FYI, it's a 19mm socket.

 

I want to find a Mazda dealership in the Toronto area that offers such a package! All the dealers here that I know about would call that an 8000km service which they charge about $70 for.

 

Hmm..

Vise-grips on oil pan drain bolt is asking for problems..

With my 2000 LX, I took it to the local Goodyear outlet and they would change my oil, rotate tires, and top off fluid for $15.99. Not too shabby a deal.

I've decided to go the synthetic route with my P5, and I'll be doing all the work myself, so I can't quote on a price yet, since I'm not due my second oil change yet. I let the dealer do the first since it was free, and I wanted them to wrestle with the factory installed filter..

I'll let you guys know the total ticket (including purchase price of the rhino ramps) when I do my first change in the next couple of weeks.

T

 

don't *have* to have jack stands (i do) to rotate tires-just borrow a friends or neighbors jack. I find it good practice to buy things like jackstands, a ratchet set, and the other tools necesary for basic maintnance (ugh spelling) Everyone should know at the least what it is under the hood of their car. That's not to say they should do all their own work, but ignorance plays all to big a roll in big engine repair bills and then they are the first to complain about a car that doens't work or that a repair shop is ripping them off.

Anyhow, i think everyone, yes everyone should at least do one maintnance run on their car themselves. This would at least bring to the drivers attention that even in the age of very reliable cars that can go up to 7,000 miles w/o an oil change (my changes are at 4,000 ) that cars are indeed fragile machines that require just as much work to keep them tip top as we humans do. I mean, if your hip stops working you don't go limping around on it for 5,000 miles do ya?? This is especially important advice for kids (ha, i'm 21 and i'm saying kids) since they have mostly been raised in the instant gratification society we live in when things go wrong.

Don't anyone take this the wrong way, it's just constructive critisizm. Just think about 1 very important detail in whatever business you are in that must be maintained and imagine going double/triple the time w/o fixing it. Now apply that logic to cars.