Camper Van's First Oil Change - Milton Updates

 

As we got close to home on our trip this past summer, I noticed the "Oil Change Message" on the Camper Van's Dash, with about 7,900 miles on the van.  (Above is an example I found on the net, I should have taken a picture of ours but didn't)  I had wondered how often the oil needs to be changed, and the Promaster Manual says, "The vehicle will let you know when it is time, based on distance, how hard your drive, etc., etc. ... and try to get it done within 500 miles of when you see the message"  Well, ok then...

So WHERE should I get it changed at?  The first hurricane came and went and I figured I would get it change a week or two after, once businesses get settled down again.  Then Hurricane Milton started to set sights on us.  So on Saturday, 5 days before Hurricane Milton was to hit, I went to the local "Take-5" oil change place thinking we might be leaving Monday or Tuesday due to Milton.  Well, they had nothing in their computer for our new 2024 vehicle, and they CANNOT change the oil unless it is in their computer system.  They said it would be in the computer by the end of the year...just a bit too late for me.  So I called a Firestone place and got a Monday appointment.  Then, the Hurricane was forecasted directly for our area and we decided to leave Monday.  Called the guy at Firestone and he understood...no time for getting oil changed before our evacuation.

So after our return, I waited two weeks because so much of this general area, from 30 miles to our north to 50 miles to our south, was hard hit by the Hurricane.  So many people and businesses were without power, some facing flooding (more at homes than businesses), that I wanted things to settle down.  So on Monday I made an appointment with Ferman Chrysler - Jeep - Dodge - Ram for an oil change.  This dealer is much closer to us than the nearest Firestone, but I figured it would cost around $125 or more to change the oil!  My appointment was at 10:45, and I arrived just before 10:30.  Jason was my service rep, and when asked about how long it would take he said, "Well, we are running on-time, BUT, (isn't there always a 'BUT'?) we only have two lifts which are rated to handle the 9,500 pounds that your Camper Van weighs.  I 'HOPE' it will be done by noon.  At noon they were pulling it into the shop, by 12:20 it came out of the shop, I paid my $68 (YES! Only $68 ... Take 5 was going to charge me $85+ had they been able to do it), and he said all looked good.  We had 9,160 miles on the van. Had we not evacuated to Tallahassee, it would have been changed within the 500 miles after getting the message.  Now I just need to figure out how to schedule the next oil change without having to wait two hours for a twenty minute job...or...just pay the devil at Take-5.  (Think Jiffy Lube when you think of Take-5)

Now we are set for another 7,500 - 10,000 miles.  I am going to track the frequency of when the notice appears

The effects of Hurricane Milton are still being felt by those who live within certain Water Sheds.  In particular, the Withlacoochee River Watershed still has massive flooding in certain areas.  The river flows South to North, so that area in our county is getting back to normal road wise, but it will be a LONG TIME before homes along the river which were flooded (and there were many) will be back to normal.  Electricity has been restored to all homes which are able to have electricity. If the flood waters went above the lowest power outlet, a licensed electrician must come in and make sure the house is ready for power again.  In many areas, the wait to get a licensed electrician to do the job is taking days and even weeks.

It is a difficult drive to go into an area which was hard hit, and see all the waste along the streets awaiting pickup.  On Monday I drove through Crystal Beach again, and it was still full of items which were water soaked and needing to be disposed of. 

Gas is once again in abundance, as is food and other grocery items.  In many neighborhoods you cannot even tell that a hurricane came through.  But the amount of people who are living out of motels, living with others, anxious to get back into their homes, is staggering.

THE BEST NEWS...

No Tropical Activity within the next SEVEN Days!!!!  Hurricane Season last through November.  On November 10, 2022 Florida had a Level One Hurricane hit over in the Vero Beach area, between Miami and Daytona Beach.  Before that was Hurricane Kate in 1985 and Yankee in 1935.  So once November comes around, Hurricane concerns drop drastically.  Thank God for November!  😇