I've always changed my own oil because
1: It is cheaper (I think)
2: I don't trust the oil change place mechanic
3: I get to choose exactly what oil and filter to use
As an explanation for #2, my parents brought the suzuki SUV they recently bought (I don't like it at all) to the oil change place (I don't know which). It had just 17,000 miles on it, and didn't leak anything. The day after they brought it back from that place, it was slowly leaking oil. They must have under- or over-tightened something. (Or broken something)
But perhaps you dont think the same way?
I've never changed the oil in my car myself in my life. o.o;; And I don't plan on doing that if I can help it.
Before, it was my dad changing the oil, now my mom's coworker helps do it.
Why don't I plan on doing it myself you ask?
1) Too lazy.
2) It would take too much time to clean up.
3) I don't care what happens to my car as long as it can get me from point A to point B.
Typical female response? Maybe. =P
But of course if I were to take it to a commercial place to change oil, I'd choose one of the more reputable ones. I despise those random small mechanic shops spread around town. They screw everything up it's stupid. (Like that time my dad took the car I scratched to one of those, they ended up charging a fortune and failed to even repair the paint -_-)
I do change my own oil. I use synthetic and cant justify paying some one 60 bucks for 25 bucks and worth of oil and filter.
| ocalhoun wrote: |
I've always changed my own oil because
1: It is cheaper (I think)
2: I don't trust the oil change place mechanic
3: I get to choose exactly what oil and filter to use |
I change my own oil for exactly the same reasons. But I also think that cars are one of the machines that people interact with the most often, and that we have a certain consumer responsibility to know how they work and how to fix them (within reason, of course). I think having a basic working knowledge of cars is an important part of car ownership, and knowing how to do basic things like change the oil is part of that. Plus knowing about cars makes you much less likely to get taken to the cleaners by a mechanic when there is something you can't/don't know how to fix.
I also happen to enjoy working on cars 
I used to because I couldn't afford to pay someone else to do it.
Now I don't because I could afford to pay someone else and got into the habit of getting someone else to do it.
But I should as I can't really afford to have someone else do it.
I had an incident where they didn't allow all of the oil to drain and then put the full 5 qts in. Luckily they payed to get everything fixed up. But I do my own oil changes now. Synthetic is expensive but must cheaper when you do it your self.
I don't change my own oil, but I have a question for all you DIY oil-changers: how do your dispose of your old oil? 
You just dump it in some container and throw 'em in the usual house garbage bin? | ocalhoun wrote: |
I've always changed my own oil because
1: It is cheaper (I think)
2: I don't trust the oil change place mechanic
3: I get to choose exactly what oil and filter to use
|
thatīs quite exactly the way I think aswell.
I allways use standard filters for my cars though, since I see no reason to use anything else.
But itīs for sure a lot cheaper, takes no time at all, and I can choose a really good oil for the engine.
For my high tuned performance car I choose really expensive oil and reaplace it twice a year, and for the car I drive to work (and drive about 15 times longer distance each year) I only change once each year and insert quite cheap oil. (itīs good enough of course).
Best Regards | darvit wrote: |
| I don't change my own oil, but I have a question for all you DIY oil-changers: how do your dispose of your old oil? You just dump it in some container and throw 'em in the usual house garbage bin? |
I collect it into some container and give it to some local petrol station. (in sweden they are by law enforced to take back old oil since they sell it). | Quote: |
| I don't change my own oil, but I have a question for all you DIY oil-changers: how do your dispose of your old oil? Question You just dump it in some container and throw 'em in the usual house garbage bin? |
Please don't throw it in your garbage. You can take it to any auto part store or quick change oil shop.Me and my Dad like to maintain our vehicles in top notch.
For the Scooter we always do (all most all) the stuff ourself, since we havent found any good mechanic.
For the Dad always prefes to take it to the garage, (frankly because we dont have space to work on the car), and he does stand there and get everything changed in front of himself, plus the fellow is also a great guy, who gives us the list of things that have went wrong and ask us to get the new parts. So we get the OEs and everything works great.
At the end of the day it all boils down to do you want to get you hands dirty, do u have the knowledge of what ypu are doing and finally the labour cost, like in India, labours pretty cheap, but in US and places i know its complete reverse.
Well , I go to a oil changing place, Quaker State to be exactly I think I need to go again soon, guess ill have to check my sticker. The reason I go to one is because I am always babysitting someone. today it is my little brother and sister and the next door neighbors daughter. I do about all the running around and shopping because my mom works during the day.
| ocalhoun wrote: |
I've always changed my own oil because
1: It is cheaper (I think)
2: I don't trust the oil change place mechanic
3: I get to choose exactly what oil and filter to use
|
It really isn't that much more expensive. It all depends on where you go to get your oil changed. Some places charge oil changing for around $15 plus tax which is almost equivalent of you purchasing the about 4 quarts of the oil that you want to use. Also you don't have to worry about disposing the dirty oil. | gh0stface wrote: |
| Also you don't have to worry about disposing the dirty oil. |
Which I put in a large, 20 gallon container, and take it about once every 15 oil changes or so. Not much trouble there. And really, I'd rather do it myself than wait for it to be done. It also gives me a chance to inspect the bottom of my truck for any damage. (I go off-roading often)
As for the price, let me do some research:
*googles*
*searches for cheapest oil change service*
Found: $19.95
*searches for prices of the oil and filter I use*
*fails*
*dredges it up from memory*
Filter costs about $2
Oil costs somewhere between $10 and $15
So it is slightly cheaper.I pour my old oil into the bottles that used to have the new oil (my cams overlap when on VTEC and always burn a little oil), and then take them in to the shop when I buy another new set of oil. The shop recycles the oil (I hope).
every 5000 kilometers I changed the oil and filter on my corolla
My father always changes his own oil, and I'll probably learn to do the same once I get a car that lasts long enough to need an oil change. 
no, I pay goodyear too.. Can't get my nails dirty
I change my own oil. Mainly because I like the feeling that I'm working on my own car. Not to mention it only takes me about 15 minutes, and really for me that's nothing and I save a few bucks. In my area a lot of places charge about 20 to 30 bucks for an oil change, and then turn around and tell you that theres' this this and this wrong with your car too and try to keep it in there so they can make more money. So yea I'd rather spend 10 bucks and get all the supplies and deal with no hassle from the local mechanics.
I'm an automotive technician, and I've seen what accidents can happen when mechanics screw up during an oil change. I don't trust anyone but myself to change the oil on my car. It's a 10 minute process, and if you do it right, involves very little clean up. I stay away from Fram filters, and always use the appropriate oil for the season, the engine, and the driving conditions of the vehicle.
I showed an ex-girlfriend how to change her oil, and she's the same way now. Good girl 
I've never changed my oil before but always wanted to in order to cut down on costs. But my mechanic has done alot and helped out really alot so I usually support him and make him change the oil and filters for me whenever its due.
I work at a lube shop 2 days a week.
Every one that works there is over 45 years old.
The customers always like that to see old guys working on their cars.
We keep the place very clean and well lit.
We don't try to screw people into the extra stuff.
But, we do have a responsibility to tell them about problems we see.
Plus we document it in the computer if they come in with a problem.
Our basic service is $21.99 for a new filter up to 5 quartz and grease all the zirc fittings.
Our full service is $29.99 we also check and top off all fluids including differentials and transfercases, check belts, tires, lights, wipers, vacuum the floorboards and you get a free carwash.
If you do go to a lube shop, make sure they drain it out the bottom of the engine. Some shops will suck it out the top. That leaves a bunch of crud in the bottom and that will tear up your engine.
I think we have the best lube shop in town.
We are very careful to do excellent work, and lots of people trust us.
It is hard to find a shop you can really trust.
no i dont
because i dont have the time to do that
and the differance in the price is not big to change it myself
that's all
I change my own oil for a couple reasons:
1. I don't like waiting in line
2. I like to be able to put the oil I WANT, not just what they have in their hoses,
3. It's a heck of a lot cheaper for me to do it and get better quality oil.
I've been changing my own oil on my cars for the last 3 cars I've owned, and only if there's absolutely no time in my days for the next 3 weeks and I need to change it will I have them do it. It's happened a couple times in 7 years. One thing I wish about this Mazda that I drive now is that they hadn't put the drain for the oil pan right next to the exhaust manifold. GRRR. It'll be different on my next car so no worries there, though I have been told it's a complete pain to change the oil on the RX-8, which is my next car...Oh well, well worth it.
Tomahawk
^Try saturn. They go out of their way to make the backyard mechanic's job a little easier (or at least they used to). Back when I used to have one, I noticed when changing the oil, that when you take off the filter, the oil that leaks out goes right into a little channel made specifically for that purpose, and drains to a point next to the main drain plug. Now why can't everybody do that?
I do it myself because its cheaper and easier than driving all the way to the lube shop. I can just stay home and do it in my garage, it takes like 10 minutes, and 6 of those minutes are minutes when you can go back inside while the oil drains into the oil pan. Much easier 
ummm... it depends... if i do it myself it costs about $20... but i can usually find coupons for firestone to get it done for 15... for instance, i just picked my dad up from firestone because he took his car up there to get an oil change and he had several coupons, so it ended up costing him $2.95... you can usually find coupons on the websites or some car places or in the paper... so i really like to get it done that way but i do change my own oil sometimes simply because you can use a better oil and filter.
well I too change the oil on my own. Mainly because its cheaper. Plus those mechanics touch the car body with their dirty oily hands 
