CTCOBALTSSS

It's always best to start off with a good mechanics tool set.
Something around a 250 peice set. Then work your way to a compressor and air tools. A jack is always a must a right off the bat.
You can do most things with a jack and a mechanics tool set.

alleycat58

15k has been the standard AFAIK for a while now. Believe me I didn't know that either until recently - my dad was the one that told me about it when I mentioned having fuel pump issues. But in a car that's already burned up one fuel pump (@ 11,000 miles) and is trying like hell to burn up another at 46k, I would suggest sticking with a 15k mile interval on it. ~$35 filter < new fuel pump.

D4u2s0t

yep. i got a nice 250-300 piece set from walmart for like 100 dollars. has pretty much everything that you will need, and since it's specifically for cars, you probably shouldn't need anything else. maybe a good breaker bar and a torque wrench. but for basic stuff, that should do it. it may be expensive to get this stuff all at once, but well worth it when you realize how much you save in labor costs alone. when i had my front bumper painted on my 2.2, then wanted about 600 to take it off, paint it, and reinstall. i took it off, and reinstalled it myself, and the price dropped to about 250. yea, it was a little bit of a pain in the ass because there was about 45 tiny screws, but when you save 350 and it takes about an hour, a beer, and a few cigs, that's a big savings.

CTCOBALTSSS

D4u2s0t speaks the truth. I forgot about the torque wrench. That is key too. $25.00@Walmart.

RA080424

Got a torque wrench already.

Thanks guys for the help.

On a side note, I told my brother about this today and he said 250 was CHEAP! He drives a Hyundai Accent and he said the dealership wanted 400 bucks for a similiar service!

Redberet

Thats not that bad of a price. They just called your brake service where you take all your brakes apart and relube them a cleaning. Thats worth about $150 on its own.

The Dealerships in Canada get 109 for the Front and 99 for Rears up here. You didn't get hosed, you paid a bit more than you would at an independent, but you didn't get hosed. Also a Fuel filter on that up here is usually around 49 + the cost of the filter, so really you did pretty good.

D4u2s0t

we're not saying he got ripped off. we're saying it would have been way less than half if he did it himself. a fuel filter take 10 minutes, and is a piece of cake. no reason to pay someone 49 dollars for putting it on.

alleycat58

Don't skimp on the torque wrench. I got a Craftsman one at Sears for like $35 with free lifetime recalibration and I try and get it recalibrated once a year. Those things can get out of adjustment REALLY easily and that can be costly if your torque spec is off.

D4u2s0t

great advice. + rep!

the great thing about tools is if you get really good ones, they last forever. my first tool set i got i skimped out, and the hammer broke, the wrenches broke, the screwdriver bits broke. spent the extra couple dollars, big deal, and got some stanleys with the lifetime warrenty. craftsman is great too. well worth it, because a cheaper tool kit will cost more when you have to replace it after a few months.

definitely DON'T skimp out on your tools. if you have to, just buy them a few at a time.

madmark

iTrader: (1)

Oil Change-----yes
New Oil Filter---yes
Tire Pressure---yes
Lube Chassis----not on a cobalt
Rotate Tires-----yes
Full Vehicle Inspection--lmao 30 point
Top Off Fluids---just washer fluid
Clean Battery Terminals--no
Replace Fuel Filter----yes
Brake Cleaning-------no
alignment----yes

css9450

Why isn't it on the maintenance schedule then? So they went to the trouble to list minor stuff like the cabin air filter, but left out something serious like the fuel filter, which can cause driveability issues, premature fuel pump failure, and possibly even emissions issues? Its not even mentioned in the maintenance schedule. I'm not saying it should never be changed, but every 15,000 is crazy. I'll probably do mine at 50,000.

D4u2s0t

it's not in the manual, but it is 15,000 or so. i wouldn't go to 50,000 unless you want problems.

joshyboy2006

**** what did they all do? because i did mine the other day through my dealer, paid 132 dollars, oil change, fuel injection flush, and tire rotation, and the laabor is 105 and hour....

alleycat58

I dunno, I haven't looked at my maintenance schedule. If you wanna change yours at 50k, go for it but good luck to ya. Like I said, I'm on my 2nd, and probably soon to be 3rd fuel pump. My dad's truck is the same way, not listed in the maintenance schedule, but due every 15k.

EDIT: Besides, I do my maintenance on my own schedule. Due or not, the cost of the part is cheaper than the cost of a repair down the line.

css9450

Can you provide actual documentation from GM (not a dealer service department) that this is true? I just spent a few minutes Googling the suggested maintenance schedules of several dealerships and none of them list the fuel filter at all, let alone at 15,000 miles.

If problems would occur by not changing the fuel filter that often, it would be listed in the maintenance schedule.

I'm not knocking the choice to do it at 15,000; I'm just saying its not in the official schedule and it was just a money maker that the original poster paid for.

EDIT - Could there be some other issue that is causing your fuel pumps to fail? The only bad one I ever had failed at 240,000 miles. If the gas in your town is really that crappy, then maybe yes you should do the fuel filter extra often. Or move somewhere with better gas.

alleycat58

Look, take your own advice and change it whenever you feel like changing it. It's your car and your repair bill if you're wrong.

There's a lot of things that aren't in a vehicle maintenance schedule that should be done regularly as well. Shocks/struts are a good example, never says so in the schedule but they typically need to be replaced ever 50k miles or so. To me, if it's a "filter" of any kind it needs to be changed at LEAST once a year or the equivalent to a year's worth of driving (which is 12-15k miles) only exception is a CAI, I take my filter off and clean it every 6 months regardless of mileage - once before summer and once at the end of summer.

And I don't see why a preventative replacement would EVER be a "money maker." That's like saying an annual physical from your doctor is a waste of money because you're not sick.

First fuel pump that went was a manufacturing issue. This one is due to the fuel filter I'm certain. I had a Cavalier before my Cobalt with the same issue. I changed the filter every 25k in that because it did have it in the maintenance schedule, but I still burnt up two fuel pumps due to completely clogged filters. Got a nice lecture from the service people about it too.

As for your suggestion about moving to someplace that has better gas, first off it was a little ignorant, and secondly I've lived both in Texas and Pittsburgh and had the same issues. My dad, who just lost a fuel pump due to clogged filter (let his slip for 40k) lived in both Seattle and Kansas City, so I don't think it's a problem with local fuel per-say.

xravenwingsx

I do my own oil changes, and even WITH using Royal Purple oil, it's still saved me a ton! My dealership wanted nearly 100 for just an oil change with Mobil 1 Synthetic! That crap's 2.50 per quart! Royal Purple is 7.50! You do the math, someone's making a killing on cheap oil (Stealership). Anyways, I get my rotations done for free through a friend of mine, so I don't really worry about that. I agree with these guys...do em yourself and save a TON of money

D4u2s0t

where is mobil 1 2.50 per quart? by me it's about 6 or 7

Mr_Slobalt

iTrader: (1)

Oil Change- $35
Tire Pressure- free at work
Lube Chassis- no lubing required
Rotate Tires- free by me....I have my own air tools
Full Vehicle Inspection- free by me
Top Off Fluids- free at work
Clean Battery Terminals- free since I have the supplies
Replace Fuel Filter- $10
Brake Cleaning- free since I have brake clean and lube

my cost: $45

You got ripped if they didn't include at least a wheel balance or maybe a fuel injection service. I guess that's what the dealer is for!

joeworkstoohard

true.

now, i DO have a wal mart $25 torque wrench that i use for "grunt work", like lug nuts and exhaust stuff... so that when i drop it on the pavement i don't go "**** **** **** **** **** *** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** *** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** *** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** *** **** **** **** ****".. but i have a few nicer ones that are used for more important parts like body panels, head bolts, your sister, etc.

$15 a five quart jug when it's on sale at wal mart. i buy 2 or 3 at that price.

Mr_Slobalt

iTrader: (1)

$15? Wow, I can only find it for $20 on sale.

Last oil change I got screwed and had to buy individuals quarts. They were fresh out of 5w30.