Neighbour - I need to add some oil!
She could not get the oil cap off - she had a thimble full of oil in a can from the boot..
Fortunately, I had an unopened 5 litres of semi synthetic - poured some in - check level, then some more, then some more, then a wee drop more 2.5 litres as near as I could measure on the now half empty can of oil.
She said the light flickered quite a lot but thought it was OK as the light did not stay on!
Must rush I have the younger one to pick up from nursery.
I left her with the can & hope to see a full one / the cash sometime soon.
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14 years spent in the mobile engine tuning game I often came across cars which required a longer dipstick.
8-)
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¡ De nada !
Last edited by: Roger. on Thu 13 Sep 18 at 11:36
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>> Must rush I have the younger one to pick up from nursery.
>>
I think most young mums have so much going on in their lives they don't know whether they're coming or going.
One of my daughters has a new car waiting for her at a dealer - she's too busy to go and pick it up!
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This is austerity beginning to bite.
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>> This is austerity beginning to bite.
>>
That seems a stretch, based on the available evidence.
I've known plenty of idiots who haven't checked their oil in yonks. One person comes to mind where I couldn't get the dipstick out of the tube - a garage had done a very bad job of welding on the car 10 months earlier! This was in the mid 80s. Another hadn't had his (company) car serviced in 60,000 miles - this was in the late 90s.
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One of junior FCs drove slowly passed me the other day and the rear nearside tyre although 45 profile still seemed short on air. Checked next day and it was zero psi. Front wheel drive Picanto so not a major issue at town speeds.
When questioned as to, "When did you last check your tyres". Responded with "I haven't". When informed regarding the flat tyre. "No lights came on the dash".
Fortunately the tyre structure survived and it was a leak around the balancing weight steel clip where it had reacted with the alloy wheel.
What worries me is the lack of the most casual passing visual checks.
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>>Fortunately the tyre structure survived
Daughter was stopped by police who asked her if she knew she had a flat tyre, to which she, honestly, replied - no.
The tyre looked good, but I took the wheel to a local tyre place and loads of rubber crumb fell out when the tyre was removed from the rim. The tyre was completely shot, despite looking fine when inflated. I suggest you get the tyre inspected. Daughter was one of the brigade who thought an MOT was a service!
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I recently went to the Supermarket and parked in front of a Virgin Media van. Spotted a flat at the rear (and it was probably RWD) and the engineer/driver was in it. Told him and he knew. And yet was driving around with a flat. Wonder where that leaves the company in terms of responsibility if he knew and had not got it fixed.
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"I suggest you get the tyre inspected."
No worries BT the tyre was taken off the rim for a thorough examination, wire brushing and applying sealer to the alloy bead area due to the effects of light corrosion.
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I shouted at a district nurse who was about to drive off in her NHS Fiesta the other week. Front tyre was as flat as a pancake...her response was curt...stuff her next time.
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I’m the opposite. I always used to check my tyre pressures and oil at least twice a week, and I still always glance at all 4 tyres before driving off. These days tyre pressures and oil level are on the onboard menu thingy so every single journey I scroll through to check.
When renting overseas I bring a tyre pressure gauge and check before driving away
Anal or what......
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>>Anal or what......
Defo.
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>>...stuff her next time
Fit?
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When I was training recruit Officers I had obtained a variety of tyres in all sorts of common dangerous states which they would come across frequently I showed them how to capture and record the evidential points.
Overall the apathy and disinterest was alarming. One of the reasons I eventually decided to call it a day.
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What would you do?
It's a week since I put 2.5 litres of oil in the neighbour's car. She even put the rest of the 5 litres in her boot.
I half expected to see an equivalent 5 ltrs or around the £15-£20 BUT as yet I have not seen the £s or the oil?
Do I write-off my oil OR do I ask for the ££s/Oil?
I feel like asking. SWMBO says to just forget it.
The oil was bought to refresh my 2 lawnmowers which have an annual"service".
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I would not let it go without making a point.
I'd probably go and ask for the half full can back.
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>> I'd probably go and ask for the half full can back.
>>
...is it half full, or half empty?.....
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It’s been one week + since you helped her out of the quandary she was in.
Unless she has a good excuse for not replacing the full 5 litres or reimbursing your financial cost, I’d say she was pig ignorant. I don’t mince my words. I’d call round, ask her nicely to replace the full 5L and take it from there depending on her reaction.
Round where I live if you help a neighbour out in such circumstances you are thanked most profusely, reimburse any costs and give them a thank you note or bottle of plonk.
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As a subtle reminder why not ask her, "Now that the oil has found time to settle would you like me to recheck it for you?"
or " Would you like to keep the remnants of the oil so you can top up with the same product and I'll BUY another can because I need the full 4/5 Ltrs."
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>> As a subtle reminder why not ask her, "Now that the oil has found time
>> to settle would you like me to recheck it for you?"
If she is as thick as she appears to be, she won't understand and probably think you are trying to ask her for a date!
For the avoidance of confusion - ask her for the money!
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>> The oil was bought to refresh my 2 lawnmowers which have an annual"service".
You used lawnmower oil in a car engine?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it usually SAE30 grade for lawn mower engines? Surely that cannot be suitable for a car engine?
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>>You used lawnmower oil in a car engine?
I use car oil in my lawnmower.
10/40 in the lawnmowers is fine - 12 years (push) & 8 years old (larger & self propelled) - to me changing the oil is more important than the grade. I have had petrol lawnmowers for 45 years & had no engine issues.
I have 0/20 in my car & have the remains of a bottle in the garage but have not needed a top up in 6 years.
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Why not just ask her for the money?
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Are you saying you've had the same oil in your car for 6 years !
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You "Can I have my oil back or the money for it"
Her " No, its all gone, but here is my bill for cleaning out the boot of my car, you didn't screw the lid on properly"
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>>Are you saying you've had the same oil in your car for 6 years !
Annual servicing - can does not use oil. Therefore no topping up required.
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I am sure she has no concept that you have provided her with something that is of value to you - just some thing you had kicking around. Or that it costs more than petrol (which is super-expensive on account of duty).
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my mate's missus once poured 5lts of oil into the diesel tank! - because she thought it needed topping up as the gauge was in the red zone and the sign said diesel oil, - she thought it meant diesel or oil!! - strangely it ran well enough but it didn' t half smoke ;-)
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Lot of hassle over a tenner's worth of 10W40.
If you like your neighbour just accept she's a bit of a fud/scatterbrain. Perhaps ask if she still has the remnants of the oil left so you can 'do your lawnmower'.
If you don't like her I wouldn't lose any sleep over it and you can laugh maniacally when her car eventually dies.
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I think I'd do what Lygonos says. No point falling out over a small amount of money.
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I can't see how you would approach her without risking an argument, and it's not a lot of money. You have to balance this risk against the benefit of a good relationship with a neighbour (or the difficulty of a bad one)
It is rude of her though. Back in the spring, my neighbour knocked on the door saying she'd come out to a flat tyre and had no idea how to change it. I popped the spare on for her, put the flat in the boot, and thought no more of it. That evening, she turned up with a rather nice bottle of Malbec for my trouble.
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>> I can't see how you would approach her without risking an argument,
Thinking about my own daughters - they're now in their 30's but have always been this way: It wouldn't even occur to the older one to cover the cost, but if asked, she would be embarrassed that she hadn't thought of it and would unhesitatingly repay.
The other one would replace the item if she was sure what to buy, or repay the cost, and would also give a bottle of wine.
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Mrs H's Citroen C3 has started using rather a lot of oil recently, so today I found an oil container that fitted snugly in the engine bay and advised her about it. Something told me I should revisit topping up the engine with her as she occasionally takes solo trips to France.
H; (patronisingly) Instead of faffing with the radio, sunglasses, shopping bag etc, look at the right-hand dial when you turn the ignition on and see if you can see the 'OIL OK' words light up.
Mrs H; (turns key, peers at dial and puts sunglasses on top of head) OK.
H. If it flashes 'OIL' and beeps, it needs oil.
(We look under the bonnet.)
H; This is where the spare oil lives. (taps the container)
Mrs H; OK.
H; check the oil with the diptick here. Get a tissue, wipe the oil off and put it back, then pull it out again. This plastic bit should be covered with oil.
Mrs H; I know (!). Where do you fill it up. Oh, here's an oil symbol. (The yellow oil can on the filler cap).
H; (encouragingly) Good.
Mrs H; (removes oil filler looks at the oily bits) What do I do, just brim it up?
I knew she needed a refresher ...
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>> I knew she needed a refresher ...
>>
>>
I expect there are a few things that Mrs h can do that you would struggle with. :-)
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>>
>> I knew she needed a refresher ...
>>
>>
...just tell her to open the bonnet and stand there looking helpless, and the bloke next door will sort it for her (apparently).
You'll then have to put up with the continuous muttering over the fence, though......
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>>Mrs H; (removes oil filler looks at the oily bits) What do I do, just brim it up?
When I was an apprentice, a fellow did just that to a moggie minor van. It poured smoke for months after.
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>> Mrs H; (removes oil filler looks at the oily bits) What do I do, just
>> brim it up?
A friend's wife did exactly that to the family C-Max. Added about 20 litres of oil before working out something wasn't quite right and calling him at work....
It had to be recovered to a garage. Finding a 20+ litre receptacle that will fit under a car proved to be impossible.
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>>Finding a 20+ litre receptacle that will fit under a car proved to be impossible
PELA pump ftw!
Although I expect if you pulled the dipstick out, oil would have risen thru the hole.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Fri 28 Sep 18 at 15:12
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>> It had to be recovered to a garage. Finding a 20+ litre receptacle that will
>> fit under a car proved to be impossible.
You use a 5 litre one 4 times.
Well 3.5 times actually because .5 goes down your armpit.
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I suspect trying to get a drain plug back in with oil flowing out at full chat would put a lot more than .5 litre down your armpit or all over the floor.
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>> It had to be recovered to a garage. Finding a 20+ litre receptacle that will
>> fit under a car proved to be impossible.
Most drain either from car on lift or with tech in pit underneath. All goes into a f. off massive drum which is presumably exchanged for empties by recycling contractor.
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Most drain either from car on lift or with tech in pit underneath. All goes
>> into a f. off massive drum which is presumably exchanged for empties by recycling contractor.
>>
>>
The one I use holds about 50L, you just wheel it about. That they gets emptied into a 1000L container outside which is then emptied as and when.
Not site why it was impossible to fit a normal oil drain under a car on a ramp?
Last edited by: sooty123 on Fri 28 Sep 18 at 17:00
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>>Not site why it was impossible to fit a normal oil drain under a car on a ramp?
Because the car could not be moved from where it was sitting - otherwise than on a ramp!
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>> All goes
>> into a f. off massive drum which is presumably exchanged for empties by recycling contractor.
It's made into chip fat.
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>> It's made into chip fat.
For Wetherspoons.
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>>
>> For Wetherspoons.
>>
...in the South (where they don't use dripping)
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>>
>> >>
>> >> For Wetherspoons.
>> >>
>>
>> ...in the South (where they don't use dripping)
>>
Excellent!
You are slowly getting the hang of this, aren't you?
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>> When informed regarding the flat tyre. "No lights came on the dash".
Hence the rest of us have been burdened with mandatory TPS systems.
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This is a result of "domestic appliance" generally durable and reliable cars. In the days of Red Robbo British built cars if you didn't know basic maintenance and fettling you would not get far. The price of progress! My most spectacular car failure was a set of points breaking in a hire car at 70 ish mph in lane two of a busy dual carriageway. The power loss of was instant, glad it didn't have power steering but the brake servo vaccum didn't last long.
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Smile and tell her that, as it's the end of the season, you now need to change the oil in the mowers and that you need the can back. Show her the can and the specs and inform her that's the type she ought to buy.
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had the exact same thing. when my kitchen fitter was here, I said I'll check your van over , I know your always busy. he didn't
'really believe me that i'd poured in 2.5 litres . said he'd had it serviced not long back. saw him a couple of years later in a new van. the old one died. major engine melt down.
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UPDATE
Door bell rang - neighbour handed over money in payment for the oil.
I think there may have been a reminder - the husband has got the bonnet up on his car to put oil in!
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Maybe one or other is a member here... 😊
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Let me guess...
"Oh you didn't need to, but thanks anyway"
?
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I did say thanks BUT she was also grateful for the help to get the cap off & the oil.
In the background I could see the "said can" being tipped into their other car - looked like a lot of oil - must run in the family "when the oil warning light comes on add 2 litres or buy a longer dipstick"
Last edited by: Falkirk Bairn on Sat 22 Sep 18 at 16:42
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I have to remind my son to check oil; he had at least one low oil warning light (level not pressure) while delivering Pizzas. Wasn't best pleased when I told him to go straight to Halfords NOW without returning to the depot and top it up or risk wrecking his engine.
Low again last time he was here. Neither he nor I could get the oil cap off with just a hand - needed a hammer and a blunt chisel to get it shifting. Also replaced a faulty brake light for him. He's just not technical at all, just like my Dad. He even holds a screwdriver in his clenched fist just like Dad did. He didn't learn it from there though - he'd died before The Lad was two.
Daughter is a bit better and has a husband who will remind her.
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>> Door bell rang - neighbour handed over money in payment for the oil.
Oil's well that ends well.
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I can't remember the last car I had that needed oil between services.
The 120k mile FRV would go to about halfway by the time of its 12,500 mile service, but since 75k I've been servicing it myself and changing the oil every 6k and it never needs a top up.
Even my 110k mile Forester Turbo didn't need top ups between the 5 k changes I performed.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Sat 22 Sep 18 at 18:09
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I was visiting daughter and she said they were getting the car serviced before driving to France the following week. I advised them to get it serviced after they returned, as I've seen too many breakdowns as a result of work being done. Just check the levels and tyre pressures. S-I-L hasn't a clue, so I show him where the dipstick is and it doesn't reach the oil. I had a litre in my boot and that brought it up to just below min. Tell him to buy a few litres and top it up.
He bought 5L and they went to France with an unopened 5L can of oil in the boot!
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Start 'em young I say. My three year old daughter loves helping Daddy check the oil, coolant and screenwash and help to top them up as required. She can already identify where each fluid goes and where the dipstick is on my car and SHMBOs car! :-)
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>> I can't remember the last car I had that needed oil between services.
>>
>> The 120k mile FRV would go to about halfway by the time of its 12,500
>> mile service, but since 75k I've been servicing it myself and changing the oil every
>> 6k and it never needs a top up.
>>
>> Even my 110k mile Forester Turbo didn't need top ups between the 5 k changes
>> I performed.
>>
The M140i doesn't have a dipstick, but there's a routine in the iDrive that performs an oil level check (with the engine running!). I run this every week or so, just to be safe, but it hasn't moved off Max in 24,000 miles (had its first oil change at 19,000). I'm assuming there's some sort of low level warning that alerts the driver, if it comes to it.
The Mini (2.0d BMW engine) has a conventional dipstick, and this dropped to about 2/3 of the way between Min and Max before it went in for its first service at 10k.
Last car I had that needed top ups was a 1.9d Polo which would go from Max to Min over 3,000 miles or so. My in-laws had owned it from new, and it had never been any different.
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>>The M140i doesn't have a dipstick,
but there's a routine in the iDrive that performs an oil level check (with the engine running!)
>>
In this day and age of cars being " white good" I believe it is time for the washer bottle to be located in the boot area and the bonnet LOCKED to keep folks away from the oily bits.
Oh I forgot , one top end sports car has located the washer bottle in the rear.
Why ? For better weight distribution !
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>>The M140i doesn't have a dipstick,
BMW - No dipsticks in the engine - quite a few in the driving seats
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My Mazda MX3 had 2 screenwash reservoirs. One under the bonnet for the front screen and one tucked away in the boot for the rear screen. Right PITA to fill the boot one, holding the carpet up and trying to fill at the same time!
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>> My Mazda MX3 had 2 screenwash reservoirs. One under the bonnet for the front screen
>> and one tucked away in the boot for the rear screen. Right PITA to fill
>> the boot one, holding the carpet up and trying to fill at the same time!
The Peugeot 205 was similar with rear reservoir in a cavity on offside of boot, between bootliner and rear quarter/wheel arch. Not too difficult to fill though.
BX had two as well, one at either end of windscreen scuttle. There was actually quite a bit of space between the reservoirs, a space otherwise occupied by the wiper mechanism. Met an amateur biologist on holiday once who kept various evil smelling finds in there.
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Peugeot 308 - Neighbour - I need to add some oil! - Dog
