Car question

Blackbird230 · November 2013

So I have a 2005 Chevy Impala. This morning, the low engine oil level light came on. I know I need an oil change soon, but I'm kind of freaking out as people online are claiming that can lead to a check engine light. I'm going to go out in a few hours to check the oil, but I dunno what to do! It's my first car and I have zero experience with this stuff.

[Deleted User] · November 2013

Take it in to your mechanic? It's pretty easy to add oil to your car if needed. Have you checked your oil before? You'll want to wipe off the dip stick, then put it back in and pull it out again to get a true read on how much is in there. If it needs oil you can add it yourself (or maybe your guy can tonight?) or take it into a mechanic or a place like Jiffy Lube.

I wouldn't stress about a check engine light. If it comes on, a mechanic can take care of it pretty easily. Hopefully it doesn't but as far as car troubles go, this isn't major.

[Deleted User] · November 2013

do you know how to check the oil levels in your car?

blabla89 · November 2013

I don't think this is anything to worry about. I would just take it to Pepboys/Jiffy Lube. They can top it off or change the oil if necessary and check for any problems.

OnceUponAVine · November 2013

Either check the oil level yourself & add oil if needed (allusive gave great directions on how to do that). Or just take it to your mechanic/Jiffy Lube for an oil change.

cu97tiger · November 2013

If the oil light just came on this morning, I think you are fine just taking it in to your mechanic (or any Jiffy Lube-type place). If you drove around on it for days or weeks, you might be asking for issues. But <50 miles, you're probably fine.

cu97tiger · November 2013

@livleighton, I had a car that started having issues after it was about eight years old. The car just ATE oil. Like it wouldn't be dripping/leaking, but it would just burn it up. After years of getting an oil change at 5k miles (that 3k miles thing is a crock unless you have a particular type of car or drive exclusively in city traffic (think NYC)), my oil light would come on at 3k. After a couple times of that happening, I realized the pattern, and started changing it at 2.8k. Then I ditched that car, because it sounded like a jet engine was about to take off when I started it. (I still miss you little 2001 Saturn!)

Blackbird230 · November 2013

@LivLeighton, I think that may be part of it. It last got changed at 82,700 and it's at 90,500 now. I'm going to grab one of my male coworkers just to be on the safe side and go check it. Some of my other coworkers gave me ideas for good places in the area to add oil.

buddysmom80 · November 2013

You might have to add a quart of oil. I had a VW Beetle that I had to put a quart of oil in it at least once a week for the light to turn off.

Learn how to check your oil and check it every time you put gas in your car, it's a good habit to get into.

[Deleted User] · November 2013

I think just getting an oil change might clear up the problem.

if you stay on top of your oil changes, your car (and your wallet) will thank you. my dad was a mechanic for 20 years and that is one thing I learned early on. I schedule my oil changes for every 3 months.

Blackbird230 · November 2013

Found a great local mechanic to work on her. Just dropped her off and he gave me a ride back to work. Hoping it's just an oil change. He came highly recommended and can do it before I have to leave tonight. yay!

GoldenPenguin · November 2013

Kait said:

@LivLeighton, I think that may be part of it. It last got changed at 82,700 and it's at 90,500 now. I'm going to grab one of my male coworkers just to be on the safe side and go check it. Some of my other coworkers gave me ideas for good places in the area to add oil.

That is WAY too long for your car. @tiger97cu is right, the 3k "rule" is bunk, but for an 8-9 year old car, 8,000 miles is far too long. My car is two years old, and I can go 7,500 miles, but only because I use synthetic oil. Standard oil changes should be right around 5k.

cu97tiger · November 2013

BriSox81 said:

Kait said:

@LivLeighton, I think that may be part of it. It last got changed at 82,700 and it's at 90,500 now. I'm going to grab one of my male coworkers just to be on the safe side and go check it. Some of my other coworkers gave me ideas for good places in the area to add oil.

That is WAY too long for your car. @tiger97cu is right, the 3k "rule" is bunk, but for an 8-9 year old car, 8,000 miles is far too long. My car is two years old, and I can go 7,500 miles, but only because I use synthetic oil. Standard oil changes should be right around 5k.

What @BriSox81 said. Set yourself a reminder on your phone every month to look at your mileage.

GoldenPenguin · November 2013

@cu97tiger how the fuck did i get your name backwards? It's like I don't even know you. I apologize, darling.

cu97tiger · November 2013

@brisox81 - I noticed that, darling, but it's ok. If only @knotporscha would have just let me change my screenname to @Tiger, we wouldn't have this issue.

Blue & White · November 2013

Topping off your oil and changing a tire are two very important skills to have to be an independent woman....just saying.

I would recommend learning as both skills are essential for operating your car safely.

But I mainly took offense cause you asked a random guy at work. And my inner feminist cried. I'm glad your car is fixed, but this is something that shouldn't be a big deal.

[Deleted User] · November 2013

@Blue & White - while these are important skills to be an independent woman, I know a LOT of men around my age that don't know how to do these either! I think young adults in their 20's and younger just don't learn these skills anymore... I am so surprised!

@Kait - hope you got your car up and working again. it might be a good idea to take a crash course in Cars 101 to make sure that you know the very basics about maintaining your vehicle. it's a lot less expensive to keep up on oil changes and other maintenance than it is to replace an engine or transmission.

BTW, make sure you keep up with your air filters. my dad let it slide and basically his engine shut down and he had to buy a new truck because his was absolutely ruined.

radleyboo · November 2013

In a car that age, I'd also upgrade to 100% synthetic oil. We use it on both of our cars because H's is a pesky German import and it requires fussy maintenance, and mine is a 2009, so also old enough to warrant the more expensive oil. It can lengthen the life of your engine. You've had lots of good advice here. 5000 miles is a good oil-change point, 3000 is too soon and a gimmick by the oil companies to have you cough up $40 at Jiffy Lube. Hope it all works out!

Blackbird230 · November 2013

Car is all fixed and the oil change is all set. I know some of the basics, but I definitely have more to learn. This is my first car and I've only had my license a bit over a year so 100 percent still on the learning curve. They really need to introduce car maintenance classes back into high school.

CLoGreenEyes · November 2013

@Kait, I agree that car maintenance needs to be taught in school, or at least there need to be more classes available. I don't even know where you'd look for something like that in the community.

My parents never taught me ANYTHING about taking care of a car. Everything I know about it I learned from C. He started giving me lessons after he realized that saying a little prayer for my safety every day was the extent of my efforts in this area (other than remembering to take it in every so often for routine stuff). :P But now I can at least check my oil/coolant levels, change a tire, check my tire pressure and fill them with air, and I know enough to notice when something is wrong so I can take it in. It's a start.

Taking care of a car just fills me with irrational anxiety sometimes. Not only am I not well versed in all its inner workings, but then there's the worry of whether a mechanic will take advantage of my lack of knowledge. I'm lucky that I've found a guy who will explain what's going on in my car to my satisfaction, and will be upfront with me about whether certain things are worth spending money on. I know some folks who will just drop their car off and tell the mechanic to do whatever they think they need to, and thousands of dollars later they get it back. To me, that's just scary!

cowgirl8238 · November 2013

Amapola14 said:

@Kait, I agree that car maintenance needs to be taught in school, or at least there need to be more classes available. I don't even know where you'd look for something like that in the community.

My parents never taught me ANYTHING about taking care of a car. Everything I know about it I learned from C. He started giving me lessons after he realized that saying a little prayer for my safety every day was the extent of my efforts in this area (other than remembering to take it in every so often for routine stuff). :P But now I can at least check my oil/coolant levels, change a tire, check my tire pressure and fill them with air, and I know enough to notice when something is wrong so I can take it in. It's a start.

Taking care of a car just fills me with irrational anxiety sometimes. Not only am I not well versed in all its inner workings, but then there's the worry of whether a mechanic will take advantage of my lack of knowledge. I'm lucky that I've found a guy who will explain what's going on in my car to my satisfaction, and will be upfront with me about whether certain things are worth spending money on. I know some folks who will just drop their car off and tell the mechanic to do whatever they think they need to, and thousands of dollars later they get it back. To me, that's just scary!

I am exactly like you. I learned the basic things years ago, and I am ever so thankful I did. There was a time about a year and half ago that I had to change my own tire. I also knew about month ahead of time that my car battery was going bad, I even argued a bit with my FI over the fact, but in the end I had the satisfaction (and luck) of it happening in front of him in front of our house.

I think everyone should learn a little bit about cars. It helps to know how to fix things, and even with my Triple A membership I have changed my own tire...waiting for them is an eternity and I can do it myself three tmes over before they usually show up! Checking your fluids is probably the easiest part so start there and keep learning. You would be amazed at how an automatic transmission works!

CLoGreenEyes · November 2013

@cowgirl8238, how satisfying that he actually got to see what you were talking about! :P But yes, I agree, we should all make an effort to learn the basics, regardless of whether we have roadside assistance. I didn't particularly enjoy learning how to change a tire, etc., but at least I know that I will never be stuck and dependent on someone else to get me out of that situation.

radleyboo · November 2013

Watch a few episodes of Top Gear-the British version. It's hilarious and can actually teach you a thing or two about cars. Or listen to some re-broadcasts of Car Talk on NPR. That's a great show for car questions/maintenance/etc.

tuarceatha · November 2013

All I've got is: "omg. 2005 was 8 years ago."

ETA: Actually, I just got my 2013 car serviced and the sticker reminder I got says I don't have to come back in for another 9000 miles (or December). I like that.

Blackbird230 · November 2013

@tuarceatha, yup I drive a grouchy old lady. lol

tuarceatha · November 2013

@Kait I had a 2005 CRV named Roxanne for 5 years. She was a dear.

CLoGreenEyes · November 2013

I named my '95 Camry "Grandma." She freaked me out sometimes but got me from A to B! When her A/C finally went this spring I got a 2007 HHR and I love it.

I didn't mind my old car since it did what it needed to and wasn't too expensive to keep up, but I am excited to have something made in this millennium.

tuarceatha · November 2013

@Amapola that is cool. My first car was '92 Honda Accord. Whenever I see those on the road, I'm impressed.

Blue & White · November 2013

@CocoBellaF Obviously, I get judgy if males OR females don't know these maintenance skills

My grandpa wouldn't let any of my aunts (or my mom) learn to drive until they demonstrated that they could change their own oil and change a tire on their own. He was a stickler! These girls (my mom and aunts) are the most girly girls ever, so it's one of my favorite stories to tell. I simply don't like relying on men (or anyone) to do anything for me

Plus, it's kinda fun to mouth off to the repair men that try to tell me I need unnecessary service done.

Actually, last time my car was in the shop was for a warranty replacement and the repairman tried to tell me my car didn't qualify...and I was like "um, hi, it says right here I qualify if my tires are cupped, and as you can see, there is VISIBLE cupping on my tires because of the fact that oh yea, my control arm is broken, as you can see here.." My car ended up taking like 3 hours to fix because one of the bolts was stuck but point is - I was right. And I like being right, obviously

@Kait I'm glad to see you got your car fixed! It's a pretty big responsibility, but cars can last forever if you take good care of em! I also got my license fairly late in life (I don't know how old you are, but I didn't get mine till 18 and I could have gotten it at 16...) but I feel like that gave me a bit of responsibility where I didn't have to have the requisite hitting someone in the HS parking lot accident

Blackbird230 · November 2013

@Blue&White, I was 20 when I got it. But there is definitely a maturity factor. I was ready to learn and didn't feel rushed into it which I may have felt like at 16. I totally was not ok to be trusted with a huge chunk of metal that can kill people.

GoldenPenguin · November 2013

I was never a girly girl, so I spent a lot of my youth getting dirty - playing with Tonka trucks, shoveling horse manure, driving tractors... and learning shit about cars. My grandfather, dad, and uncle are all very mechanically inclined, so I learned a lot from them just hanging out while they tinkered on their vehicles. One of my favorite things to do with my grandfather was drive around to car dealerships & pick out our favorites. Then I took "Auto Care" in high school - I was the only girl in the class, but I LOVED it (and I aced it, for the record.) I learned how to not only check my oil, but change it, change a tire, change belts & spark plugs... a lot of things that I don't necessarily NEED to know how to do (especially owning a new car) but that are GOOD to know, just in case.

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