Those Who Change Their Own Oil - check in

[Blue_Goose]

Changed the oil yesterday as the temps were close to 60

Changed it in my Matrix(out with Chevron 5W30 SL, in with Pennz Plat 5W30) and on my wife's Vue(out with Pennz 5W20, in with Havoline 5W20)

Both vehicles got 4 oz of LC20 for the first time. My OIC is a breeze, the Honda powered Vue is a bit of a PITA due to filter location...oil bath all over the place(glad I have the Blitz oil tray)

Use Rhino Ramps...I got sort of soaked because even with the warm temps the melting snow made it wet where I needed to lay down....such is the price for the satisfaction of doing your own OIC

Goose

 

[glennc]

I have never let anybody change my oil but me. I enjoy the ritual. Warm up the car on some errand, drain the oil. While it's draining I look things over, clean all the windows, lube the hinges and latches and antennas, top off other fluids. New filter, new oil.

I don't have a garage. I have a parking area that I built that is covered with crushed 3/4" granite. Little shard-like pieces. I roll the car up on a couple of flat rocks to get an extra inch of clearance and have an old camping pad that I can lay on. It's fine. I like doing it outside. It's a rare week that we don't have at least one nice day for it. Usually every day is nice enough. It's therapeutic.

- Glenn

 

[simple_gifts]

I hesitate contributing here; I am already on two lists.

I replace my oil in both my rides with new oil made by the same manufacturer, so I guess I don't change my oil.

 

[UncleS2]

Changed oil on Jan. 9. On Neons, the oil filter hangs vertically, right next to the drain plug. Vey easy, *if* you get yourself a pair of Rhino Ramps- the only ones I've seen that a stock 95-99 Neon will clear.

I used to get oil changed at my local svc station on this car, but stopped that when one of the guys stripped the oil pan. That's when I began hunting in earnest for ramps that would work, & found the Rhinos. The "single over-size" self tapping plug still works fine after 100,000+ miles of doing it myself(just like on all my previous cars).

 

[GimmeTorq]

Garage door closed, a piece of old carpet on the floor, a set of two halogen work lights and the car on ramps. If it is too cold, I sometimes use a little electric space heater.

 

[martyi]

When I had very little money I changed oil/filter all the time. Then, I let others do it (dealers, mechanic shops, Jiffy Lube - you name it). Never had a problem. Now I am back to changing my own because I don't want anyone fooling around on my new truck but me. I installed a Fumoto valve and don't need ramps or jacks to get under there - a piece of cake and fun too!

 

[tom slick]

I change my own. a couple rhino ramps for my mazda, my truch sits high enough I don't need them for it.

 

[pa04prius]

Always have, always will. Got Rhino ramps from my daughter and her husband 2 years ago but before that just length of 2x8 and a cement block to get it off the ground a bit.

 

[cb450sc]

I have always changed my own oil as well. I just traded in the 1989 Mitsubishi Galant on a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid. The Galant had 299,000 kilometers on it. Loved that car, but with both kids now driving I wanted something that would not give them any problems on the road. I change the oil with the car on stands, usually about every 6000 kilometers.

 

[beanoil]

Just finished changing the oil in my wife's Montana. Up on ramps, 3 quarts of Mobil DC (sj flavor) and a quart of M1 Tri-Synth. 5 oz of VSOT. Replaced the air filter with a Purolator PP, a pretty blue color! Checked the tires, got fuel, and added the usual dose of Techron at OC time. 56 degrees today here right outside of St. Louis, a great afternoon!

 

[peterr]

I started changing my own oil when for the first time I had a small garage. Previously I had no where to do it.

I tried ramps at first but my two cars are too low and the front spoilers positioned such that they are a bad idea. I now use a jack and stands.

I have done 4 or 5 oil changes and 1 transmission fluid change in the last year. Mainly its just so that I know what I am putting in and taking out.

My garage is totally unheated so doing a fluid change at -10 Celsius is about as DIY as I will get in the Canadian Winter

 

[Captain Howdy]

BTW, those Rhino ramps that a lot of people have mentioned, are on sale at Advance Auto for $27.77 through Feb. 25th. So is Havoline for $15.36 a case after rebate.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Colt wrote that he does his oil changes:

>

Huh. Must be nice to be able to predict the change in seasons. Down here in The Swamp (aka New Orleans) we've been gypped out of any winter the last two years -- and I'm not being sarcastic; I hate hot weather. Not much point in changing to a thinner oil for winter around here; for driving in this nasty lukewarm soup, 15W-40 works year-round.

In any case, I use a Topsider oil extractor. It must look to people passing by as though I'm giving my car a transfusion!

For years I did the 3 month/3k mile routine, but then realized I drive so little in NO that I was wasting oil and money changing at 2500 miles. So I'm due to swap out the car's blood this next weekend at 4 months and 3200 miles. This way, only 3 changes a year instead of 4. Maybe someday I'll get to the point where 6 months/4800 miles won't bother me.

Nah. . . .

-- Paul W.

 

[Vilan]

Always changed my own oil. Roll the car up on a couple handmade thick wooden ramps and get under there. I'm a believer that if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself. More fun to do it myself too. I only take the car in for repairs that are beyond me.

 

[Axe Man]

I have the luxury of a garage with some heat that I can supplement when necessary. I have always done mine own oil changes. The Kia Sportage I can crawl underneath without jacking or ramps. The oil filter comes out topside. The Taurus needs a slight jacking on driver's side to reach the drain plug. Oil filter is up front on the DOHC V-6. The Honda Civic is a PITA. Up on the Rhino ramps she goes.

 

[TallPaul]

I can pull into the garage and turn the furnace on when needed, but usually don't for an oil change unless it is extremely cold.

One reason I have been driving pickup trucks since '77 is that you can get under them without jacking them up. Worst vehicle I have to change oil for is wife's Aerostar. It's enough of a squeeze that the dirt on the rocker panel gets rubbed into my shirt/jacket, but still don't have to jack it up.

With my 192 quart oil stash, I will certainly be changing my own oil for many years.

 

[BUBBA0420]

I changed my oil last weekend on my 1998
Nissan Maxima. The weather was unseasonably warm
so even though it only had 1600 miles on it
I wanted to do it before it snows again. I jack
up the right front of the car slide in and pull
the drain plug and filter off which is easy
to get at since some engineer actually new what
he was doing when they built this car. I then
let the floor jack down and let it drain for
10 to 15 minutes. The owners manual specifies
a 10 minute drain period. Jack the front end
back up and replace the drain plug and screw
on a new Purolator Pure One Filter then
drop it back down and fill with Havoline 10W-30
*** Life is good

 

[Kuato]

Change my own! With 2 Jeeps in the family, no jacking/ramps required; just slide under and reach for the plug.

And at about 15 minutes per change, I can be done with my oil change before most people get to the Jiffy Lube.

 

[Ram_in_Texas]

I generally change my own oil. There have been a few occasions when I let some one else do it - like when I was living in an apartment while our house was being built. For the most part, I do my own oil changes. I sleep better because of it!

 

[Schmoe]

Can't remember when I DIDN'T change my own oil. 3 cars and a boat. With the two Accords, jack right side up, take off tire, change filter while draining oil, replenish and every other change, drop the transmission fluid too. About 30 minutes if uninterrupted. F150, just crawl in and do it, 20 minutes, max.