YACT: changed my oil for the first time today

[RedArmy]

I don't understand why people will never do this sort of thing themselves. It's pretty darn simple to walk into AutoZone, buy 4 quarts of 5W-30 or whatever they need, look up the oil filter in their book, then just go home and put the car on ramps and change it out.

It costs me like 15 dollars max and maybe with some coupons I could get it done cheaper some place else but I'd rather pay a few dollars more for the piece of mind knowing that everything was done right.

 

[Farbio]

Originally posted by: radioouman
I do it because it forces me to get under my car and look for other signs, such as leaking coolant, transmission fluid, or worn belts.

I stock up on oil and filters when they go on sale, and I never empty my oil container until it is full. I have three vehicles, so I save quite a bit over the quick change places which I don't trust anyway.

there's my reason....3 cars = lots of savings when buying oil & filters on sale!

not to mention that when you use synthetic, its like $40+ each change at a local place. i spent less than $16 today at advance auto for each car.

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: Fern
Takes me less time to change it than drive 5 miles to the nearest oil change place. But I've been doing for it years. Not sure why it would require $100 in tools either?

Fern

For sure.

 

[Eli]

Which is why so many people don't do it.

For the people that do it themselves, the only real reason is the satisfaction of knowing that you did it right.

 

[zoiks]

Originally posted by: QueBert
I'm not a car expert by any means, but I have changed the oil on my car, there is no way in hell you could possibly change the oil filter on my ford Taurus without going under it, I have yet to see a car where the oil filter was anywhere but underneath. Care to fill me in on how exactly I can change mine without going under?

I think its the same for some Honduhs and a bunch of other cars out there.

 

[sjwaste]

Originally posted by: rbV5

but until today I've never changed my own oil, mostly for fear not doing it right and having the oil all leak out.

LOL, thats kinda why I do it myslf.

I second that. When I was 17 I took my car to a shop for my first oil change, and what a mistake. They ended up screwing up the threads on the oil pan and I lost a quart on the way home before I saw the puddle in the driveway. I now use a rubber gasket just to ensure it doesnt leak (factory is a copper crush washer) and ALWAYS change it myself.

Plus, I use Mobil 1, and shops tend to gouge pretty bad on synthetic changes. Bad enough a case of oil and a filter costs me nearly $40, but at least I get about 7000 mile drain intervals. I'm using the M1 extended life, advertising 15k miles per change, so I figure I'll split the difference and change at 7k.

Why am I rambling? Oh well, Happy Easter ATOT.

 

[erickj92]

When i do it (if i dont have problems) it takes about 20-30 min....

 

[Insane3D]

So...much....crap...being...spouted...in...this...thread...must....leave....now...

*shakes head*

 

[BabaBooey]

Originally posted by: UCDAggies
Do people still change oil from under the car. Every oil place I have been though has removed the oil from under the hood.

If you oil changer is doing it from under the hood you are getting screwed and should get your oil changed for real ...:laugh:

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: QueBert
I'm not a car expert by any means, but I have changed the oil on my car, there is no way in hell you could possibly change the oil filter on my ford Taurus without going under it, I have yet to see a car where the oil filter was anywhere but underneath. Care to fill me in on how exactly I can change mine without going under?

Toyota 5SFE, especially in the Camry. Pop the hood and the filter is dead smack in your face Drain bolt was also within reach from the passenger side, so oil changes were a snap for me. No jacks, ramps, 20 minutes tops My Mazda 3... not so much...stupid splash guard....

Originally posted by: xSauronx

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
*slaps forehead*

wrong forehead

i changed my oil once when i got my first car. my dad had all the necessary tools and suggested i try it to decide if i wanted to save a few bucks

i do not.

he was implying that the machine was a stupid way to change your oil, not that you can't have someone do it for you if you don't want to.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: UCDAggies

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: UCDAggies
Jiffylube here doesn't go under your car, they use a machine to suck it out.

Wow, if this is true, and I highly doubt it, what a stupid way to change oil.

Why is it stupid. It works.

Expensive machine that does a crappy job draining the oil, or unplugging a simple drain plug with a few dollar tool? Hmm, which will I do?

I hate changing the oil on my GF's Saturn. The filter is in such a sucky place.

Most of the Saturns have the oil filter accessable by removing the passenger tire and splash sheild. Pretty easy.

My dealership lets you bring your own oil, filter, etc if you want...they charge just honest shop time...when I had them do my manual trans and coolant, they didn't charge me anything for the oil change except standard oil and filter cost...it was like $7-10.

They torque everything....it caters mostly to performance cars esp Nissan.

 

[clickynext]

Yeah, it's a pain the first time but next time should be all good now that you know! There's really not that much point to doing it yourself. Just less potential for screw-up because a lot of the shop places don't really care if you've got a few quarts too many in your engine.

 

[DrPizza]

We have a great place about 20 miles from my house; the owner of the place does most of the work, with a couple buddies who work on his racing crew (stock car racing). $20 for an oil change. It's really not worth the $5 or $6 that I could save by doing it myself. Of course, I don't make a special trip to do it; I plan my shopping trips.

The place is awesome though - it's sort of like an automatic car wash - you're in and out in just a little more time than it takes for the oil to drain out. Pull in, turn car off. Guy in pit below car takes off plug, drains oil. Guys above check the fluids, refill the wiper fluid and any other fluid if it needs it (included in the $20). Check the wipers (I decline), and check the air filter. They keep track of your car in their computer and are quite honest about the services they perform ("it's been 30,000 miles since you last changed your air filter. Here's your filter, you can see how dirty it's getting. Would you like it changed today?") The only thing I don't agree with is that they automatically assume every car should have the oil changed every 3000 miles. (Didn't Chrysler or someone just finally revise this to 7500 miles for most of its fleet?)

 

[Shawn]

You definitely should have bought ramps. I still don't trust jack stands. I only use them when i have to.

 

[Viperoni]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: UCDAggies

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: UCDAggies
Jiffylube here doesn't go under your car, they use a machine to suck it out.

Wow, if this is true, and I highly doubt it, what a stupid way to change oil.

Why is it stupid. It works.

Expensive machine that does a crappy job draining the oil, or unplugging a simple drain plug with a few dollar tool? Hmm, which will I do?

I hate changing the oil on my GF's Saturn. The filter is in such a sucky place.

Most of the Saturns have the oil filter accessable by removing the passenger tire and splash sheild. Pretty easy.

My dealership lets you bring your own oil, filter, etc if you want...they charge just honest shop time...when I had them do my manual trans and coolant, they didn't charge me anything for the oil change except standard oil and filter cost...it was like $7-10.

They torque everything....it caters mostly to performance cars esp Nissan.

Just wait till you change a PS pump or an alternator on a satty

I dont like the oil filter position on satty's either... it's not *hard* to get at, it's just a pain.
A lot of things on satty's are straight forward, just a pain to do.

 

[CrackRabbit]

The only car that would ever take me that long to do the oil was my GF's old Buick.
I had to remove the passenger side front tire to get to the oil filter. (I will restate that whomever decided to put the oil filter there on the GM 3.8ltr V6 needs to be shot.)
Just keep doing it. It will be faster and easier each time.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Viperoni

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: UCDAggies

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: UCDAggies
Jiffylube here doesn't go under your car, they use a machine to suck it out.

Wow, if this is true, and I highly doubt it, what a stupid way to change oil.

Why is it stupid. It works.

Expensive machine that does a crappy job draining the oil, or unplugging a simple drain plug with a few dollar tool? Hmm, which will I do?

I hate changing the oil on my GF's Saturn. The filter is in such a sucky place.

Most of the Saturns have the oil filter accessable by removing the passenger tire and splash sheild. Pretty easy.

My dealership lets you bring your own oil, filter, etc if you want...they charge just honest shop time...when I had them do my manual trans and coolant, they didn't charge me anything for the oil change except standard oil and filter cost...it was like $7-10.

They torque everything....it caters mostly to performance cars esp Nissan.

Just wait till you change a PS pump or an alternator on a satty

I dont like the oil filter position on satty's either... it's not *hard* to get at, it's just a pain.
A lot of things on satty's are straight forward, just a pain to do.

have you seen My old Saturn site?

Edit: my old car, alt and much more was replaced

 

[Nocturnal]

The last time I did it the oil filter was stuck on there and the only way I could get it off was by stabbing a screwdriver through it which in turn creating a gaping hole for all the oili to leak out through and then about half hour later I was able to successfullly remove the filter and install the new one. That was a PITA.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
The last time I did it the oil filter was stuck on there and the only way I could get it off was by stabbing a screwdriver through it which in turn creating a gaping hole for all the oili to leak out through and then about half hour later I was able to successfullly remove the filter and install the new one. That was a PITA.

open the pan drain first...and just bag it then spin it off with a bucket/pan below it.

Screwdriver is fast, but an oil filter set of pliers allows you to loosen it and keep pressure up on it so oil doesn't flood out until you are ready.

 

[IronWing]

I have never changed my own oil and have no intention of ever changing my own oil. That is what high school dropouts are for.

 

[thehstrybean]

Originally posted by: UCDAggies
Do people still change oil from under the car. Every oil place I have been though has removed the oil from under the hood.

...wow...

 

[Squisher]

I might just go back to doing my own oil changes to save money. With the wife and I driving so little these days I could probably go the entire winter without a change.

I'll have to look on craigslist for some ramps.