The last time I looked, National don't now have the oil & filter change offer on their website. You are invited to get in touch for a quote.
Even with a bad back I now do my own oil changes in the road with the help of a dropped kerb, blocks of wood, pages of the Telegraph, old pyjamas - for wiping not wearing, butchered old 5l oil can - for draining, funnel, socket and filter removing belt.
When you add in the cost of going to buy the consumables, the cup of tea when draining and the trip to the dump, it's probably not worth it - but at least you know it's been done properly. Why oh why do garages so often overfill - they take a guess and save time I suppose.
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I had my oil and filter changed at national only 2 weeks ago on my 1.6
focus they used castrol magnetec 5/30 and was charged £28 also had a
£5 voucher come through door with free paper so only cost £23.I asked
if the price was a promotion and was told no it is fixed so i will be going back
in a few months to have it changed again.
I know they only use the excact amount to refill but for me to get my hands
dirty and lay under car will cost me £31 for a 5ltr can of magnetec, plus a filter.
Money saved is enough for me and swmbo to pop next door to sainsburys for
a bit to eat and a coffee while its being done.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 15/10/2008 at 19:54
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I had my oil and filter changed at national only 2 weeks ago ....
SQ
Totally agree. It's cheaper, the job is perfectly good in my experience for an interim change and -- here's something to think about -- it fluffs up your service history :)
Yearly services are one thing -- yearly services plus interim oil changes, at a VAT-registered garage, look altogether much better. You have a receipt for the work as well, not just one for the parts.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 15/10/2008 at 19:55
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>>I now do my own oil changes in the road
Why not use a vacuum extractor rather than draining it out? It's much easier, and much cleaner.
Some people get upset about the idea, but. on the cars where I've used mine, I have removed the sump plug after sucking the oil out, and not a drop comes out.
While the oil is being sucked out, you have time to do other jobs around the car, like oiling the door hinges, checking the tyre pressures, drinking tea, etc, etc.
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When I had my first car, I was advised to get the oil changed. The boys wouldn't do it for me, so I thought stuff that, I'll do it myself and not have to pay the garage. It can't be that hard.
It wasn't. I lay on my back and slid underneath the Allagro with a spanner and a basin. Undid the plug, and the oil poured out in the basin, very neatly. I lay there watching it pour out, feeling well pleased.
Except that it kept on pouring and pouring, and the basin overflowed. Which was bad enough on its own, and made worse by the fact that I was downhill from the basin ...
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I use the National outlet in Ormskirk for an oil and filter change for my Bora. It takes about half-a-hour and the workmanship is efficient and professional.
What's more I get the half-litre of oil still remaining of the 5 litres allowed given to me to use for topping up purposes. As my Bora (and the two Jettas which preceded it) have never used a drop of oil nor leaked any over many thousands of miles, I'll soon have a second full five-litre can...:-)
Edited by Stuartli on 15/10/2008 at 17:21
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I changed the oil on my Passat yesterday. I don't care if the dealership charges me a million bazillion quid in future, it can go to them.
The oil is nearly £50 for a start, then the engine has a stupid plastic lid to take off. Followed by the engine undertray, which is pure evil to remove and even worse to refit. IT'S ALL HORRIBLE. All of me hurts today, but not nearly as much as my wallet.
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I agree - an oil change by conventional methods is a real pain on the B5.5 Passat, made needlessly difficult by VAG stupid detailing. If they can put a hinged flap in the wing liners to change the flasher bulbs (once or twice per car life?) why can't they do it in the undertray for the sump plug?
Take NC's advice and buy a vacuum extractor. By so doing, an oil change on this vehicle becomes very easy as the filter is on top of the engine and the filter can drains its contents into the sump when you take the cap off.
Don't rely on any VAG dealer either using the correct oil or replacing the undertray properly - with all of its fixings. I wonder if VAG realise that their (quite well engineered) cars are made unreliable in later life because of needless stupidities making routine service difficult. The Japanese had this problem sorted years ago.
659.
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>>very easy as the filter is on top of the engine and the filter can drains its contents into the sump when you take the cap off.
In that respect, the VW setup is very much like my W124. I don't even bother changing into old clothes (never mind using overalls!) to do an oil change on that, because you can do all the work cleanly from above - a pair of latex gloves is the only special precaution I take; to keep the nasty carcinogen laced old oil off my skin.
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overflowed. Which was bad enough on its own and made worse by the fact that I was downhill from the basin ...
It's surprising how often one manages to get the first jet of used oil up one's sleeve too. No shirt will survive that unscathed. So if you have the impulse to change your car's oil on the way home from (say) a hunt ball or the Oscars ceremony, change out of that frilly white blouse thing first.
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So if you have the impulse to change your car's oil on the way home from (say) a hunt ball or the Oscars ceremony change out of that frilly white blouse thing first.
No Lud, on the way home is fine, it on the way there that might cause a problem.
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Our local Toyota dealer Pinkstones in sunny Stoke on Trent was dishing out free oil and filter changes to used Toyota owners..
Did a good and efficient job for nowt : and nice coffee (free ) as well.
Can't get any cheaper than that.
Edited by madf on 15/10/2008 at 19:00
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>>,,used Toyota owners..>>
Surely if they were getting free oil and filter changes, they wouldn't feel "used"?
...:-))
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My indie charged me £25 for an oil/filter change and a new head light bulb. Not bad for £25!
The oil alone would cost me £20.
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Kwik fit will replace oil and filter (using Mobil1 and unipart filter) for all cars, and will charge slightly different prices for synthetic and blended. About £25 and £35 if memory serves.
That's a lot cheaper than I can buy the oil and filter for myself.
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