Reason enough to change your own oil

[crazyal]

Wow. So far the only testing in VT is they check to see if your check engine light goes out like it's designed to. In at least one large county they actually do emissions testing but I suspect that they know if they try to do it state wide the farmers would revolt.

It would bug be to no end if I kept getting letters from the state telling me that I need to do my part for the planet and retire a vehicle that I would have to replace. What about all that energy and emissions that goes into making that new vehicle and parts for it and transporting it to the dealer? Just how many miles a year would I need to drive to balance all that out?

 

[JDgreen227]

Wow. So far the only testing in VT is they check to see if your check engine light goes out like it's designed to. In at least one large county they actually do emissions testing but I suspect that they know if they try to do it state wide the farmers would revolt.

It would bug be to no end if I kept getting letters from the state telling me that I need to do my part for the planet and retire a vehicle that I would have to replace. What about all that energy and emissions that goes into making that new vehicle and parts for it and transporting it to the dealer? Just how many miles a year would I need to drive to balance all that out?

Excellent points you make. IMO many older vehicles should be "grandfathered in" once they become a certain age, because the vast majority of them are only driven a limited number of miles per year. I can understand emissions testing for an older car or truck driven 30,000 plus miles a year, but I doubt if many get that kind of mileage.

 

[ultrarunner]

Wow. So far the only testing in VT is they check to see if your check engine light goes out like it's designed to. In at least one large county they actually do emissions testing but I suspect that they know if they try to do it state wide the farmers would revolt.

It would bug be to no end if I kept getting letters from the state telling me that I need to do my part for the planet and retire a vehicle that I would have to replace. What about all that energy and emissions that goes into making that new vehicle and parts for it and transporting it to the dealer? Just how many miles a year would I need to drive to balance all that out?

Sums up my feelings exactly...

A 90 year old neighbor from my parents had a little Chevrolet Citation that she drove to the grocery store and Sunday Church... car was from the early 80's and had about 30,000 miles...

After getting the notices, she decided to "Retire" her car for the environment and bought a new Toyota Prius...

She is OK financially because she doesn't need much... a little savings and her Social Security Check and some dividends from the local Utility company stock.

There was nothing wrong with her Chevy... it was always garage kept.

I can't see how anyone can justify the new car on any rational basis...

I doubt she will be driving when it comes time to change out the battery packs...

Sometimes... good enough is just that.

 

[JDgreen227]

Sums up my feelings exactly...

A 90 year old neighbor from my parents had a little Chevrolet Citation that she drove to the grocery store and Sunday Church... car was from the early 80's and had about 30,000 miles...

After getting the notices, she decided to "Retire" her car for the environment and bought a new Toyota Prius...

She is OK financially because she doesn't need much... a little savings and her Social Security Check and some dividends from the local Utility company stock.

There was nothing wrong with her Chevy... it was always garage kept.

I can't see how anyone can justify the new car on any rational basis...

I doubt she will be driving when it comes time to change out the battery packs...

Sometimes... good enough is just that.

Concur with you about "good enough"...two years ago my wife and I purchased a used 2004 Saturn L-300, 41,000 miles, always garaged and dealer serviced, one careful owner, almost perfect body and interior, complete new brakes, and windshield...asking price was $7000, original sticker was close to 3X that. 80 year old owners wanted a new car, although they drive maybe 5000 miles a year...about a year later they asked us if we would sell it back to them because they didn't really need a new car. I hated to tell them no, but....I really like it.

 

[ultrarunner]

Concur with you about "good enough"...two years ago my wife and I purchased a used 2004 Saturn L-300, 41,000 miles, always garaged and dealer serviced, one careful owner, almost perfect body and interior, complete new brakes, and windshield...asking price was $7000, original sticker was close to 3X that. 80 year old owners wanted a new car, although they drive maybe 5000 miles a year...about a year later they asked us if we would sell it back to them because they didn't really need a new car. I hated to tell them no, but....I really like it.

The neighbor I referenced has been less than 100% satisfied with her Prius... I don't think the problems are due to quality or dependability... she has a had time with visibility backing up and doesn't feel as comfortable with the digital dash...

She has admitted to saying she should have just kept her Chevrolet...

Everything was less expensive... license tags, insurance and service.

 

[JDgreen227]

The neighbor I referenced has been less than 100% satisfied with her Prius... I don't think the problems are due to quality or dependability... she has a had time with visibility backing up and doesn't feel as comfortable with the digital dash...

She has admitted to saying she should have just kept her Chevrolet...

Everything was less expensive... license tags, insurance and service.

Not trying to be critical of GM quality as TODAY'S is just great, but the Citation had a terrible reliability record even when new. I can't imagine owning a 30 year old car that was unreliable 30 years ago!!

 

[ultrarunner]

Not trying to be critical of GM quality as TODAY'S is just great, but the Citation had a terrible reliability record even when new. I can't imagine owning a 30 year old car that was unreliable 30 years ago!!

True enough... but with little mileage on the odometer, only local travel and being garaged kept... reliability was never an issue in her case.

Her mechanic was very surprised to hear she turned the car in for scrappage... he told her it was a cream puff that he new a lot of people that would have bought it...

 

[JDgreen227]

True enough... but with little mileage on the odometer, only local travel and being garaged kept... reliability was never an issue in her case.

Her mechanic was very surprised to hear she turned the car in for scrappage... he told her it was a cream puff that he new a lot of people that would have bought it...

"Scrappage...."? You mean the Cash for Clunkers program?

 

[ultrarunner]

"Scrappage...."? You mean the Cash for Clunkers program?

Yes... only a California variation which is on going...

 

[grsthegreat]

Well the place i take my work trucks and personal trucks does the work right in front of me, thru a viewing window. I can see them refilling and lubing everything, so there is no fraud going on. Ive been using this place since 2003, and all my rigs have been continuing to work great. I guess i could change my own oil, but I'm getting too dang busy and lazy lately...and getting worse with time. Its just so dang convenient to drive in and have the trucks serviced. And now my wife can actually keep her rig up to date on service also. Also, its not that much more expensive that if i do it myself.