Project 'Me BooSTa'

[Jake]

Figured it was time to do a quick oil change. The car's got 1800 miles on it (after 5 weeks. really.) and people talk about metal shavings and assembly lube (hehe, lube) mixing with the oil on a new motor.

So, I went to AutoZone, bought six quarts of synthetic 5W-30 -- yes, a 2.0L takes almost six quarts -- and a filter. The filter is the same as the non-ST Focii.

Pretty easy job, other than taking down the fuzzy, carpeted tray below the engine. I hate them but they keep the motor looking nice. The filter just hangs there, straight down, so it's easy access.

I don't know who put the filter on in Michigan (The Rock? Arnold? A robot?) but the noises I made while flopping about on my garage floor trying to get leverage to spin the damn thing off were akin to those of childbirth scenes on evening dramas. And no, I didn't get an epidural. Anyway, it finally came off and I spun the new one on, but with less brute force.

Also, it's really easy to reset the oil service monitor. Put the car in Accessory mode (so, poke the start button without the clutch depressed) and floor the brake and gas pedals until the screen says it's been reset.