Renters ... Where do you change oil???

[Roger]

My son moved several states away this month. Way too far to come home and use dad's garage for an oil change. The apartment he rented does not allow auto maintenance onsite, so no oil changes. Since his car needed an oil change, we took it to an oil change shop and the bill was over $40. Ouch!

I've been a home owner for years. Just wondering if any of you renters have any ideas how a diy'er like my son can still change his own oil?

Thanks.

 

[01rangerxl]

My old apartment complex didn't allow car maintenance either, and I didn't care. I just went to the back of the lot and went to work. Oil changes, diff fluid changes, coolant changes, etc...it didn't matter. Nobody said a word. Residents won't care unless there's old people with nothing to do living there, and the management probably has bigger things to worry about.

If the apartment complex is truly not an option, there are always parking decks, Auto Zone, and Advance. If you rent, you have to make some compromises here and there.

I rent my current house, and the landlord doesn't give a [censored] what I do to my truck. I do keep the driveway and sidewalk pressure washed though, and the yard looks reasonably good for this neighborhood (nobody has perfect grass here).

 

[daves87rs]

I borrow my parents/friends house when needed.

 

[javacontour]

I changed mine at the complex as well. It wasn't forbidden in my lease. I made sure I kept things clean and never got any grief.

I think the rules are aimed at those who would leave their car on jack stands for a week while working.

He could probably do it in the Wal*Mart or whatever parts store parking lot. They are fixing cars there all the time, so what's one more.

 

[javacontour]

Who is he friends with? Maybe someone he knows at work, or church or something has a home where he can work.

Network, network, network!

 

[Cutehumor]

the apts I stayed in said the same thing. I change the oil at night with a flashlight. very covert operation. if it's cold at night, I would change the oil after 5pm when the office was closed. so the management wouldn't see it themselves.

 

[DreamerGT]

lol nice responses here, I thought I was the only one that changes oil on the down low.

 

[tomcat27]

I changed a radiator hose and a starter in the parking lot very quietly. but for normal planned maintenance, i sought out friends, or friends at work who were accommodating. usually I maintained their car also. it actually turned into a weekly hangout night.

 

[EricZoom]

I just sold my house last month, and went from a 3 car garage, to a townhouse apt., with no garage. I made sure before I sold my house to changed my oil with M1, so that should hold me for a while. Luckily where I live, they seem to be OK with people working on cars, so I've seen.

 

[Hootbro]

In my old APT dwelling days, I found getting up early on a Sunday between 6am and 9am was the best time to sneak in any car maintenance.

In 4 years, I was only caught and scolded once. The site manager actually said it was to keep out the demographic of those who can not own and keep a stable running car. In hindsight, they were right and it was a pretty good thing overall.

 

[ClarkB]

Originally Posted By: Hootbro
In my old APT dwelling days, I found getting up early on a Sunday between 6am and 9am was the best time to sneak in any car maintenance...


My exact operating procedure, too.

Clark

 

[97f150]

I rent an apt where disabling the vehicle is forbidden. The only repairs I have done there are tie rod ends, and no one seemed to care than. Most mait. is done at work where i have a shop and more tools than i can ever use at my disposal. Oh yeah, and working on your own car while being paid is not bad either.

 

[eljefino]

One's office parking lot on the weekend is a pretty good bet.

Can get creative, use a "curb cut" to run one side of wheels up higher on a sidewalk and you might not need ramps etc.

Did some "street mechanic" work on a Sunfire alternator, passers-by were mostly asking if I needed a lift/ help etc. I was across the street from a bus stop so I had an audience.

Did oil changes at my apartment, was a don't ask/don't tell situation. I also washed the salt off my paint with a hose off my hot water washer hookup in the middle of winter.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I used to change oil on the Benzes using the Topsider draw-oil-out-the-dipstick method, and the cartridge filter was on top, so no jacking or crawling underneath. It was clean and fast, and nobody ever said anything. I'm not sure my compound has any a rule against doing minor maintenance.

In any case I try to do stuff when the office isn't open.

 

[NateDN10]

My old apartment complex "didn't allow" auto maintenance in its parking lots, but that didn't stop me or others. I did oil changes there and nobody said anything. There was another guy down the row who did an engine swap in one of the back parking lots.

 

[Kestas]

When I lived in apartments (school), I put a drain bucket inside a platic bag. After the job was finished and old oil recovered, I inverted the bag and put all the dirty stuff in the bag for disposal. My bucket was clean, I did a clean job, and nobody cared. I even had other students living there ask for oil changes.

I also had a garden hose I hooked up to the outdoor faucet for car washing. Luckily, management was rarely on site.

 

[scurvy]

Topside oil extraction is the way to go if possible. Otherwise, he needs to make some friends with garages/driveways that aren't at apartment buildings. A six pack of beer and a pizza will get you very far with college students!

$40 for an oil change isn't bad, really. And it should only need to be done every six-ish months or so...

 

[brianl703]

Find an industrial parking lot. Any with a building that has lots of roll-up garage doors will work fine, especially if there's a few auto repair places there. Such buildings have lots of trucks and vans parked around them. Types of businesses often located here are heating/AC/plumbing contractors, auto repair shops, towing companies, warehouses, etc. Anyone who sees you working on a car will likely assume you're an employee of one of the businesses there.

I change the oil in my mom's car right in her parking space. I don't know if the townhouse community where she lives has any restriction on auto repair, but nobody has ever bothered me.

I can change the oil in her car without jacking it up, and that's what I do.

 

[steve20]

After watching the on-site manager wash his Chevy pickup one day, I thought what a great idea. I bought a cheap garden hose and washed mine the next week. Got yelled at big time. This is NJ, and praise the low-erd I was not spawned in this lovely State

Steve

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: steve20
After watching the on-site manager wash his Chevy pickup one day, I thought what a great idea. I bought a cheap garden hose and washed mine the next week. Got yelled at big time. This is NJ, and praise the low-erd I was not spawned in this lovely State

Steve


Do as I say,and not as I do right ?