Dealer recommends I get an oil cooler?

houkouonchi

So I was kind of surprised by this. I came to the dealer today (I am actually still at the dealer using their wireless) to get my oil changed (I am at 18k+ miles) so I had them give me the values for the tires as well (the tread is low, 3 on front 2 on rear) which is pretty much what I expected. My bill is gonna be more this time since I am also getting the air filters and stuff (doing their 15k maintenance stuff). Anyway everything I am having tone today is gonna be about $200.

I wasn't super surprised to find out that my tires need replacing which I figured I would be doing soon. Their service manager (I am guessing) actually came to ask me about the camera in the car (they were wondering if I do street racing or drifting, lol). Anyway the thing I didn't expect is them to come out later and recommend I get an oil cooler (totally out of the blue). They are gonna give me a quote on it and I will consider doing it but they said it wouldn't be covered under warranty.

I did find it surprising that they said nissan recommends the oil cooler if you drive for extended periods of time (I drive it 80 miles every day I work). Oil temps are the *one* thing I don't like about my Z so I might consider doing it if its under $800 installed. I must say I am surprised to here the recommendation from them though.

Anyone else have this happen to them?

SoCal 370Z

Sounds like you've found one of the better Nissan dealers. I believe that the Nissan oil kit is around $800, excluding labor. And yes, Nissan states they will not warranty the oil cooler, so your dealer is being honest.

Hey, an experienced mechanic can tell whether you're running the sh!t out of your Z and make the right warranty call. On the same token an experienced mechanic will also push for warranty if they see you are doing things right.

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houkouonchi

So far this dealer has been really cool. They happen to be the one I bought the car at around 20 miles away from where I live (25 miles away from where I used to live). There are many closer dealers that I don't go to as I didn't really like them.

They also have pretty decent wireless so I can keep occupied while I am here.

Its kinda funny they brought up the oil cooler as I was actually thinking about asking them about it. I just got back a quote for $1100 installed. Definitely a bit more than I wanted but I think I am gonna go ahead and do it.

Their pricing for the hankook tires are like $200 more than tirerack so I will buy those separately. They also recommended a fuel injector cleaning which would be $150. Do you guys think cleaning the injectors is needed/useful at this point? A bit over 18k miles on the car. If it is recommended by some knowledgeable forum members I will probably opt for doing it.

kenchan

houkouonchi- they just want to make money, that's all.

BLM

That's highway robbery. Top speed shops charge no more than $800 for 34R installed.

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SoCal 370Z

Okay, Kenchan is on to something as this is bullsh!t, and unnecessary.

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BLM

injector cleaning? Gimme a break. And I'm telling you $1100 is INSANE for an oil cooler install. Are they even giving you a 34R?

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houkouonchi

Well I have been told that the oil cooler is around $780 the nissan nismo one which I would probably prefer incase any problems caused the engine to be damaged or something else. The biggest worry I would have is a situation where I have to battle get my warranty honor'd if I have any problems with the car.

I already had a horrible situation that ended up costing me $2000 on my subaru impreza (previous car) when its engine died because I didn't do all the oil installs at the dealer or had proper records for them. Needless to say I learned my lesson after that.

BLM

All the coolers out there use the same cores and have subtle differences to the design. GTM, Z1, Performance Motorsports, etc are all reliable. It just seems from an objective standpoint that they are taking advantage of you. The injector cleaning thing is over the top ridiculous.

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houkouonchi

Ok so I will forego the injector cleaning. Well the oil cooler thing I am much more concerned with warranty (not just on the cooler itself but the engine). I don't want to every have a warranty battle.

This means I would want to get a nissan oil cooler either way so if I am already going to pay $780 for that no matter what is the rest for labor (another $300) pretty reasonable?

Oil cooler is listed as a 21300-ss370 Oil Cooler.

11Thumper

What are your oil temps during your daily 80 mile drive? Do you see the temps jumping way too high? I'm still breaking mine in but if I'm just driving I average 195-200 degrees and it doesn't budge. Highest I saw was 250 degrees in the mountains and I pushed it a couple times. It's interesting that while going uphill the temp climbs up pretty quick even if driving gentle. Going downhill it cools very quickly.

The dealer is just trying to make $. You have a warranty and if you're not abusing the car or tracking it don't worry. If you pop the engine you have a warranty and the claim could be denied if you have the oil cooler installed. Seems like a no-brainer and you can save some $.

If you're maintaining your car properly (sounds like you are) and driving normal with some spirited driving but not bashing on the track...let any oil related breakdown be Nissan's problem, not yours.

Red__Zed

Meh, that price isn't that bad for the nismo cooler installed by a dealer. Get the warranty continuation put in writing though.

11Thumper

You DON'T need to have oil changes done at the dealer! Just keep receipts for the materials and you're fine (as long as you do it properly of course). Best advice is to keep using OEM Nissan filters so they can't put the blame on an aftermarket filter...although that is tough to do.

Some people worry about the size of the OEM filter (size matters? ) but most piston aircraft engines that operate all the time at 75%-80% power output don't even have filters...just metal screens.

OEM filters, quality brand name oil (doesn't have to be synthetic) changed at regular intervals is all that's needed.

Lemers

Be careful and understand what is being warranted. Nissan unusually has a 10 k warranty on there accessories installed by a certified dealer. So your $800 oil cooler is covered if it has problems. But I don't believe they will cover problems to the engine caused by add-ons. Even their own oil cooler.

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SoCal 370Z

Nissan official response:


"Nissan North America: The 370Z has an engine protection system that reduces peak engine speeds when the oil temperature exceeds recommended levels in order to protect against possible engine damage. Aggressive driving of the 370Z on a race track at sustained high engine speeds can cause increases in oil temperature and may activate this engine protection system. To avoid activation of this engine protection system and these reduced peak engine speeds, Nissan recommends an oil cooler be fitted to the 370Z before driving it on a race track. A Nissan Motorsports accessory oil cooler kit is available for customer purchase through authorized Nissan dealerships for race track use. The part number is 21300-SS370.

An oil cooler is not necessary for normal operation of the vehicle on public roads. The addition of an oil cooler would have raised the price of the car and potentially moved it out of the reach of some customers. Value has been a core principle of the Z car since the original 240Z and we choose to uphold this core principle by not adding additional costs that are unnecessary for normal use. For those individuals who choose to drive their vehicle on a race track, the oil cooler is available as an aftersales item.

The oil cooler is a Nissan Motorsports item and as such is sold without warranty, express or implied, unless expressly prohibited by law in which case the warranty provided is the minimum required by law. The installation of the Nissan Motorsports oil cooler does not, by itself, “void” the vehicle warranty. However any damage caused by the installation or use of this part is expressly excluded under the terms of the Nissan New Vehicle Limited warranty."

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