DIY oil change? Yes/No?

Bruce Jibboo

TCG Elite Member
Apr 18, 2008
19,791
155
Elgin
Oil Change instructions for Women:

1) Pull up to Jiffy Lube when the mileage reaches 3000 miles since the last oil change.
2) Drink a cup of coffee.
3) 15 minutes later, pay and leave with a properly maintained vehicle.

Money spent:
Oil Change:
$20.00
Coffee: $1.00
Total: $21.00
==========
Oil Change instructions for Men :
1) Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree, pay $50.00.
2) Stop and buy a case of beer, pay $20, drive home.
3) Open a beer and drink it.
4) Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.
5) Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.
6) In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
7) Place drain pan under engine..
8) Look for 13mm box end wrench.
9) Give up and use crescent wrench.
10) Unscrew drain plug.
11) Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: splash hot oil on you in process. Cuss.
12) Crawl out from under car to wipe hot oil off of face and arms. Throw kitty litter on spilled oil.
13) Have another beer while watching oil drain.
14) Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.
15) Give up; crawl under car and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off.
16) Crawl out from under car with dripping oil filter splashing oil everywhere from holes. Cleverly hide old oil filter among trash in trash can to avoid environmental penalties. Drink a beer.
17) Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.
18) Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
19) Remember drain plug from step 11.
20) Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
21) Drink beer.
22) Discover that first quart of fresh oil is now on the floor. Throw kitty litter on oil spill.
23) Get drain plug back in with only a minor spill. Drink beer.
24) Crawl under car getting kitty litter into eyes. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug. Slip with stupid crescent wrench tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame removing any excess skin between knuckles and frame.
25) Begin cussing fit.
26) Throw stupid crescent wrench.
27) Cuss for additional 5 minutes because wrench hit bowling trophy.
28) Beer.
29) Clean up hands and bandage as required to stop blood flow.
30) Beer.
31) Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.
32) Beer.
33) Lower car from jack stands.
34) Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during any missed steps.
35) Beer.
36) Test drive car.
37) Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.
38) Car gets impounded.
39) Call loving wife, make bail..
40) 12 hours later, get car from impound yard.

Money spent:
Parts: $50.00
DUI: $2500.00
Impound fee: $75.00
Bail: $1500.00
Beer: $20.00
Total: $4,145.00

Knowing the job was done correctly..... Priceless
 

2QuikTA

Addict
May 30, 2011
874
2
I try not to get the cheapest oil/filter, and including my time is probably more than the $20 at jiffy lube. But I feel better knowing I did it and it was done correctly. Back in high school a buddy took his car to jiffy lube and they didn't screw the oil filter on tight enough and bye bye went his engine.
 

Thirdgen89GTA

Aka "That Focus RS Guy"
TCG Premium
Sep 19, 2010
19,368
15,823
Rockford
Real Name
Bill
Like anything else car related these days (and as many are extremely quick to point out), I have someone else do it.

If I can afford it, why the fuck not. I'm not above someone making my life easier.

Depends on what it is.

Factory stock car w/warranty? Go to Dealer.

TransAm w/parts from 10 different generations of F-bodies and Corvettes? Do it myself.

I have only once had shop do an oil change because I needed one, and my jack broke.
Walk up to service manager, tell him to lookup oil filter and capacity for 95 Buick Roadmaster.
Tech comes back, tells me the oil filter doesn't fit. I tell him to look at 95' BR.
Tech tells me he needs VIN to lookup correct filter.
I argue with Tech to just lookup by year/make/model I tell him.
tech finally finds correct part.
Shop does not have oil filter in stock.

Get back in car, drive to another shop.
Shop is staffed by old guy who knows his shit.
Doesn't blink when I tell him to lookup a different year/make/model.
Gets oil changed in about 40m.
Pay the man money.

Vow to never put off oil change again, and to just spend the money on a new jack when I need an oil change on the GTA.
 

LikeABauce302

TCG Elite Member
Aug 27, 2013
5,915
16,459
South suburbs
Real Name
Matt
Unless it's a new car and a I get a few free oil changes as part of the deal, I do it myself. My Chrysler is really easy to change the oil in. The filter is right on top of the engine and there's no shrouding or belly pan to be removed to get to the drain plug. I can change oil in about 15 minutes. I can change it for ~$35 with fuel synthetic and a WIX filter vs the ~$60 that the dealer charges.
 

10sec

I haz dat teddy bear smile.
TCG Premium
Jul 26, 2008
25,948
5,828
Hm... Aside from the DUI, that sounds like my average oil change. I'm not baller status like you big shot MF-ers, so I actually save money doing it on my own. I also get to drink as many beers as I want, so... Even IF I pay more, I still win.
 

Gav'sPurpleZ

If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail
TCG Sponsor
TCG Premium
Mar 3, 2008
39,090
14,875
Pingree Grove IL
I change the oil in the truck and the car.

i'm not going to run the oil down to 20% life left so that a lube tech @ the dealer can use some shit bulk oil in my truck. free oil changes for 2 years or 24k miles. that would be like 3 oil changes.... I don't want to sit at a dealer while someone strips my drain plug.
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 90 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant. Consider starting a new thread to get fresh replies.

Thread Info