This may sound like a weird request but I'll explain. My car is due for an oil change by next month so I want to prepare for it. I'm fully aware that the OEM dipstick is nearly useless.

Can someone post a decent picture of their OEM dipstick with the correct oil level so I can get an idea of whether I'm putting in enough oil? And one more question, would cutting a notch in the side be a bad idea? I'm thinking about doing it but have, oddly, never heard of a single person doing this even though a lot of owners seem to be keeping the OEM dipstick.

 

There is a long thread on it, search the forum. :-) Look particularly for the photo from the person who notched theirs, and also the good advice about how to wipe off the stick, leave it out for 20 minutes to allow the oil to drain back down the channel, and then check it. It's really hard to see the level in photos with clean oil.

Your dealer might overfill the oil (mine has done it twice) in which case it will be oily all the way up and over the top of the plastic gauge. In that case, you aren't reading it wrong, it really IS very full. Do search for thread on it, they are endless... :-)

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-dipstick.html

 

Here is another article providing additional details on the procedure for taking the correct reading.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-dipstick.html