Originally Posted By: SirWired
For whatever reason, I've had a horrible time finding the appropriate crush washers at auto parts stores for my cars when it's time. Go to the dealer, tell them you want a half-dozen crush washers, and pay the couple of bucks. My VW dealer just gave them to me for free... didn't feel like ringing them up, they were so cheap. He tossed in a replacement drain plug too, just in case.
OEM filters often come with them, if you don't mind paying the price for OEM filters.
Some people get away with never changing them, some people don't. I will say that using a new crush washer definitely does decrease the torque you'll need to get a good seal.
If you're going to use a new crush washer, this is definitely the way to do it. You may or may not have any luck finding the right one at an auto parts store, and you won't save money anyhow.
Personally, I've always reused the crush washer. If after a lot of oil changes it starts to seep a couple drops of oil, no big deal, just get a new one then.