A kid asked me if cars still have dipsticks

I was at the parts counter and this teenager with his dad was buying oil. He looked at the jug and asked the clerk if his car had a dipstick to check it. The clerk just said 'probably not' and moved on. Made me think, when did checking your own oil become a specialist task? How many of you are seeing more cars without them now?

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3 Comments

richard2265mo ago

Yeah, it's crazy how checking oil became a specialist task.

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robert_lopez645mo ago

Exactly. Do you think it's more about making money on service, or just bad design now?

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henderson.oscar5mo ago

What gets me is the safety stuff they hide behind. My old Civic had a simple dipstick. Now you pop the hood and there's a giant plastic cover over everything. They say it's for crash protection or to keep things clean, but it also means you can't check your own belts or spot a leak. It turns basic care into a mystery, so you have to go back to the dealer.

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