Do you change your own oil?

[desura]

I've been doing some maintenance on my car. I'm debating whether to change oil myself or to just go to Sears or something. Is changing your own oil still worth doing yourself?

 

[pcgeek11]

I've been doing some maintenance on my car. I'm debating whether to change oil myself or to just go to Sears or something. Is changing your own oil still worth doing yourself?

Of course I change my own oil. I am a man...

Well worth knowing it is done correctly and it allows you time to check other things and save money at the same time. Oh and drink some beer too.

 

[CoachB]

For me, yes. When I'm finished I know the filter is tight, the oil plug is in properly and tight, and the oil level is correct. I also get a chance to look around underneath for potential problems.

 

[NutBucket]

I have until two years ago. When we bought our last car we went for the warranty and it included the first 4 scheduled services. One more service to go and it's back to the driveway.

I like getting under the car every few months just to check on things.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Yes.

Last time I didn't (which was when I bought the truck so the dealer had done the work) they cranked that filter on so stupid tight I had to destroy the filter getting it off. At least they didn't overtighten the drain plug.

Oil changes aren't hard, but they're also not hard to do something like that wrong, and they always seem to give the oil changes to the noobs who don't know squat.

 

[C1]

Took my car to an independent once then noticed the drain plug was cross threaded in, so the the oil pan effectively was damaged.

The other issue was that I found the dealers to be using crappy bulk oil. A guess is that they buy their crap in 55 gallon drums at discount. Their crap was turning to shellac on the dip stick and I had a hard time steel wooling it off. (Then there was the report in the paper about certain car models experiencing oil galley clogs even though they were relatively new - no need to wonder why.)

Advice is to change your own oil and never let a dealer rotate your tires (a horror story about over tightening wheel studs that I dont want to go into again).

 

[HarryLui]

I've changed the oil on my cars since 2002, never skipped one. I don't like paying someone to do the work that I can do myself.

 

[velillen]

I change mine now. But used to have a shop do it. A mom and pop type that my dad has been going to for 40+ years. Honest guys there who actually know what they are doing. More than once they found something small and just took care of it and never charged us. Same they've diagnosed issues in 10 minutes or so and not charged us for it. Hard to find shops like that anymore.

But I do my own now just out of convenience. No having to make appointments or wait an hour. Do it when I want and be done

 

[jlee]

Yes.

 

[skyking]

yes. Truck takes 3 gallons, the markup at a full service lube is outrageous.

 

[slugg]

I tried to convince myself to get the dealer to do it. I tried to convince myself that for a couple bucks, may as well have someone else do it.

... Except dealers overcharge for synthetic, just because. Then they charge $20 to rotate the wheels. At the end of the day, I pay $70 for something I can do myself for under $30. Money aside, I don't mistreat my car and everything stays nice. I've seen pinch-welds completely ripped apart due to dealers not caring one bit about your car.

Mechanical sympathy. Be one with the car. Treat it well, and it will treat you well. Be aware of you car; see things for yourself.

 

[RLGL]

Been doin' it for 53 years, started when I was 15

 

[Fenixgoon]

yes - i know the oil will get drained properly. and i change the filter every time too (costs more $$ sure, but i don't want to keep track of when to change a filter or not)

 

[Herr Kutz]

I've thought about it but when I can get it changed for $19.99 + taxes and fees and be all in for $24 and some change I'm not going to bother.

 

[x26]

I let the Dealer change mine-once per year-$100.00 @7 quarts Full Synthetic--I do all my other Maintenance though.

 

[Beer4Me]

Yes, unless I have some kind of dealer maintenance agreement.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Nope - I used to do it but the dealership is really cheap and they rotate my tires and do a quick inspection for $40.

Getting my hands dirty to save $20, nope.

 

[skyking]

I'd do that too^

 

[Demo24]

I used to, but stopped seeing the point when got new cars with long service intervals and free changes. Just not worth the hassle and mess anymore, and I wasn't really saving much time or money.

 

[LTC8K6]

I used to, but the dealer is cheap enough now that it makes no financial sense any more.

The other reason I stopped was that it became difficult to dispose of the oil filter in a legal manner.

 

[PricklyPete]

Yes. Too easy not to and gives me a chance to look over the vehicle from time to time.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

I slip the guy at a nearby oil change place $5 - $10 off the books.
That said, I bring my own oil + filter, and watch him do it.

 

[Anubis]

no. I gladly pay someone 20$ to do it for me

 

[ControlD]

The only thing I still do my own oil changes on these days is my mower.

It is a hassle trying to find a place to take the old oil / not make a mess transporting it, etc. As mentioned several times, it is also cheap and quick enough at the dealer or Walmart that I don't worry about the extra few dollars twice a year.

 

[Uppsala9496]

Nope. Both cars have free oil changes for life from the dealer (synthetic in both as well).