Hi all

After almost 7500 (VERY) happy miles, time to take care of the 1st oil and oil filter change. My question is, should i take it to the dealer or just do it myself?

Back home my dad's workshop he has all the tools to put the car up on ramps, and stuff... i just remember hearing something around the forum about the oil filter being a BITCH to replace? what's going on there?


Also, can i buy the 2005 RX8 oil filter at a regular auto parts place, like auto zone or something? Or is the oil filter something special i need to get from mazda?

Thanks!
Jeff

 

the oil filter from factory are known to be screwed on extremely tight, i'd just save the hassle and let the dealer make the first change, and then after that do the oil change yourself.

btw, why did you wait until 7500 miles before the first change? do you live in the countryside or something.

and yes, you can use aftermarket oil filters sold at auto parts stores, the stores will have the catalogs to look up the filter part number that is for the 8.

 

take it to the dealer...

 

Best bang for the buck will be when you get some good synthetic tranny lube in it!

If it isn't a MUCH better behaved shifter, you are out $30, tops.

If it is anything like as good as mine was, you are in slick-shifting heaven! The last 8k will have taught you exactly how it behaves, now you can see how it SHOULD have been, since DAY ONE!

S

 

Take it to the dealer, that way it gives them an impression that you take care of your car so they wouldn't use it as a lame excuse to void warranty.

 

After almost 7500 (VERY) happy miles, time to take care of the 1st oil and oil filter change. My question is, should i take it to the dealer or just do it myself?

Why in the world would you go that long before an oil change, the 8 does not have synthetic.

 

even if you feel 7.5k miles is too long, you shouldn't berate him for following the maintainence schedule as stated by the car manufacturer in the owner's manual.

 

hah damned if I do... damned if I dont eh?

 

I always let the dealer change mine, espically if it's under warranty so if anything happens thats "oil" related I can show where they did the maintaince so it should fall back on them. Having said that if I don't add oil as required it would be my fault.

I did not measn to come off harsh about the 7500 mile, but even though the manual says this if you ask your dealer they will tell not to go that long between oil changes espically when only about 4 quarts of the 7 actually gets changed.

 

of course they won't tell you to wait that long. they make money off of oil changes, so they can be a little biased when they recommend oil changes at a more frequent rate than suggested by the manufacturer. that said, i typically have my oil changed between 3k and 5k miles.

also, at my last oil change, i got just under 6qts.