Where to get an oil change?

[LostInNet]

I'm not exactly a car-buff, so I can't do an oil change myself. Unfortunately, I don't know any friends who are mechanics themselves. Where would be the next best place to get an oil change? A dealer? A gas station? Or Jiffylube-like places?

Also, what are some things that I should be careful for when getting an oil change?

 

[Syringer]

If you can get it under warranty at a dealer that's your best bet.

Otherwise, look/ask around for a good reliable place to do it and build a good relationship with them.

 

[theNEOone]

wow, and i thought i was the car n00b..........

 

[conjur]

Oil change under warranty?? What?

I typically go to a Precision Tune. It's about $17 for oil/filter change (Pennzoil oil...not sure on the filter...it's not Fram, though). Last time, I ended up at a Valvoline and it cost me $29. I love it when they try to get me to replace the wiper blades (did 9 mos. ago), or the air filter (did last year). A bit of dirt on the air filter does NOT mean it needs to be replaced.

 

[Pepsi90919]

invest in some ramps and a basic tool set and do it in your driveway.

you will learn so much about your car this way.

 

[Gage8]

This might sound stupid, but try the phone book. It will tell you all the local places you can take your car to.

 

[toph99]

Originally posted by: conjur
Oil change under warranty?? What?

I typically go to a Precision Tune. It's about $17 for oil/filter change (Pennzoil oil...not sure on the filter...it's not Fram, though). Last time, I ended up at a Valvoline and it cost me $29. I love it when they try to get me to replace the wiper blades (did 9 mos. ago), or the air filter (did last year). A bit of dirt on the air filter does NOT mean it needs to be replaced.

pennzoil filters are made by fram

edit: nevermind, i thought you meant you got it changed at a pennzoil place 😉 sorry

 

[Nyical]

Originally posted by: conjur
Oil change under warranty?? What?

I typically go to a Precision Tune. It's about $17 for oil/filter change (Pennzoil oil...not sure on the filter...it's not Fram, though). Last time, I ended up at a Valvoline and it cost me $29. I love it when they try to get me to replace the wiper blades (did 9 mos. ago), or the air filter (did last year). A bit of dirt on the air filter does NOT mean it needs to be replaced.

Ya with newer cars when purchased from the dealer, most will give you a lifetime free oil changes
as part of the warrenty.

 

[Encryptic]

Go to Wal-Mart. Some people may disagree with me, but I've never had any problems with their service. They charge $20 for the "15-point Service" (change oil and filter, check all your fluids and lights, vacuum your interior, etc.).

Only downside is that they are BUSY, so bring a good book or get there first thing in the morning if you plan to try Wal-mart.

 

[LostInNet]

Originally posted by: Gage8
This might sound stupid, but try the phone book. It will tell you all the local places you can take your car to.

I don't think that'll do. I really doubt a person will tell me "yea, we do a halfa$$ job here." I guess the best bet would be to go to a dealer? They're awfully expensive compared to ones I've seen station as gas stations ($17.95 vs $29.95). Does this difference payoff in terms of reliability?

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: Nyical

Originally posted by: conjur
Oil change under warranty?? What?

I typically go to a Precision Tune. It's about $17 for oil/filter change (Pennzoil oil...not sure on the filter...it's not Fram, though). Last time, I ended up at a Valvoline and it cost me $29. I love it when they try to get me to replace the wiper blades (did 9 mos. ago), or the air filter (did last year). A bit of dirt on the air filter does NOT mean it needs to be replaced.

Ya with newer cars when purchased from the dealer, most will give you a lifetime free oil changes
as part of the warrenty.

Most? Doubt that...you *might* get a year's worth thrown in. The Honda dealer I sold cars at only gave a $10 discount to people who'd bought cars from the dealership.

 

[LostInNet]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
invest in some ramps and a basic tool set and do it in your driveway.

you will learn so much about your car this way.

How much of an initial investment would that take?

 

[LostInNet]

Originally posted by: Nyical

Originally posted by: conjur
Oil change under warranty?? What?

I typically go to a Precision Tune. It's about $17 for oil/filter change (Pennzoil oil...not sure on the filter...it's not Fram, though). Last time, I ended up at a Valvoline and it cost me $29. I love it when they try to get me to replace the wiper blades (did 9 mos. ago), or the air filter (did last year). A bit of dirt on the air filter does NOT mean it needs to be replaced.

Ya with newer cars when purchased from the dealer, most will give you a lifetime free oil changes
as part of the warrenty.

Eh, that won't work. Already have a used car. *Yey, 10th post!*😀

 

[Eli]

It really is not very hard. Anybody that has ever so much as looked at a wrench before should be able to do it.

Although it would help if we knew what kind of car you have. It is certainly easier on some than others.

Run to the store and buy a drain pan, an oil filter wrench, a new oil filter, your oil, and if you need it.. a socket set. Should run you maybe 30$, and you'll always be able to do it yourself in the future.

Going to the store will warm your engine up. Always change your oil with the engine warm. Now comes the fun part.

Put some clothes on that you don't care about.. Bring an extra old t-shirt as a rag. Shimmy under your car, and position your drain pan. Find your oil pan and unscrew the drain bolt. Let the oil drain..

Unscrew your filter. You honestly may not even need the filter wrench. Wipe the oil filter mounting place clean. Dip your finger in a new quart of oil, and coat the oil filter gasket with fresh clean oil, and screw it home. Make sure it's nice and snug.

Screw the drain plug back in, and add your fresh oil. Congratulations! It will take you about 45 minutes since you have never done it before.

If you really don't want to deal with it, just take it to Jiffy Lube. Of course, it depends.. but maybe you'll be lucky and get someone that actually knows more than you do about changing your oil. 😉

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: Eli
It really is not very hard. Anybody that has ever so much as looked at a wrench before should be able to do it.

Although it would help if we knew what kind of car you have. It is certainly easier on some than others.

Run to the store and buy a drain pan, an oil filter wrench, a new oil filter, your oil, and if you need it.. a socket set. Should run you less than 30$, and you'll always be able to do it yourself in the future.

Going to the store will warm your engine up. Always change your oil with the engine warm. Now comes the fun part.

Put some clothes on that you don't care about.. Bring an extra old t-shirt as a rag. Shimmy under your car, and position your drain pan. Find your oil pan and unscrew the drain bolt. Let the oil drain..

Unscrew your filter. You honestly may not even need the filter wrench. Wipe the oil filter mounting place clean. Dip your finger in a new quart of oil, and coat the oil filter gasket with fresh clean oil, and screw it home. Make sure it's nice and snug.

Screw the drain plug back in, and add your fresh oil. Congratulations! It will take you about 45 minutes since you have never done it before.

If you really don't want to deal with it, just take it to Jiffy Lube. Of course, it depends.. but maybe you'll be lucky and get someone that actually knows more than you do about changing your oil. 😉

d00d he's not going to just 'shimmy under' if he has no ground clearance 😉

 

[Encryptic]

Originally posted by: LostInNet

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
invest in some ramps and a basic tool set and do it in your driveway.

you will learn so much about your car this way.

How much of an initial investment would that take?

I don't know about the ramps, but all you would need as far as tools are a socket wrench with the right size for your drain plug, an oil filter wrench (these vary, depending on the type of filter you have on your car) and a container for the oil that you drain. These things should be relatively cheap at a Kragen or Autozone-type place.

As far as the oil change process goes, draining the oil is the easy part. Changing the filter can be a serious bitch or it can be easy, depending on where the filter is located on your engine. I used to do oil changes on my old CRX, my mom's Corolla and helped my dad with his Nissan truck and they all had the filters in different places with varying levels of difficulty as far as changing it went.

Make sure you wear old clothes and keep a supply of pumice soap or Borax around to wash your hands. If you get oil stains on the driveway or garage floor, Castrol makes a great product called Super Clean that will really help get the stains out.

Good luck!

Edit: I quit doing oil changes myself because I don't have a place to do them and it gets messy doing it yourself.

 

[Gage8]

Originally posted by: LostInNet

Originally posted by: Gage8
This might sound stupid, but try the phone book. It will tell you all the local places you can take your car to.

I don't think that'll do. I really doubt a person will tell me "yea, we do a halfa$$ job here." I guess the best bet would be to go to a dealer? They're awfully expensive compared to ones I've seen station as gas stations ($17.95 vs $29.95). Does this difference payoff in terms of reliability?

do the wal-mart thing then. One time they forgot to check my wife's tranny fluid and it was low. My father-in-law took it back in and they gave her a coupon for a free oil change 🙂

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Encryptic
Go to Wal-Mart. Some people may disagree with me, but I've never had any problems with their service. They charge $20 for the "15-point Service" (change oil and filter, check all your fluids and lights, vacuum your interior, etc.).

Only downside is that they are BUSY, so bring a good book or get there first thing in the morning if you plan to try Wal-mart.

I agree with you 100%. I've been taking my car there for over a year now and get great service.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919

d00d he's not going to just 'shimmy under' if he has no ground clearance 😉

This is true.. Kinda why I asked what kinda car he has.

It's pretty easy to get under my dad's '81 Chevy PU.. so.. 😛

Even if you have to buy ramps(no idea how much they are... 20$?), IMO.. it will still be worth it. Working on your car yourself brings a certain satisfaction... 😉

After a few times, you'll be able to do it in like 20 minutes.. and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing it was done right.

 

[Gage8]

BTW - if you don't know anything about cars it is best to have someone change your oil because they will check all of your fluids (a must) and give it a lube job.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: LostInNet

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
invest in some ramps and a basic tool set and do it in your driveway.

you will learn so much about your car this way.

How much of an initial investment would that take?

To change oil? Ramps: $39, Wrench to remove oil plug: $7, oil fitler wrench: $7.

That's it, all you need otherwise is oil and a filter.

And changing oil is easy as crap, this is the process: Remove drain plug, unscrew oil filter, screw on new oil filter, insert drain plug, pour in oil.

That's it. Seriously. You have to remove one bolt and unscrew an oil filter (which is as hard as removing a bolt).

Just make sure you put an oil pan underneath the drain plug before you remove it, or you'll have a big mess on the ground 😉

 

[LostInNet]

I have a Toyota Corolla CE 2000. I wonder if there is a Wal-Mart around here? I'll have to look around...

 

[LostInNet]

Oh, also when I change my own oil, doesn't it matter what kind of oil/filter to get? I drive quite a bit(about 75-80 miles/weekday) so it might be important. 🙂

 

[Regs]

Last time I took any of my cars to the garages they told me 100 things that needed to get fixed that didn't. Now I just take it to a dealership which is less expensive then any garage and also check other fluids as well.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: LostInNet
Oh, also when I change my own oil, doesn't it matter what kind of oil/filter to get? I drive quite a bit(about 75-80 miles/weekday) so it might be important. 🙂

Yes. Don't buy Fram filters. 😛

STP makes decent filters. As for oil.. that's a whole 'nother thread. 😉

If you like peace of mind, buy synthetic.. but it's more expensive than regular oil.

If you're a fan of the 3k oil change and could care less, just buy regular conventional oil.. cheaper the better. 😉

As for the numbers on the bottle.. 5W-30 is generally considered "all-season". 10W-30 is okay in the summer if for some reason 5W-30 is more expensive or something.