Lost Art of Changing Your Own Oil?

[Team Elkhorn]

Had a friend who worked at a dealer tell me about a lady that bought a new car and brought it in a few YEARS later with an engine noise.After talking to her/checking the car out they found out she had NEVER had the oil changed !!

How many miles? I had a buddy who did the same thing, brought it in for its first change at 47K!!!!

Years back a salesman at work never had the oil in his new company car changed. It started knocking and seized up at 33,000 miles. He thought our company mechanics took care of that. They thought he was having it done somewhere else. He payed for the new motor. I think it was a Grand Am.

 

[Hoosier]

I just flush it or pour it in the creek behind the house like we all do,,right,,,,what?

I think that's how they make fish oil. Supposed to be good for you.

 

[snoeatr]

Do all my own oil changes. Every 3k reguardless of the 5k-7500 mi recommendations. Do all repairs myself as well. No sense in paying somebody while I sit around

 

[EXCESSIVE FORCE]

How many miles? I had a buddy who did the same thing, brought it in for its first change at 47K!!!!

Can't remember how many,but it was quite a few.....

 

[chords]

Some things are worth paying someone else to do. $20 buck oil change or DIY for $14 +plus disposal issue. For me no brainer.

I recently did my first frt/rear brake job after I watched a few Youtube videos and that was worth doing to save lottsa bucks.

 

[indy_500]

Some things are worth paying someone else to do. $20 buck oil change or DIY for $14 +plus disposal issue. For me no brainer.

I recently did my first frt/rear brake job after I watched a few Youtube videos and that was worth doing to save lottsa bucks.

let me know where ur getting these $14 diy oil changes lol

 

[eao]

All oil is the same right?

Know what you are buying, check out the link below for consumers alerts on bad oils that your cheap lube place may be putting in your engine.

PQIA

 

[gaderator]

Always have changed my own oil on every vehicle we've ever owned. Just don't trust anyone.

X2

You can't even trust the mechanics at the Porsche dealership to do it right as the drain plug was nearly stripped out from the last "expert" that changed it. Sad.

 

[jerkbait_1075]

while I like doing as many things as possible for myself its simply become a common sense thing and time better spent for me. I do not change oil myself any more. The local Chevy dealer does regular oil changes for $12.95..... Yep $12.95 daily.... They do synthetic oil changes for $19.95. You just cant do it yourself for that type of money. Plus they have free coffee and donuts or cookies and I know most of the sales people so its fun to have a cup of coffee and shoot the bull for 20 minutes while they do it.


And to the post about spreading your used oil all over the gravel roads in the country.... I too remember doing the exact same thing. Loading the old station wagon up with used milk jug after milk jug full of old motor oil and off to the country and there me my dad and my brother dumping oil all over the crushed rock road. Man how times have changed in the last 30 to 40 years.....

 

[russholio]

Need new front axle seals! Tie rods r shot and so are the ball joints. How many miles are on the truck? Oh yeah 30000

Yep. So the suckers that take the bait actually end up paying a lot more for that "cheap" oil change they went in for!

 

[polarisrider1]

Yep. So the suckers that take the bait actually end up paying a lot more for that "cheap" oil change they went in for!

Not if those repairs are truely neccesary. Around Grand Rapids, MI you can see (daily) cars that have had Ball joints and tie rod ends break sitting along the highway. Now that would be scary to have happen at 70 mph. The average Joe or average Housewife would never know what to look for when attempting to change their oil to prevent this. I find the repair shops in my area to be Honest businesses or they get sorted out fast.

 

[polarisrider1]

All this oil talk reminds me, time to change oil again. Local shop has a special. K&N oil filter and 5 quarts of Mobile 1 for $39.99 with a $10 mail in rebate (mobile gift card). I need 7 quarts so my deal is $49.99 and the I get the gift card, net cost $39.99. The local "discount" autoparts store wants $64.00 for the same filter and oil and no gift card. Oil change place is a savings of $24.00. I do not have to get out of the truck, deal with oil disposal and the mess. They check everything. Sure they are looking for stuff, that's what they do. It is their job. You can always say no and go home and fix it yourself........but will you? 99 out of a 100 will forget the minute they drive away. Oh and I typed this on my phone as they are changing my oil..............priceless.

 

[ranlam]

I love changing my own oils, then mixing it with veg. oil from restaraunt then heating garage with it. Air line, oil line, babbit nozzle, drill hole through old wood stove and bam you got nice heat and an excellent way to get rid of it. Anyone got used oil or good used vegi oil--i would be interested in taking it.

 

[jr37]

I like changing my own, it gives me a little time in the shop. That is my place to get away and regain my sanity. My car I can change just as fast as a "quik lube" place. Pontiac has the filter in a good, easy place. My Envoy filter is a beee-aaaach to get at and my GMC truck isn't easy either, but I still prefer to do it myself. Gives me the opportunity to check the rest of the vehicle over too.

I know a guy that had his Dodge diesel oil changed at a dealer. The next day it had an oil spot under it, never dripped a drop of oil before. After a little inspection, it turns out that the drain plug was stripped the day before. Dealer would not stand behind it, but did offer to replace the oil pan for $900.

 

[russholio]

Not if those repairs are truely neccesary. Around Grand Rapids, MI you can see (daily) cars that have had Ball joints and tie rod ends break sitting along the highway. Now that would be scary to have happen at 70 mph. The average Joe or average Housewife would never know what to look for when attempting to change their oil to prevent this. I find the repair shops in my area to be Honest businesses or they get sorted out fast.

True dat. But even though I can't do it as inexpensively, I'd still rather do it myself, learn what's going on under my truck, and have nobody to blame but me if the job gets eff'd up.

I like changing my own, it gives me a little time in the shop. That is my place to get away and regain my sanity. My car I can change just as fast as a "quik lube" place. Pontiac has the filter in a good, easy place. My Envoy filter is a beee-aaaach to get at and my GMC truck isn't easy either, but I still prefer to do it myself. Gives me the opportunity to check the rest of the vehicle over too.

I know a guy that had his Dodge diesel oil changed at a dealer. The next day it had an oil spot under it, never dripped a drop of oil before. After a little inspection, it turns out that the drain plug was stripped the day before. Dealer would not stand behind it, but did offer to replace the oil pan for $900.

My sentiments too.

 

[anonomoose]

Yep....still changin it in my driveway, up on ramps...and NOPE, I am not as fast as I used to be gett'n down there is much harder than it used to be.

But one thing hasn't changed in decades....no matter how well you plan it, and how well you protect the area under the car, I get it spilled splattered, dripped....it just can't be done without getting it up to my eyebrows, and all over my hands and feet.

I think it is a plan by the middle east to cause us all to die of skin cancer, cause it says right on the bottle....don't get it on your hands...but they know deep down, it can't be done.

 

[heckler56]

X2

You can't even trust the mechanics at the Porsche dealership to do it right as the drain plug was nearly stripped out from the last "expert" that changed it. Sad.

Had my Q7 TDI oil changed under warranty and then back in 4 more times for a leak. They say it was a warped oil pan, right.

This is why I change all my equipment.

 

[chords]

Yeah changing oil from any engine is like drinking coffee. Its gonna spill, splatter and drip where it should'nt go.

 

[Woodtic]

I thought this was common knowledge , but reading some of these post, I would say its not. Bulk oil used at these oil change places is not the same as what you buy in the auto part store. There is a ton of recycled being used at them. You can get rid of your old oil at the auto parts store. Last I herd, waste motor oil is selling for over a buck a gallon. What kind of filter are they using? The filter is kind of important .

 

[zimmer1310]

Grew up on a farm and have done it numerous times but with kids in the picture, it comes down to how valuable is your time for me. I don't go to the jiffy lubes or quick lube places(no offense to anyone working there) as I go to a smaller mom and pop shop who have certified techs that might look for other things besides oil and filter. They have treated me right for 20 plus years and even give me a loaner car if need be. every 5-6k miles for me.