There are no dealers in WV either, but the smart is the easiest oil change I've ever done, so I always do it myself. I just don't trust the quick lube places to do it correctly.
I went for my first oil change at the dealer at 5000 miles, the "smart mechanic" was off that day. I bought a filter and left.
All my oil changes thereafter were done a the corner "quick change" place. I supervised it, opened the engine hatch and reminded
them the oil plug was LONG, no troubles 8 years and 72K miles later.
Last time I went to an oil change place (at 20k), they put on a filter that was so cheap, it was rusting inside and out and slowly leaking by the time it was time for my next oil change like 6 months later.
I never returned. In fact, that nightmare experience convinced me to learn how to change my own oil from 30k and beyond. Couldn't be happier.
On my first smart, a 'quick change' place stripped out the threads in the pan on a Sunday afternoon. I was lucky enough to recall a different drain plug had a touch longer threads (thanks to this forum) and was able to thread it in with enough grab to seal. I never removed it after that and use a topside oil changer to extract oil through the oil dipstick tube since. Never had a problem after that.
Much cheaper than a new pan, and lots easier and cleaner too.
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