New golf cart oil change question
 

Does The Villages Golf Cars have to do the oil changes or can you do it yourself in order to stay under warranty?

They charge $50, but with an oil change syphon I can quickly do the oil change for the price of the oil. There is no oil filter, so I don't see paying $50, unless doing it yourself voids the warranty.

Thoughts? Will doing it myself void the warranty or do I just need to document when I did it and show proof I bought the oil each time?

I bought a used 2018 Yamaha quietech from an individual., so I have no warranty. But I understand what you're saying. No way I would pay $50 for them to drain 1 quart and put in 1 quart. That's all it is.
As a longtime motorcycle guy, an oil change doesn't get much easier than this.

That said, if it would void the warranty I would probably bite the bullet and pay them.

I have mixed feelings about the use of the suction device for an oil change, tried it once, did not seem to work well. To actually drain the oil, you need to jack up the cart and remove 4 bolts to drop the bottom pan to get access to the oil drain plug, so if that is what they are doing, $50 sounds about right. As for the warranty, you should call them directly.

I use a suction device to change the oil in a 2017 quiet tech. I measured how much I sucked out of the dipstick tube, it was really close to a quart. Did I get every drop out no but enough to call it an oil change. Who's to say The Villages Golf Cart store doesn't use a suction device? I owned a boat for years with no access to the drain and suctioned the oil out was never a problem.

Gas Golf Cars - The Villages Golf Cars : The Villages Golf Cars

Hometown $60.00

Thats good to know, thanks. I've never used one, but it sounds like it's a good way to go on a golf cart.

Exactly $60 versus $6. I think I will chose $6 Alex. :gc:

An EWK (brand) pneumatic/manual pump, attaching it to an air hose from a small air compressor is the way to go. Just wiggle the syphon tube around a little at the end and it seems to get almost everything that may be left. Suction seems almost strong enough to pull out a small piston! :laugh:
I tried 2 hand pumps in the past, and both were worthless for the effort and results as compared to the pneumatic.
As for warranty problems: the best you can do is save the oil purchase receipts and document date and engine hours at time of oil changes.

Ask them if it will void your warranty, otherwise do it yourself.

$60.00 is probably fair pricing now days. I had Willie's do a service on our Yamaha back in 2019 and the service of oil change and filters and change rear differential was $140.00.
99% of us Villagers are not hands on and pay and support our local businesspeople.

According to a person I know that worked at the Villages Golf Carts in 2021 servicing carts, they suction the oil out.

The first one-year / 1200 mile service at the Villages Golf Cart on our 2020 Yamaha was $170! They changed the oil and put a drive belt on even though I did not request the belt change nor were there any issues with the belt. I’ve been servicing it since. I change the oil 2X/year making sure to use the oil recommended in the manual which I think is 10W-40 JASO MA2, the same as used in wet clutch motorcycles. I also rotate the tires and lube the two Zerk fittings on the drive pulleys. I’ve adjusted the brake pedal play once.

Documentation of the servicing is key. Log date, mileage and hours plus keep all receipts. It’s my understanding that a warranty cannot be denied because the owner performed the services. I’ve been using this approach on motorcycles for many years without any issues.

Where do you take the used oil for disposal?

This is just my opinion but a suction pump does not pick up any crude generated by the engine running. a good oil change drains the crankcase fully. Since Yamaha does not have an oil filter or so I"m told the impurities just build up in the motor.

All this concern over $50...come on...there are bigger things to worry about in this world.

"Where do you take the used oil for disposal?"

Therein lies the main problem and the reason I've chosen to pay what is basically a $50 disposal fee, instead of doing it myself.