I do my own. Its cheaper, more convienient and it gets done right. I never try to sell myself stuff I don’t need, either.
Note to those using “Jiffy” places: They use the cheapest filters and oil they can find, and then sometimes only if you’re watching.
Many here report one of the main hassles with DIY oil changes to be disposal of the used oil. I believe you all, and this is one reason I’m glad I live in California: Used oil disposal is trivial here.
Every auto parts store I have seen out here accepts used oil for recycling, for free.* All I’ve used personally have a large (100 gallons, perhaps) tank in the back; I’ve got one of those pan-in-pan things to drain my oil into, which I then seal up and drive to the auto parts store (I can choose from three or four within a mile or so.) to empty my pan into their tank.
Every 4000 miles
haven’t done it myself since I turned 40
I never liked doing it, and I have money
You can specify what you want them to use. If it’s a shady place don’t go there. An auto mechanic is no more likely to have shady business practices than any other business. When I had a car in Albuquerque the place I went to had the stuff they were going to use on the racks next to where they did their thing.
Yes. My household uses the schedule recommended in the owner’s manual and we consistently change it 500-700 miles “late”.
Pay to have it done.
Yes, I’ve heard the horror stories, too. You know, ANYTHING you have done to your vehicle may be done in a questionable manner. That may be why we don’t just drop a vehicle off and wander away. You watch what’s going on. You ask to see replaced parts. You look under the hood. When you drive off, pay attention to how the vehicle is behaving.
There are some cheapie-change places that are good. There are expensive dealerships that suck. Stay awake, and don’t go back to places that do a poor job or try to hard-sell you on crap you don’t need.
Although the adults in the family have the knowledge, we do not have the tools, we do not have a garage (and there’s no way in hell I’m doing an oil change lying outside during a Chicago winter!), one of us has Severe Back Issues and the other screams “Ewwwww! ICKY!” continually while getting greasy.
Oddly enough, I’ve changed the oil on more airplanes (small ones, not airliners) than I have cars. But then, you can change the airplane oil while standing upright and in some cases (not all) you have better access to the parts you’re working with. Once you get the cowling off.
In any case - in addition to oil-change places that accept used oil, my county also has regular “household hazardous waste collection days”. Most remarkably, they are on Saturday so you don’t have to take time off work to go.
Same here. I don’t trust those oil-change outfits, because they employ the lowest of the low. Between having your oil drain plug threads stripped, putting on the wrong filter, and upselling you all kinds of crap, it is easier to do it myself. it takes 15 minutes, and i know the job will be done correctly. and you don’t have to clean your steering wheel (the grease monkets purposefully wipe oil on your wheel).
Yes, every 7-10K km approximately.
I do it myself.
I do it because I like to do it and I like my car, and I also use it off-road, so some basics in car repair are always needed.
*1. Do you change your oil regularly? *
Yes. About every 5000 miles.
*2. Do you do it yourself or pay to have it done? *
I pay someone to do it – I find a local quick lube place I trust, and go there.
*3. Why do you do whatever you do in #2? *
a. My job is actually making engine oil additives. I mess around with this stuff for my job, all day. I’m not messing with it on my own time.
b. I could probably bring in the used oil to work, and dispose of it here, but it’s not worth the hassle. Before I worked at a lube additive company, it really wasn’t worth the hassle of disposing of used oil.
c. My time is valuable to me. It is much cheaper and quicker for me to have someone who is set up to do a quick oil change, do a quick oil change, than it is for me to muck about with it.
I’ve also noticed that being able to say “Um, I actually made that engine oil you’re trying to sell me” works wonders for taking the wind out of the high-pressure sales tactics some quick-lube places try. The look of stupefaction is marvelous. And then, I find some other quick-lube place to go to, because if they think that putting a squirt of detergent into my gastank is going to do something wonderful, they’re idiots and I don’t want them mucking about on my car.
I plan to get it done every 3750 miles (sometimes I go over by 500 miles). I take it to be done, sometimes by Jiffylube if there’s nothing else needed. Sometimes by the dealer or neighborhood garage if it’s part of a larger checkup.
I’m not interested in doing it myself and I don’t want to have to dispose of the oil. I have enough to do keeping up with transporting my garbage and recycling.
I change the oil on my F-150, you don’t even even need to put it up on ramps to get to the oil filter and plug. My Mustang, well I don’t put many miles on it but you’re still supposed to change the oil every year. I think I’ve changed it once in 3 or 4.
My car’s oil filter is a PITA to get to, I let my local mechanic take care of it, even if he is expensive ($30+ for an oil change) I trust them to be careful.
Yes, done my own for >35 years and now girlfriend’s vehicle. Still in the driveway (I feel your pain, Rick), and have an ‘oil change rug’ which is rolled out to do the change and make chassis lube, exhaust repairs, shocks, and undetrucky stuff a tad more comfy. Used stuff goes back to point of purchase.
I should probably point out at this point that anyone changing oil after less than six thousand miles in any normal engine is almost certainly wasting their money.
So don’t decide where to go based solely on price.
$30 is expensive???
No, it’s not - not for work on your vehicle you can trust, done in a reasonable prompt manner. It cover the cost of the oil and your mechanics time - and he/she deserves reasonable compensation for his/her time.
1, Two cars I get them done at suggested intervals- I believe that the suggested intervals are too short but cars are expensive oil changes not
2. I take it in-best coupon wins
3. It is a simple task and they are equipped and trained to perform it
I go multiples over the limits on air filters though.