So...I bought a 2005 Pontiac Grand Am (3.4 V6 ) a few months ago, and it was time for its first oil chnge since I've had it. I bought the filter, and a 5 quart jug of Castrol Syntec 5w-30, then rolled the car up onto the rhino ramps.

I crawled underneith an uncrewed the 13mm bolt....still nothing unusual.

Everything is fine untill I start to search for the filter. Well....the bottom of this car covers the bottom of the engine with various frame rails, pans, line, hoses and such that I can barely see the motor. Turns out they used a black WIX filter, and thats why I couldnt find it. ok...fine.....but I had to snake my arm though the frame rail and around hises and lines to even touch it. Well....I finally get it unscrewed....but then oil goes everywhere...because I cant turn the filter upright to keep it from spilling!

to make things worse....the filter would not come out of the "cage" made by the frame. I had to BREAK the filter and get in out of there in two pieces!!!!!!

Guess what....my FRAM filter was BIGGER some how!!!!!! I had to drop it in from the top...let it land on the frame cage, then crawl back under the car, snake my arm back up and screw it on....AHAHHH

I never take my cars in to get an oil chnage.....but I will on this one nexst time. Do you think car companies do this on purpose in hopes that people take the car into the dealer to get oil changes???

 

Reason #7 why I no longer have any GM cars.
It was harder to change the oil on my '99 Buick than any other car I ever owned in the past 30 years.
That includes my stock V8 Valiant that I had to jack up the body to get clearance from the torsion bar.

 

A friend of mine owed a Grand Am. I've heard that story before .

 

intresting......what are the first 6??

 

Well this isn't an exact list and its only the top 10 but...

• They killed Oldsmobile.
• Cadillac stole the “northstar” system from the Olds Aurora development team.
• The marketing people are from outside the car industry. They know nothing about cars.
• They keep bringing models to market before they put the right engine in it.
• When they find the right engine they kill the car.(GTO, Fiero, etc.)
• My last Buick was a lemon.
• It was way too much of a PITA to change the oil in the Buick.
• They never built a car that could compete with the foreign gas sippers.
• They sold thousands of SUVs at huge mark-ups and ignored station wagons ( except for the Roadmonster).
• They killed Oldsmobile.

You know, 30 years ago I wouldn't even go to a Ford dealer. Now, half my cars are Ford.