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?

3 comments

3 Comments

richard2265d ago

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

robert_lopez643d ago

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

henderson.oscar5d 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.