Changing Oil in your vehicles

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  • JimD
    Veteran Member
    • Feb 2003
    • 4187
    • Lexington, SC.

    Changing Oil in your vehicles

    I usually change the oil in my two vehicles and often in the one daughter's car that isn't getting if done for free during the warranty period. My wife's also gets done for free but I did hers once because the free ones are so far between. I did both my SUV (2006 Suzuki) and convertible (2009 BMW 128i) today in a couple hours. The SUV has a quarter turn ball valve and hose on the drain plug because it is horizontal and made a mess the first oil change. I have to pull the drivers front wheel to reach the filter but it was a Fram so no tool required. There is clearance enough under the SUV I would change it on the ground if I could reach the filter. I have to raise the convertible but I made little ramps out of 2x4s just to get a jack to the center lifting point and I discovered that I can change the oil just by raising it that 1.5 inches. I need a ratchet and a 17mm socket for the drain plug and cap over the filter. The cap over the filter is right on the front of the engine so only the drain plug is a bit hard to get to. I use a torque wrench on the drain plug and the filter cap after a bad experience with the cap (didn't get it on tight enough, oil leaked and made a mess).

    My reasons to change it myself are: cost, convenience (takes less time and flexible schedule), and more confidence it is done right. I got free oil changes for the first 4 years on the bimmer but the drain plug threads are a bit rough now and the plastic cover over the drain plug is missing. My mom lost an engine when Walmart didn't refill it after the drain. But the downside is it is a bit messy and negative things can happen. My SUV didn't have a lot of oil come out, I am worried it has started using oil (it's at 120K miles). So I will start checking it. I wouldn't know that if I'd taken it somewhere. I also looked at the life remaining on the brakes when I had the wheel off. Good chance to look things over.

    So what do you do? Take it somewhere or change it yourself? Issues?
  • cwsmith
    Veteran Member
    • Dec 2005
    • 2737
    • NY Southern Tier, USA.
    • BT3100-1

    #2
    I'm now 71 (born in 44), started driving when I was 17 and bought my first car (my Dad's 56' Mercury) within a few months of getting my license. My Dad was a WWII vet, growing up in the Depression era, and totally convinced that "A Man" just did certain things all by himself.... Like, "If you're a man, you'd darn well know how to take care of your car without any help from anybody!"

    Well, I tried and I'm sure I disapponted him in many ways... the car thing being one of them. I changed the oil, plugs, air filters, anti-freeze etc; rotated the tires, even mounted and unmounted the winter's from the summer's tire's on the wheel rims on that Merc. Then in 65 I bought a new 65' VW and that changed things for awhile, leaving it pretty much to the dealer. Then in 67' I got married and with not a lot of loose change ($) to speak of as we were saving for a house. I started changing the oil on that, and even installed a new muffler. That was a challenge, sitting the car with two wheels up on the curb in front of our apartment and working for three hours on a cold October afternoon to do that.

    In 68' we bought a little Plymouth Valiant with a 'slant six' and I continued to change the oil, filters, etc. Easy to work on, being a weekend mechanic was sort of fun. But in 76' I bought a Mercury Monarch which was a total POS. I was only three years into my job at I-R and simply didn't have the time or the inclination and that ended doing almost any service myself. It just wasn't worth the time or the savings.

    Since then, I enjoy doing some things on my 95' Miata, the previous 70' MGB 'split tail' and even on my current 06' van, but frankly it isn't worth the time or the savings for me to do things like oil changes and repairs. I check the fluid levels, tire pressures, etc. I even have a compressor, charger/starter, necessary wrench sets, even a floor jack and ODBD reader for some diagnostics. But at this age, both time and saving considerations simple don't seem to be productive of my time. While I do like messing around with the Miata, the van is just sort of utilitarian and my friends at the local Monroe seem to make the occasional visit there more pleasurable than it would be if I was out in my own garage struggling to do these things today.

    CWS
    Think it Through Before You Do!

    Comment

    • Pappy
      The Full Monte
      • Dec 2002
      • 10453
      • San Marcos, TX, USA.
      • BT3000 (x2)

      #3
      Soon to be 67 and I still do my own oil changes on the pick up, van, and my Harley. Reasons are the same as Jim's. Cost, convenience, and confidence it is done right. Also I enjoy it, especially on the Harley.
      Don, aka Pappy,

      Wise men talk because they have something to say,
      Fools because they have to say something.
      Plato

      Comment

      • JimD
        Veteran Member
        • Feb 2003
        • 4187
        • Lexington, SC.

        #4
        Part of the reason I see a non trivial cost difference is I use synthetic. You can get decent deals on oil changes for most vehicles with conventional oil. But it seems like they double it for synthetic. My bimmer is even worse. The dealer thinks they are giving you a great deal when it goes on special for $100. Materials cost about $40.

        Comment

        • JR
          The Full Monte
          • Feb 2004
          • 5633
          • Eugene, OR
          • BT3000

          #5
          I take mine to the tire store where I bought the lifetime alignment.

          I'd do it myself if I had a hydraulic lift, drain drum, and someone to pick up waste oil. I've been under a number of cars in my time and have no desire to make it a part of my life as a planned event!
          JR

          Comment

          • cwsmith
            Veteran Member
            • Dec 2005
            • 2737
            • NY Southern Tier, USA.
            • BT3100-1

            #6
            JimD,

            I would totally agree with that, I didn't pay attention to your having a Beamer and I haven't brought myself to using any synthetic oils. They're great, but I change get our oil changed every 3,000 miles with a new filter and the cost is less than $30 at my local garage. (I also check the oil myself afterwards and make sure the filter is changed.) Since the oil is recycled, I don't worry about the environmental impact of short-range changes; and I drive relatively few miles with oil changes occuring every three to four months.

            My son had a Mini for a couple of years and he had a difficult time finding an 'authorized' dealer; and YES, it cost him a small fortune to get anything done on that car.

            I have a retired friend back in Painted Post that used to make some extra money driving a couple of the local doctor's cars up to Rochester or Buffalo to have them serviced. They'd pay him $50 or so and he'd spend the day getting their cars taken care of. Small towns don't always have dealers for these more expensive cars and though some things can be done local, they're not 'authorized' and in many cases some owners simply won't let just any local garage touch their vehicles.

            CWS
            Think it Through Before You Do!

            Comment

            • LCHIEN
              Internet Fact Checker
              • Dec 2002
              • 20920
              • Katy, TX, USA.
              • BT3000 vintage 1999

              #7
              Gave up many years ago, too messy with the oil running everywhere and needing to be recycled.
              Loring in Katy, TX USA
              If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
              BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

              Comment

              • Condoman44
                Established Member
                • Nov 2013
                • 178
                • CT near Norwich
                • Ryobi BT3000

                #8
                I am also 71 and have done my own oil and maintenance on our vehicles for ever. If there is one big factor it is that I have lived in areas where the local transfer station takes oil and anti-freeze. Without that I would be taking the vehicle to some place that will dispose of the oil.

                For my Honda pickup I do all the fluids. Access is by driving on two DIY ramps of 4" X 8". This raises the front just enough for me and a creeper to get under to the oil pan. For spouses Subaru I use metal ramps.

                I have been maintaining vehicles since Dad taught me to when I started driving. Biggest projects were pulling and fixing manual transmission and those fun timing belts. This fall I did brakes all around on the Honda and the 90K fluid work. Last spring I did the Subaru brakes.

                I am most concerned by the cost and the type of quality work and horror stories done these days.

                Comment

                • atgcpaul
                  Veteran Member
                  • Aug 2003
                  • 4055
                  • Maryland
                  • Grizzly 1023SLX

                  #9
                  My Dad had me change the oil in his Jeep Cherokee once just as a lesson in manhood--not that he changed his own oil but he wanted me to know what was required.

                  Fast forward 15 years to when I buy my own car, a 2003 Mazda Protege5 which I still have. I decided to baby it, bought premium oil filters, synthetic oil, ramps, the whole 9. My garage was just long enough to ride the car up the ramp and close the garage door. I started on it around 5am on Saturday morning. I struggled for 3 hours to get the filter off and had to resort to a strap wrench to get it off. I found it was torqued on so hard that it was crimped. Anyway, there was no comfortable position to get that filter off--which hangs sideways--but to have my head directly underneath it. Of course, when I got it off, I got a face full of stinky oil.

                  Each time I got better at it, learned to wear goggles, but it was still a huge PITA. After about a year of doing it myself, I gave all my stuff to a student that interned for me--big car nut. Ever since I've paid someone to change the oil. I do get free oil changes for our other car and the Mazda doesn't get driven much except for commuting so it probably gets 2 oil changes a year so worth it to me.

                  Anyway, the Jeep was not a good car to learn on. Compared to the Mazda, you could live in that engine compartment. Everything was accessible and easy to do.

                  Comment

                  • JimD
                    Veteran Member
                    • Feb 2003
                    • 4187
                    • Lexington, SC.

                    #10
                    My youngest daughters Mazda 3 is pretty easy. Drain plug takes a hex which is unusual but filter and drain plug are close to each other so you can leave the pan in the same position for both.

                    I don't like running to the recycling either so I use an old 5 gallon metal can that came from the poly on the floors of my previous house. I get about 5 oil changes before I have to drive 8 miles to recycle it. The county takes it and they are the closest but I've gone to Advance Auto before too. They have large tanks in the back they'll let you use. They get money for the oil so it isn't hurting them.

                    I often make a little mess but I keep old cardboard around so it gets stained, not the floor.

                    I've overhauled a couple motors and done valve jobs on a couple others. I've also overhauled one manual transmission. But these days I do oil changes and brakes and small things, not major work. I'd rather make sawdust but when I can spend a couple hours, save some money, and know more about my vehicle in the process I'll do it.

                    Another fun fact, my Suzuki SUV has 120K miles and is on the original brakes. Manual transmissions are nice.

                    Comment

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