I just changed the oil in my car (SATURN AURA 3.6L), and I have to admit it, the design team did a GREAT job of locating the oil filter for maximum aggravation! It is mounted horizontally, right next to the front catalytic converter-so as you (gingerly) snake your hand in (as to avoid getting a nice skin burn), you turn the filter-and the hot oil drips down your arm! (Why didn’t they mount it vertically??).
Which leads to my question-do car designers ever think about changing the oil? I mean, its something you have to do, so why make it difficult?
So, what about your car? I remember a Mitsubishi I had onece-you had to remove a metal plate to get to the filter. The best was an AMC Concord-you could remove the filter without going under the car (why can othe mfgs. do this?)
My old Honda required part of the body to be removed to get the oil filter. I once spent more than an hour determined to change it myself and never was even able to touch or see it. A mechanic that I took the car to for an oil change suggested I should take it to the dealer instead.
This is just as dumb as toast. The filter should be as easy to reach as the windshield washer fluid tank, and you should be able to change the oil by sucking it out of a tube permanently built into the engine just for this purpose. It should take a not-very-mechanical person about 2 minutes to do an oil change.
I’d pay a few hundred more for a car with this feature, all else being equal.
My oil filter is located on the underside of the engine about an arms reach back from the radiator, high enough that it won’t get taken off by a tall rock but still accessaible, and less than a foot from the oil pan drain plug. It is oriented vertically so I can fill it prior to installation and not have half the oil run down my arm. It is of reasonable size and while the clearance is a bit tight I can readily get a ratcheting oil wrench on it. I can generally change my oil in under fifteen minutes; I think the record is six. And it is in the same exact location on every 4- and 6-cylinder engine made by the manufacturer and has been for the last 40 odd years. It is one of the many reasons I buy from this particular manufacturer and plan to continue to do so.
Now, the Corsica and Pontiac 6000 I used to own are another story. It’s as if they didn’t even expect the oil filter to be replaced…
Stranger
Why are you changing your oil when the engine is hot?
Oil drains more easily and more completely when warm.
I used to have a Saturn SL2. It’s oil filter was also conveniently horizontal and located right over the front axle, so it would drool all over that and then the axle would spin and spray the dripped oil on surrounding engine parts.
They key word there being WARM. If you must drive your car until HOT right before changing the oil, put a small fan on low speed under the car, you will be amazed how quickly this will cool the engine and cat down to a more touchable temp.
Also, the kind of oil needed by a Saturn Aura is very lightweight, like 5w20, and doesn’t need much warming to flow out.
Racing cars have “dry sumps”, separate oil tanks instead of an oil pan slung under the crankshaft.
My idea would be to mount a tank of oil onto the firewall.
This tank would have an internal electric pump and internal filter. It’s electrical connectors and oil lines to/from the engine would be easy to disconnect/reconnect by hand. And its firewall mounting studs would have wingnuts.
The car owner would buy the complete pre-filled packaged tank, undo wingnuts and quick connectors on the old tank, then mount and hook-up the new.
The old tank would go back to the dealer to be sent to a facility that would change out the oil and filter, bench-test the pump and replace as necessary,and return it to the dealer ready-to-use.
BTW, my Ranger’s filter requires pulling a bunch of wires to one side–a real hassle.
Two vehicles; Ford Explorer and the Expedition. The explorer’s makes me curse since it’s mounted horizontally and not easily reached. There is always a mess when changing this one. And it’s way the hell under the truck where you have to really wedge yourself in to get to it. And above some frame parts which get oil spilled on them.
Grade = D
Expedition is the easiest to change I’ve ever seen. You just have to turn the wheel away from the engine and you can practically reach it from a crouched position without crawling under the vehicle. AND, it’s mounted vertically so you can refill the damn thing without spilling any before you put the new one back on.
Grade = A
I’d give it an A+ if I didn’t have to crouch.
On our first-generation Miata, the oil filter is unreachable from above (air conditioning plumbing in the way) and barely reachable from below (after you remove a plastic dust shield). And then you have to worm your hand up and forward; the filter’s over the front crossmember. It’s so awful that there are a couple companies offering remote filter mounting kits.
My 1985 S-10 Blazer, aside from being the worst piece of junk I have ever owned, required that the car be jacked up and the left front wheel be removed to get at the horizontally mounted oil filter with a special wrench that would grip the end of the filter. The residual oil in the filter would then dribble out over the CV joint and onto the driveway.
It also took me four hours once to remove enough if the vehicle to get the starter out of the engine compartment, and another four to reassemble it.
My oil filter nightmare story had a location problem. It was easily accessible, so my brother in law could tighten my mother in law’s oil filter with all of his might. I ended up having to tear apart the filter and custom make a tool/breaker bar out of rebar to get it off.
I love the filter location on my Saab 9-3. It’s the lowest thing on the engine, and not far behind the front bumper. Very easy to remove without sliding far under the car.
On most cars I’ve owned or worked on, the filter was underneath the intake manifold. Impossible to see and difficult to reach. Also, high enough that the oils drips down onto all kinds of things.
Been there done that. Used a BFS (big fuck’n screwdriver) and a hammer instead of rebar.
Wasn’t there an oil filter on an early, small 80s GM eight-cylinder car that could only be replaced by removing the engine? I seem to remember this for some reason. Was it the Cavalier?
On my lawnmower and power washer neither has an oil drain plug. You have to turn the damn things upside down and let the oil drain back out the hole you poured it into. On top of that, neither balances properly upside down so you’ve got to wedge it in place or hold the durn thing until it’s through. Thank goodness neither of these manufacturers make automobiles.
Talk about timing.
Just 2 days ago i decided the Saturn needed an oil change. After over 30 minutes I said frack this stuff…I’ll just change the oil for now and in a month or so get both oil and filter changed at the dealer for 20 bucks. And I am a fairly small, limber, mechanically inclined, and determined guy.
On the other hand, my other car, an AMC Spirit, with an in line 6 cylinder engine, has tons of free space around the oil filter…and I can change it by just popping the hood and leaning over the right top front fender into the engine comparment 
You can buy a remote mount filter bracket that bolts on the firewall, vertically. Hoses run to a thingy that mounts where the filter once lived.
Is it worth the cost? It depends on how much hassle and anger you’d be saving.
My 2002 Cavailier…When I would get the oil changed at a quick lube type place, I would have to show them where it was. Then explain that they have to loosen it with the wrench from above then the bottom guy can reach it. Then as they go for the car’s computer I would let them know that if they had to remove the computer to get at it, I’ll just take my car else where.
Ford Bronco 2000? Unscrew oil filter from above and carefully drop it into bucket.
Oh, and both of these vehicles (especially the Cavalier) would require copious amounts of oil to spill on the car which would have to burn and smoke off as I drove for the next day or so.
The Toyota and/or VW vans of the 80’s required engine removal for an oil change.