upside :
save 2 mins by flicking the valve
drain plug sitting over a cross member - the nipple w drain tube can be handy
downsides :
horrible flow rate (would take a loooong time to drain 12.5L in my Safari)
potential to snap off (you see oil pans with bumps and scrapes from hitting things)
The ad is subjective. The 'worst' part of an oil change is not the drain plug like they say, but the filter where you can get oil everywhere and get burnt.
If I had a Ford where the drain plug was located above the crossmember, then I would get the one with the drain nipple. On normal rigs, I see it as a gimmick.
The thing that would concern me is when you go off road and some branch catches the lever and opens it while you're out in the middle of nowhere ~ what then?
Falco.
Sent from my smart pad, using a pen.
Seek Beauty... Good Ship Miss Lil' Bitchi
...... Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. ~ Japanese Proverb
To me it's a gimmick.
Why risk the accidental turn, or the spring breaking, or the nylon washers wearing out or even some jackass turning the knob on purpose while fishing for a catalytic converter to steal?
Every time I change the oil in have the opportunity to inspect the drain plug and change the washer too, while taking a look at the whole undercarriage.
If I had that spout installed, I'd be tempted to just reach in and turn, thus missing out on the visual checkup.
And really lazy people may not even change the filter.
Our Cummings M11, ISL's both have a coupler setup they work fine for a while. But they are a pain in the ass you can inspect through the drain plug, they drain slow. If you have something in the way ie cross member and you like gimmicks then go for it.
My L400 came with one of those installed, now I know what its called . Its awesome. Works like a hot god damn. Combined with the OEM oil filter that has the drain plug it is an absolutely clean hands affair to do an oil change.
On the L400 the drain plug location is safe enough I wouldn't worry...if you are smacking the drain plug that then you already busted off your oil filter...