Evaluating a Used Car - DipStick (Oil) Reading

#11

Joe wrote:

Quote:

"HKEK" <coolmale (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:1179627511.912166.240550 (AT) q75g2000hsh (DOT) googlegroups.com...

I'm looking at a 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.3L with 57,000 miles. I
pulled the dipstick and the oil looked dark and smelled a bit cooked.
The vehicle had been taken in trade at a [Dodge] dealer. The salesman
showed me the shop work that had been performed on this vehicle to
ready it for resale. Among other things such as brakes and stabilizer
bushings, the engine oil and filter had been changed. The van had
about 50 miles on it since the oil change.

It's hard to say. Likely as not, they falsified the work report.

My first thought also. It would be rather hard to *truly* damage a 3.3
in only 57k miles. Yeah, extreme, extreme neglect would do it, but that
should be fairly obvious in other ways. I bet they just didn't change
the oil.

#12

In article <1179685142.328413.256480 (AT) b40g2000prd (DOT) googlegroups.com>,
HKEK <coolmale (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

I can have the vehicle inspected and the deposit is refundable if my
mechanic finds any serious issues.

It has been suggested that some shops do not drain the oil during
changes but pump it out instead through the dipstick tube. It was
further suggested that this practice may leave enough used oil behind
to contaminated the fresh oil being added.
Correct.

When I drain oil for a change, I drain it hot and for an hour or two
if not overnight.
That's how I do it.

The shop I go to does remove the drain plug for about 15 min.

Over the years I've noticed very very dirty oil in some rental cars with
over 15K miles on the clock. I'm sure they only change the oil just
before selling the rental. How to shorten engine life!
I'll not mention the worst rental car oil I've noticed, not wanting to
be sued! <

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Evaluating a Used Car - DipStick (Oil) Reading

Chrysler Dodge, Plymouth, Jeep, Eagle, etc info/talk (rec.autos.makers.chrysler)

Re: Evaluating a Used Car - DipStick (Oil) Reading - 05-21-2007 , 10:23 AM

Re: Evaluating a Used Car - DipStick (Oil) Reading - 05-22-2007 , 01:44 AM