Expensive Oil Change P11K....

[jon1]

When I worked pulling wrenches we washed truck air filters that cost over $100 back then with a product called Simple Green, blow out excess dust, soak in simple green solution with a little agitation remove and rinse and let dry, you can do the same with a quality automotive filter and I do for the three vehicles I have now, I have 2 filters for each vehicle and haven't bought an airfilter in years. If you don't want to go to that much trouble you could probably use the same filter for a few years just blowing it out (backflushing) with compressed air (40 psi) with diminishing returns each time. :) 

I do the same for my trucks. I have one spare filter that I wash out with a degreaser and let it air dry in the sun for a few days. Mine cost me $50 at the Mitsubishi dealer. When we lived in Manila I had to change the air filter out every month (the pollution is so bad it fills up the filter that quickly). Since moving to Subic I do this about every 6 months (and it is only half as dirty as the monthly Manila swapouts). 

[RBM]

When I worked pulling wrenches we washed truck air filters that cost over $100 back then with a product called Simple Green, blow out excess dust, soak in simple green solution with a little agitation remove and rinse and let dry, you can do the same with a quality automotive filter and I do for the three vehicles I have now, I have 2 filters for each vehicle and haven't bought an airfilter in years. If you don't want to go to that much trouble you could probably use the same filter for a few years just blowing it out (backflushing) with compressed air (40 psi) with diminishing returns each time. :) 

I do the same for my trucks. I have one spare filter that I wash out with a degreaser and let it air dry in the sun for a few days. Mine cost me $50 at the Mitsubishi dealer. When we lived in Manila I had to change the air filter out every month (the pollution is so bad it fills up the filter that quickly). Since moving to Subic I do this about every 6 months (and it is only half as dirty as the monthly Manila swapouts).

Thanks guys, excellent tips and appreciated very much.

Where I live in Negros no pollution at all, so kinda decided once a year oil change including filter. Perhaps fuel filter also.

Maybe every second year have air filter blown out in reverse. My yearly mileage would not exceed 8000km as mostly on the bike.

[Alby]

Before I come here I had a 2013 new car. I didn't change oil on it until I left the US for the Philippines after a full year :) Just sold it!

They wanted $180 USD for just an air filter change at the dealer!!

These days, nobody tells you the advances they made in oil, etc. They just scare you to get your money.

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[robert k]

You probably already know but if you don't put any more Km on it than that, I would use a good fuel stabilizer to keep algae from forming. The fuel filter on many vehicles these days acts as a water separater also. I wish automobiles had large spin on fuel filters like trucks and fuel pumps.

 

Oh! Under no circumstances install a metering plate under the throttle body and connect it to propane, :thumbsup:

[OnMyWay]

I came across something related to the original topic.

 

I have been shopping around for a vehicle for a long time, mostly on the internet.  I am still interested in the diesel Spin like RBM has.

 

I also started to read up on the Chevy Trailblazer.  I came across a review article and in the comments, customers were asking a dealer in Manila about the PM and warranty.  The dealer / salesman was legit and had all of his contact info.

 

From the comments I learned:

 

PM is every 5k or 4 months.

Cost is p8000

Must be done at dealer or warranty is void

 

If this is true it is a deal breaker.  I wonder how many people buy the vehicle without know this?

 

In the U.S. you can't require PM to be done at a the dealer.

[JJReyes]

In the U.S. you can't require PM to be done at a the dealer.

This maybe true, but at least one manufacturer has found a way so the servicing has to be done by a dealer.

I own a Mercedes Benz 3.5 liter twin-turbo gas V6 diesel van converted to an RV. Instead of a screw plug underneath the engine, a rod is inserted and the oil is vacuumed. Only MBZ dealers have the equipment or so I am told. The good news is recommended oil change is every 15,000 miles. The bad new is the dealer service price. In Utah, the dealer charged me $105 for the first 15,000 oil change which is reasonable. In South California, the MBZ dealer charged me for the 2nd 15,000 miles $245.00! Can hardly wait for the 45,000 miles full service & warranty inspection.

Reading this topic, it sounds like you guys are also getting screwed in the Philippines.

Edited January 23, 2015 by JJReyes

[Thomas]

the warranty should state the terms of maintenance and I doubt that Chevy would have a "dealer service only" clause in there, but who knows in the Philippines????

In Sweden it's common  (ao at least it was) to have a paragraph demanding service at the brand workshop, which charge MUCH more than private workshops - and make a BADER work in average...

Not a Kano tax as it's written down in the service center total price of first service, same for all.

Are you sure they didn't have two DIFFERENT prints, one for Filipinos, one for foreigners?   :)   It wouldn't be the first time...

[jpbago]

I own a Mercedes Benz 3.5 liter twin-turbo gas V6 diesel van converted to an RV. Instead of a screw plug underneath the engine, a rod is inserted and the oil is vacuumed. Only MBZ dealers have the equipment or so I am told.

 

Most garages, marines, and many people have vacuum pumps to remove the old oil, in fact, I have one. My boat has an inboard/ouboard 5L Ford engine down low so I insert a tube and vacuum the oil out through the oil fill spout. There is only about 2 inches of clearance underneath so I put a small plastic tray under to get the last little bit out.

[JJReyes]

ost garages, marines, and many people have vacuum pumps to remove the old oil, in fact, I have one. My boat has an inboard/ouboard 5L Ford engine down low so I insert a tube and vacuum the oil out through the oil fill spout. There is only about 2 inches of clearance underneath so I put a small plastic tray under to get the last little bit out.

Thanks. I guess Mercedes Benz provided me with the wrong information.

[jpbago]

 

ost garages, marines, and many people have vacuum pumps to remove the old oil, in fact, I have one. My boat has an inboard/ouboard 5L Ford engine down low so I insert a tube and vacuum the oil out through the oil fill spout. There is only about 2 inches of clearance underneath so I put a small plastic tray under to get the last little bit out.

Thanks. I guess Mercedes Benz provided me with the wrong information.

 

 

It was the right information for them, not for you. I can add that there are 3 types of vacuums for oil, mine is manual hand plunger (quite fast like maybe 5 pumps to the liter), another is electric and the third one is hand crank but you can attach an electric drill to the cranking mechanism so it too is quite fast.