Is ICE the problem??

[Onyrlef]

Different times over the years. Didn't mean to suggest I never use them, and still occasionally do. One of the issues was when I took Chris' prior Honda to a quickie service type place. I'd previously serviced it myself and knew there was a trick to removing the air filter. I sat in the car and was able to look "under" the raised hood as the guy struggled with the air filter; He finally gave up and shouted "air filter good". I have more of these stories.

Doesn't mean I haven't had issues with dealers:

- Chris called me when the service guy at the Honda dealership wanted to charge her to do several things. I had her put him on the phone, and he explained that it needed a new sump filter because it was leaking. "There's zero oil on the floor of my garage", and he changed it to "maybe it's just a seep" to "OK, nothing wrong".

A friend used to run the Bureau of Automotive Repair for CA. These are the guys who, back in the 80's, nailed Sears for selling folks a Die Hard battery, irrespective what they went into the shop for. BAR put 113 cars into 110 Sears stores, and they were caught red handed. When I casually mentioned the Honda to him, he had me call his guy who managed our area and, when I did, the guy said "we'll put a car into that dealership".

- When my then-new Lexus was serviced by the dealer, I had low fluid alarms. Called the service manager, and he said he'd take care of it, and my next service was free. He also told me that his guys' bonuses and promotions were based on performance/complaints, and this was going into the guy's personnel file.

- A few months ago, a few days after Chris' Explorer had a service at the dealership, the dash showed all tires were low, something I'd never seen before. Normally, I'd just inflate them and get on with life. But, having had knee replacement surgery, I couldn't kneel down. Went back to the dealer, and they inflated the tires to the correct pressure.

At most dealerships the Service Writers are on salary w/ commission, most of them come from sales and most wouldn’t know which end of a wrench goes on a nut. The good ones ( the hustlers) make 6 figures. Their ordinary prey is women and seniors. The service dept. to include the body shop is a cash cow for the dealer.

 

[DonTom]

They have storm drains there, also.

Yes, but there are not that many AR red necks in CA.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

By the time I was changing my own oil, I was recycling it. As well as coolant.

They made it a lot easier to get rid of used oil these days. By law, shops that sell it must take it back used.

Back in the old days there was little choice other than to bury it.

But where to you take coolant to recycle? The last time I checked, no auto places would accept it but that was many years ago.

BTW, even most EVs have coolant (for battery cooling). But in my Tesla it never needs to be changed for the life of the car.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Skookum]

They made it a lot easier to get rid of used oil these days. By law, shops that sell it must take it back used.

Back in the old days there was little choice other than to bury it.

But where to you take coolant to recycle? The last time I checked, no auto places would accept it but that was many years ago.

BTW, even most EVs have coolant (for battery cooling). But in my Tesla it never needs to be changed for the life of the car.

-Don- Reno, NV

The county transfer stations accept "hazardous materials" and used coolant is something they take for free. I keep a couple spare water/milk jugs around for when I need to do a flush. One of my cars still takes "green" coolant and needs to be changed every 2 years. Same with our Onan Genset in the RV.

How you handle coolant will depend on where you live. Some municipal sewer systems allow you to flush it down a household drain, but if anyone is curious, they should check first. The no-no's are flushing into a septic system, storm drain, anywhere it can be ingested by animals (or dumb humans). The problem with used coolant is specifically metals that flush out in the engine.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Yes, but there are not that many AR red necks in CA.

-Don- Reno, NV

Very true, but I've seen my share of CA rednecks and they're not all that different. Not as much banjo, but the music is the same.

 

[Tom]

At most dealerships the Service Writers are on salary w/ commission, most of them come from sales and most wouldn’t know which end of a wrench goes on a nut.

Understood, but this was a service "tech" who couldn't figure out how to remove the air filter.

 

[Onyrlef]

Understood, but this was a service "tech" who couldn't figure out how to remove the air filter.

It wasn’t a service tech who tried to pull off the old “leaking oil” scam, however. The tech may have been put on the phone, but the scam originates with the service writer.

 

[Derby6]

I find it amazing the number of people who take their cars to a dealer for an oil change. Costs them three times as much for nothing and is often more inconvenient than going to a local oil change place.

-Don- Reno, NV

Nope. I use dealer and it’s same or cheaper than the quick lubes for my Ford. So I stick with ford on my 2019.
Have full service contract on explorer and 2022 ford so that a no brainer.

 

[Oldgator73]

Back in the old days there was little choice other than to bury it.

We used to pour the used oil along the fence line to control weeds.

 

[Derby6]

I Still burn it. Lol

 

[DonTom]

I serviced the DP myself until a few years ago I found a mobile service guy who'd come out to Discovery Bay.

Tom & I once went out to Discovery Bay in our little boat which we had berthed on Sherman Island (Eddo's). Longest "no wake zone" we ever experienced. Took forever and a day.

That was probably around 1990 or so.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

and knew there was a trick to removing the air filter.

Sound like my 1999 Dodge Truck. If you try to remove it the obvious way, it will NOT work.

But there is a factory note on it that says "See Service Manual before opening."

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Tom]

Tom & I once went out to Discovery Bay in our little boat which we had berthed on Sherman Island (Eddo's). Longest "no wake zone" we ever experienced. Took forever and a day.

That was probably around 1990 or so.

-Don- Reno, NV

Don,

I knew you kept a boat at Eddo's. We camped there once with our Pace Arrow towing a 20ft cuddy cabin when our favorite Brannan Island SP was full. It was July 4 and we didn't have reservations.

When we first found (by land) a house we liked in DB, we decided to check it out by water on a hot August Sunday afternoon with the canvas down. Unwittingly took the looong 5mph route and burned up. Decided not to buy the house, and later found there was a better route into that side of town - longer stretch of fast water and shorter 5mph zone. Meanwhile, we bought on the opposite side of DB (near the first entrance), and are only a few minutes from fast water. Of course, if you tour the various bays, you're in 5mph/no-wake restrictions.

 

[Tom]

It wasn’t a service tech who tried to pull off the old “leaking oil” scam, however. The tech may have been put on the phone, but the scam originates with the service writer.

Apologies, methinks we were talking about different issues.

 

[Ray-IN]

They made it a lot easier to get rid of used oil these days. By law, shops that sell it must take it back used.

Back in the old days there was little choice other than to bury it.

But where to you take coolant to recycle? The last time I checked, no auto places would accept it but that was many years ago.

BTW, even most EVs have coolant (for battery cooling). But in my Tesla it never needs to be changed for the life of the car.

-Don- Reno, NV

In the nearby city where I took my vehicles for mechanical repairs and tire service, they had a oil furnace that burned used motor oil to heat the entire shop (covered ~ 1 acre) and office areas. Anyone could drop off their used motor oil if it was not mixed with anything free of charge. This meant the business heated their building free except for the electricity it consumed.
Sadly the owner died and the man that bought the business, downsized, moved the business and eliminated some mechanical work.

 

[Skookum]

Some recycled oil is reprocessed into lubricants. A lot of what auto parts stores receive back is highly contaminated, everything mixed together. Brake fluid, trans fluid, hypoid gear oil, power steering juice, fuel waste, maybe some coolant mixed in (bad head gasket?), solvents, etc. That stuff is most likely headed for waste oil heaters.

It's still likely better than pouring into the ground. Some industrial waste heaters burn cleaner, like EPA-certified wood stoves that have a secondary burn circuit. It's cleaner than a smudge pot. And, at least, it's getting a second use.

NAPA auto parts stores, love them, except none of them seem to take used oil. They'll rip you off for oil, but won't take used stuff. Argh.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Tom & I once went out to Discovery Bay in our little boat which we had berthed on Sherman Island (Eddo's). Longest "no wake zone" we ever experienced. Took forever and a day.

That was probably around 1990 or so.

-Don- Reno, NV

I know the area well. I was a small craft operator for F & W and spent probably half my time on the water. I have been up about every slough in the San Joaquin Delta at one time or another. I don't recall Eddos, though. I do, however, remember Lost Aisle. Man, that was a party spot back in the day.

 

[DonTom]

I do, however, remember Lost Aisle. Man, that was a party spot back in the day.

Yep, we've been to Lost Island as well. But nothing was going on when we went there.

I don't recall Eddos, though.

Eddo's is on Sherman Island just north of the Antioch Bridge. See the red dot below:


-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Tulecreeper]

Yep, we've been to Lost Island as well. But nothing was going on when we went there.


Eddo's is on Sherman Island just north of the Antioch Bridge. See the red dot below:

View attachment 171823
-Don- Reno, NV

Lost Aisle was the party place in the 80's. I've anchored out and waded in many time, carrying my shoes and wallet over my head. It's been closed since 2008 after a murder, and the guy was planning on opening again, but government regs has kept it closed since then. Then they had a fire in 2022, so I don't know what's going on now.

Lost Isle - Resort & Bar, Stockton CA

Lost Isle Bar & Resort - Famous for its Mai Tai's, an enjoyable tropical paradise located on the California Delta, San Joaquin river.

www.lostisle.com

Lost Isle and the importance of fun (also of putting fires out)

Lost Isle, once the Delta’s most popular party resort, suffered major damage from fire last week, in part because curiously passive firefighters stood by

stocktonia.org

 

[DonTom]

Lost Aisle was the party place in the 80's.

Yep, but what a difference from your links. IIRC, there was nothing at all on Lost Island when Tom & I went there. I cannot remember what year it was, but it was in the 1980's. It had to be the late 1980's because I remember to 1984 Chevy van we used to tow the boat there.

-Don- Reno, NV