What's the main reason you change your own oil and filter?

[oldhp]

Because:
It's fun.
I don't leave oily hand prints.
I know the drain plug is correctly tightened.
I know the oil filter is correctly tighten/installed.
I know what oil/oil filter is in my car.
I get to lay under my car and look around.
I know everything is filled correctly.
I know when I close the hood "everything" is really done.

 

[Ken42]

Same as all the above....Except I have no hair to cut!


Just had my tires replaced at Perfection and had them do a oil change while they were at it.

Noticed while I was replacing the transmission mount the new oil filter was leaking. Tried to tighten it but no go.

Took it back to finish the alignment and they discreetly replaced the filter. Heard them say it was overtightened!

Thats why!


Ken

 

[walterjay]

Convenience, fun, saves money and time. Underside inspection and above all I always do it right.

 

[miden851]

because, the car will thank me in the long run...

 

[Dyusik]

It costs a fraction of the price. Time saved, in the garage for a couple of hours vs at work for a couple of days is a no-brainer. I don't have yet another moron screwing something I have to unscrew, and redo properly, yes, even the "certified" and "professional" leave me scratching my head at their mistakes. It is my only leisure time that has not been invaded by work, school, and family, I'm a kid again when I'm skinning my knuckles and pouring petrochemicals in my eyes.

 

[BretK]

I had a "quick lube" screw up a simple change on my Buick, so since then I do mine, my wife's and my daughter's. I also get to choose which oil and filter gets used, and that it actually gets done.
I had a dealership do my wife's minivan when it was new (Free promotional oil change on a new van) and when I inspected the work, I found that they had not changed the filter like they said they had.
That dealership is no longer in business.

 

[slimjim]

Quick change oil place caught my truck on fire. True story. After that I do all my own stuff.

 

[RichR]

Originally Posted By: dawgn86
my daughter lived in Texas for a year or so and when we moved her in, I bought her 4 oil changes from the Dodge dealer there ( Jeep Cherokee ). I figured they would do it right and it seems they did ok except for the drain plug. When I changed it a few weeks ago, I had to get a small pipe to break loose the drain plug! Makes no sense.


Where else can I get an oil change for $10?
Buy filters off BITOG(Thank You!)Idemitsu oil
for $.85 a quart(Thanks Again).

Plus my daughter also lived in Texas for three
years of oil changes.The filter canister was so
tight I had to take it to a friend's shop
to lift it so I could get enough torque to
remove the filter.

 

[69Torino]

Nobody touches my cars but me. Ever.

 

[hatt]

Cheaper, faster, better and I'm probably less likely to break something.

 

[khittner]

I’m cheap, and I enjoy sticking it to oil companies. My ‘95 Dodge Dakota currently has QSUD 10w30 in it that, after clearance pricing and rebates, QS was paying me to take out of the store (something like $.50/qt.). I dug into my filter stash and found a Purolator Classic (girding myself for a Tearolator flaming) that I’d also gotten on clearance for $.89 .

 

[Anon9283]

Originally Posted By: PimTac
By changing my own oil, I know exactly what is in the sump and I know that the job was done correctly.


Same, plus I can buy better oil and filters for the same price as paying someone for bulk stuff and have peace of mind. The negatives are my wife knows exactly who to blame if a problem arises haha

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Originally Posted By: PimTac
By changing my own oil, I know exactly what is in the sump and I know that the job was done correctly.


That's totally correct.

 

[AZjeff]

I watched my dad doing it and I've just always done it. Only 2 oil changes I didn't do were 2 free dealer ones on the RAV4. All the reasons above apply as well.

This may change though, I've been unable to do an OC on the RAV or Silverado without making a mess every time.

 

[irv]

Because I know it will be done correctly and the proper oil/filter will be used, and as an added bonus, it is cheaper as well.

 

[NYEngineer]

There are two other people besides me I trust to work on my stuff and I only need them for transmissions, inspections and mounting tires.

 

[jongies3]

Because an oil change is one of the simplest things to do on a car. It's also one of the easiest things to screw up for the simpletons that work at quick lubes! If I do it, I don't have to question whether or not it's been done right or not. Rather than having to lose sleep over some zitty teenager leaving my plug loose or using the wrong filter or not even changing it!

 

[The motor guy]

So nothing gets messed up and I can remove both the filter and drain plug the next time.

 

[DdDd]

New car came with free oil changes for life.

Drive to dealer, 20-min. Schedule appointment, hour from now. Or I can come before 7:30am and get it done while u wait. How is this easier than playing home mechanic?

Of course, your new car will have greasey paw prints all over the controls and they'll point out how many things are needing service on your new car. Also break half the stuff they remove so that you actually need service further down the road.

Oil filter from Amazon. Stock up on oil with rebates. $12 oil and 12 minute change.

 

[FCD]

Knowing what i use and how the job was done, because i did it myself.
I went ONCE to a quick lube place, they left the oil filter only about half tight and the oil overfilled by a liter!