Logo_White

lede_post_card_default

lede_post_card_stacked

lede_post_card_featured_post

lede_post_card_featured_post_3:2

lede_post_card_featured_post_1:1

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero_3:2

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero_1:1

lede_post_card_featured_posts_sidebar

lede_post_card_highlighted_post

lede_post_card_horizontal_a

lede_post_card_horizontal_c

lede_post_card_related_post

lede_post_card_square

lede_article_featured_16x9

lede_article_featured_16x9_full_width

lede_article_featured_3x2

lede_article_featured_3x2_full_width

lede_article_featured_1x1

lede_article_featured_1x1_full_width

lede_article_featured_flexible

lede_article_featured_flexible_full_width

lede_article_content

lede_article_content_wide_width

lede_article_content_full_width

lede_byline_avatar_post_card

lede_byline_avatar_highlight

lede_profile_coral_avatar

lede_logo

lede_logo_banner

lede_logo_footer_banner

lede_logo_simple_header

lede_sponsorship_logo

lede_sponsorship_logo_river_card

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card_logo

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card

lede_leaderboard

Main Header Menu

Logo_2a8517

The Daily Dot

Phil West is a veteran professional writer and editor, and his works include two nonfiction books and articles in myriad print and online publications.

Phil West

2 panel image: a person explains and we see the exterior of a Toyota dealership.

toyota_dealership_fraud_repair_cerritos.jpg

“We would have never known”: Couple takes truck into AutoNation Toyota dealership for oil change. Then they look under the vehicle

Gisselle Hernandez is a freelance journalist based in Belize, where she writes travel and internet culture pieces. She enjoys watching anime, playing video games, and covering all things TikTok.

Gisselle Hernandez

Photo of a Firestone exterior; Screenshot of Tiktok user @gabycuyler; Photo of a Nissan grill.

firestone_nissan_oilchange_tiktok_EDIT_3.jpg

‘I didn’t realize that was bad’: Nissan driver goes 23,000 miles without oil change. Then she reads the Firestone recommendation

Claire Goforth is a lawyer and the investigative editor of the Daily Dot&#8217;s Hi-Res division. Her work has appeared in the Guardian, Al Jazeera, the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange, and more. She regularly appears on radio and in podcasts. Email for booking info.

Claire Goforth

3 Panel Image, Women close up, and Valvoline signage on grass

Valvoline_Sucks.png

Woman takes 2014 Ford Focus into Valvoline for $170 oil change. Then she gets it home

Steve Ecker is a freelance reporter for the Daily Dot based in Austin, Texas. He has an extensive background in consumer marketing and is also an artist running Get Lost Collages.

Steve Ecker

Mechanic holding a cabin filter, Mechanics with black gloves

Shes_Just_A_Girl.png

‘Put that back where you found it’: Woman goes for an oil change. Then the worker pulls out her cabin filter

Braden Bjella is a culture writer. His work can be found in Mixmag, Electronic Beats, Schon! magazine, and more.

Braden Bjella

Annoyed Women Laying under her car, Ford Bronco, and same annoyed women pointing at Ford Bronco

Ford_Can_You_Not.png

‘My BMWs would never’: Woman crawls under Ford Bronco to change her oil. Then she takes a closer look at the oil pan

man shares what happened when he took his car for an oil change(l) Man changes oil in car(r)

vehicle oil change crash

‘I have some bad news’: Man takes his car to dealership for oil change. Then they crash it into a wall

Alexandra Samuels is a national political reporter and contributor to the Daily Dot, where she started as an intern covering politics in the summer of 2016. She enjoys all things Marvel, keeping up with the latest TikTok trends, long walks with her pup, and reading murder-mystery novels.

Alexandra Samuels

adding oil to engine with plastic container(l) Woman shares psa on valvoline oil(c) Valvoline building(r)

valvoline oil change damage

Woman goes to Valvoline for oil change. Then she leaves with ‘$10,000 to $12,000’ worth of damage

2 image split. Man with overlayed text that reads: "Oil change prices are crazy" on left. Oil change in car on right.

oil_change_prices_are_crazy.png

‘Go get a Ford’: Audi dealership quotes driver $185 for oil change. Then he takes his car into a mom-and-pop shop

Mustafa Gatollari has been an internet culture writer for over a decade. He has a passion for connecting what’s trending on social media to solid research—helping to separate clout-chasing claims from facts.

Mustafa Gatollari

Woman looking shocked while holding hand to mouth in car dealership on left. Mercedes-Benz logo on building on right.

woman_sticking_to_honda_mercedes.png

‘Ima stick to Honda’: Woman buys a Mercedes-Benz. She didn’t check what an oil change would cost first

Ljeonida is a reporter and writer with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of Tirana in her native Albania. She has a particular interest in all things digital marketing; she considers herself a copywriter, content producer, SEO specialist, and passionate marketer. Ljeonida is based in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Ljeonida Mulabazi

white Hyundai Palisade(l) Hyundai Dealer sign(c) Woman smiling(r)

hyundai dealer vehicle

‘And ur confused?’: Woman takes 2021 Hyundai Palisade into dealership. Then she learns it has catastrophic engine failure

Brooke Sjoberg is a freelance writer for the Daily Dot. She graduated with her Bachelors in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin in 2020.

Brooke Sjoberg

row of oil at store(l) Pouring Oil on engine(c) man shares lack of regular oil in store(r)

types of oil

‘O’Reilly’s has it’: Man shops regular Mobile 1, Valvoline, Castrol oil at Walmart. Then he realizes it’s all gone

Nina Hernandez is a writer, journalist, music critic, and culture commentator based in Austin, Texas.

Nina Hernandez

Mechanic Checking oil(l) Walmart Store Front(r)

walmart oil change missing cap

‘They definitely owe you a new motor’: Woman goes to Walmart for oil change. Then she pops the hood

a Jiffy Lube exterior sign; a screenshot of Tiktok user @andysautoadvice

jiffy_lube_tiktok.jpg

‘I don’t recommend going there’: Expert says you should never go to Jiffy Lube for an oil change. Here’s the real reason why

Two panel design with a man looking and talking to the camera, next to an image of someone adding oil to their car

Check_Your_Oil_Levels

‘That’s gonna be a lawsuit…’: Customer gets oil change at Walmart. Then mechanic takes a look at it

Toyota Dealer Sign(l) Woman shares experience at Toyota Dealer(c) Dashboard stating oil change required(r)

Oil Change