Can Any Owner Tell Me: Can You Crawl Under The Front End Without Jacking The Vehicle?

[Delzona]

Oil changes are easy. I will be inventing an access panel after I get mine

I would like to see that once you have it figured out.

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[Rob Cactus Gray]

I would like to see that once you have it figured out.

I will post a video when I figure it out. It shouldn’t be very hard, I just need my truck first. Need to figure out the dimensions and if I want to 3D print or buy something. Wish Ford could just make it easy from the start.

 

[NDL]

Ok I just went out to check. Can you get your face and an arm under there to make a quick inspection: Yes.

Can you perform a full oil change without jacking up the truck: Probably not.

Maybe if you didn't have to take off the underpanel / skid plate, but I'll definitely have to jack it up a bit to get to all the fasteners and be able to move around under there.

Thanks so much for your time and findings

 

[NDL]

For me it’s not about the little savings. It’s that I hate waiting.

Exactly

 

[Down]

Motorcraft oil: $10.00
Motorcraft oil filter: $3.97

$50 - $14 = $36 labor.

If you believe they are touching your other fluids, I have some ocean front property in Kansas that you may be interested in. Generally speaking you don't rotate tires without also having them balanced, which you can have any tire shop do but is a one time purchase for the life of the tires (but really the vehicle if you stick with the same tires).

1. Linking to an "AutoZone National Oil Clearance Sale" isn't really an apples to apples comparison, I'm sure I could find coupons to make my path cheaper too but that's cool. And I dunno that having to drive to Autozone to get oil, and then Wal Mart to get that filter, would be worth the $5 savings on that oil filter to me, I'd opt to buy those at the same time.
   1. While I know this point is veering away from the argument at hand that you're trying to win, still; if we're going to make separate trips to buy oil, a filter and then trying to transport used oil to an appropriate location to be disposed of afterwards, one should REALLY start considering what their time is worth. That's why I outlined my example using a practical solution of pricing items at my closest auto parts store using prices I should be able to find 24/7 instead of looking for sales or scanning eBay for lot purchases of oil filters. With that in mind, all your example does for me is further solidify the point I was making. Even if you bargain shop and drive around multiple places to get the best deal on each part, you're gonna save what, $36 and sacrifice a good chunk of your time? I feel even better about outsourcing the oil changes now cuz I don't know about you but my time is worth a lot more than that.
2. Your ocean front property must be in a really unique part of KS because every time I've taken my vehicle in and its needed fluids, it's happened. Or at least, for example, every time my windshield fluid is empty or coolant is running a bit low when I go in, it's somehow magically no longer empty/low when I leave. Maybe there's another explanation at play here but I'm an "Occam's razor" type of guy so I'll just assume the folks are doing what they say they were going to do.
3. The place I buy my tires from does free balancing/rotation for life, so that's typically where I go. But I'm not gonna clutch my pearls over the occasional "balance without rotation" if I'm going through a busy stretch and can kill two birds with one stone by having a rotation done while the oil is getting changed. This is also why I only weighted it and the fluids as being worth a buck. The more I think about it though, sheeeit. Those extras might even be worth tree fiddy.
4. With that said, my time is also not worth the 15 comment back and forths that I typically see occur when you disagree with someone (especially on this fairly silly topic) so by all means, you win this argument. You're totally right and I'm totally wrong.

 

[russross]

5 qt jug of motorcraft synthetic blend at AutoZone - ~$30
Motorcraft oil filter at autozone - $9

A package at my local ford dealer that includes an oil change with the above plus rotating tires and topping off fluids - $50.

Since I'm HAPPY to pay $1 for tire rotation and fluid top off, seems like the math checks out at around $10 labor for me.

Most shops treat oil changes as a loss leader (or barely break even) so oil changes are usually a pretty good deal. Customers understand oil changes and shop around, and then once they find a place they like they do all of their servicing there. You'll often see shops (including dealers) with surprisingly cheap oil changes and then they are a total ripoff for everything else. I like having someone else inspect my vehicle regularly, even if the inspection is rushed and probably not very thorough. I often been alerted to something that I should be keeping an eye on from those inspections, and if I changed my own oil I might have overlooked it until it was more serious.

A couple years ago I was getting my oil changed at a dealer and they wanted to change my cabin air filter for about $50. The filter costs about $15 and changing it doesn't even require tools--it's about a 1 or 2 minute job tops. I declined the offer and ordered a filter from Amazon while I waited for them to finish the oil change.

So I take advantage of it and take my vehicles in for oil changes. When they recommend some other service, I take note of what it is and how much they quote for it, then I usually decline. I go home and watch a few youtube videos to decide if it's something I want to do myself, or I'll make a few calls and see if their quote was in line with other shops.

 

[JASmith]

Linking to an "AutoZone National Oil Clearance Sale" isn't really an apples to apples comparison.

Most people when they purchase a new car simply buy several at once whenever on sale. Oil isn't like milk, its not going to expire next week. If you had to get your oil at Walmart too, its $22 there right now so $24 in labor, pretty close to my estimate. Right now in my garage I still have three oil filters and several 5 gallon jugs in my cabinet along with my lubricants. Its a basic time management and resource skill.

Point is, that's lower grade stuff you mentioned, that's why its so cheap. I wouldn't use it if free.

You're totally right and I'm totally wrong.

See, we don't disagree about everything.

 

[ThisWas]

I don't have my Maverick yet, but I've driven my other cars up on scraps of 2x10s to change the oil. Easier than driving up ramps and I think safer than some of the cheap ramps I've seen.

 

[Chris McD]

I’m expecting the Maverick to be a pain compared to my Subaru for oil changes. I’ll probably put a fumoto valve in. Where’s the oil filter located?

 

[WhoAmI2021]

I have determined over the years that my time is worth more than changing my own oil. But discounting that, the dealer that I am buying my Maverick from offers free lifetime oil changes, car washes, tire rotations, and power train warranty- all at no additional cost. Sounds good to me

 

[Maverick.Iceman]

I drive a lot, and I do my own oil changes. The one thing I hate about most cars, is that the low ground clearance prevents me from getting under the vehicle without the use of ramps and jackstands, and I would much rather scoot under the vehicle without having to lift it.

On paper, the Maverick's ground clearance is similar to my last gen Ranger, which the Maverick would be replacing. But the Maverick appears to have a front skirt which severely cuts clearance underneath.

Has any current owner tried getting under their stock XL/XLT model, without jacking it? Can it be done?

Thanks in advance

Just use ramps, I have some i put some memory foam scraps under them so they don’t slide and you drive up, put jack stands down and boom way more space.

Why don’t you like ramps?

 

[WasChops]

Motorcraft oil: $10.00
Motorcraft oil filter: $3.97

$50 - $14 = $36 labor.

If you believe they are touching your other fluids, I have some ocean front property in Kansas that you may be interested in. Generally speaking you don't rotate tires without also having them balanced, which you can have any tire shop do but is a one time purchase for the life of the tires (but really the vehicle if you stick with the same tires).

Wow... your Oil servicing is harsh!!! I have been going to the same Goodyear for over 14 years and the ALWAYS, top off windshield washer fluid, then provide a multi-point check of the vehicle. And rotate the tires (of course I typically purchase tires from them as well). Also because of my loyalty, I am treated really well at the counter and sometimes I stick around to insure the job is done 100%!

I have never been asked to balance the tires... that is a "heads up" - I can inquire of them, perhaps they will begin to include that? If not, check them for their add on cost.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

I will post a video when I figure it out. It shouldn’t be very hard, I just need my truck first. Need to figure out the dimensions and if I want to 3D print or buy something. Wish Ford could just make it easy from the start.

I have a red plastic folgers coffee "can"!

 

[Fx4hOok]

No.

 

[clippedwings]

For me, this is not about cost. It's about using frequent changes to help delay the carbonization build up inherent in the GDI engine. That's probably not going to be an issue for me if I get rid of it in 5 years, as has been my habit for the last 20 years. Besides, I will be lucky to put 30,000 miles on it in that time. I may even just blow the whole thing off and continue spending two hours at the Ford dealership for changes. But you never know. I may even be one of those whackos who installs an oil catch can. Or this may all be moot, since I have no clue if I will ever even get my Maverick at this point. Thanks for the responses though.

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