Ask any Car Question

[Kerfuffle]

Time for some lighter fare around here. So I thought a good running thread on car/auto questions people have may be good. I'm not a car guy myself - can't fix shit. So I have some questions:



1) I go to Jiffy Lube for an oil change and I'm given like 5 different oil brands to pick from - priced low to high. I have been using the cheap conventional oil each time despite being pushed to buy the pricier brands. I'm shown charts that my convention oil has only '2 stars' whereas the other oils last longer, clean my engine and have '5 stars'. 15 years ago at Jiffy Lube there was only one kind of oil so my thought was if the car ran fine on that it should still run fine on it today. So for the car buffs on the board, is there really any difference in oil or am I fine just sticking with the conventional stuff?



2) My other car gives a knocking sound when I turn off the engine. What causes knocking and what can be done to prevent it? Someone told me I need to put the high octane 89 in to get rid of the knocking but is that true.

 

[supraman]

Time for some lighter fare around here. So I thought a good running thread on car/auto questions people have may be good. I'm not a car guy myself - can't fix shit. So I have some questions:



1) I go to Jiffy Lube for an oil change and I'm given like 5 different oil brands to pick from - priced low to high. I have been using the cheap conventional oil each time despite being pushed to buy the pricier brands. I'm shown charts that my convention oil has only '2 stars' whereas the other oils last longer, clean my engine and have '5 stars'. 15 years ago at Jiffy Lube there was only one kind of oil so my thought was if the car ran fine on that it should still run fine on it today. So for the car buffs on the board, is there really any difference in oil or am I fine just sticking with the conventional stuff?



2) My other car gives a knocking sound when I turn off the engine. What causes knocking and what can be done to prevent it? Someone told me I need to put the high octane 89 in to get rid of the knocking but is that true.

Not an expert so if I am wrong someone feel free to correct me.



On the oil matter. Really I think the stuff you have been using is fine as long as you get the oil changed when it is needed. Hell I take mine to the dealership to get it changed and I'm sure they use the cheap shit and my car runs just fine.



As for the knock, what type of car is it? Only a few select cars need soemthing besides 87 octane. And those cars are usually high performance cars

 

[Kerfuffle]

As for the knock, what type of car is it? Only a few select cars need soemthing besides 87 octane. And those cars are usually high performance cars

'95 Grand Am - excellent shape but always seems to have a knocking issue

 

[klemmer]

Anyone who takes their car to Jiffy Lube is a moron, period.



stories



For openers, after a routine oil change, they left the oil cap off my kid's car.



Then, they tried to tell me that my transmission fluid was dirty and needed to be changed.



If they looked in the glove compartment, they would have found the receipt from when I had it done two weeks before.

 

[LarmersOneTimer]

Anyone who takes their car to Jiffy Lube is a moron, period.



stories



For openers, after a routine oil change, they left the oil cap off my kid's car.



Then, they tried to tell me that my transmission fluid was dirty and needed to be changed.



If they looked in the glove compartment, they would have found the receipt from when I had it done two weeks before.

Klemmer is right all the chain places look for things that need to be "repaired". Most of them are on some sort of comission. Firestone is the worst. I had a friend that quit as a manager because of their practices. Find yourself a mechanic you can tust and stick with them. I've been taking my vehicles to the same guys for 18 years. Took my car in last weekend and had it's first brake job at 65,000 miles. They were ablt to save the rotors too. I guarantee if I had been going to Merlins or some other chain store I would have had two a new set of rotors years ago in addition to the pads, etc if I had been going there for yearly inspections. An honest mechanic is worth his/her weight in gold.

 

[bri]

'95 Grand Am - excellent shape but always seems to have a knocking issue

Really? I pictured you tooling around in a Lexus.









I know that if your check engine light comes on it can be because the gas cap isn't on right.

 

[PatrickShart]

I know TCD burned his lips on the exhaust pipe when trying to blow up an ex's car.

 

[Pez68]

'95 Grand Am - excellent shape but always seems to have a knocking issue

Pretty sure that engine is known for noisy valves. I had one, and it had the "knocking" issue when starting it and when it was turning off. Dealer showed me a TSB on it saying it was normal.

 

[Pez68]

Klemmer is right all the chain places look for things that need to be "repaired". Most of them are on some sort of comission. Firestone is the worst. I had a friend that quit as a manager because of their practices. Find yourself a mechanic you can tust and stick with them. I've been taking my vehicles to the same guys for 18 years. Took my car in last weekend and had it's first brake job at 65,000 miles. They were ablt to save the rotors too. I guarantee if I had been going to Merlins or some other chain store I would have had two a new set of rotors years ago in addition to the pads, etc if I had been going there for yearly inspections. An honest mechanic is worth his/her weight in gold.

Another option is learning to change your oil yourself. Not exactly rocket science. One bolt from the oil pan, drain the oil, unscrew the filter, put a new filter on, replace the bolt, fill it up with proper amount of oil.



Cheaper, and you KNOW it's not being fucked up. I've always changed my own oil, unless I had a complimentary oil change from the dealership. Mechanics that make a living off of repairs, in general, are dishonest. I've met very, very, very few honest mechanics, and it was never their "primary" source of income. Good luck with that.

 

[jakobeast]

I have a mechanic I trust. Great guy, super honest.

 

[Pez68]

I have a mechanic I trust. Great guy, super honest.

Do you know him through a family member or close friend? Because those are pretty much the only mechanics I would trust. And if you don't know anything about cars, how do you know they are honest?

As you can probably tell, I'm a pretty cynical person when it comes to people that stand to make a profit from me, telling me things that need to be replaced/repaired. It's why I pretty much do ALL of my own repairs/work, or do it with family members.

 

[jakobeast]

Do you know him through a family member or close friend? Because those are pretty much the only mechanics I would trust. And if you don't know anything about cars, how do you know they are honest?

As you can probably tell, I'm a pretty cynical person when it comes to people that stand to make a profit from me, telling me things that need to be replaced/repaired. It's why I pretty much do ALL of my own repairs/work, or do it with family members.

He's my in laws neighbor. Had a shop with his brother for a bit. Dude uses my reclaimed oil to heat his house. Dude is off the grid. He also move his garage from one side of his lot to the other. By himself. With his truck.

 

[sth]

I have a mechanic I trust. Great guy, super honest.

Is it this guy?

 

[supraman]

Hell I dont even know if I can change my oil on my car. I have an 09 cobalt and from what I know a lot of the newer cars are a ***** to do. Know how to change oil (Dad taught me), alternator, and plugs too.

 

[Kerfuffle]

Really? I pictured you tooling around in a Lexus.









I know that if your check engine light comes on it can be because the gas cap isn't on right.

I drive a Jaguar bri but my 16 year old daughter gets the Grand Am. But dad still gets the oil changed for her cause she would never remember. No way I'm giving my teen the good car to drive. The Grand Am is in great shape, has the safety features to keep her well, but also not worth much if she gets into a fender bender.

 

[Kerfuffle]

Another option is learning to change your oil yourself.

Unfortunately I don't know how to do it and I'm a big guy so squeezing under the car on the driveway and trying to figure out what to do wouldn't really work. I can just see myself getting covered in oil.



If I had to do it all over again I would have taken some auto classes in high school. Those would have been much more valuable later in life than the marching band I was always in instead.

 

[TSD]

I drive a Jaguar bri but my 16 year old daughter gets the Grand Am. But dad still gets the oil changed for her cause she would never remember. No way I'm giving my teen the good car to drive. The Grand Am is in great shape, has the safety features to keep her well, but also not worth much if she gets into a fender bender.

Theres where my dad let me learn my lesson, I didnt in my 89 buick regal my grandma gave me when i turned 16. after a year without oil changes, my car literally ground to a halt, in the middle of a corn field. The only plus is some hot chick in her 20's picked me up and drove me home. In general though I think fathers are less inclined to do things like that for sons than daughters.



I saved up, and bought a new car(new new, a 99 ford escort), this time I made sure to change the oil.

 

[supraman]

Theres where my dad let me learn my lesson, I didnt in my 89 buick regal my grandma gave me when i turned 16. after a year without oil changes, my car literally ground to a halt, in the middle of a corn field. The only plus is some hot chick in her 20's picked me up and drove me home. In general though I think fathers are less inclined to do things like that for sons than daughters.



I saved up, and bought a new car(new new, a 99 ford escort), this time I made sure to change the oil.

Luckily my car only needs an oil change about once a year

 

[TSD]

Luckily my car only needs an oil change about once a year

My new car is great. Ive pushed it 14000 miles already and Ive only had to get one oil change. The onboard computer measures the viscosity of the oil, and tells me when I should get an oil change. My car will be a year old in august. I do use synthetic oil, but I would have had to get about 4 oil changes at this point with traditional oil. the synthetic is definitely worth it in my book if I only have to change my oil once a year, and I did more than normal driving this year so it may even be less.

 

[bubbleheadchief]

Please tell me that all the MEN on here who don't know how to change their own oil, at least know how to check it. I am thoroughly shocked by the number of people on here who don't know how to change their own oil. I at first wanted to attribute it to living in the city, then quickly realized something, a good portion of you live in the burbs, and 'living in the city' is shit for an excuse. My Grandfather, who taught me love for alot of things, including cars, lived his entire life in the city of Chicago itself, and did all of his own auto upkeep, and taught me how to do it. He also taught me owning a car is a priviledge, not a right (as many youth seem to think it is) and it is your responsibility to take care of your investment.