It will be a nightmare every time I change oil

[dbias]

+23 on doing it top side. Seriously once you do it you'll not even think of going back under the car for an oil change. I'm kinda miffed that my new jetta and Cross Sport both have the filters underneath after doing oil changes top side on the Audi.
That being said I still get a good look under the Audi from time to time just to check things out, especially while I'm under there doing the dsg fluid change for the transmission.

 

[Electromotive]

Take it to a quick change place. They’ll undo the screws, remove the panel and throw it in the garbage bin. Then you don’t have to deal with it next time you change it yourself.

You are spot on.

 

[2EHA]

jaguar stopped using bottom mounted spin on filters in like 2010, no reason to be under the car

just use the extractor and call it a day

 

[GJM120]

I'm often pulling the shields off my car (BMW 1 Series), and yes getting them back on is a pain. Just find a shipping box or something to support it while you line up the holes and start putting in the fasteners. Once you done it a few times, it gets easier (not easy, just easier).

 

[Escape08]

OK folks I surrender. I'm waving the white flag. I am sold on the oil extractor for the oil change. Thanks for all the replies & the abundant of knowledge I got from you guys today. I've been an old school throughout my entire life doing everything what my late father thought me to do on DIY car maintenance. And, this video I found on YouTube is also the one that convinced me to the new & easy way to do oil change, It looked so simple. I can't wait for the next oil change.

 

[pezzy84]

All Range Rover/Land Rover/Jaguar vehicles are designed to have the oil sucked out of the oil fill location. There is a metal tube that extends to the bottom of the oil pan, installed there for that purpose. Just need a decent oil extractor with the appropriate adaptor to fit inside that small diameter tube. That is exactly how all their dealers do oil changes. Since the oil filter is located on the top of the engine, it makes oil changes easy and fast. From what I understand dealers don't remove the large skid plate on the Land Rovers/Range Rovers/Jaguars unless they are doing a service on the automatic transmission, or addressing some other issue.
Removing those skid plates tho would be best done with the vehicle on a lift. If I had a lift, I might change the oil once that way.

^This. Same with Mercedes, dealer oil change will be done entirely topside.

 

[Duffyjr]

Looking at that image and how well that cover covers the bottom of the engine how can you tell when it develops a leak, doesn't look like it would hit the ground.

 

[TheLawnRanger]

The Rockefellers have their butler, Chauncey, take care of this situation with their Jags.

 

[Gimpy1]

Wait a second, I thought all British cars had a total loss oiling system. Just wait for all the oil to leak or weep out and presto your problem is solved. All you have to do is refill the oil and change the filter.

 

[RamFan]

Apparently I’m late to the party, but I understand what you’re saying OP. The Giulia has 23 Torx bolts (two different sizes) to remove in order to pull the shield down. Seems like overkill, but it is what it is.

After the first time, it’s a breeze. I will admit that I bought an electric ratchet to make the life easier.

 

[Hall]

The Giulia has 23 Torx bolts (two different sizes)

That alone is pretty piss-poor designing on Alfa's part

 

[Chris142]

Cut a door where you need it to drain or get to the filter

 

[RooflessVW]

Cut a door where you need it to drain or get to the filter

But if the drain (extractor tube) and filter are up top, why mangle the car?

 

[nomas]

My Nissan Titan has a plastic skidplate with 9 bolts holding it . Screw it , I let the dealership deal with it .

 

[RazorsEdge]

There's a cover on our Ford Escape. It's not a big issue. Grab the Torx bit and the cordless drill *done* Then simply change the oil (filter,,)

 

[Wolf359]

The skid plate on my Mercedes has 9 bolts, I still drop the shield to change the oil. I only do it once a year or so. Getting the topside extractor is probably overkill for me. Basically after you get about 6 screws, half of is sitting on the ground and you can undo the last 3 easily. Same with putting it back on, start the first three, and you really only have to hold up the back half for one screw and that actually holds it up. MB does a weird design where the drain plug is on the side, not the back of the car. So when you undo the drain bolt, it splashes against the body a bit and oil kinda goes everywhere for a little bit until the volume goes down. Cutting a hole wouldn't help at all as the whole body panel would get coated in oil.

 

[DallasTexas]

On my 4th Benz all topside oil changes.

 

[DwightFrye]

Ihis video I found on YouTube is also the one that convinced me to the new & easy way to do oil change, It looked so simple. I can't wait for the next oil change.

Spoken like a true BITOG'er !

 

[dbias]

OK folks I surrender. I'm waving the white flag. I am sold on the oil extractor for the oil change. Thanks for all the replies & the abundant of knowledge I got from you guys today. I've been an old school throughout my entire life doing everything what my late father thought me to do on DIY car maintenance. And, this video I found on YouTube is also the one that convinced me to the new & easy way to do oil change, It looked so simple. I can't wait for the next oil change.

Yes its that easy, practically a one handed endeavor.
A couple of things I do differently....
1. I do the filter first on my Audi. When I unscrew the filter housing mine is hand tight when properly torqued and aligns with the factory paint pin mark every time so I dont even get the torque wrenches out any more.
2.I get my first beer. Once the seal is cracked on the filter housing I can hear a slight gurgling of oil back into the engine (drain back valve?) so this gets more oil back into the sump. Additionally there is a couple tablespoons of oil that can be sucked out of the base of the housing and as soon as it is clear I stick the suction tube into the dipstick tube. The Audi has no dipstick though just a cap.
3. While the sump is being drained I do the filter and o ring change.
4. Once I'm done with the filter I let the sump drain until it starts sucking air. And get beer number two ready.
5. Once beer two is completed I repump the extractor and move the tube around a bit to clear the additional oil that has drained during the second beer.
6. Once the sump is empty I replace the dipstick tube cap and start adding oil. I put about half a litre carefully into the filter housing to possibly get some oil into the lines coming to the filter and reinstall the filter housing and align the marks which is a firm hand tight. I dont think it probably makes any difference but it makes me feel better. I then put the remaining 5 litres into the sump and get on with life.
The only messy part of the whole operation is changing the O ring on the filter housing.

 

[Escape08]

Yes its that easy, practically a one handed endeavor.
A couple of things I do differently....
1. I do the filter first on my Audi. When I unscrew the filter housing mine is hand tight when properly torqued and aligns with the factory paint pin mark every time so I dont even get the torque wrenches out any more.
2.I get my first beer. Once the seal is cracked on the filter housing I can hear a slight gurgling of oil back into the engine (drain back valve?) so this gets more oil back into the sump. Additionally there is a couple tablespoons of oil that can be sucked out of the base of the housing and as soon as it is clear I stick the suction tube into the dipstick tube. The Audi has no dipstick though just a cap.
3. While the sump is being drained I do the filter and o ring change.
4. Once I'm done with the filter I let the sump drain until it starts sucking air. And get beer number two ready.
5. Once beer two is completed I repump the extractor and move the tube around a bit to clear the additional oil that has drained during the second beer.
6. Once the sump is empty I replace the dipstick tube cap and start adding oil. I put about half a litre carefully into the filter housing to possibly get some oil into the lines coming to the filter and reinstall the filter housing and align the marks which is a firm hand tight. I dont think it probably makes any difference but it makes me feel better. I then put the remaining 5 litres into the sump and get on with life.
The only messy part of the whole operation is changing the O ring on the filter housing.

Very informative, Sir. The oil filter in the Jag is a non-canister paper filter. Do you primed it with fresh oil before you put it in the canister? On my other vehicles with canister oil filter, I primed it with fresh oil, let it sit over night and then add additional oil before installation.