Comments on: Don’t Bother Changing Your Own Oil

By: EGR Bug Shields

EGR Bug Shields — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:34:54 +0000

Oil change yourself? nah… never did that.

By: Saturn Wheels

Saturn Wheels — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 02:39:33 +0000

I really don’t do the oil change myself. I always bring my car in the car mechanic. let them do the job. lol

By: Ray

Ray — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:23:46 +0000

No, it is cheaper for me to change my own oil and i can use superior products. Oil change shops around me charge $70 for the Mobil 1 oil and M1 filter. I can do it for $30-$32. Last oil change I used Royal Purple 5w-30 + M1 filter for $45. I also get the security of knowing the oil change was done right. Some oil change shops say they are putting in M1, but they use conventional and they just wipe your filter with a rag and call it new.

By: Reef tank addict

Reef tank addict — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:53:27 +0000

I just had mine done yesterday. I now go to those car wash places that charge $28.50 but include a pretty good car wash.

Since I was going to pay $12 for a car wash anyway, I figure I’m paying $16 for the oil change.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 20:16:39 +0000

What a useful post!! Thanks, Ivy!
We just last week realized we need to get our oil changed and are mourning the loss of our long-time honest mechanic (he moved). So we’re out on the free market looking around for deals. I’m going to keep all this advice in mind.
And please do a tutorial on air filters. I LOVE learning about simple things that I can do cheaply.
By the way, one of the main things I look for in a mechanic/car service shop is respect “even though” I’m a woman. The ones that automatically call my husband to discuss repairs are ones that we unanimously agree not to go back to. Am I the only one that runs into this? Maybe it’s the traditionalist area I live in. . .

By: Mom of 4

Mom of 4 — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 19:10:49 +0000

You’ve eased my conscience over not wanting to do this job myself or nag my husband about it. Don’t write off the dealers until you’ve checked their prices, though. Our closest dealer’s quick-change bay is competitive with other places. They have to be, because it’s so easy to shop around. Plus, they throw in a car wash with the service, and will often do little stuff (like my burned-out brake light) gratis. So shop and compare!

By: Jasi

Jasi — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:00:32 +0000

Sometimes the dealerships you buy from have deals if you go to them for service. My guys will change oil for free, their only charge is the filter. So what’s that? $5 bucks for the pros who deal specifically with my make/model changing the oil and checking the car. Good deal. And good post!

By: Badbadivy

Badbadivy — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:47:55 +0000

I’ve got one vehicle that I simply refuse to change myself because the filter is so poorly positioned, but another that’s almost fun to change because it’s so logically set up.

Does it happen to be a Nissan pickup truck made after 1987? Those are the worst to change of any vehicle I’ve ever seen.

That being said, most shops will try to find other things wrong with the vehicle to make more money. My husband and I call this an “up sale”.

This is true. The key here is to talk to the technician to find out if the item needs to be done by mileage or time, or if it actually needs to be done. The only items I do by mileage/time are fuel filters and timing belts, as a general rule. Neither one is something you can look at and determine whether it needs to be done, and timing belts are generally such that if it breaks, it could mess up your entire engine, so I always replace my timing belt on time.

By: Guitar Widow

Guitar Widow — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:30:48 +0000

I agree that most shops provide oil changes as loss leaders. We had a great relationship with a shop when we lived in NC that provided oil changes for $20. Well worth it. The customer service was amazing.

That being said, most shops will try to find other things wrong with the vehicle to make more money. My husband and I call this an “up sale”.

Believe it or not in Austin, TX we tried to take our vehicle to very good repair shops only to have them charge us $45 because their techs are ASE certified. The impression we were given was as though oil changes are beneath them.

To avoid the up sale, and save on $45 oil changes at a shop we were trying to establish a business relationship with, we decided to change our own oil and have never looked back. The headaches are gone.

By: Mrs. Mordecai

Mrs. Mordecai — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:02:34 +0000

My brother-in-law didn’t know what he was doing and killed the engine in his car because of a badly done oil change. Now he’s making payments on a car that’s junk. Ouch.