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I've decided to change the oil on my Smart (7800 miles). This would be my first 'official' oil change EVER!!! I know I'm not a grease monkey but I think it's simple enough from the instructions that have been provided on here.
My only question is where to get the parts.
Oil 0W30 or 0W40 Mobile 1 Synthetic (Walmart, Target, or Sam's doesn't carry it)
Oil filter
I know the dealer carries it but if I can get it cheaper somewhere else, I would rather do that.
I'll follow up on this thread on how it went. My worst concerns is getting all excited after I'm done, taking it for a test drive, and then realize I forgot to add the new oil.
I got my Mobil 1 0W40 and Mobil 1 M108 filter at Pep Boys.
I just did my first oil change on the car last night. The filter is easier to get to than any other car I've owned over the years, but it was cranked on pretty tight from the factory. Same with the drain plug but again, access was easy.
Good luck, and I don't think you should have a problem.
I'm thinking about doing mine around 1,250 miles after reading about how some people on here have found debris in their filters.
Mine sees somewhat harsh driving conditions (I live 1/2-3/4 mile from work but am driving every day right now as I'm carrying 2 computers and such), I like to move when out on the highway, and tend to be a leadfoot around town.
I'm at 600 miles right now, and am slowly whittling it away from the break in period and am driving normally.
Changing oil is one of the easiest things you can do on a car yourself. A few notes on this car however...
You'll need a 2 or 3 foot breaker bar to get the drain plug loose. It has about 45 or so foot pounds of torque on it. It was not fun to loosen with a 1 foot socket wrench, not to mention the busted up knuckle from when it finally broke loose. Being slightly obsessive I used a torque wrench to torque the drain plug back to the recommended torque.
Buy the oil at Sam's, Costco, or you local parts store. I got my filter from the dealer with a new copper crush washer. Oh, and whoever put the oil filter on mine at the factory pretty much ensured that I needed to have a tool to get the filter off... Used a pipe wrench since the oil filter wrench I had was too big. Another option is to pierce the filter with a screw driver and use it as a lever to loosen it. I also purchased a funnel with a measuring cup on top and long hose attached to refill. This way I could measure the oil accurately since you refill with less than 4 full quarts. Also, given the location of the oil fill and the angle you'd have to hold the bottle it keeps you from missing and creating a mess.
Good Luck.
BTW, I changed at the end of break-in, no shavings in the oil or filter were present.
Last edited by msjohnson1974; 09-17-2008 at 09:04 PM..
Changed mine at 1000miles. Cannot agree more to have the correct tools, could set you back $20, worth every penny.
You should have a band-type filter wrench the size of this filter. You'll buy the filter at a store, test the wrench to be sure it works. I do not like the type of wrench that fits on the end of the filter like a shallow socket wrench, they are more likely to slip off. While I have used the screwdriver method once in the past, its a bad idea. If you shread the filter with the screwdriver, you are screwed, because now your car is disabled. Get the right tool, maybe $8!
I used an open-end wrench to get the plug out because I didn't have the right size socket. I do now.
No need for a new washer on the drain plug, it'll last forever. The design of the drain plug makes it highly unlikely you could accidently loose it..
One last point, you CAN change the oil with the car on the ground, for me it was tight. Your nose passes very close to the tailpipe and bodywork, and there is little room to move wrenches. I'll use my ramps next time. Even backing the car up on scraps of 2 x 6 lumber would give you 1.5 inches more space. To state the obvious, Do not work under it on jacks of any kind.
A short funnel will keep things clean for $1.
As stated above, this is an easy job with the right tools, less so without them. You'll save a bunch of $, plus, while you're under there you'll see any other issues that might need attention.
Changed mine at 1000miles. Cannot agree more to have the correct tools, could set you back $20, worth every penny.
You should have a band-type filter wrench the size of this filter. You'll buy the filter at a store, test the wrench to be sure it works. I do not like the type of wrench that fits on the end of the filter like a shallow socket wrench, they are more likely to slip off. While I have used the screwdriver method once in the past, its a bad idea. If you shread the filter with the screwdriver, you are screwed, because now your car is disabled. Get the right tool, maybe $8!
Yeah, I forgot the disclaimer about the screwdriver method isn't recommended and is a last resort... I've only ever needed a filter wrench for the first oil change on any car anyway. Dealers I've used don't even crank the filter down that tight when they do it. Great idea about the 2x6s no clue why i didn't think of that.
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