“Just tell him not to yell at me.”
A woman went three years without getting an oil change. Then she was embarrassed to reveal this to the mechanic. Fortunately, he’s new on the job.
TikTok creator Marti (@marticookss) posted a video from her Mercedes-Benz. In it, she drives up to the oil change place and is greeted by the technician.
“I’m a little embarrassed to say I’ve never had an oil change in this car and I’ve had it for like three years,” she tells him. “But the light’s never turned on so I didn’t know, but I feel like I should probably get one.”
“Yeah,” he says, “I’ll have you talk to one of the guys up there, because I’m just a little bit newer.”
“That’s fine,” she replies. “Just tell him not to yell at me.”
In the on-screen text, she writes, “POV: You’re just a girl who needs an oil change, maybe?”
In the video’s comments, viewers weren’t overly concerned that she waited three years for an oil change.
“‘Just tell him not to yell at me’ is the most real thing I have ever heard,” wrote one viewer. Marti responded, “Nah, because I have a feeling I made a little mistake. I’m not gonna pay you to yell at me for it.”
“Not both of you being new to the experience,” joked another.
One person, presumably the creator’s mother, wrote, “I’m going to have dad repo your car.”
At least one person offered practical advice instead of just jokes. “Since no one else has commented,” they wrote. “You need an oil change every 3,000-10,000 miles. Oil change and filter. Generally, it is recommended every 5,000 miles. The light only comes on if your car is lacking oil—not if it’s just gross and needs to be changed.”
According to Christian Brothers Automotive, waiting a long time between oil changes is both understandable and a bad idea. Oil gets dirty over time and needs to be changed periodically to keep your engine running properly.
Mercedes-Benz dealerships generally recommend, at a minimum, getting an annual oil change or one every 10,000 miles. Some older models might require changes every 5,000-7,000 miles. Drivers in the US average about 14,000 miles per year, and in some states that number can reach 20,000.
Oil Changers notes that dirty oil can turn into sludge over time, creating friction and clogs that can result in overheating. That will make the engine less efficient, so you’ll spend more on gas. And guess what? If you wait too long, your engine will fail, costing you thousands in repairs—if not a completely new vehicle.
Motor1 contacted Mari via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We’ll update this post if she responds.
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