chrisr

Hi guys! I just wanted to get an idea as to where people take their TLX for routine maintenance. I had a Honda Civic before my TLX and I've always taken it to QuickLube and paid around $40 for a regular oil change.

a35tl

Acura dealer is an hour away. Honda dealer is 5 minutes. Honda dealer gets my business for anything other than a warranty issue.

sbillard

You don't seem the category I will eventually be using--and independent auto mechanic shop. A cut above local garage (gas station?), which is also a bit above shops like Pep Boys and Jiffy Lube.

But for now it will be the Acura dealer since my extended warranty came with free service for the first three years.

tlxsteve

I lease so I take it to the dealer.

CheeseyPoofs McNut

Went to the Acura dealer for the first one as there were several software updates to do at the same time. It was very nice - they gave me a loaner to drive for the day and while the oil change was a bit pricey overall it was a very good experience.

Down the road I will likely take it to the Honda Dealership for oil changes and to Acura for anything more complex.

NCRaider

The Acura dealer will have all the software updates, so they get my business.

a35tl

I wish my Acura dealer provided loaners. They will give you a car to drive for a fee. I had my TL serviced there for a warranty issue back in April and they "rented" me a TLX V6 Tech for a day. Had to pay by the mile. Ridiculous!

csmeance

That sounds horrid. Acura commented that they are working on improving the customer experience. Did you schedule an appointment?

JLawrence

I take my cars to an independent, family run, "Jiffy Lube" like business for oil changes--and I bring my own Mobil One.

pizokk1

whats the difference if youre leasing? im leasing too, do that means they have to do it?

a35tl

Oh yes. In fact, my appointment was scheduled around the fact that I would need a loaner vehicle. Had to wait about 3 days for the appointment. I drove the car about 130 miles and ended up paying around $30 for the "loaner". Not only that, the car was filthy when I received it. The interior was fine but the exterior was very dirty.

TBC787

Take it to the dealership where I purchased the car. Helps build a relationship as well as better record keeping of service events. I also think the factory filter is a better choice than many of the aftermarket units in spite of all the claims.

dzionny_dzionassi

Wrong, you are very wrong. Oem is basically cheapest Fram filter.....

ConradValmont

Know your OEM filters

15400-PLM-A01 = Filtech
15400-PLM-A02 = Honeywell

dzionny_dzionassi

thank you for confirming my statement.
15400-PLM-A01 was better filter, but Honda decided to go cheaper.

mapleloaf

I always go to my Acura dealership. They have a fantastic service department and the positive relationship is worth a few extra bucks for an oil change….in terms of any other issues that arise, or the cost of installs like a new rim, etc.

cammy5

I purchased a discounted maintenance package through the dealership that includes 6 synthetic oil changes and 6 tire rotations for $381. I much prefer to use the dealership for the software updates if needed, loaner cars, level of service.

Quandry

My Acura dealer, 25 minutes walk away. The service can likely be done cheaper at a local shop that is 5 minutes away or a Honda dealer also 25 minutes away. If it breaks they fix it under warranty, no questions asked. This is a "peace of mind" decision and cost of ownership.

Crashmaster

Just did my first oil change on my TLX today. The drain plug requires a 17mm socket. I replaced my stock oil drain plug with a Gold Plug magnetic drain plug (about $20). I have the V6 engine and there is a shield that is partially under the oil drain and you could put a piece of plastic or metal there to allow the oil to run down, so that the oil doesn't go on the shield. Even if it does, just take a towel and wipe it down. As for the filter, just turn your steering wheel to the right and you have great access between the wheel and the fender. Again, drippings will get on the control arm when you remove the filter, so be sure to either clean it up afterwards or construct something for the oil to run down.


Small Tip: Take an old plastic bag and put it around the oil filter as you are unscrewing it and all the oil drippings and filter will be caught in the bag. This will catch the majority of the oil.


Overall, the entire process took about 10 minutes (OK, I have a lift in my garage) but even if you had to do this on your back, it would likely still take about 10 minutes or less. I used the Fram TG7317 oil filter.


Why did I do it myself? I have a lift, so it is extra easy. I don't want to take a chance on some service advisor or mechanic scratching the paint or getting oil on the interior or using the wrong fluid. Heck I could easily list a bunch more reasons why it is better to DIY (Do it yourself!).

dzionny_dzionassi

^^^^^AMEN, But why not to use better filter?

Crashmaster

The TG7317 (Tough Guard) is a good filter. Not the best, but I would put it equal to OEM. Problems with filters are pretty much non-existent these days. The Tough Guard purports to be 99% filtration efficient and can handle both regular and synthetic oils. That's good enough for me.

nore03

I took my car to the Acura dealer for it's first oil change. I work for a Honda dealer but I just feel more comfortable dealing with Acura. I could pay less with my dealership but at the same time inside it just doesn't feel right. When I took my car in the first time I didn't know the service was free so when I took my card out to pay he looked at me confused like "wait you plan on having US do your work?" Afterwards he told me "it's free, I figured that's why you brought it to us." I told him, I just feel more comfortable with you guys working on my car. I bought it from you guys, so you guys should get my service business.

Nedmundo

When I worked near an Acura dealer, I went there. Now, I use a Gulf station a few blocks away, which has an outstanding garage. They're serious car guys, who work on old muscle cars, do performance mods, etc. We took our Jetta GLX and Saab 9-5 Aero there for years, but now that we have a Mazda and Acura, we don't see them as often!

BTW, I put this in the "local garage" category, but I agree with sbillard that we should have an "independent mechanic shop" category which would include the good local garages. My guys are nothing like Pep Boys or Jiffy Lube, and don't belong in the same category.

1Louder

Thanks for the post! I changed my own oil in my 06 TSX for years (since 09). I'll take my TLX to the dealer for the first few services, just to get some warranty work done while I'm there. But after that I intend to start changing it myself.

Question about DIY on the TLX:
- Is there any kind of crush washer on the oil plug? There is for the TSX, was curious of TLX was the same or not.
- I don't have a lift, but I have small rolling lift and some car jacks - I'm assuming lifting the front end up would be necessary to get at the plug - true?

Crashmaster

Glad to see another person doing their own oil changes. I have free oil changes for life at the Acura dealer, but I’m sort of anal about breaking in my engine a particular way to do my best to avoid oil usage at higher mileage. Once I have the engine broken in to my satisfaction, I’ll start using the dealer for my free oil changes.

There IS a crush washer on the drain plug just like most Honda’s. You can purchase a package of 10 crush washers on Ebay for $4.99 with free shipping.

I didn’t look carefully, but I believe the drain plug is at the furthest rear of the oil pan, meaning that if you put your car on drive up ramps with the front end up in the air, it would probably facilitate quicker oil changes; again, I would need to double check that.

Do you need to lift the car up to get to the drain plug? Well, that depends on how small you are and if you have the lower front spoiler. For the average person, you would need tojack up the front end at least 4 to 5 inches or more. Don’t forget safety stands and eye protection.

Quandry

Off topic: Crashmaster, why do you post with special large fonts like the above. It is not unlike posting in all caps!

Crashmaster

Glad you have great vision, but many do not. I also tend to write my posts in MSWord and then copy and paste. The above is is my standard font and size for MSWord. I detest small print, but haven’t ever heard that a larger font is comparable to ALL CAPS, which we all know to mean as SHOUTING!!

I’ll try to remember to re-font my messages to make you happy.