images.nicoclub.com/forums/image ... /frown.gif" BORDER="0">

The 4.5 liter engines in the first and second-gen Q45's had bigger filters.

Z

Z the size of the filter is not so important. Its whats in it. If you're pushing the oil through paper it takes up a lot of space. This is a micopore filter. The Amsoil filter is the same size. Amsoil stands behind this filter for 25,000 miles with their full synthetic. They have lots of data and chemical analysis to go along with their claims. The smaller size micropore filter has similar interface that larger conventional filters have and exposes the entire volume of oil to increased circulation cycles. Synthetic oils don't burden the filters with degradation products. Synthetic oils don't degrade they only get contaminated from byproducts of gasoline combustion. These filters are more than adequate to filter oil for much more than your beloved 3750 OCI. its more science than just traditional notions. But then again you apparently check the tire pressure at a frequency that is a bit over the top. Do all the soup labels face forward in your cabinets.

Yeah. It is one of the reasons I change the filter every 3750 miles too. No reason to keep it in too long at all! <IMG NAME="icon" SRC="http://images.nicoclub.com/forums/image ... /frown.gif" BORDER="0">

The 4.5 liter engines in the first and second-gen Q45's had bigger filters.

Z

[crakdaddy]

oil change on the y34 couldnt be any easier. i dont have pics but you really dont need em. there is a flap on the splash shroud under the car. two bolts and its open. the filter and drain nut are right in reach and very close to eachother. oil change in 10 min..... and 6 of them are waiting for the s*** to stop draining.