I buy synthetic oil in 5-quart containers. Most of them have a transparent strip on one side. I take a clean empty container and pour exactly 3.5 qts into it and then mark that point with a red marker. It's much easier when changing the oil to empty the container into the engine, rather than have to keep stopping and checking the dipstick, especially when the oil hasn't gotten into the oil filter yet. I always have several containers of oil ready to go.

 

That's exactly what I do, but 5 Quart containers

 

fixed..

 

Whoops! Yes, 5-quart. : )

 

I thought that measuring out the correct amount of oil and pouring it in, was what everyone has done, from time immemorial. I have never heard of the dipstick method being used except for old cars that you can't identify and can't get information about.

 

"...from time immemorial." I'm not that old. : )

In a way, that's exactly what I'm doing, but I'm doing it ahead of time. I used to pour it out of the 5-gallon jug or the individual 1-qt bottles, but I always rely on the dipstick.

 

i use those 5qt jugs too and i just rely on the clear strip on the bottle. works fine for me.
at the end i verify with the dip stick and done.

 

Wife's Toyota takes 6.5 quarts of Mobile 1 0w20. Fit takes 3.5 quarts. Two 5 quart jugs. We're gold!

 

 

Ditto. The Fit is a little complicated with it's odd fill amount (3.8 quarts), but I guestimate by using the clear strip and bottle hash marks. Then double check with the dipstick. Too bad Honda didn't engineer the oil pan to hold just .2 more quarts. Would have made things simpler.

 

They would have to add .2 qt to every Fit they made, and the cost of that oil would add up. It would also increase the weight of the car fractionally, and that would affect the corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE). I may be reaching a bit on this second idea.

I liked some old cars I had that took exactly four quarts.

 

i have a dedicated jug with a line at the correct 3.6 litres BECAUSE the dipstick sucks BADLY...BADLY..for being able to read it....BADLY i say!!!

 

Pull it out.
Wipe it off.
Wait a couple of minutes before reinserting.
(This lets the oil settle out of the dipstick tube.)
Presto! No more funky readings.

 

The problem has nothing to do with oil in the dipstick tube. It's the stupid plastic cap on the dipstick that makes it difficult to see where the oil level is.

 

Try letting the tube clear for 5 minutes. Then you can see the level on the plastic tip. Trust me.

 

If the oil is relatively clean, then letting the tube clear doesn't help at all, since oil in the tube is not the problem.

 

Surely it would be no more costly to have a proper full length metal dipstick and forget about the plastic bit...

 

u folks sound like u need to let the dealer do ur oil changes. lol