Toyota V-6 Oil Change ugh!!

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VaTom

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For many, many years I changed the oil and filter in my vehicles once they were out of warranty. Easy. Roll vehicle on ramp, Drain oil, spin on new filter, add oil. We have two Toyotas now with the 3.5 V-6. Both out of warranty so decided to save some money and change myself. The dealer charges around $80. Did not know the V-6 has a cartridge type filter. Special tool needed to take off the two piece housing. Two O rings need to be replaced on the housing when you reinstall. Apparently they come with the filter cartridge.

Think I will take it to the dealer.
 
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I also have the V6 Toyota and looked into doing the oil change myself but everywhere I looked, the special tool was "out of stock". Since the car has full synthetic oil and I only put about 6,000 miles a year on the car, I figure I can live with just paying the shop to do the oil changes once a year. Besides, my old back and hips don't like me lying on the ground or getting up like they used to.
 
I bit the bullet on performing routine maintenance around the same time I no longer had a use for my timing light and dwell tach. The only thing I do to my cars now is change wiper blades and add washer fluid.

I think most vehicles these days are far too complicated for even an avid enthusiast to maintain himself. It's easier to let a professional, either at a dealer or a good independent garage, do the work. It will be done correctly, and there will be a warranty on it.
 
My wife and I put so few miles on our Toyotas that it is only necessary to change the oil once a year when they go in for their well baby checks. I gave up fooling around with performing maintenance on our vehicles about the same time I retired which is over ten years now. I have a 1929 Model A that gives me all the mechanical satisfaction I need, I understand everything about its operation and mechanical service needs. When I first started changing oil, etc. on new vehicles we owned I found it impossible to remove the oil filters without a special cap wrench. I refuse to pay for a wrench when all I needed to do was drive a screwdriver through the filter, wait for it to drain, then loosen it with the screwdriver as a lever and spin off freely.
 
Kinman said:
...I have a 1929 Model A that gives me all the mechanical satisfaction I need, I understand everything about its operation and mechanical service needs...
Click to expand...

Over the years, I owned eight British sports cars: three MG Midgets, a Triumph TR4-A, a Triumph GT-6, a Sunbeam Alpine, and an Austin-Healey 3000. I did all my own wrenching on them...the only vehicles where a short length of garden hose is part of the tune-up kit. :)
 
2007 FJ. Super easy. The thing was designed for easy maintenance. My buddy has Tundra, he didn't like changing the oil on that thing either.
 
Between my two daughters and us, we have 6 Toyotas, ranging in age from a '99 Avalon to a '21 Corolla. Three of them are V6's and the '21 Corolla is the only one with a cartridge type oil filter. She can take her car to the dealer for oil changes, but I do the other 5. My Tacoma is the easiest and least messy; the filter is on top at the front of the left valve cover, and there's plenty of room underneath to get to the drain plug. The rest are a chore, the under engine body pan either has to be partially removed, or the filter is difficult to access, and I have to drive the cars up on ramps to have enough room underneath.
 
Just did my 6 cylinder Tacoma a few days ago. I buy my mobile 1 oil and filter at Walmart and bring it to the local Dodge dealer. They charge me $20 to change the oil/filter, perform basic checks and top off fluids. This time I had them rotate the tires for an additional $30. < $100 total. I used to enjoy changing it myself, but now it makes good sense to pay someone else to do it.
 
Chuck24 said:
My Tundra came with free oil changes for life and lifetime warranty on engine and drive train. Not sure I know how to open the hood without getting the manual out.
Click to expand...

You pre-paid for that when you bought the Tundra! Nothing is free. Manufacturers who offer that service are well aware of what it costs to do this and it is simply buried in the price of the vehicle.

I have changed oil on every car I have owned and still do. Filters have changed, but I like the cartridge design. Our Jeep and our Dodge have the cartridge on top of the engine. It has a 1 1/4" hex cap on the top and I have a set of 1/2" sockets, so just unscrew, pull off the old filter, refit the new O ring seal and put it back together. I like it a lot and not one drop of oil is spilled. Used to hate using the filter wrench and having oil fall on the exhaust pipe and drain down the frame dripping for the next few days on the garage floor. I also have one big help with the Jeep, as it has air lift suspension. Crank it up to the highest position and have plenty of room under the car to get at the drain plug.

Pennzoil full synthetic oil current costs under $30 at Walmart for 6 quarts plus filter cost. Every oil change puts over $60 in my pocket the the mechanic does not get. Oil changes at the dealer, using synthetic oil is almost $100, regular oil is about $70.
 
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Two different Nissan dealers around here seem to take turns running oil change specials . It's a loss leader that gives them the opportunity to upsell other maintenance items at regular price . I just got a synthetic oil change with a Nissan filter for under 50 bucks after tax . Of course she came to me with a list of recommended services that I cheerfully declined .
 
My 4 cylinder Tacoma is about 11 years old now. I used to take it to the dealer for oil changes since I felt that these new fangled vehicles are just too hard to work on any more. Being well into my 70s also was a consideration.

Then one day I got sick of my dealer lying to me, so I thought I would give some of the simple maintenance a shot. After watching a couple of YouTube videos on Tacoma oil changes, it looked easy enough and since I have all the requisite tools, I sallied forth.

Not hard at all. The hardest thing is getting up and down but the whole thing takes less than an hour and I'm saving at least $50. And best of all, I actually like doing it.

I already had been changing the engine air filter so I graduated to also dyi replacing the cabin air filter (super easy and IIRC the dealer wanted $80 for this ten minute job). To boot, when I removed the old CAF, I could see it had been inserted SIDEWAYS! It wouldn't fit like that, but the dealer's tech didn't let that stop him, he just crammed it on in there any old way. I had to basically tear it out!

So much for the "when the dealer does it, I know it's done right" sentiment! :eek:
 
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Another note about the dealer thing...

My bud owns a Ford dealership. They treat me like a king.

I had my new truck in for an oil change. Once home, I popped the hood to just check the oil level and noted they had missed the filter. The Motorcraft filter is white and the one on there clearly had old road debris and stains on it.

I immediately went back and we had a prayer meeting. The service writer wouldn't admit to or agree the filter had been missed.

Long story short, I made them drain all the oil, put new oil and a new, sparkling white filter on it.

If that had been my dad, God rest his soul, that service writer would have been drinking his next meal through a straw.

Trust, but verify.
 
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