You're kidding right?! That's $62,400 a year! Where do you live where that's not decent money? In 2007, the median annual household income rose 1.3% to $50,233.00 according to the Census Bureau. So that $60k is ABOVE the median HOUSEHOLD income! If you have two household members working (ie. both parents), that's actually $25k/year per WORKING family member! For those who are curious, that $25k/year = $12.50/hour.

$60k/year is decent money even here in the San Francisco Bay Area. It's not living large and it's not driving a new car, but it's a reasonable apartment in a reasonable neighborhood with a 10 year old car.

I am very sorry what happened to your car and hopefully everything will be okay tomorrow. Keep us posted. Now you have mentioned about locking wheel locks. Do you have the model no. or pictures of which ones they install? They must install the correct ones because 350Z ones are NOT the right part. There's even an TSB out for this. Here's the thread in case you missed it

http://www.the370z.com/wheels-tires/...d-lug-nut.html

Good luck with everything!

I've got two free oil change vouchers from the dealer that will go unused. I'm just not going to take the risk. Besides, I'd rather have the satisfaction of doing it myself. Sorry to hear about your bad experience. Really hope your car is ok.

pass on the vouchers then

How hard is it to change your own oil? Can anybody do it?

Morning contact
 

Got a call about 30 minutes ago from the dealer. They are sending a wrecker out to pick up the car. Manger said they would call me when the car arrives. No dice on that one. I told him I would drive my other vehicle over and check it out on the lift myself. Trust is out the window right now.

Piece of cake
 

Once you get the car lifted, just take off the plastic debris deflector. Oil filter isnt hard to get to at all, and the drain plug obviously is right in your face. In fact, you wont even think about anything else while your under the car except for how puny the stock exhaust is. Thats all that goes through my mind when I have my car in the air.

So true! :icon18:

It's not hard to change one's own oil. However, some of us live in apartments which specifically prohibit you from working on your car in your parking space.

As well, collecting the used oil and taking it to a certified recycling facility is a pain in the arse. You don't just throw your used oil away in the trash do you? :icon17:

check out AK's thread :tiphat:

http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...es-inside.html

Yeah, but 60K goes a LOT further in just about anywhere else in the country than it does in the Bay Area! :)

Not to mention those state income taxes, the high sales tax, electricity rates, water rates... haha... I am more thankful each day that I left that state! ;)

I just found this thread via the update thread.

I have to say Weatherman, that your post is missing the point. Yes, we all make mistakes on a daily basis (everybody knows this), so when you're trusted with maintaining a piece of 'life or death' machinery (a car) you should have systems in place that identify mistakes before it's too late. Even something as routine as an oil change can cause an accident if done badly.

If someone else in the workshop was instructed to check the tightness of each new oil filter and each sump plug it would take him/her about 30 seconds ...30 seconds that could prevent a catastrophe.

I speak from personal experience, because at my last Nissan 350z Service (P2) I drove out of the dealership and down the road to discover that I had NO BRAKES. As luck would have it I was travelling very slowly, coasting towards a stop light - I was able to use the gears, turn around and get the car back to the dealership. The mechanic (who, I was told was their chief/best mechanic) had forgotten to tighten one of the brake bleed screws (2 on each caliper) and fluid was squirting all over my front nearside disc & pads. I believe the mechanic is good and I know the dealer well - he's a good and honest guy. The problem was that nobody checked the simple, routine task of tightening the bleed nuts. If the traffic lights had been green I would have accelerated onto the freeway to test out my nice new oil - and then what?

What's the alternative to dealerships having proper safety checks in place?....

1. We check everything ourselves before leaving the dealership (unlikely), or

2. We pray to our respective gods.


I am very thankful that NotMy's experience hasn't ended in an accident - and I'm sure he'll be mentioning this tomorrow.

You bet
 

You bet I will. One of the quickest ways to ensure quality is a second check. Thats one of the things I miss about being in Japan. Even when you get a tire change, before you take your car, the mechanic would give you a torque wrench and hit up every lug nut to ensure proper torque setting and tightening before you leave the garage. You even have to sign the work order stating that you have checked it and were satisfied with the quality and completion. Also, if didnt pull directly in to the pit area, a rep from the company would take you out to your ride and give it a 360 degree inspection to note any and all marks to the paint and body before they worked on your car. This ensured that the company would be liable for any damages to your car that may occur during the time they are working on it. I have yet to see any type of service like that back here in the U.S.

^^ here's it's just park in the parking lot, they come and get it then bring it back....and the mechanic is gone....lol


i like my mechanic (private shop), i drive my car in, place the lift arms where i want them, then they do the work in front of me and then i drive it out and pay.

Eh, mistakes. People make them.