Gen X most likely to change their own oil - according to survey

CKN said:
Respectfully- unless it's budgeting reasons I don't see why you are doing all the work with your health conditions you described.
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Thank you for your concern...

Many reasons, budget is top of the list. I was raised to do everything you can yourself and keep pinching that penny (depression parents).

Mostly pride, hate others doing what I can do. Dislike the work others have done (only let others do tires and alignment), keeps me moving and active, I like to do it and I've been doing it all my life (I did hate those Cat, Detroit and Cummins oil changes though!). Every time I do it I wonder how long I can. Someday I'll have to submit.

Thanks again...
 
SC Maintenance said:
Economists are calling it the K shaped economy.

If your in the top 1/3rd of income your house value has gone up, your stocks have gone up, and your income has probably come close to keeping up.

If your in the bottom 2/3 your credit card debt has gone up and your savings rate has gone down. Overall savings rate in USA is at all time low and cc debt all time high.

Since the top 1/3 do most of the consumer discrtionary spending - economy still looks pretty good. But that all depends on who you are.

So yes, lots of folks are completely tapped out.

View attachment 248286

https://research.eef.or.th/from-a-k-shaped-to-a-v-shaped-recovery-education-inequality-is-reduced/
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All valid points but it doesnt address "bad choices" by consumers. Some of these folks are "tapped out" but had plenty of money for the latest I-phone etc etc.
 
SC Maintenance said:
Relatively small sample size of 1100 car owners, presumably randomized.

Interesting read.

Gen X most likely to change their own oil at 11.4%. Also most likely to take it to a national chain?

Boomers most likely to go to the dealer - at 39%.

Gen Z most likely group to pawn it off on a friend or relative - 18.6%.

full survey: https://associationdatabase.com/aws/MAPSA/page_template/show_detail/552807?model_name=news_article
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Gen z trying to get someone else to do it sounds perfectly inline.
 
I'm Gen X and plan to change my own oil until I physically can't anymore. Brakes, though? To the shop!

I do oil changes for my Gen Z kids. My son could do it, but has no interest. I still make him help me sometimes. I think on the next oil change, I'm going to make him do it with my assistance. He needs to.
 
Gen X, though late? whatever. Out of college, I did pay to have oil changed, but I was renting and living in a small space. Once I got a house I went back to changing oil (as I used to as a teen on the family vehicle then my own). Plus finances got tighter, house and kids and all.

I do try to do car shopping with tire replacement cost in mind, and how hard to do brakes and fluids. Been toying with getting a Volvo so I’ve been watching vids on how to do the work. But I also wrecked a car while working on it, so I have been getting more shy lately.

Son is 19 and has shown some interest in learning… but physically can’t do the work. Daughter hasn’t expressed interest and I haven’t pushed, but she tends to be super busy.
 
Gen Xer here... every since my 1st car back in the mid-80s, I've performed my own oil changes.

People complain about German engineering, but for both my '21 Audi SQ5 Sportback (3.0L TFSI V6) and '23 Audi RS5 Coupe (2.9L TT V6), the oil filter is accessed from above (2.9L TT V6 pictured):

Intake 001.webp


So I began using an oil extractor like this one:

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-bav-aut...p-stick-tube-bavarian-autosport/b8800001~bav/

It has a 10-qt capacity, which is required since both the 2.9L and 3.0L engines have 8-qt capacities.

An oil and filter change can be completed < 1/2 hr. OCIs for both engines are 5k miles.
 
1974 Gen X here.
I grew up watching my neighbors who serviced their own cars, and eventually, I started helping them whenever I could.
Oil changes, coolant changes, suspension replacements, brakes, whatever.

My dad never did that stuff (born in '33), and he clearly stated he had no interest in it.
But I was always attracted to finding out how things worked.

So, I've been doing my own work on cars and motorcycles since I was in my early teens.
It's why I don't have an issue owning expensive complex vehicles, because I know I can most likely service any issues that come up myself.
If I need to research and troubleshoot a problem, I know I can hunt down the problem with all the resources that are available today, in comparison to when I started turning wrenches back in the 80's.

But, I am getting sore now that I turned 50 (my wrists, hands and shoulders especially), so I know that sometime in the future I might have to rely on someone else to get things done on stuff I could have done in the past myself. That's just the nature of life with a lot of things.

But, saving money on things like an oil change or valve adjustment is secondary to knowing the job was done correctly, by someone who isn't rushing through a bunch of other stuff.
 
SC Maintenance said:
Yes, well thats a different issue. And its always easy to judge, especially those that have never been poor.
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I have been very poor, a lifetime of busting my hump doing work that others wouldnt and working long hours cured it. Thats not judgement, thats reality. You have no idea what I have seen.
 
Gen X here started doing my own last month. My dad used to do his own I never understood why it was dirty and I Lived near a jiffy lube and it was like $20 back then
 
IMHO, younger generation is quickly losing concept of taking care of their own property themselves, concept of responsibilities, basic skills and having to have tools, knowledge and experience. Schools don't teach this anymore. When I was in school we boys had mandatory metal and wood work classes including working lathe and they had tools and machinery and teachers had skills. Girls learned to saw and cooking. Both boys and girls had mandatory basic military classes and we shot .22 rifles in school basement during classes too.
Physical development is another thing, I just recently read that 70 some percent of young Gen in USA would not qualify for military service.
 
Pablo said:
I'm sick of polls and surveys. While some may be ball parkish semi-close, they are used very often very wrongly.

And don't get me started on what you ate surveys. "What did you have for lunch, last Tuesday?" 19 of 76 people maybe or maybe not remember had a turkey sandwich. Or was it chicken. No it was ham. 4 of those people have an itchy crack. Therefore turkey sandwiches cause itchy crack.
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better get roast beef 🤔
 
PF52 said:
Same here! Growing up, I was told I was part of one generation, and at some point they moved the endpoints and now I'm part of the other! Now I tell people I'm part of the Lost Generation....
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I am pretty sure it has mostly to do with your parents. I have a millennial friend - right on the edge with X, that grew up in one of the satellite USSR countries. He acts a lot like a Boomer :ROFLMAO:
 
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