Changing the Oil in Your Vehicle

[turbo6]

I can do my own for about $20, my local shop can do it for $25 albeit with lower quality oil. I personally like Mobil stuff, most places use Pennzoil though.

 

[Gamecock]

Two of my cars require 5W-20 motor oil.

First two times I took the first one to the dealer to have oil change, they put in 10W-40. I found a good independent mechanic. He had been "Mr. Goodwrench" for 15 years. He told me the dealer has a barrel of 10W-40 in the shop. When they do oil changes, they draw out 5 quarts, or whatever is required. If your car takes a specialty oil, you get 5 quarts out of the 10W-40 barrel.

With the second one, even though the dealer gave me a free oil change, I never went there, I went to my current independent. I paid more, but I got what I paid for.

 

[Engineer1911]

Five quart jug of Mobil 1 is $26 with tax, Wix filter is $6 with tax. I bought the filters on my local mechanic's account at the parts house for his price + tax. I'm old and slow so oil change and rotate the tires on my driveway pad is about an hour. The OEM tires (General) on my 2012 Colorado have 61K miles and 7/32 tread average. I also rotate the spare tire onto the truck, so the best tire becomes the spare when I buy 4 new tires.

I have never made enough money to "buy" an oil change, but found enough for a couple of S&W no-lock revolvers.

EDIT: I check the oil level weekly, keep oil level at the full mark, change oil filter every 5K miles and rotate tires, change oil every 20K. Had 140K following this plan on 1995 S-10, engine used almost a quart of oil in 5 K miles.

 

[chief38]

I still change my own oil but not for the purpose of saving money. I use Amsoil and there are no places around here that change oil and have Amsoil. Since it's kind of tacky to bring your own oil & filter to a service station, I just change my own.

I use the set of steel ramps I bought when I was 17 and they still work just fine. I just drive the vehicles up onto the ramps, chock the rear wheels and I am done in about 15 minutes. The Amsoil goes up to 25,000 miles and since I don't drive that much anymore, I just do it once a year.

 

[Bajadoc]

I do everything I can myself. Saving money and being manly is great but being self-reliant is priceless.

 

[Maddog 521]

I have Amsoil in my truck, the wife's car, daughter's car and my Harley. I'm still changing the oil in all of them. Extended Drain is the way to go.

 

[PatAz]

Not anymore. I crawled under my vehicles enough when I was
younger. When I retired I moved found a good shop and let them do the work.

 

[joeintexas]

Been having the same guy change my oil for 20 plus years, 180,000 miles and still going strong, I'm good with that.

 

[jag312]

I change my ol and filter because I enjoy doing it. I also know that I put in the correct oil and oil filter. I learned that if the front wheels are level, I drain 3 1/2 quarts. If I elevate the front wheels, I drain 4 quarts. That is important.

 

[JcMack]

I have my oil changed. It provides the Proletariat with meager low paying jobs to support their miserable lives. Plus much like the mighty Elephant if I laid down I'd never get up.

 

[Bajadoc]

I have my oil changed. It provides the Proletariat with meager low paying jobs to support their miserable lives. Plus much like the mighty Elephant if I laid down I'd never get up.

You are a wise man.

 

[Donn]

Can't blame anyone for farming the job out, it can be a PITA, especially in the winter. I still change my own, and will so long as I'm able. Granted, it's tough getting up & down off the ground these days, but knowing the job's done right is the motivation. Mobil 1 in my truck, Castrol in Mrs van, both 5w30, and Valvoline 10w30 racing oil in the Vette. It still has the zinc old engines need. Wix filters on all of them. Recycle all the used oil.

 

[SC_Mike]

I did until I could finally buy myself a new vehicle plus the 100k mile warranty. I figure it's their truck until then so let them keep up with it in case there's an issue.

My latest truck is a 5.7 Tundra with the canister style filter, a real PITA to change. Plus I get a free car wash with it. All under $50.

 

[pharmer]

We have places competing for cars around here. Regularly it is $19.95 for Havoline and filter. I do my own for about $25 4 qts 5W30 in my '10 4.3 Silverado and a qt of 0W20 synthetic (wife's Impala needs 5+1). I like getting under a vehicle for a visual inspection. I also rotate the tires (just had Goodyears with 24K miles orig equip on a '12 Impala, tread was showing on the sidewalls-They gave me $26/tire credit toward replacement) just because I hate the dreaded "rounded nuts." Joe

 

[Mainsail]

I do all three (Grand Cherokee Ltd, Liberty Ltd, and M1009) myself, as well as transmission fluids and filters.

The bonus is I can burn the used fluids in the M1009 for fuel.

 

[G-Mac]

It's not worth changing your own oil any more.

 

[Jack Flash]

... For a good laugh, the local Walmart service station has been known to forget things like the washer on the oil plug so the plug falls out and drains the oil by the time you get home.

If you read the typical do-it-yourself instructions for changing your car's oil, they will tell you to check for leaks when you finish. This is even more important if you have WalMart do the job!

I keep to a schedule that precludes working on the car in the winter. Of course, there are exceptions and emergencies. Some of you may remember my story about changing a flat for my wife in a snow storm.

 

[billwill]

Changing the oil/filter and the air filter is the only thing I can do anymore without screwing something up!

 

[ben_g1]

Use to do my own. too old to crawl under now. My dealership does it for $30 and uses BG products.

Now having said that!!!! Have an older Porsche 911 and still do that myself. Would hate to see what it would cost at the dealer. Takes 14 quarts and I use Brad Penn 20W-50W, about $6. quart.

Plus I don't let anybody fool around with my "other woman" as the wife calls her .

 

[Gunhacker]

I'm 62 and have worked on all of my rides (car/truck/motorcycle) since I was 16, and have done everything on them, including engine rebuilds and air conditioning work (even went through the hassle to get the MACS certification for R-12 to be able to obtain and use it to keep the old stuff working).

I started doing the work first out of economic necessity, but after several bad experiences with rip-off mechanics, I found that I could do the work myself, as good or better, cheaper and faster.

But with the new car I bought 2 years ago, the dealer does it.

There is just too much under body, gas mileage increasing aero-dynamic junk completely covering the bottom of the engine compartment, that I don't feel like dealing with.

I did an oil change on it one time, it took me 30 minutes get to remove and re-install all of that molded plastic panel junk.

At my age and lot in life... when I can easily (and gleefully) send the equivalent of an oil change cost down range during a single range session, why not save my knees, back and sanity and let someone else have at it.