So I return to either fan the flames or tamp them down.
Well, I went to a Ford dealership's service department for the first time since the eighties, I was in the BMW service department about 5 times in the five years I owned one, that should be seen as a good thing for Ford since during that time I've owned a Taurus, Contour, three Mustangs (one was a Cobra), three Rangers and five F150s. I did have a 2004 Lariat that went in a few times for the front window regulator problem, but it was my wife's truck so she took it in keeping my streak alive.
Last Thursday, shortly after telling a coworker that I've never had a warrantied issue on a Ford for ~30 years, the check engine light came on, clearly my fault. According to the manual it is not a "check engine" light, it is a "service engine soon" light. According to the manual if the light comes on and stays on (no blinking or flashing) it means that an error was detected in the emissions system and it should be brought in. Since I just crossed 6,000 miles I figured I was due for an oil change, but the gauge said I still had 27% life remaining. I told them go ahead and do the oil since it is already an 8 month old car.
The results of 24 hours at the service center is that there "was no oil visible on the dipstick".
!!!!!!!!!
Okay, before I get flamed for never having checked my oil (yeah yeah I know), this vehicle was purchased new (ordered actually) and had 7 miles on the odo when I picked it up. I don;t think I've ever checked the oil level on a brand new vehicle before. I have just barely over 6,000 miles and was at least a quart low? No signs of oil leaking, no blue smoke on heavy acceleration. Did it just not get filled at the factory? At no point in those 6,000 miles did I ever seen the oil can light come on, that light indicates a problem with the pressure not the fill level though. They checked the oil for metal/bearing shavings, declared it clean, filled it, reset the code, and drove it around. They say it is "fixed" now.
I wonder is Porsche ever lets one leave the factory half filled with oil.