How Dirty Should Oil Be After Change?
 

Just had dealer perform oil change at an outrageous price. Drove half a mile and stopped to check to see if dipstick showed correct amount. I was very surprised that the oil looked dirty.

What should the oil look like immediately after a fill and filter change?

Thanks!

Just like it comes out of the bottle: Honey-colored and translucent in volume, or clear on the dipstick.

The oil is not going to be clean and pure...but it should not be black. Further, I don't believe the cooler gets drained on a typical oil change.
What's an outrageous price?

Outrageous price $169 Canada - about $125 U.S.
My Cadillac CTS done with Synthetic 2 hours later at Cadillac dealer - $81 Canadian

Wow. I just changed mine yesterday. Was around $25 or so for M1 oil and K&N filter. :eek:

Does your car have a wet or dry sump?

Oil will appear dirty damn near immediately, it mixes with remnants of old oil and gets thermal cycles up to higher heat that changes its color. You could change you oil, drive for 5 minutes , pull it out, and your see a distinct color difference.

2010 base convertible - takes 5.7 liters or 6 quarts.
Only drove half mile before checked oil - little time to circulate.
CTS driven 10 miles after oil change was cleaner - looked like I would expect.

I can say this confidently, you got ripped off price wise.

I suspect you are concerned the oil wasnt changed at all. I cant provide any input on that. Try taking a picture of the oil?

I really find it hard to believe that a DEALER would charge you for a change and not do it. They made enough on the service, probably cost them maybe $30-$40 so they made their money, why would they take that chance? Unless somebody screwed up there...I don't know!

It should look almost like it came out of the bottle for the first day or so.

the guys at the local oil change shop charge around $70 IIRC.

Next time keep an eye on the oil before you go in. If it looks the same, you know they never changed it. I wouldn't expect it from a dealer. I don't even expect it from my local oil change shop. The big discount box stores, however, are another matter. I've known too many folks that have left the car while they shopped, got charged for the oil change, and checked the dipstick and saw they didn't change it.

Should look clean. Something's fishy.

Moral of this story ....

If you don't have 100% trust in your car service company, change your own oil and filter !

Disclaimer: . Shit ... I'm 70 years old, and I still change my own oil

.

Mine still looks light brown after a thousand miles.

Ha! 68 here, so I got at least two more changes to go. :D

Oil was definitely changed. Much cleaner - not as clean as I thought it should be before driving. I suspect some of old oil contaminated the new.

Obviously I won't be using this dealer again. Several years ago they were very good in terms of price. Beat all quotes for new Corvette tires and very reasonable oil changes and every fourth change was free. Never thought to ask price because of past experience.

Sir, how did the oil go from "dirty" to "definitely changed. Much cleaner" in 4 hours? The oil should look clean for at least a couple hundred miles. Mine seldom gets dark, even after 1000 miles.

It would be a lot easier to compare the colour of the oil if you wiped the dipstick on a clean white rag, and then compared it to the same oil straight from the bottle wiped on the same rag.

I am 76 and still change my oil. that is the easiest thing to do on base c6 I look forward to doing it, new oil stays clean for awhile