Forget $80 for a patch. My local station charges $5 for a plug. I got charged $80 to balance four new tires. Won't be back. Real mechanics change oil without gloves and don't get dirty.
Reminds me of the Ecotecs in my 2003 Saturn ION (and 2014 Terrain) and their Drop In Oil Filter cartridges (PF457G)... I'm always a bit concerned/worried with how almost all of them are twisted (not "sucked in", but the twist does seem to "shrink" it a bit... Also some other brands have slightly different builds and look "short" (be it less filter media and/or a different plastic "stand" design)... How some have shown tears/rips in the pleats. Comparing them to new... It does make me wonder how effective a "twisted" filter really is or when I'm at an Oil Change Place what filter they are using... Thankfully Oil Analysis hasn't ever shown/questioned my Filters (of whatever brand) not performing as they should... But that "twist" has always bugged me. Now for my first few changes on my 2003 Saturn (in 2003-2004)... Saturn used a "Zig Zag" Patterned Filter (which was of a heavier construction and I never saw it "twist" although the "Zig Zag" might of hid some of that)... Before they changed the Cap (New One couldn't use the "Zig Zag" filters) and used Straight Pleats for the Filter... After 21 years I'm going to be trying a "reinforced" Synthetic Media Filter (has either a metal or fiber mesh to support the filter media)... Probably won't do much but I'll probably feel a lot better that the filter isn't all twisted up after just 3-6K miles...
It all comes back at the end of the day to dollars and cents. I'm rather surprised at a couple of things. First that tires can be plugged at such a low cost on the East coast. The second, is that it sounds like most tire shops around there will still plug tires. Arround here, most won't plug or patch tires anymore. From what I've heard, most of the auto shops' insurance policies won't allow it at all, or they won't allow any within 2-3 inches from the sidewalls. Someone wanting a free engine doesn't surprise me. Someone trying every possible channel for a POS car does.
Dude you hate changing oil and I love changing it haha. That and bleeding brakes and getting a bottle full of gunk you know the owner never had a clue how dirty it was getting. That to me is satisfying
Just got in from fluid overhauling and burping the coolant from my G35. I counted 16 jugs of used oil and 10 gals of used coolant I need to recycle. Stay cool
