Pour the used oil into the empty 5-quart containers now that you have used up the fresh oil that was in them! Bring them back to your parts store, or Walmart (that's where I get mine, best price there).

 

Just curious... Do you:
- Reset the oil service indicator via your own Durametric tool?
- Have a dealer or indy reset the indicator for you? If so, what do you pay?
- Don't bother with it and just live with the nagging service reminder?

I have to admit that really bugs me about this car... Every other car I've owned, including the E90 335i that preceded my 997.2 allowed me to reset the maintenance indicators without resorting to using a proprietary service cable/software and/or a dealer visit.

 

Pep Boys also takes in used oil. Most service places do as it's all recycled.

 

Here in FL almost all of the auto parts store have tanks for used oil. Our town dump will take it on specified days of the month. I track my car so I change the oil frequently as a DIY. Once a year I let the dealer do it to reset the light. I'd prefer not to have them do it as they use Mobil 1 which I'm not a fan of.

 

Agree.

I am much more comfortable looking at repair orders for work done on pre owned cars I am considering.

I also have a fidelity extended warranty and, for me, paying $200 a year for an oil change, having ROs to support the work, and a relationship with either a dealer or indy who is my advocate when a claim is being made, can be very helpful when an adjuster wants to play hardball.

If you do not have a warranty, and you require multiple oil changes each year, and you like to play with oil, then DIY makes tons of sense.

 

Best that I can remember from my 964 days, you checked the oil level with the warm engine running (using the dipstick).

I agree 100%. +1, etc. For cars under warranty, simply providing receipts for the oil and filter are enough to disprove any accusations of deferred maintenance.

My local dealer wanted something outrageous like $495 for oil service on the V8 Panamera that I had, and (I think) $395 for my 991. Natch I did it myself on both cars. Easy. I did have to have them reset the service indicator (no mention of "calibration") which was $30 - a ripoff - but I still came out cheaper and I did get a free cup of coffee.

OK, it wasn't really free.

 

I daily mine but don't live in a large coastal metro area, so my yearly totals are around 6-8k per year.

I have a hot rod Miata for wrenching on...installed the super charger, rad, change timing belts, installed cage, etc. Also wrenched on my kart when I raced RMax from 01-08. I did remove the bumper cover, heat shields etc. for the installation of my Fisters. Beyond the rare bolt on for the 911, I'll just get the dealer to maintain that particular car.

 

I live with the quick service due message at power on. Bugs me? Yes. But I can live with it until I spring for a Durametric. It gives me incentive for my next tool purchase! I've seen that the Durametric only starts the reset ... You then have to yank a fuse to reset the dash.

I drain the oil into the old jugs and a Homer Bucket (along with used brake fluid) and recycle at the local dump from time to time.

I've read that upon request, during a rebuild, Jake Raby will install a dip stick. If the computer requires a minute to make sure the oil is stable for a measurement, would we be as patient? I do miss the ability to check oil color in between changes but I trust the gauge. If I get paranoid enough I can always remove the plastic filter cover.

I am racking up the miles (turned 54K yesterday and was at 51K at the beginning of this month). I am not so worried about resale, more about driving and keeping this one! But receipts and pictures and my car document that I keep offer chronological support regarding the maintenance for anyone who cares.

DIY is a choice. Good for those who say yes, and good for those who say no. At the end of the day it really is about driving these cars more than how we keep them drivable. I do have my limits on what I will do. If, that is, IF, the PDK fails, that will be beyond me. I suspect that most of us have our limits.

It's raining in the SF Bay Area this morning. Time to let nature wash the car on the way to work. Maybe it's a good day for the back roads (twisties)!

 

Drain pan to empty Mobil 1 jugs.... I keep a few emptys around... first oil fill I used some detergent bottles. I write "spent" on them. My local Sunoco gas station takes the jugs from me for free... he sells the spent oil... why take it to a dump or other specialty place? The gas stations make money on the stuff so give it to them.

Peace
Bruce in Philly

 

I use the same 15 ish quart container/drain pan to carry used oil to wal mart or Oreilly's. Sometimes I even pour used oil back into empty 5 quart containers (ones I just used to fill the car) and then take those along with container to WM/Oreillys. I do my own service on 5 cars so I end up with quit a bit of recycled oil. Never a hassle to recycle though.

 

Basic maintenance on any car should be done by the owner. Oil and filter changes, belt changes, spark plugs, etc. are doable with the right instructions and tools by a home mechanic.

Alas, it is a basic life skill that has fallen by the wayside. Maybe it's a consequence of this "disposable" society we live in, but I've noticed that as we move forward into the future, while cars are more reliable than ever, they also seem to be more frail than cars of old - BMW is a good example: stretch the service intervals so that the first owner doesn't pay much for upkeep in the first five years of ownership, but once 50,000 miles or 5 years arrives, the whole car seems to fall apart.

A car is a car. I should not have to ask for a manufacturer's blessing to maintain it. As long as I draw breath, I will service my vehicles myself. You'll have to pry my tools away from my cold, dead fingers.

 

Oh.... My Durametric resets the service reminder just fine.

Peace,
Bruce in Philly

 

I change my oil twice a year. You have to get the engine hot before you drain the oil. Gotta get that oil temp up. I leave my car drain for up to 3 hrs. Change over the filter, then I add 7.8 L of fresh oil.

The old oil is drained into the empty new oil containers. Its dropped off at any Jiffy or quick lube oil change shops for free.

I've taken the car to Porsche for a maintenance reminder re=set. $ 35.00 to re-set. They do this due to the fact that I buy the filter and crush washers from the Dealership I talk to the service manager when I pick up the parts to ensure its ok to re-set the maintenance reminder...after I change my oil.

Works so far....

 

So am I reading it right on the durametric page that it's $287 for an OBDII cable to USB plus Software?
So a $27 cable and $250 for some CD's?

 

Software is free.. Anyone can download it. Cable costs money, there are chips in the cable head.

Peace,
Bruce in Philly