2011 Mazda2: First Oil Change!
This past Saturday marked the first oil change for my 2011 Mazda2. It was one of the few warm days we’ve had so far this year, and luckily it coincided with my odometer ticking over 3,000 miles.
Indeed, it was the first time I’ve been able to work on any of my cars all year, and it felt good to hold a wrench in my hand again. It wasn’t your average wrench, however:
To those uninitiated, it’s a strap wrench, and it’s one of the most useful tools a car guy can have in his arsenal. Especially when you’re doing an oil change on a new car, and the filter was apparently torqued on there by a pissed-off assembly-line robot who was having problems at home.
Basically, you put the loop around the filter (or whatever stubborn object you’re trying to loosen), pull the strap, and push the handle’s “teeth” against the loop, and you’re done. When it’s time to re-tighten, just flip the wrench over and repeat with the other side. Sorted!
Also interesting to note is my fuel economy numbers after the oil change. It’d been hovering around 32.2 MPG and 32.3 MPG, but on the drive home it indicated 32.4 MPG for the first time since, well, the day I’d bought the car. Ugh, I’m geeking out over fuel economy now? I’m turning into one of them. Gross!
