Changing your own oil

[philoshop]

How many still do it for their daily drivers? I don't have much choice with my tractor. I'm not going to drive it 5 miles down the road each way, and I don't think the guys in the shop would put it on the lift anyway. I couldn't fit under my old mini-van if I wanted to, but I now have a pickup that I can fit under and work on as necessary. But is it worth it?

I suppose if the weather is nice and you're just aching to have some hot oil running down your arm and a bloody knuckle from a failing filter wrench I could see the attraction. I get that twice a year with the aforementioned tractor and all of its implements. With the daily driver I can pull into the shop, have a cup of coffee and read a magazine for twenty minutes then go home. Check the oil level a couple of days later and rest easy.

It used to be substantially cheaper to change your own oil, but it's gotten to the point where it's actually cheaper to pay a shop to do it. What do you think?

[nodeerhere]

I work on all my own stuff! Cars,truck, tractor, mower. I can't stand someone else hands on it. They strip oil plugs! Don't tighten bolts to torque specs, lug nuts especially! So I'll change my own. People don't pay attention enough to work on my stuff! That's just me

[Bionic]

Personally, I am stupid anal about people touching my vehicles, so I do the maintenance myself.  If I did not care, I would pay the “X” amount of dollars for the oil change, and tire rotation, etc.  I’m an odd one though about this stuff.  I have simply always been a DIYer too.  My new vehicle is a 10k mile interval between oil, so twice a year roughly, and it’s $29 for factory brand oil, and filter.  I live far from dealers as well.  I simply do not trust the oil change shops in our area, pretty much use an impact gun on the drain plugs.

plus, at work I am our maintenance/preventative maintenance guy during our slow season.  

Edited November 24, 2018 by Bionic

[Nomad]

Nope . 

[Robhuntandfish]

$32, LOF, check all the fluids, rotate tires...can't beat it.  

[crappyice]

I’m an English teacher .... what do you think?!?
While I do just let someone else do it now for the convenience, I have actually done it before and wish I had more know how when it comes to mechanical shit. I hate being at the mercy of others especially when things go wrong at the wrong time


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[philoshop]

I know the guy who owns the shop that I use. I believe he's a member on this site, BTW, but I'm not certain. BIG-TIME deer hunter. His crew doesn't screw around. They're all good mechanics, even the ones doing the basic oil changes. Just to be clear, I'm not talking about some random drive-by oil change place. I've been going to this shop for about 15 years. They know my name when I walk in the door, and that means something to me. They'll change my oil for $21 +tax. I trust them not to screw things up.

[jmark]

I bought a new Mercedes a few years ago.  Opened the hood one day to check the oil, and couldn't find the dipstick.  Search and search, finally dig out the manual.  The freakin thing doesn't *have* a dipstick.  The "computer" tells you when it needs oil.  Couldn't believe it.  

[philoshop]

11 minutes ago, crappyice said:

I’m an English teacher .... what do you think?!?
While I do just let someone else do it now for the convenience, I have actually done it before and wish I had more know how when it comes to mechanical shit. I hate being at the mercy of others especially when things go wrong at the wrong time


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You're not alone. I've been fortunate enough to be around for a while and I spent my youth working on mechanical things like tractors and cars. Give me a site, an excavator, and a pile of materials and I can build you a complete house. I can also write a nice story, in English, about how I was able to grow up to be the person I am.

[BigVal]

I do my own, truck takes 15 quarts. Do the car at the same time 

[philoshop]

10 minutes ago, jmark said:

I bought a new Mercedes a few years ago.  Opened the hood one day to check the oil, and couldn't find the dipstick.  Search and search, finally dig out the manual.  The freakin thing doesn't *have* a dipstick.  The "computer" tells you when it needs oil.  Couldn't believe it.  

"Open the pod bay doors Hal".

[Will_C]

I never had the oil changed on anything I owned until I bought 2 new Toyotas-a Tundra and a Camry. They both have the filter that is a replaceable element inside a housing. Don't have the special wrench needed-it's about $40, and I am reluctant to learn on a $35,000 truck.  Still change the  oil on the ATV, UTV, tractor, and a bunch of small engines.

Will

Edited November 24, 2018 by Will_C

[mowin]

I used to take it to the local shop (who always did a great job), because I couldn't stand laying on the dirt in the driveway to change the oil.  

Now that I've got a heated shop with a concrete floor, I've been changing the oil in my truck and wife's car.  I've got a case of oil and 3-4 filters for both.  

[doebuck1234]

Usually do my own.have done my fair share of work on my vehicles sence I grew up around my grandfather and uncles working on their own.have used YouTube a few times and a few times have taken it to someone I trust cause I didn't have time or right tools to do the job

[nosquibs]

I'm more than capable but I have it done, the cars are cheap at $30 but the truck holds 12 gallons so that's a PIA to drag that drain pan out! (actually I've never done it) it gets new oil every 50,000 so just shy of 3 times a year.