Is doing an oil change yourself even worth it anymore

[steppinthrax]

I do all my own car work including oil changes. I get the supertech oil and a good AC delco oil filter. Oil being more then a dollar a quart + filter = 10 to 12 dollars. Walmart charges I believe around 13 dollars for an oil change.

I'm thinking it's not that worth it or does anybody have an opinion.

 

[PCMarine]

iirc most oil change places charge $20-25 (I'd never ever have wal-mart change my oil, even if it were free), so changing it yourself usually equates to half off what you pay at a shop.

 

[steppinthrax]

I used to be really into buying good oil like pennzoil. But I read an article online talking about if the oil is API or something certified its just as good as a high end certified oil. So I just get the cheapest oil possible (supertech) and that does well.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Hell no. I just purchased 3 oil changes from the Nissan dealership for my Maxima for $45. That works out to $15/oil change.

Edit-I wouldn't take it to walmart either though. I've had two department store places overfill my cars in the past. Never again will I go to them. Either my local mechanic or the dealership. At least if the dealership screws it up I have some recourse. Good luck getting wallyworld or skippy-lube to take responsibility for anything other than your car falling off the lift in their bay.

When I get my Elise I'll probably do it myself though because the Lotus dealership isn't exactly convenient for me to go to.

 

[randomlinh]

yes. i can do it on my time whenever, no waiting games. no dealer games. and no idiot wrench monkeys that don't know what they're doing. I have friends that work at dealerships.. and they pretty much shake their heads at the lube guys.

with that said, I'm paranoid and use synthetic since I autocross and it's usually damn costly anywhere to do it.

 

[MixMasterTang]

I usually change my own oil so I know it's done right and I like to use Mobile 1 Synthetic and a Mobile 1 filter as well.

 

[maddogchen]

i take it to walmart. never had any problems that i know of.

I took my parent's mini-van to the dodge dealership for an oil change once. When i left the car with them it started to rain. When I came back they said it was done and gave me the keys. The car was in the same exact spot and the ground underneath it was dry. When i checked the oil it was dirty. They hadn't done anything. I was pissed. Wasted my time.

 

[redgtxdi]

THAT'S what scares me!!


Shops that you *hope* did the work you paid them to do. I always worry about even if they *DID* do it correctly..........did they tighten every nut/bolt correctly?? Did they underfill/overfill?? Did they use the right stuff??

No, I don't think it's worth it dollar-wise to get under the car & change oil, but it might be worth it in terms of PEACE OF MIND!!!

 

[Killrose]

If you can you should do it yourself, that way you can check other things on the car while the oil is draining that are important like belts, battery connections and hoses, ect. Take it to someone else and you'll become a complaceint cager.

 

[overst33r]

I like having the reassurance that it got done right, so I do it myself.

 

[TheSlamma]

One person at my work took theirs to Wally World... they didn't drain the old and added 5 quarts.. there went that engine.

Another guy here used to work for Greasemonkey when he was in high school. He said his shop paid to repair vehicles they trashed every so often. He especially remembers a nice Challenger they hosed up.

The few times I have tried an oil shop they always tell me I need to change 40 other things for some absured price. Especially air filters. Man I got it.. 4 clips and it's in.

I can do all 3 of our vehicles in 1 hour and Denver now has free oil pick-up so it's just that much easier and I know my work is quality.

 

[Vetterin]

Originally posted by: steppinthrax
I used to be really into buying good oil like pennzoil. But I read an article online talking about if the oil is API or something certified its just as good as a high end certified oil. So I just get the cheapest oil possible (supertech) and that does well.

As I have stated in the past, Supertech oil is ACTUALLY rated pretty good. I use it in all my cars, including my 85 Corvette. FYI the Supertech oil filters are also pretty good. Buy them both at Walmart and your cost is about $10 plus you have peace of mind knowing your oil change was done right.

 

[exdeath]

Originally posted by: mariok2006
I like having the reassurance that it got done right, so I do it myself.

+1000

Most people don't change their own oil to save money, rather they take pride in maintaining their own vehicles and making sure it's done right, rather than just being another ticket in and out in 5 minutes. Most people take better care and attention to detail to their personal vehicles than is possible in a shop where there is an hour left to finish 5-6 cars before close.

Costs me about $50-60 for a Motorcraft/Purolator filter and 6.5 quarts of Mobil 1 5w20, though I'm being dumb and buying 7 quarts individually instead of stocking up a case or two, so it could probably be half that.

 

[Homer Simpson]

Originally posted by: exdeath

Originally posted by: mariok2006
I like having the reassurance that it got done right, so I do it myself.

+1000

Most people don't change their own oil to save money, rather they take pride in maintaining their own vehicles and making sure it's done right, rather than just being another ticket in and out in 5 minutes. Most people take better care and attention to detail to their personal vehicles than is possible in a shop where there is an hour left to finish 5-6 cars before close.

Costs me about $50-60 for a Motorcraft/Purolator filter and 6.5 quarts of Mobil 1 5w20, though I'm being dumb and buying 7 quarts individually instead of stocking up a case or two, so it could probably be half that.

you can get 5qt jugs of mobile1 at wally world for $22. cheaper than buying individual quarts. i get my mobile1 from there and an acdelco filter from autozone and do it all myself so i know its done right.

 

[jtvang125]

The thing with changing your own oil is it's a PITA to have to drive back out to recycle the oil. Unless you dont GAF and just toss it in the trash.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: jtvang125
The thing with changing your own oil is it's a PITA to have to drive back out to recycle the oil. Unless you dont GAF and just toss it in the trash.

Or you could just do like me and do it once every couple years.

I bet I have 20 gallons of used oil sitting around. :Q Need to do that.. lol

 

[boomerang]

I've got two quick oil change places within 2 miles of me that take old oil. When we had just one, they charged you to take it, now that there's two it's free. Gotta love competition.

 

[Thump553]

I change my own oil because it forces me to get under the car and do a good personal inspection.

Recycling the oil is no big deal to me because I live in a semi-rural ex-urb where going to the transfer station (ie, dump/recycling) is a Saturday morning ritual of all the adult males. Heck, the weekend before local elections even the pols show up to "help out" and gladhand.

 

[T2urtle]

i do my own oil changes, my parents and gf as well. simply because i don't trust other peeople. I've been a dealership tech and there are some really dumb lube techs. Almost no oil change only goes to a real tech.

Its 21$ i think at wal-mart. I let them do it once a year or so if it falls into winter. Before i had a garage i did it on public streets w/o a jack because i still didn't trust them. its not worth it for me really.

to get down and dirty now. its about $8 for supertech 5 gal jug and a $4 supertech filter, so a total of $12. I put mobil 5000 in mines so its $14 total.

I have over 20 gals of oil in the garage.. just never got around to bringing it somewhere.

 

[MDE]

I change my own oil too. It doesn't take all that much more time, I'm using quality stuff, and I know it's done right. I like only spending about $15 and not having to wait an hour for someone to finally consider getting to my car (or conversely pay $30 and get in and out, still not knowing if they did it properly). When I go back to get more oil and a filter, I just take in my old jug of oil to recycle at the store. Easy as pie.

 

[OUCaptain]

The only time I let someone else do it is when I'm standing outside the bay watching them. A while back my stepdad got the oil change at firestone in their old saturn. Bout a week later the engine blew. Guess what.... no oil. No leaks, plug was in tight, just no oil. Didn't know at the time that that car didn't even have a dummy light.

I usually do it myself anyway just for the satifaction of knowing it was done right and knowing I got the oil that I paid for. Iv'e heard to many stories from folks about good oil jugs being re-filled with cheap oil.

 

[KaChow]

I do my own because nobody else local is going to put Amsoil in my car.

 

[T2urtle]

^ that is true.

When i was at the dealership i've done some amsoils and mobile 1 oil changes along with major maintences. instead of our house castrol syntec.

 

[steppinthrax]

Originally posted by: exdeath

Originally posted by: mariok2006
I like having the reassurance that it got done right, so I do it myself.

+1000

Most people don't change their own oil to save money, rather they take pride in maintaining their own vehicles and making sure it's done right, rather than just being another ticket in and out in 5 minutes. Most people take better care and attention to detail to their personal vehicles than is possible in a shop where there is an hour left to finish 5-6 cars before close.

Costs me about $50-60 for a Motorcraft/Purolator filter and 6.5 quarts of Mobil 1 5w20, though I'm being dumb and buying 7 quarts individually instead of stocking up a case or two, so it could probably be half that.

That's one of my biggest thoughts about the subject matter. I feel rather uncomfortable having someone work on my car. I don't really trust people.

 

[steppinthrax]

Originally posted by: Homer Simpson

Originally posted by: exdeath

Originally posted by: mariok2006
I like having the reassurance that it got done right, so I do it myself.

+1000

Most people don't change their own oil to save money, rather they take pride in maintaining their own vehicles and making sure it's done right, rather than just being another ticket in and out in 5 minutes. Most people take better care and attention to detail to their personal vehicles than is possible in a shop where there is an hour left to finish 5-6 cars before close.

Costs me about $50-60 for a Motorcraft/Purolator filter and 6.5 quarts of Mobil 1 5w20, though I'm being dumb and buying 7 quarts individually instead of stocking up a case or two, so it could probably be half that.

you can get 5qt jugs of mobile1 at wally world for $22. cheaper than buying individual quarts. i get my mobile1 from there and an acdelco filter from autozone and do it all myself so i know its done right.

The 5 quart jug sucks because if you have a 4qrt 4cyl like me it's difficult measuring with a 5 quart jug. The measure line is never clear and you always ending up overfilling or underfilling. with 4 quarts you put the exact amount every time. They fill the oil in the 5 quart jugs above the graduation lines so you don't know where the 1st quart is and shit...