Great Dealer Visit

[DonD]

Well, I expect some are rolling their eyes at the title of this thread but stay with it.

I've been changing oil in my cars for 55 yrs never, ever took it to a dealer or other except 10 yrs ago when we were waiting on our new home to be completed and I had no place to do a change nor were my tools available.

In all those years, I was dealing with the usual spin on filters, so seeing the filter element setup in my 2022 Kia Stinger GT1, I wondered if there were issues with installing the cartridge which is sort of a blind operation. I had the dealer that I bought the car from do a freebie at 550 miles and I did one last week after 2900 miles on the freebie change. I was disappointed that I was unable to get even the smallest torque wrench I have onto the oil pan drain plug. Being very particular about things like oil changes, I had paranoid thoughts that I hadn't done the filter properly even though the oil pressure light went off immediately upon startup and there were no leaks.

Took it to the by far the better of two Kia dealers. Was told that they were bombed with unexpected service requests and said a 2.5-3 hr wait. I wanted them to pull the filter I installed and see if I did it correctly, replace it with a fresh filter and torque the drain plug. They did so and said I did in fact do the filter correctly. Didn't take the estimated 2.5 hrs.

I was walking through the service writers area and a guy who apparently managed the writers came up and gave me the car key fob. I said I haven't paid for anything. He said he wasn't going to charge me for that. What he wanted in return was an excellent review on the upcoming email. Easy, I would have done so w/o the freebie.

Then another surprise, I drove home in the balmy San Antonio bakefest, most of the time at 108 & 109 degrees. Drove a route I've driven many times, ran at 72 in a 70. Very surprised that I got 2mpg more than usual on that run. With the out of normal temps, I'd have expected lower than normal mileage. So, I'm a happy camper.

I have a rotator cuff issue and didn't enjoy all the overhead work when I did the change. So...I will reward good work by taking the car to them for future oil changes. Don

 

[MerlintheMad]

Nice story, and coincidental to my own oil change today. Right as you posted, I was on my way from Jerry Seiner Kia, South Jordan, after having had my oil changed and my car inspected. I've never had a lick of trouble with these people, nary a mark on my car either. They vacuumed the cabin, because they want me to be able to say "yes" on any survey Kia asks me to fill out, "was your car cleaner when you received it than when you brought it for service?" I wouldn't let them wash it - even though they only hand wash - because I had just washed it this morning.

 

[JSolo]

I read the op entirely. Maybe I missed it. Who's this golden dealership that uses a torque wrench on a filter drain plug?

You think maybe they didn't charge you anything because all they did was look at it?

Been doing oil changes too for the last 3+ decades on various vehicles including several motorcycles. Good'n'tight is my torque spec. Never stripped a plug nor had one go loose.

 

[DonD]

I read the op entirely. Maybe I missed it. Who's this golden dealership that uses a torque wrench on a filter drain plug?

You think maybe they didn't charge you anything because all they did was look at it?

Been doing oil changes too for the last 3+ decades on various vehicles including several motorcycles. Good'n'tight is my torque spec. Never stripped a plug nor had one go loose.

If you really want to know who the dealer is, no issue, what dealership would not want a highly positive review to be put on a car forum? It was Ancira Kia in San Antonio, TX.

I don't know if the drain plug was actually torqued down with a wrench or what, I didn't ask the tech myself though it was on the service writer's guidance.

I asked the tech personally if he removed the filter and if I had installed it correctly, he said yes on both issues. He certainly didn't strike me as someone who would lie to my face. The supervisor thought highly of the man.

I have a 2009 Pontiac G8GT I've owned from new. Had a 2016 Chevy SS with the LS3 engine until a moron lost control of his car and hit me head on totalling the car. Both cars were easy to use a torque wrench on and I did so. I don't trust myself to get an accurate spec. In my early years of doing car work, I broke a couple things from using too much torque, vowed never to do that if I could avoid it. Don

 

[JSolo]

^^I used a proper torque wrench to tighten some banjo bolts on a brake lever on my of my bikes. Either the value was wrong or the torque wrench itself was poorly calibrated. Snapped the bolt (double banjo) right in half. IIRC, the value was somewhere around 15-20 ft lb. In my collection of hardware, happened to have another one. No torque wrench used. Didn't snap the bolt this time, nor did it leak or have any brake issues.

If I ever do engine work, will absolutely use a torque wrench on the important bolts. For oil change, once it bottoms out (finger tight), a bit more (1/4 to 1/2 turn). For the filter, mine still has the factory paint mark, so I tend to align them to get the torque right.

 

[JSolo]

Speaking of oil changes.

 

[stoopid]

Speaking of oil changes.

Those shop youtube videos/channels are usually time well spent.

 

[Aarvix]

Get a fumoto valve for the oil pan.

The filter housing always scares me because it's plastic and I fear I'll break it. I wonder if Tork still makes their billet filter housing cap.

 

[JSolo]

Those shop youtube videos/channels are usually time well spent.

One would think the oil level would be checked at least once immediately following an oil change....

 

[DonD]

Speaking of oil changes.

Simply unbelievable. Some people shouldn't own cars. Don

 

[cncBilly]

Well, I expect some are rolling their eyes at the title of this thread but stay with it.

I've been changing oil in my cars for 55 yrs never, ever took it to a dealer or other except 10 yrs ago when we were waiting on our new home to be completed and I had no place to do a change nor were my tools available.

In all those years, I was dealing with the usual spin on filters, so seeing the filter element setup in my 2022 Kia Stinger GT1, I wondered if there were issues with installing the cartridge which is sort of a blind operation. I had the dealer that I bought the car from do a freebie at 550 miles and I did one last week after 2900 miles on the freebie change. I was disappointed that I was unable to get even the smallest torque wrench I have onto the oil pan drain plug. Being very particular about things like oil changes, I had paranoid thoughts that I hadn't done the filter properly even though the oil pressure light went off immediately upon startup and there were no leaks.

Took it to the by far the better of two Kia dealers. Was told that they were bombed with unexpected service requests and said a 2.5-3 hr wait. I wanted them to pull the filter I installed and see if I did it correctly, replace it with a fresh filter and torque the drain plug. They did so and said I did in fact do the filter correctly. Didn't take the estimated 2.5 hrs.

I was walking through the service writers area and a guy who apparently managed the writers came up and gave me the car key fob. I said I haven't paid for anything. He said he wasn't going to charge me for that. What he wanted in return was an excellent review on the upcoming email. Easy, I would have done so w/o the freebie.

Then another surprise, I drove home in the balmy San Antonio bakefest, most of the time at 108 & 109 degrees. Drove a route I've driven many times, ran at 72 in a 70. Very surprised that I got 2mpg more than usual on that run. With the out of normal temps, I'd have expected lower than normal mileage. So, I'm a happy camper.

I have a rotator cuff issue and didn't enjoy all the overhead work when I did the change. So...I will reward good work by taking the car to them for future oil changes. Don

You’ll be tempting fate by going back. Take it as a good visit and leave it at that.