How many of you change your own oil?

[JulesMaximus]

I did for a while a couple years ago but it's just not worth it to me anymore. I can drop my car off at the shop and ride my bike in to work so it's not at all inconvenient. Getting rid of used motor oil is far more inconvenient.

 

[LS20]

i used to with old car at home

not anymore because its not worth my time (car is too low). catch oil...bring to dump station...etc.

 

[ThePresence]

I would if I could easily dispose of the old oil.

 

[drum]

myself

 

[Icepick]

I'd like to get into changing my own oil. One way I thought to do it was to put my front two tires up on ramps, leaving the rear two on the ground. Will that be a problem? I was thinking that if the car is left at an angle that all of the oil wouldn't drain out of the engine/oil pan. Is this what you guys do or do you jack up all four tires off the ground and keep the car level?

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I did for a while a couple years ago but it's just not worth it to me anymore. I can drop my car off at the shop and ride my bike in to work so it's not at all inconvenient. Getting rid of used motor oil is far more inconvenient.

Thats a good point, oil from my last change is just sitting in my garden in a plastic bowl, havent even thought about how i'm gonna get it across the city to dump it!

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: ThePresence
I would if I could easily dispose of the old oil.

Drive to any auto parts store, say "I have some used oil for recycling", let them pour it in their container in the back?

Originally posted by: Jahee
Wow americans do change oil a hell of alot! must be costly how much does say a gallon of oil cost you people?

There's a big emphasis on oil changes but not so much on stuff like air filters etc, do people pay as much attention to these too?

Don't think we change oil any more than other places...if you don't service your vehicles, they break.

 

[Fritzo]

I've never seen the point of doing it myself. For around $20, I get 5 quarts of oil, the filter, all of my fluids topped off, and the oil gets properly disposed of. Seems like a fine deal to me.

Some places even throw in a free car wash.

 

[overst33r]

Originally posted by: Icepick
I'd like to get into changing my own oil. One way I thought to do it was to put my front two tires up on ramps, leaving the rear two on the ground. Will that be a problem? I was thinking that if the car is left at an angle that all of the oil wouldn't drain out of the engine/oil pan. Is this what you guys do or do you jack up all four tires off the ground and keep the car level?

That's how i have been doing it for years now...never had a problem

 

[3NF]

There is pleasure in changing the oil?

I don't change it myself ... and I never will

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
I've never seen the point of doing it myself. For around $20, I get 5 quarts of oil, the filter, all of my fluids topped off, and the oil gets properly disposed of. Seems like a fine deal to me.

Some places even throw in a free car wash.

For $20, you're probably getting half your used oil changed, if you're lucky they'll use a new crappy filter (instead of just not changing the filter at all), maybe they'll bother to retighten your drain plug, and you get a friendly young guy to tell you that "while they were working" they "noticed" that you needed new muffler bearings at $200 each. For me, it's worth a few extra minutes and a bit more hassle to know that it was changed correctly, with quality fluids and parts.

 

[DrPizza]

I used to, years ago. I enjoy doing a lot of other work on the car, but changing the oil is just a pita. (Disposing of the used oil, etc.)

Hey, wait a second... can I just filter and pour the used oil into my oil tank (home heating oil)??

Anyway, I love when I see specials at places like Monroe Muffler... "$9.99 oil change special". I watch them like a hawk to make sure I get the new filter, etc. The last time I went there, I had an estimate for a little over $1000 for services and repairs that I should have done. I believe my exact words were "you've gotta be kidding me! The only thing that 'needs' to be done is that I need new front brakes... I'm practically metal on metal! How the heck did you overlook that?!" Guy who's showing me the problems on the vehicle: "Ohhhh, you're right sir. I'll be happy to add that into the estimate for you." "Why would you bother?? Didn't you notice the box of pads on the passenger seat?"

Things that they claimed needed to be done: "You need a new fuel filter because you still have the original. It's above the fuel tank, so we have to drop the tank off to change it. That's $200. Then, we have an exclusive, we're the only ones who offer the service, fuel intake cleaning system. Your car won't run properly without it." Me: "So, you're claiming that every car in America needs to go to you guys to run properly since you're the only place that does it??" The service: We squirt some fuel injector cleaner while your car is running. Then, we take some big q-tips and clean some of the carbon built up in a few of the hoses. $119
I laughed at the guy, mentioned how they were trying to rip me off and questioned, "what would happen if a television news channel exposed your practices for what they actually are?" He STILL made me sign a piece of paper stating "I've just gotta cover my butt in case you're in an accident because you declined to have these needed repairs done to your vehicle." I happily paid my $10.84 or whatever it was after tax and left; the whole process took about 25 minutes, I didn't get my hands clean, and I saved some woman customer from getting ripped off (we were chatting while they worked on our vehicles. - She just moved to the state and needed the state inspection. I gave her a list of the things they were notorious for finding wrong; the look she gave me when they actually did give her the exact same list of problems was priceless.)

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: Icepick
I'd like to get into changing my own oil. One way I thought to do it was to put my front two tires up on ramps, leaving the rear two on the ground. Will that be a problem? I was thinking that if the car is left at an angle that all of the oil wouldn't drain out of the engine/oil pan. Is this what you guys do or do you jack up all four tires off the ground and keep the car level?

I'd raise the rear tires and put some chocks on the front ones personally, the oil may not drain fully it its at too big an angle, if you're talking just enough to give you clearance to get to the oil plug it should be ok, thats how i did it, we're talking about 5 inches here..

 

[mercanucaribe]

No. I don't want to deal with disposal. I filled up my transfer case when it ran dry and put about an ounce of fluid into my differential though.

 

[iamwiz82]

I do everything. Right now one car is torn apart in the garage getting a new timing belt, water pump, clutch, flywheel, and when I order it, the turbo charger

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: Rogodin2
Never had anyone else change it.


Rogo

I've done mine for years but that's about all I do on my cars.

 

[MulLa]

Never did it myself, gives me a good excuse to take a day off or at least the morning off Well actually I have no idea how to DIY

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
I'd try it, but I'm not sure how to reset the service reminder on the trip computer if I did.

Try the manual, and why is the service reminder a big deal? I havn't reset mine in 80K miles. All I do is change my oil every 3 months which is probably in the 4000-5000 mile range.

It's not in the manual, I looked. Hell... These Audi guys even go as far as telling you that you should take it to the dealer if a taillight goes out! The service reminder is really obnoxious, too.

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
I'd try it, but I'm not sure how to reset the service reminder on the trip computer if I did.

Try the manual, and why is the service reminder a big deal? I havn't reset mine in 80K miles. All I do is change my oil every 3 months which is probably in the 4000-5000 mile range.

It's not in the manual, I looked. Hell... These Audi guys even go as far as telling you that you should take it to the dealer if a taillight goes out! The service reminder is really obnoxious, too.

On my car you press the trip button on by the speedo, and then turn the ignition on, i dont know if thats standard but usually its something stupid like that..

 

[kamikaze27]

I do my own oil changes on my older cars. When they are still new, I have them taken in for the first 2 years.
They come out cleaner than I could evar wash!

 

[ebeattie]

I work at a Lexus dealer as a technician and I get to do alot of oil changes, and rattle hunts, and SC 430 tires (to the engineer that designed both the rims and low profile tire.... you should die), and more oil changes and... well you get the picture.

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: ebeattie
I work at a Lexus dealer as a technician and I get to do alot of oil changes, and rattle hunts, and SC 430 tires (to the engineer that designed both the rims and low profile tire.... you should die), and more oil changes and... well you get the picture.

Rattle hunts! How do you go about finding those?

That must take a few hours of solid work?

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: ebeattie
I work at a Lexus dealer as a technician and I get to do alot of oil changes, and rattle hunts, and SC 430 tires (to the engineer that designed both the rims and low profile tire.... you should die), and more oil changes and... well you get the picture.

You are wrong, Lexuses don't rattle, you must be in a domestic dealership. It's a common mistake.

 

[beemercer]

I do it myself.

 

[Bateluer]

You're supposed to change the oil in a car?