% that change their own oil?

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: oldmaninsc
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
The only thing most kids know about their cars is they need gas to run them, and when they break call daddy or AAA.

Two other frightening thoughts are, checking oil properly, and changing a flat tire safely. Our point and click society has changed a lot of things.


Sad but true. When my daughters started driving I made sure both of them know how to change the oil on their car and know where all the fluids are and what they should be. If you are driving a vehicle, you need to know how to take care of it.


I have a friend who runs his car until it spits out brake pads or the tire separates from being run low on pressure. Never checks or changes oil.

As long as it starts and moves - it's fine.

 

[barkingspider]

I'm the only one in my immediate family that diy oil changes. I do it for my parents. My brother makes a lot of money so he takes his vehicles to the local firestone. My sister and her husband take there vehicles to the quick lube. In my culdesac, there are 8 houses, one of them is a renter with 6 vehicles. I'm the only one that wrenches on vehicles that I noticed. None of my buddies diy except for one. I'm surprised because most of them diy when it comes to remodel/maintaining their homes, landscaping, etc.

 

[kmcavin]

I'd have to agree that fewer people change their own oil now than they did in the past. I have access to a base Auto Hobby Shop and I remember in the 80s and 90s that it used to be packed with people doing their own oil changes and other maintenance. If you didn't get there early you may be waiting a few hours for a rack or just have to settle for using jack stands on a regular stall, if they weren't already taken. A few weeks before Christmas I went in on a Saturday and was surprised four out of five racks were available 30 minutes after they were open.
$2 per half hour for the rack and 50 cents for oil disposal. Not a bad deal.

 

[GenesisGuy70]

I'm the only one I know that changes their own oil.

Everyone else just goes to a quick lube. A little piece of me dies inside each time I hear about it.

 

[Sierra048]

I've asked a lot of friends if they change their own oil. Surprisingly, not many do. I've even offered those that don't my garage, tools and help to save them some money. None are interested. I guess time is more important to them. As for me, as long as I'm able, no one touches my oil filter and drain plug but me. That goes for all repairs I'm able to do myself. As a retiree, it's a form of therapy for me.

 

[FutureDoc]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: FutureDoc
Subtract the 0-15yo croud (12%)

Don't discount them completely.

My dad had me doing oil changes on the farm long before I was legally old enough to drive. But, as you indicate, when he hit his seventies, I was doing most of his oil changes except when he [reluctantly] went to the quick lubes.


No discounting meant. We have a 76yo change too...

Maybe some 0-15yo "own" their own car. Heck, my "education" happened as soon as I could see into the engine bay. Still, I was "changing" the oil etc on my family's vehicles (not my own)... and it was not until I got to refurbish a old pickup as my first vehicle that one would consider that I changed my "own" oil.

 

[VNTS]

I would say less than 5%.

I am the only one in my development of 18 houses that changes his own oil.

Much quicker for me to whip out the floor jack, crack open a beer and change the oil and filter. Too much time wasted going to a quick lube or shop. can change oil in 20 minutes with 3/4 of that
waiting for oil to drain while I enjoy a beer on the front porch.
Would drive me up the wall wating an hour at the shop while some monkey making min wage changes my oil and then the service guy tries to upsell stuff to me LOL

Of course I listen to neighbors complain about getting raped for their 30K, 60K service [censored] on their cars. No thanks, do it myself.


But then again half my neighbors have fertilizer guy, lawn mower guy, handyman guy, painter, plow guy, throw away all their appliances and buy new etc.

 

[jkhawaii]

It's so inexpensive to have some one else do it. Only reason to do it yourself would be to use a specific product, find it fun to do, have trust issues with minimim paid lube techs touching your vehicle.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Throt
I'm the only one I know that changes their own oil.

Even the bulk of "car guys" that I know don't bother anymore. Yeesh.

 

[VNTS]

But you have to wonder how many of these quick lube places are using bulk oil which dont meet approvals of the cars they are putting it in and also the cheapest LCD filter.

Price wise it is hard to beat synthetic from Walmart with a good filter. I have a huge stash of oil which I buy with the rebates, or clearances. I also go to amazon and got a bunch of Mobil 1 filters for 6$ with free shipping. When I order parts from Rock auto, I will bundle some Fram Ultra filters again 6$ into the order.


IMHO, my time is worth more to me and I refuse waste an hour standing around a quick lube or shop or dealer waiting for them to take my car and chance my oil.

My neighbor has a BMW and brings it to a quick lube, was shooting the breeze with him when changing my oil, he went and grabbed the receipt from the glove box. The oil change was over 50$ and they used generic 5w30 on the receipt with a filter I never heard of. His X1 with the turbo is supposed take 5w-40 with the BMW approvals for the turbo. He didnt seem to care All well next stiff that buys it when he trades it in, in a few years will get the "BMW" used experience LOL

 

[berniedd]

I used to do it, but now that I'm much older and nearing 60, I just take it to the shop and have them do it. It's mostly because the oil filters in my CRVs are very hard to reach at the very back of the engine. (The cars I owned before were easier to work on.) BUT I bring my own oil and filters to the shop and watch them like a hawk after they raise the car on a lift. I also bring a strong flashlight and inspect the undercarriage and lower engine, driveline, transmission, etc while the car's up in the air.

Also, I can avoid the used oil disposal part of the job. Years before, a buddy of mine who had a construction business would get my used oil and brush it on the inside of wooden walls, the wooden beams of the house to ward off pests and termites. After drying for a few days, he'd install the panels and nobody's the wiser. He says insects do not like the smell of petroleum products.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I find it to be therapeutic to be changing the oil on a nice day. Like one of the other posters said,enjoying a coldie,listening to some music,and just taking your time. Plus I take that time to inspect everything underneath as well.

 

[mdboulier]

What % even do proper maintenance? DIY is a small subset of that population.

Rode with a coworker in a nice car today "13,300 miles past service b", CEL on, tire pressure indicator on. it's not even a question of D-I-Y. More a question of D-I at all.

 

[Vuflanovsky]

I've been changing my own oil off and on since I bought my first car at 18 years old in 1980. I've changed my own oil consistently for about the last 15 years. The thing that prevents DIY in my world is a lack of time ( especially on weekends ) combined with a "difficult" car. My current Hyundai is such that I almost don't even need to jack it up and the drain plug faces the front of the car IN the front of the car...15-20 minute job. My previous Mazda had a rear facing drain plug almost mid vehicle that would require me to jack the car to a particular level and then the plug was always more difficult than it had to be to remove due to location. Typically, it was at least an hour to do an oil change on that car. For me, DIY is defined as how easy it is and how much time it takes ( not always the same thing ) in relation to everything else I have to do on the weekend.

 

[Tabor]

I know people who do, but they are the same people that do a lot of their own maintenance.

I find it easier to change it myself than to take it somewhere. As an added bonus it is cheaper (with synthetic), I get to choose whatever oil/filter combo I like, and I get to poke around at the same time.

As an aside, I know people that will religiously change their oil every 3K but are running 22 year old ATF with 100K miles on it. [censored]?

 

[raytseng]

Probably the same % that build their own computer -my guess less than 5%, closer to 1%.
The same reasoning apply to both-even if the reason is a fallacy or could be debated, but the beliefs are the same.

If you didn't build your computer, why you didn't is the same reasoning many people think of oil changes.

 

[EA82]

I would also say 5% or less, between my friends coworkers and neighbors, I only know 1 other person that changes his own oil. I have friends that are capable of doing it but they won't for whatever reason, and the weather favors people to work on their cars year round in FL, northern states the percentage is probably even smaller.

 

[virginoil]

Most new cars designed nowdays so its harder to access things under vehicle bonnet and chassis so I think the number of owners changing the oil has reduced definitely.

Also most new cars come with a free 3 year service program included.

The cost impact of having to dispose used oil in a prescribed manner due to environmental practices/law etc. is also a deterrent,

 

[Tabor]

Originally Posted By: virginoil
Most new cars designed nowdays so its harder to access things under vehicle bonnet and chassis so I think the number of owners changing the oil has reduced definitely.

Also most new cars come with a free 3 year service program included.

The cost impact of having to dispose used oil in a prescribed manner due to environmental practices/law etc. is also a deterrent,


Interesting. My 2014 Focus is actually the easiest oil change of any car that I have ever owned. Fords do not come with free oil changes. Also, in Portland, OR they pick up used oil in milk jugs next to your trash can (which is awesome). I guess I should feel lucky.

 

[cheech279]

I'm age 63 and have been changing oil on family cars, trucks, tractors, front end loaders, etc. for 48 years. It will be a sad day when I no longer enjoy or am able to fire up some Neil Young on the stereo, have a cold drink or a cup of coffee and change my own oil and filter. Not to mention the satisfaction of knowing that the job will be done right.

As far as the % of all car owners who DIY, I'd guess about 5%.