# Do You Change Your Car's Oil Yourself? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 21, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653 "2011-11-21T15:53:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/41 "2011-11-21T20:31:01Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Of course not. For the same reasons I don’t: > > 1. Cut my grass > 2. Take my garbage to the landfill > 3. Grow my veggies > 4. Kill my meat > 5. Pump my gas (although it’s also a law in NJ) > 6. Clean my house > 7. Do my taxes > > etc., etc. > > The point is, we live in a society. There are people who are better at these things than I am. Let them do it, and support the economy at the same time. Guilty of doing all of the above to a greater or lesser degree. The heck with society, I find it enjoyable. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/42 "2011-11-21T20:36:49Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Back when I had a older manual transmission Saab, getting my oil changed could be amusing at some of the places where you hand over your keys and they drive it into the bay. First, find a kid who can drive a manual. Then, watch as they sit in your car looking baffled for several minutes trying to find the ignition switch. (Between the seats.) Finally, I gather there can be confusion between where transmission fluid and oil goes in older Saabs, so when they loosen what they think is the oil drain plug, out pours transmission fluid… I still have an old, manual transmission Saab with the ignition in the odd place and the hood that opens up backwards. It’s amusing to hand it over to someone who isn’t Saab familiar and watch them struggle with at least one of those items. (I used to have one that also had the seatbelts with no buckles, on top of everything else) I also don’t have a garage or driveway. So while I am technically capable of changing my own oil, it’s incredibly inconvenient for me to do it. So I take it to a place. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/43 "2011-11-21T20:42:48Z")
I used to - every other oil change. I still wanted an actual mechanic to do it every second time (every 6 months) so he could tell me if the car was about to explode or something. I don’t take it to a Jiffy-lube type place, because they don’t know what they’re doing. I take it to my real mechanic. And now I do it every time because I got a slightly heavier car and the plastic car ramps I have are too weak for it. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/44 "2011-11-21T20:43:09Z")
This is the case of the best tool for the job being my checkbook. I have a local shop that does good work for a good price and they’ve always treated me well. I know how to do an oil change - I just don’t want to mess with it. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/45 "2011-11-21T20:51:57Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > I still have an old, manual transmission Saab with the ignition in the odd place and the hood that opens up backwards. It’s amusing to hand it over to someone who isn’t Saab familiar and watch them struggle with at least one of those items. (I used to have one that also had the seatbelts with no buckles, on top of everything else) > > I also don’t have a garage or driveway. So while I am technically capable of changing my own oil, it’s incredibly inconvenient for me to do it. So I take it to a place. Yet another reason Saab owners sometimes change their own oil is because of the side mounted filter. Sometimes the quick change artists will dump oil all over the side of the engine and not clean it up completely. It can then be leaking on you clean garage floor. Changing a filter seems like such a simple job. My filter is vertical, which helps keep the mess down. However, it would be real easy to have some grit from the undercarriage fall on the filter just as it is placed on the filter adapter. I can be operating room clean in this operation while I don’t have the same confidence in an assembly line employee. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/46 "2011-11-21T21:03:19Z")
Voted no, but I actually used to do it religiously with my first car (in the mid '80s). That’s because the oil filter was easily reachable by lying under the front of the car; no need to remove eight components to get to it. The oil pan plug was so close to the front of the car that I could practically reach it by just crouching. It was a bit of a drag disposing of the dirty oil though. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/47 "2011-11-21T21:06:33Z")
Given the millions of quickie-oil change jobs done without incident here, I’m guessing the rate of catastrophic oversights (such as not tightening the drain plug = new engine) is a pretty low percentage. That said, I did once - over 20 years ago - get my oil changed at a quickie place, drove away and stopped at a store nearby. Luckily. Because when I came out of the store I saw a spreading oil slick underneath the vehicle; I called them and insisted they tow it back to the shop and do it right this time. Ever since then, it’s been a habit of mine to check oil level on the dip stick/and/or peek under the vehicle shortly after the oil change. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/48 "2011-11-21T21:08:11Z")
Yes I do. It’s pretty easy on an old Suzuki Samurai. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/49 "2011-11-21T21:21:44Z")
Not anymore. I did when I was a student a quarter century ago, but once I started lawyering, including representing mechanics and auto shops, I figured I had no business making them go hungry. I take my car in for maintenance about every 4,000 miles and they look at a whole bunch of things. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/50 "2011-11-21T22:42:28Z")
Why? Auto shop will do it for free, so long as I provide the oil and filter. Let the sophomores get their hands dirty. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/51 "2011-11-21T22:59:13Z")
> [@Hbns](#): > > …I find it enjoyable. Now that’s a good reason! Financial reasons are also valid. But it seems like many people perform certain tasks for other, less rational, reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/52 "2011-11-21T23:13:38Z")
Mine’s still under warranty, so the dealer does it for free. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/53 "2011-11-21T23:30:10Z")
It’s a rare opportunity to take a peak at the undercarriage and under the hood stuff, look for leaks or roadbed collision demage, check the struts, check the brake fluid level & color, check belts, replace wipers, eyeball the brake linings… Of course, if you don’t know what to look for then let the oil changing guys do the inspection. And if they tell you something’s wrong, take it to another shop and have them do _their_ free inspection & see if they find the same stuff. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/54 "2011-11-21T23:33:14Z")
A Question for those that do change their own oil. You have a grease gun to lube the ball joints and other fittings? I have the same grease gun that I bought in 1982. Works great. Even used it on my uncle’s small tractor a few times. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/55 "2011-11-22T00:23:03Z")
1982 was probably the last time my family owned a vehicle that had grease fittings anywhere. Save that 2 month period where I would look confusedly under my free 4 Runner. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/56 "2011-11-22T01:28:53Z")
Hell yes I do. I have on all of the 19 cars I’ve owned since 1978. The only things that I remember paying someone else to do on any of them was a U-joint, one sealed front wheel bearing, wheel alignments (always replaced any worn parts myself), exhaust work, tire mounting and balancing, and an Earl Scheib paint job. Getting rid of the old oil isn’t any extra work- I just take it with me when I go to buy the oil and filter for the next change. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/57 "2011-11-22T01:57:03Z")
I don’t, but I CAN if I need to. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/58 "2011-11-22T04:16:39Z")
Me getting the opportunity to look around wouldn’t do any good as I wouldn’t know what to look for. The last time I knew anything about what was under the hood of my car was 1988 when I had a 1976 Toyota Corolla that had a tendency for the compressor to not kick in when you turned on the A/C. I learned where that belt was and would turn on the car, turn on the A/C, then pop the hood and physically eyeball the belt to see if it was turning. If it was, great, good to go. If it wasn’t? Turn off the car and start over until it did move. In the AZ heat this was a lot faster than turning on the A/C and waiting around to see if it eventually got colder. (Cooling off a 150 degree car takes a long time.) I have frequently toyed with the idea of taking an adult education class in basic auto mechanics because I’m so utterly clueless about how cars work, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. It’s on my list. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/59 "2011-11-22T04:58:50Z")
I used to do almost all of my auto work - about the only thing we ever had done at a shop was replacing a clutch and the half-shafts. But, three things happened to take me out of the driveway oil change business. Our truck came with lifetime free oil changes at the dealership. Not bad, considering the engine takes 8 quarts, rather than the usual 5. The second thing was moving to an area with an HOA that banned car repairs in your driveway or on the street. They tolerate changing wiper blades and headlights, but ixnay on changing oil or coolant, or pretty much anything that involves a wrench or having the hood up for more than two minutes. The third thing that really clinched it was that there’s an auto shop in the parking deck at work. They can do pretty much anything other than paint and bodywork there, and if I need an oil change, I just drop off the car on the way in. They do the work and park the car. At lunchtime, I just pop over (If the office windows opened, I could throw staplers at them), pick up the keys, then at the end of the day, retrieve it from their dedicated section of the lot. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy, and I stay clean. Also, it’s not an “iffy lube” kind of place staffed by insolent youth. These folks have been in business since the 1920s, so they seem to be doing something right. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653/60 "2011-11-22T06:13:30Z")
High mileage oil is a waste of money without the high end filter to go along with it, and doing the job myself ensures I get both and everything is done right. 11,000+ miles of travel between oil changes saves me money and saves on the environment. I solve the ground clearance issue with auto ramps like these [Blitz Rhino](http://www.amazon.com/Blitz-11903-Rhino-Ramp-8000/dp/B000AMMN9O) ones. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-change-your-cars-oil-yourself/603653.md?page=4)