[oldgringo]

I just finished my first, 1.5 hour, sloppy, oil and filter change in thirty years (even using mhadden’s excellent instructions)!

There really isn’t any excuse for something as important to car operation as an oil filter, to be designed like this and hidden behind 20 minutes worth work to get at it. The auto industry figured this out 30 or forty years ago and to go back to the “oil filter stone age” is inexcusable. Worse that it is done by a car company with a rep for quality and common sense like Toyota. The only light in the tunnel is that I’ll bet someone can make an aftermarket fix.

The first two changes I had done were done at the dealer. After today’s experience, I’m pretty sure my filter was never changed until today. This leads me to make a nasty prediction that a bunch of these 07, 5.7’s will show up on used car lots in a couple years with OEM filters on board.

First impression on the dealer’s oil change price is it was high. Now, I can’t imagine a mechanic meeting the “flat rate” time. Therefore I believe a lot of corners will be cut. (In the 70’s I was a tech for VW, Porsche/Audi and Mazda. Currently, I keep my farm fleet and 4 private cars serviced).