Do you change your own oil?

[lovemachine]

Did you know there are companies that will come out and PAY you for your stored used oil?

Future Environmental
They always come out within 3 days to pump out my 50 gallon drum.

Just sayin'.

 

[Bapak2ja]

I did NOT, vote, because, I am a DAV, and cannot crawl under the vehicle, anymore..... I pay someone else, but, not because, I am a "wussy girl"..... I have changed, a LOT of oil, in my lifetime ..... MOS, USMC, 3521, 3524, INARNG, 63B, 63G.....

Thanks for your service and sacrifice!

 

[Bapak2ja]

You guys do know that at all those 10 minute oil change places, all they do is suck out the old oil from the oil fill and that leaves all the crude at the bottom of the oil pan. A new filter is installed and then new oil is poured in and mixes with all the crude left in the oil pan. you might have a new oil filter and new oil, but it's just as dirty as the old oil.

Just thought I'd mention that, even though I know all you guys know that already.

I understand your point of view, but I have to question it. I have four vehicles with over 100,000 miles each. I recently sold off my Ranger with over 150,000 miles. Always used local oil change services. What ever was left in the oil pan, it has not affected these vehicles. I expect to get another 100,000 out of each one. None burn any oil and I still get the same mileage I got when I first obtained them. I am sure others on this forum could give similar experiences. I recognize this is anecdotal evidence only, and lacks the weight of serious research based on properly gathered data; nonetheless, it does indicate that there is good reason to believe that oil changes done at the oil change shops have been effective over the last ten years. Of course, bad things do happen at these shops. They do not pay enought to get a good er to work there. But bad things often happen to good people, too. (Ask me about the aircraft mechanic who was interrupted in his work and forgot to tighten the screw on the fuel line.) We live in an imperfect world.

Some folks enjoy working on mechanical things. Some do not. No big deal. Folks should do what they enjoy. Vehicles can be properly maintained by doing it personally; they can be properly maintained by hiring someone else to do it.

This thread suggests it may be time to launch a MSG with a meet and greet oil change festival. We could arrange for a group buy of Penzoil, recruit H and K to serve as Range Officer, ask Que to serve as Drill Sergeant to keep us all in line and ensure we do the job in proper military fashion. I am sure we can find someone to re-train the wusses that wash out. We can send them over to the back 40 for re-training while the superior tacticians toss off their third can of beer. We could have someone provide video of proper form for sliding under the H2, and special courses on the proper use of jack stands. We would have to send the rookies out for a few bricks to block the tires, but they could pick another pallet of Miller on the way back.

We may need to contact Snap-On Tools to send a truck over for those who need to upgrade their equipment.

After all the oil is changed, we can call one of those groups that buys used oil to haul it away. Or maybe we could do this on the 4th of July and light it up for the fireworks display.

 

[kickbacked]

You guys do know that at all those 10 minute oil change places, all they do is suck out the old oil from the oil fill and that leaves all the crude at the bottom of the oil pan. A new filter is installed and then new oil is poured in and mixes with all the crude left in the oil pan. you might have a new oil filter and new oil, but it's just as dirty as the old oil.

Just thought I'd mention that, even though I know all you guys know that already.

although ive never taken my vehicle to a jiffy lube i have been there and they have a pit with someone under to drain your oil from the pan, but i bet you already knew that

and did i read someone on here call fram a medium quality filter? Those are junk, imo napa golds are the best filter, k&n's are nice because of the nut shape that makes for easy removal but they are too costly.

In regards to this thread i change the oil on two of my four vehicles. my local chevy dealership changes my oil in the pickup we got from their for 7 dollars, i cant do it myself for near that. And my most recent edition 08 f150 ill let the ford dealership do ( that way when it breaks, like all fords do, i can blame it on them)

 

[Bapak2ja]

I'm not a wussy girl!!! But I do go to a "quick lube" shop because time is money, and my time is damn expensive. I'll pay an extra $10 bucks to not have to climb around underneath of it. It takes them 10 mins. to do an oil change, check the tires, and fill up all necessary fluids and I'm out the door, it would take me an hour to do that.

I just got mine done a couple of hours ago, $30 for them to do it in 10 mins. $20 for me to do it in an hour.....DEAL!!!

 

[Bapak2ja]

I changed mine this past sunday and think I set a new personal best. From the time I drove up the ramps to the time I backed down was just around 15 minutes. And that was with very little preperation. But I had the sense this time to take the whole socket set with me (including metric) under the car, because I couldn't remember if the drain plug was a Stardard size or Metric.

So I do it myself, Also a full synthetic guy here. Which brings to mind, Why the Hell does synthetic oil prices go up when the price of crude does?

Congratulations on the new record!

 

[Bapak2ja]

I have two vehicles, and I do most of the work (when needed, which isn't often) myself. I can change the oil and filters in both in less than an hour. I get to drink a couple of beers and listen to my garage radio while I let the oil drain. There are no women or kids in the garage when I have the jack stands out. I also do brakes, plugs, and rotate my own tires. I can jack up the car and get it on 4 stands in about 15 minutes. I enjoy it. It's fun. It's relaxing.

Great way to spend a quiet day at home. Enjoy it!

 

[96firephoenix]

change my own. especially after my cousin's car got ruined by a shop over-torqueing the drain plug, I don't trust anyone else to work on my car.

 

[Bapak2ja]

and did i read someone on here call fram a medium quality filter? Those are junk, imo napa golds are the best filter, k&n's are nice because of the nut shape that makes for easy removal but they are too costly.

I said I bought a medium quality Fram filter, not that Fram was medium quality. Wally World had three levels of Fram filters for my vehicle. Cheap, Cheaper and Cheapest. I went with the "medium quality" because the higher grade Fram was sold out. Hated to sacrifice the quality, but I was out of time.

 

[AuntieBellum]

Yep, I'm a wussy girl. But as others have mentioned, it's more a time issue. Go to Walmart, drop off suv. Walk to front of store for haircut - I don't need fancy, designer haircut. Go grocery shopping. Pick up suv. Go home. Multi tasking at its best.
My husband and my dad do all the repairs and change their own oil, though. I'm fact, I need new breaks. Oh, honey...

 

[bigcat1971]

I change my own oil and do all the work on my cars.And when I change my oil I put some good o Moter Kote in with the oil,it makes the car run better and helps save on gas.

 

[Leah Marie]

I change my own, and sometimes pay to get the oil changed. speaking of oil changes... I need to do that soon lol. and I rotate my tires, no need for someone else to do that.

 

[jd42k]

Change it myself. Recycle the old. Have taught all 3 of my kids to change their own oil.

 

[kwatters]

When I can get it changed in twenty (20) minutes for less than $10 difference from purchasing the oil and filter I see no reason to do it myself. I do not have to get dirty, do not have to dispose of the old oil, do not have to clean up the garage floor from spills, etc.

I used to do it myself, but it is just not worth the time to save less than $10.

I just taught my son how to change oil on his car. We bought a Fram filter (medium quality) and Mobil oil (medium quality) at Walmart. Also had to by a filter tool—which has to be returned because it would not fit the between the filter and the oil pan. Just the price of the filter and the oil is almost the cost of an oil change. If I use a good coupon, or buy booklets for multiple changes, the difference often drops to only $5.00. Not worth the effort.

It is worth the effort when the idiots at the QC joint cross thread your drain plug. Happened 2 times to me.

 

[revsaxon]

Growing up my dad taught me how to change my own oil. It was something we did together when I was living at home/in highschool, and it was a good bonding activity. Then on the day I left for college he taught me a second way to change it. "Take 30$, go to jiffy-lube, leave 15 mins later" Gotta say that way is a hell of a lot easier.

I now view it as one of those things that in a pinch I could do, but until then its just not worth the time/effort involved. Especially with such a weak dollar, 20$ for an oil change is a way better value than I can do myself, esp when I factor in MY hourly rate as an expert mechanic

 

[J man]

I go somewhere to get the new stuff changes. I do my own in the old cars.

 

[Walter Zoomie]

Yes, in fact, just this morning I changed the oil/filter in both my vehicles, and I know it was done right.

I trust no one to do the simple crap I can do in my own driveway at my leisure while sipping a beer and jamming to some tunes.

The morons at Quickie Lube have a heinous history of stripping drain plugs, cross-threading oil filters, and torquing both down to 100 ft/lbs.

When I'm old and incapacitated, perhaps I'll pay someone else to change my oil, but not while I'm still somewhat young and virile.

 

[kwatters]

Yes, in fact, just this morning I changed the oil/filter in both my vehicles, and I know it was done right.

I trust no one to do the simple crap I can do in my own driveway at my leisure while sipping a beer and jamming to some tunes.

The morons at Quickie Lube have a heinous history of stripping drain plugs, cross-threading oil filters, and torquing both down to 100 ft/lbs.

When I'm old and incapacitated, perhaps I'll pay someone else to change my oil, but not while I'm still somewhat young and virile.

I agree, I do all my own. However, I drive a company car that requires me to get the oil changed at the Quick lube dump around the corner from my office. IDIOTS

 

[code_red]

I voted 'yes' because I do. But, I'm a woman.

 

[kwatters]

I voted 'yes' because I do. But, I'm a woman.

Nice, that puts a little egg on the face of the OP.