I'm perplexed by the members who are surprised that some us think it's ridiculous to make a simple oil & filter change more of a hassle than it should be.

Maybe it's because when I was a kid, I could perform and oil & filter change on almost any car in a matter of 10 minutes or less. We'd just put it up on the rack, roll the used oil collection tank underneath the oil pan, and unscrew the oil pan drain nut. While it was emptying, we'd take an oil filter wrench and undo the filter. The used filter would drop into the collection device along with the oil that was in that filter. Moments later, we'd be installing the new filter, then we'd replace the drain plug. We'd lower the car back down to the floor and install the correct amount of oil into the engine. Start it up and let it run for a minute, shut it off, wait a minute and check the oil level and adjust accordingly.

10 minutes, and the life blood of the motor was replaced with a brand new filter.

I guess I'll always be of the mind that is how it should be.

Your thinking of a time gone by. Now it could be just like that if the EPA and the feds got out of the way and the darn consumers weren't so fixed on a zillion new gadgets that need space somewhere. I'm guessing most on this forum change the oil on a few vehicles and frankly due to overall packaging some are easy. My F Series trucks are. But on average they aren't. It's a bigger job than the Ranger on my other car high performance stuff I own. Heck several of my motorcycles are on par with what's described here for the Ranger. Packaging all that EPA crap and the fuel economy crap and the other fed crap crap into a modern package is a challenge. Everybody has a windage tray. Some put in doors, some don't. it matters. sometimes the filter is vertical and sometimes its horizontal. it matters. In any case the actual description of this truck is in the category of not a big deal.

For some time I have been thinking of selling the F150 and move down to a smaller truck that can get better than 15 mpg. So, I find this thread interesting. The Ranger was on my radar, but now I am scratching my head as I do all the maintenance on everything on the farm. Another thing I hated about the Ranger was that automatic engine start/stop at ever light or stop sign.

Man, I just don't know now.

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:
For some time I have been thinking of selling the F150 and move down to a smaller truck that can get better than 15 mpg. So, I find this thread interesting. The Ranger was on my radar, but now I am scratching my head as I do all the maintenance on everything on the farm. Another thing I hated about the Ranger was that automatic engine start/stop at ever light or stop sign.

Man, I just don't know now.

Start, Stop is the new way of life.
You’re hard pressed not to find it on anything anymore. Nice thing about the Fords you are able to disable it in ForScan.

If you use ramps to elevate the car to drain the oil, you cannot do this with a Ranger.

If you jack the car up, and use jackstands, you can do this on the new Ranger.

The Lexus RX series (and likely others) have many screws and push pin locks to hold under vehicle streamlining shields in place. Audi has them also. So, having to remove a panel is not different or new or bad. It is just like my motorcycle filter replacement routine, as others have noted.

If we consider a Glock disassembly / reassembly method to be good, and a 1911 method to be bad (think of the bushing wrench, the pin, the "idiot scratch" potential), would we also declare the 1911 to be unworthy of purchase? Why not let an improved Ranger with many advanced features be an attractive purchase, with a "1911" style maintenance routine?

My Tacoma takes synthetic oil. Even at Walmart it’s like 40$ for enough oil to change it. Then a quality filter is another 10-15$ so now with tax and a trip to the store before I even start I’m almost $60 and 30 minutes in. Then I don’t really have a level place to do the work so it’s in the street lay on my back, take off a skid plate to access the filter and jimmy jack around for another 20/30 minutes. I used to do that crap when I was young and broke and had more time than money. I’m sure I’ll teach my son how one day when he gets his own car. But I just got the oil changed at the dealer yesterday for $80 in less than an hour with a warranty. Dealer is only about 5 miles away so I paid ~$20 more for a pro to do it in half the time and I didn’t have to lay down in my street and bust some knuckles and use curse words. Plus it’s raining crazy here this weekend so I stayed in a dry dealer drank their coffee and watched ESPN and read a few magazines.

I do visually check as soon as I get home to make sure it’s not leaking and oil level is sufficient.

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:
For some time I have been thinking of selling the F150 and move down to a smaller truck that can get better than 15 mpg.

I purchased a brand new Ranger in 1990, then another one in 1999. Both of them had the same drive train - an inline 4 cylinder with a 5 speed manual tranny. Both of them averaged 15 mpg. Just FYI

quote:

Originally posted by synthplayer:

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:
For some time I have been thinking of selling the F150 and move down to a smaller truck that can get better than 15 mpg.

I purchased a brand new Ranger in 1990, then another one in 1999. Both of them had the same drive train - an inline 4 cylinder with a 5 speed manual tranny. Both of them averaged 15 mpg. Just FYI

You may be right as I have no direct experience. A friend has a 2017 Canyon with the V6. They made a trip to Orange Beach and back over the holidays and he said They averaged 24 mpg with all their gear. I can live with that if he is correct.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX


Start, Stop is the new way of life.
You’re hard pressed not to find it on anything anymore. Nice thing about the Fords you are able to disable it in ForScan.

That's good news...what is a ForScan?

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX


Start, Stop is the new way of life.
You’re hard pressed not to find it on anything anymore. Nice thing about the Fords you are able to disable it in ForScan.

That's good news...what is a ForScan?

A Ford scanner, or more accurately, the software that interfaces with Ford vehicles.

There's always an interesting tone to these types of threads. There's almost a certain smugness of those who don't change their own oil. It's as if those who do change their own oil are viewed as somehow ignorant of the economics of oil changes, oblivious to the great deal down at the Jiffy Lube, or without something better to do with their time.

Perhaps it's more accurate that some people enjoy doing basic maintenance, gain satisfaction from the hands-on nature of the work, and appreciate the investment of time into a tool as critical as their vehicle. Nobody will have as much concern for your own vehicle as you should. After all, it's your butt in it while traveling down the highway.

Furthermore, I know the type of person who is hired as a lube tech. With the exception of exoitic vehicle service, it is the absolutely lowest, most entry level position in the automotive field. Often these people have nearly no experience as a mechanic, and are often just starting out in the field.

So, when a manufacturer makes changing oil more difficult/complicated/involved, it is not a better solution for that low-skilled worker either. More complicated for you is also more complicated for him. Do you expect as equal a job from a complicated design as you do from a more straight forward design? Not likely.

In short, poor design is poor design, whether it is yourself or a service tech who is left dealing with it.

quote:

Originally posted by sigcrazy7:

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX


Start, Stop is the new way of life.
You’re hard pressed not to find it on anything anymore. Nice thing about the Fords you are able to disable it in ForScan.

That's good news...what is a ForScan?

A Ford scanner, or more accurately, the software that interfaces with Ford vehicles.

Correct.
Software that allows one to change all sorts of settings in the vehicles different control modules.
There are so many different things that can be done anymore.

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:

quote:

Originally posted by synthplayer:

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:
For some time I have been thinking of selling the F150 and move down to a smaller truck that can get better than 15 mpg.

I purchased a brand new Ranger in 1990, then another one in 1999. Both of them had the same drive train - an inline 4 cylinder with a 5 speed manual tranny. Both of them averaged 15 mpg. Just FYI

You may be right as I have no direct experience. A friend has a 2017 Canyon with the V6. They made a trip to Orange Beach and back over the holidays and he said They averaged 24 mpg with all their gear. I can live with that if he is correct.

We were provided a 2018 Chevy Colorado crew cab as a loaner while my bride’s ‘17 Silverado Crew Cab was in the shop for repair. Both pickups get virtually the same MPG (around 20) over several hundred miles of highway driving (70-75 mph) The Silverado is 4wd and far more comfortable IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX


Start, Stop is the new way of life.
You’re hard pressed not to find it on anything anymore. Nice thing about the Fords you are able to disable it in ForScan.

That's good news...what is a ForScan?

My dad recently defeated this “option” by putting a piece of a paper grocery bag in the gap of the switch that turns the on/off, off. The dealer wanted $70 to program it into the truck

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX


Start, Stop is the new way of life.
You’re hard pressed not to find it on anything anymore. Nice thing about the Fords you are able to disable it in ForScan.

That's good news...what is a ForScan?

Or you can look to the aftermarket given how much people hate this function for a permanent and somewhat inexpensive solution.

https://www.autostopeliminator.com/

quote:

i would never change my own oil on a new modern car especially while under warranty. Honesty I would never change my own oil anyway...I work a bunch and any free time I have I’m sure as shit not gonna be spending it doing tasks I can pay someone else a nominal fee to do.

I feel the same way. My F-150 has a a panel that needs to be removed and takes 7 quarts of oil. The dealership charges $29.99. Doing it myself would save me 15 dollars per year. Then I would have to cock around with disposing 21 quarts of oil. I have no desire to crawl under my vehicle when I could be oogling the hot receptionist and drinking the free coffee at the Ford store.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
This thread brings back fond memories of my 1978 Mercedes 240D.

The oil filter was mounted high on the firewall, with plenty of space around it. A 10mm socket removed the two bolts that held the top of the canister, there was room to hold a small drip pan under the assembly while lifting out the filter element.

You could change the oil filter in minutes while wearing a white dress shirt and not spill a drop.

I miss that car, even though its 62 hp was pitiful.

Ah, memories. My first car was an '82 240D & I recall exactly what you mention, the filter even had a little 'bucket handle' to make removing it easier.

You guys aren't buying it anyway since it's an automatic trans

I doubt oil filter location and drain plug access is high on many folks lists when buying a new vehicle.

Most likely if it has Blooteef, rear backup camera , wifi, digital sound, apple play, and automated driving systems capable of making a run to starbucks, fresh market and back home.

Oil change, not many really care, most buy service packages or go to the quick change places and many don't buy cars to keep for years.

I'll change oil on my motorcycle, but I'm not dragging out oil pans, rags, lift and floor jack stands every 7500 miles to save $19

The Truth About Cars has corrected their article. You DO NOT have to remove the wheel to change the oil.

https://www.thetruthaboutcars....il-change-procedure/

quote:

If you’re holding off on purchasing a new Ford Ranger based on what you read here last Thursday, consider this a green light for your trip to the dealership. The new-for-2019 Ranger does not — repeat, does not — require the removal of the left front wheel in order to access the oil filter.

Drawing from a source with knowledge of Ford service procedures, our January 3rd story stated that the oil filter on the 2.3-liter Ecoboost four-cylinder found in all U.S.-market Rangers would be removed by technicians via the left front wheel well, necessitating the removal of the wheel. Not true, according to Dawn McKenzie, Ford’s North American product communications manager for trucks and commercial vehicles.

While the written process provided to us listed the removal of a LF wheel arch access panel, held in place by nine fasteners, Ford North American product communications manager Mike Levine states only three fasteners need to be removed in order to peel back the flap to access the oil filter. The wheel does not have to be removed to facilitate this. You’ll want the wheel hard over, though.

It’s a procedure similar to that of overseas models equipped with the 3.2-liter diesel.

So, with that said, apologies to Ford for the error and to our readers.

Design failures are not new, or limited to the car industry. I spent years as an IBM customer engineer. I.e. did repair work in customer facilities.

One example: Disk drives, if I had to replace the drive motor, it involved removing a 50 lb motor, from below the unit. Then hoisting the replacement motor up into the location. Bad enough if working on the upper unit.

On the lower unit, you had to lay on the floor, lay the replacement on its side, slide it under the drive, tilt it upright, hoist it into position, then try to replace the mounting screws from the TOP! And the book said this was a one man job that should take 10-15 minutes!

Of course the book was written by some idiot at the development facility that never saw the unit in the first place.

To the question of buying a Ford Ranger, No! I would not!

The maintenance aspect is only one of a couple why not.