What basic stuff people are not able to do themselves - heard on radio today

[Villanelle]

Wasps, not bees. Colony collapse is not an issue.

Ah, the original post was about bees.  Got it. 

[Just Joe]

Ditto for Tranny Fluid if you vehicle just needs a drain and fill. Chain Shops will say $109+ for a Versa-Trans or some fancy shit. But dealer service manual says drain. Then Fill. Dealer charges $59. Same dealer sells the OEM fluid at $7-8/qt plus crush washers for a buck.

I was pretty surprised to discover that changing trans. fluid on a CRV is actually quicker and easier than doing the oil. The other interesting point is that Honda does not require, or approve of, the use of flush machines to do trans. service.  So it's $25 in parts, and fifteen minutes of work. Prior to doing it DIY, I had a Honda dealer do it for $99, then try to add a bullshit "environmental fee" of $17. Another dealer wanted $179 to do it with a flush machine since it's the "best way" even though it's not an approved service.

I'm really paranoid about these service departments that pump out the oil - there is potentially debris and metallic sludge in the bottom of the pan that a simple drain and refill would take care of.

For the price of service department flush you can drain a transmission, change the filter, and then a week later, drain and refill with new fluid and be pretty confident that the oil is mostly new (torque converter) and still come out ahead.

I think a person can go cheap for the first 100K miles of a car's life but it starts to take its toll as the engine might be worn out at 150K. And that is okay as long as you the owner isn't planning to keep the car any longer. And it sucks to be the next owner who assumed at 150K the engine had alot of miles left in it. I've been that second owner. Car looked nice but was all used up by the time I got it. Took alot of repairs. I won't do that again - because I don't have to.

Alternatively I bought a sedan from a friend with alot of miles on it and its been wonderful b/c he and his family took care of the car with quality DIY service, parts and fluids.

If a person is really frugal then keeping the car "forever" (20 yrs or 300K miles) might be a priority to them. Then its important IMHO to be really picky about who works on it and what quality of parts and fluids is being used. For me its Mobil 1 and a Napa Gold (Wix) filter on my Hondas/Acura. I've also had very good service from Texaco Havoline oil in cars that have lasted beyond 300K. Purolator filters have been good to me too.

I get the coupon allure and would care to use them on a cheap used car that I didn't plan on keeping forever but like PaddedHat said you don't know much (anything) about the oil or filters that the shop is using. Its not a complicated thing but the consequences can be significant.

[ketchup]

Basic stuff people are not able to do themselves?  I can't believe how dependent people are on computers for their work and lives, yet do not know how to do even the most basic things on them.  This tends to be the baby boomers more than millennials.

Oh no, I teach high school seniors, and they THINK they're hot-to-trot when it comes to computer usage.  The top 30% really do know computers -- and good for them -- but the rest range from completely clueless to barely skilled.  Oh, they can surf the internet, but that's about all.  Things that give my students trouble: 

- Saving a word processing document to their school network file instead of the computer's C drive
- Attaching a file to an email
- Printing only page 3 of a multi-page document
- Formatting a word processing document (for example, they use the space bar to center titles, are unaware that Ctrl-Enter creates a hard page)
- Saving to a flashdrive
- Using Excel
- Squint at tiny writing because they don't understand how to adjust their screen size
- Keeping up with passwords

I wish I were making this up.

It's ironic how some of this would have been how we described senior citizens when PC's were first becoming commonplace.  Now it's the young'uns.

As a 26-year-old balding IT guy, it seems I caught the trail generational end of intuitive-computer-competency.  Smartphones have become so ubiquitous than the non-techies have much less reason to use desktop or laptop computers.  I did our company's standard "intro to IT" with a fresh 21 year old college grad a few months back, and she kept calling the computer's desktop the "home screen."  I've heard horror stories from IT people working at high schools saying that some kids don't know what files or folders really are anymore, because they don't have to on a phone/tablet.  Saying "Save that Word document to the H:\ drive." means nothing to some of them.

It's weird.  The most "computer-savvy" demographic seems to now be roughly 25-40, and aging.

[paddedhat]

Great post, Pinecones.  My mechanic buddy always has a tale of dealing with shit aftermarket parts, and  is a firm believer that if you are going to DIY,  buy the best you can find. He occasionally deals with aftermarket stuff that is so bad that it takes three times doing the work to end up with a happy customer.  It's not uncommon to deal with a supply house that has a shelf full of defective, but new aftermarket alternators in stock. They will hand you a new one for free to replace a defective one, but by that time the customer is unhappy and you are doing a lot of work for free. On some radiator replacement jobs they tell the customer that they simply lack a source for a quality aftermarket replacement and will only install a factory part. Sometimes the customer says no thanks, other times the bill is a few hundred higher, but it beats removing the radiator three times until you get a good one, and only get paid once.  Personally I think the same philosophy applies to consumables like tires and filters, there is little value to be found in buying the cheap stuff.

[Just Joe]

I've been down the cheap replacement part path a few times. Nothing I hate worse than redoing my own work b/c the parts are faulty out of the box or worthless a year later.

I swear those parts that lasts ~one year must be for the bargain basic car dealers who just want to make a repair and get the car sold. Six months or a year later when it breaks is the customer's problem.

"Hey, cars wear out, ya know? We'll give you $750 trade-in on that thing and we've got some great low mileage cars to choose from..."

For someone like me whose cars are 20 years old - that's alot of repeat repairs. If the original lasted 160K miles/many years then the budget replacement part ought to last at least half as long - right? Nope - one radiator lasted 13 months when the original lasted lasted 160K miles. Went to NAPA after that. Their radiator lasted eight more years and cost ~$40 more I think.

The OEM Honda radiator was ~$650 locally, $350 online from Honda and ~$150 from NAPA. ~$100 for the self-destructing version.

[Ann]

Actually, everybody's comments about how easy it is to mess up an oil change are really just re-enforcing my decision to have it professionally done.  [I live in an apartment, so it would be very hard to do an oil change with cars parked right next to my vehicle on either side. Plus, I don't have a shed or patio to store old oil.)

[zolotiyeruki]

Actually, everybody's comments about how easy it is to mess up an oil change are really just re-enforcing my decision to have it professionally done.  [I live in an apartment, so it would be very hard to do an oil change with cars parked right next to my vehicle on either side. Plus, I don't have a shed or patio to store old oil.)

FWIW, I keep the empty oil bottles, and use those for storing the used oil.  When I have a couple 5-qt jugs full, I toss 'em in the car and drop them off at a convenient location on the way to/from work.

[paddedhat]

Actually, everybody's comments about how easy it is to mess up an oil change are really just re-enforcing my decision to have it professionally done.  [I live in an apartment, so it would be very hard to do an oil change with cars parked right next to my vehicle on either side. Plus, I don't have a shed or patio to store old oil.)

FWIW, I keep the empty oil bottles, and use those for storing the used oil.  When I have a couple 5-qt jugs full, I toss 'em in the car and drop them off at a convenient location on the way to/from work.

The DW and I spent most of 2014,2015 and 2016 on the road with our gas engine motorhome pulling a CRV. In that time I did at least a dozen DIY oil changes on the pair of vehicles, in everything from campgrounds to gravel pits in AK. and the Yukon.  The tools required only took up a bit of space, and I saved a ton of money. Motorhomes are interesting. Ours has a big Ford V-10 that is incredibly accessible from underneath. I can literally sit on the ground aside of the motor to do the work. However, since it's an RV,the mechanical work costs 2-3X as much as the same job on a car.  The OEM filter and oil are about $25 bucks at Walmart, and it's a fifteen minute job. I talked to other RVers who were accustomed to paying $70-$100 to have it done, and in Ak. one place even wanted $170.  I used the empty five qt. jugs to store oil until I found a place to recycle it, and on occasion have even used an $0.88 Walmart tin foil roasting pan as a drain pan. In the end I might of looked a bit odd laying in a parking lot doing oil changes, but it saved me at least $500. 

[Just Joe]

Actually, everybody's comments about how easy it is to mess up an oil change are really just re-enforcing my decision to have it professionally done.  [I live in an apartment, so it would be very hard to do an oil change with cars parked right next to my vehicle on either side. Plus, I don't have a shed or patio to store old oil.)

Oil changes aren't complicated you just need to care to do a good job.

I can imagine someone seeing the aluminum pan and wondering if it was related to that night's dinner...

[GrumpyPenguin]

Basic stuff people are not able to do themselves?  I can't believe how dependent people are on computers for their work and lives, yet do not know how to do even the most basic things on them.  This tends to be the baby boomers more than millennials.

Oh no, I teach high school seniors, and they THINK they're hot-to-trot when it comes to computer usage.  The top 30% really do know computers -- and good for them -- but the rest range from completely clueless to barely skilled.  Oh, they can surf the internet, but that's about all.  Things that give my students trouble: 

- Saving a word processing document to their school network file instead of the computer's C drive
- Attaching a file to an email
- Printing only page 3 of a multi-page document
- Formatting a word processing document (for example, they use the space bar to center titles, are unaware that Ctrl-Enter creates a hard page)
- Saving to a flashdrive
- Using Excel
- Squint at tiny writing because they don't understand how to adjust their screen size
- Keeping up with passwords

I wish I were making this up.

It's ironic how some of this would have been how we described senior citizens when PC's were first becoming commonplace.  Now it's the young'uns.

As a 26-year-old balding IT guy, it seems I caught the trail generational end of intuitive-computer-competency.  Smartphones have become so ubiquitous than the non-techies have much less reason to use desktop or laptop computers.  I did our company's standard "intro to IT" with a fresh 21 year old college grad a few months back, and she kept calling the computer's desktop the "home screen."  I've heard horror stories from IT people working at high schools saying that some kids don't know what files or folders really are anymore, because they don't have to on a phone/tablet.  Saying "Save that Word document to the H:\ drive." means nothing to some of them.

It's weird.  The most "computer-savvy" demographic seems to now be roughly 25-40, and aging.

Wow...  yeah, I guess I was too hard on just the older folks.  The younger folks deserve some flak too :). 

[TomTX]

It's weird.  The most "computer-savvy" demographic seems to now be roughly 25-40, and aging.

I would extend that to 25-45 so that I can include myself ;)

[Villanelle]

It's weird.  The most "computer-savvy" demographic seems to now be roughly 25-40, and aging.

I would extend that to 25-45 so that I can include myself ;)

I don't know if I'd say I'm "computer savvy",  but I can certainly do all the things Grumpy Penguin, and then some!  And I'm in your extended demographic range.   

[WhiteTrashCash]

Almost all my neighbors hire landscaping services to mow their lawns and tend their ornamentals even though the properties are modestly sized here. We just do it ourselves. Saves us hundreds and hundreds of dollars. I really feel that a lot of people just aren't following the advice of YMOYL and thinking of their purchases in terms of the hours of work required to pay for them. If the average person really thought about it, I don't think they would want to make that trade.

[lifejoy]

Taxes. Simple ones you should do yourself'

[MrsPete]

As for coupon changes for $19.95, at that point the work is a loss leader that is being done below cost in hopes of upselling. For your twenty you are getting service performed by a semi-skilled helper

Of course it's a loss-leader attempt to up-sell you; doesn't mean you need to "bite". 
And for the record, I am also semi-skilled, so that portion's a wash.

[redbird]

Almost all my neighbors hire landscaping services to mow their lawns and tend their ornamentals even though the properties are modestly sized here. We just do it ourselves. Saves us hundreds and hundreds of dollars. I really feel that a lot of people just aren't following the advice of YMOYL and thinking of their purchases in terms of the hours of work required to pay for them. If the average person really thought about it, I don't think they would want to make that trade.

I now live in a neighborhood where a good number of people pay for landscaping services. It's just like when people pay for cleaners to come clean their house - they would rather spend the money than spend the time.

I take care of my own yard, and even did pre-FIRE (the times I had a yard!), but I'm frugal enough that the costs of such things didn't ever feel worth it to me.

[paddedhat]

As for coupon changes for $19.95, at that point the work is a loss leader that is being done below cost in hopes of upselling. For your twenty you are getting service performed by a semi-skilled helper

Of course it's a loss-leader attempt to up-sell you; doesn't mean you need to "bite". 
And for the record, I am also semi-skilled, so that portion's a wash.

 Well the point of the whole post was to point out that it's not really feasible to provide that service for that price, and do it well,  and to standards set by the vehicle's manufacturer.  Now would you get a tooth filled for half of the going rate, because the dentist's main goal is to evaluate your pie hole, and hope to pressure you into spending a few grand in needless cosmetic dentistry? Would you still do it if, instead of approved material used in the filling, he switched to JB Weld (two part epoxy for general repairs) since that's what it takes to do the work for that price? Would you save fifty bucks getting a deep cut on your arm patched up, if the doctor's receptionist did it with a splash of peroxide and sewed it up with carpet thread?

As for you being semi-skilled, it's a straw man. Do you present yourself as a professional mechanic capable of competently doing maintenance work on all brands of vehicles?  Are you willing to stand under hot vehicles, dripping hot oil on yourself for a few bucks over minimum wage? Are you one of the "technicians" that are part of the long parade of clowns that flow through shops like that, and are unceremoniously fired after they forget to tighten their second drain plug, or fail a random piss test...................... doubtful, eh?

Your money, spend it however you desire, but when you have folks here with a lot of knowledge and experience in the field, and you chose to ignore them to save a twenty, keep us in mind when things don't work out, and you are at a real shop listening to why you need a new engine. It happens every day of the week, and I've personally seen it more than once.  You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Monkeys are good at flinging shit and picking bugs off of each other, but they make lousy mechanics.

[kenner]

DH has a 2011 Subaru Outback, and you literally have to either remove the front bumper or most of the wheel well (which is held in place with fragile plastic clips) to replace the headlight.  Talk about making something almost impossible to do on your own...  I have never heard such vehement swearing in my life as I did during the 45 minutes he spent trying to replace it by himself.

I nearly jumped out of my seat when I read this. My 2010 Legacy is the same way. My VERY handy brother in a garage full of tools even struggled. He broke a couple bolts, and gave up since it was thanksgiving and we knew we wouldn't be able to get replacement parts. And they seem to go out far too often (i take the train to work so I don't drive as much as I used to). I asked the dealership about it, and they were all like "no they should only last a year". A couple months later I got a letter about bulbs that burn out to quickly being an issue.

I love Subaru and think they're great cars, my husband always brings up this design feature when he wants to find something to criticize, as it's really a way for the dealership to make money. It's sad that they made them this way.  I used the change the light bulbs in my 95 legacy. *sigh*

Thank you!  I also have a 2010 Legacy and replacing the damn headlights (driver more than passenger) is ridiculous.  I can/do still do it through the wheel well and will if I don't have another reason to take it in, but it's with replacement plastic bolts on hand and knowing I'm going to get the hell scratched out of my arm.  On the other hand, if you ever have to replace the back lights it's great...unscrew, pop out fixture, swap bulbs, put back in place.  Oddly enough, it's the back lights that the manual suggests are very difficult and that you should go to a shop for...I take that the mean that the Subaru shops don't want to deal with the headlights either.

[WhiteTrashCash]

If you think this stuff is surprising, you should be aware that a company exists that sells mail order grilled cheese sandwiches over the Internet. Modern people are literally helpless.

[dogboyslim]

I had to change the battery in my brothers escape.  Had to remove the air-box to get at it.  I had done it for his caliber a few years earlier and walked him through it step by step...it didn't take.  As soon as he encountered the airbox in the way he balked.  The guy writes code for a military application but didn't want to screw up his car.

I also will take issue with the tire changing.  I think most people are talking about changing the wheel, not the tires.  Its a real pain to change the tire unless you have a bead-breaker and a decent air compressor.  Changing tires on a motorcycle is even more a hassle.

[jinga nation]

Last Monday I contacted 4 lawn sprinkler repair companies for a complete system check. I had stuck rotors, debris in the pop-ups, etc. No response. Bought a new rotor and a pop-up repair tool yesterday, replaced a bad rotor, adjusted others. Will clean the pop-ups this week. $20 in parts and tool.
And then the local businesses wonder why there ain't no business... there won't be any if you don't call me and motivate me to DIY.

[Posthumane]

I also will take issue with the tire changing.  I think most people are talking about changing the wheel, not the tires.  Its a real pain to change the tire unless you have a bead-breaker and a decent air compressor.  Changing tires on a motorcycle is even more a hassle.

I actually find motorcycle tires to be easier to change than car tires and now do them myself at home. Since they are narrow, they are good with just a static balance. With a wider car tire, you need a two sided dynamic balance. I break the bead on my motorcycle tires with a bench vice, and you can reseat them with a nomal air compressor if you wrap a ratchet strap around the circumference and tighten so the bead sits against the rim before you inflate. Taking them on and off is done with a set of 8" tire spoons.

[WhiteTrashCash]

A lot of middle-class people are deathly afraid of doing anything with their hands and they are convinced that only experts can do stuff. Remember how all the dumb kids in school were pushed toward the trades? Turns out that's because all this stuff is insanely easy to do. All middle-class people are missing is the know-how and now that the internet exists that's no longer an issue. If they can just get over their fear of getting their hands dirty, they can save themselves a ton of money with very little difficulty.

[TomTX]

I also will take issue with the tire changing.  I think most people are talking about changing the wheel, not the tires.  Its a real pain to change the tire unless you have a bead-breaker and a decent air compressor.  Changing tires on a motorcycle is even more a hassle.

I actually find motorcycle tires to be easier to change than car tires and now do them myself at home. Since they are narrow, they are good with just a static balance. With a wider car tire, you need a two sided dynamic balance. I break the bead on my motorcycle tires with a bench vice, and you can reseat them with a nomal air compressor if you wrap a ratchet strap around the circumference and tighten so the bead sits against the rim before you inflate. Taking them on and off is done with a set of 8" tire spoons.

There's a faster and simpler way to set the bead. Note that these guys overdo it for dramatic effect.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/outdoor-projects/how-to/a18991/how-to-set-a-tire-bead-with-fire/

[Plugra]

Whether to DIY your own oil change is one of those perennial topics on the auto forums.  Either you think it's not worth the mess and trouble to save a few bucks, or you think it's ridiculous to pay someone to do such a simple job.  People will disagree on this, because the conventional oil changes are intentionally priced to make them very appealing.

But the reason I do my own oil change is that it keeps me aware of what's going on with my car. It keeps me checking the fluids and pressures and tire treads. It gives me the confidence to do far more lucrative (and equally simple) jobs myself, like changing the trans fluid or the spark plugs, etc. Most importantly it keeps me away from the constant upsell pressure.  One time in my foolish youth I went in for an oil change and came out with a new set of tires that I definitely didn't need.  Never again.

[zolotiyeruki]

Even without the upsell, they're probably making money.  Let's say a conventional oil change is $20 ("up to 5 quarts").  They pay $2/filter and maybe $2.50/qt for the oil.  So their parts cost, at worst, is $15.  Most smaller cars take significantly less oil (my '95 Corolla takes 3.6qts), which drives the cost down to $12.  Their cost for bulk oil is almost certainly lower than $2.50/quart, but let's be generous.  If they're paying $10/hour and it takes the guy 12 minutes to do the oil change, that's another $2 in cost.  So they're still making a profit.  Not a huge one, but it's still a profit.

[paddedhat]

Doubtful, actually. I've got friends in the business, some on the repair shop management end of things. As a rough rule they generally don't want to see any billable time charged at less than 3x the total labor burden of the tech. This is obviously to provide the ability to keep the doors open, the lights on, all the support personnel paid, and the ownership making a profit, So you have a helper who is making $10/HR, his additional burden of taxes, benefits, etc is another $5, so if he isn't billing at $45/hr he is a drag on the operation. Realistically, he might get three oil changes done in an hour, so your looking at $15 per in billing. The materials are more than $5, so it's a loss leader.

[RetiredAt63]

It's weird.  The most "computer-savvy" demographic seems to now be roughly 25-40, and aging.

I would extend that to 25-45 so that I can include myself ;)

Depending on the job, it can extend right up to us older geeks/early computer users.  We learned the hard way to save early and often.  You guys have it easy, disks did not come pre-formatted, now we just plug in a USB stick.

[ketchup]

It's weird.  The most "computer-savvy" demographic seems to now be roughly 25-40, and aging.

I would extend that to 25-45 so that I can include myself ;)

Depending on the job, it can extend right up to us older geeks/early computer users.  We learned the hard way to save early and often.  You guys have it easy, disks did not come pre-formatted, now we just plug in a USB stick.

Well, that's the older geeks.  The youngster geeks still know all this stuff too.  I guess I'm mostly talking about the average non-techie schmo of a given demographic.

[Cranky]

I think I would be in favor of women over 50 getting someone else to change a light bulb in a very high ceiling. Many of them have osteoporosis and don't know it; a fall from a ladder could be very bad for them.

I am that woman. I can change light bulbs just fine, though I don't know what idiot designed the fiddly way that flourescent tubes fit into the fixtures, but I am not climbing on ladders to do stuff any more. It's cheaper to hire someone to do that than it is to pay my deductible at the ER.

OTOH, I can can tomatoes, make jam, knit my own socks, mow the lawn...

[paddedhat]

Twenty dollar oil changes and quick lube shops:

I just finished a long test ride with the head mechanic at our local Honda dealer. Since we were trying to replicate an odd, and elusive noise in the rear differential of the car, we had plenty of time to chat. I asked him about his experiences with oil filters, specifically to determine if it was worth the hassle of continuing to use Honda OEM filters on my car?  He replied that it, on his cars  it's OEM, Wix, or Napa Gold. He then reported that they are having continual issues with Honda cars that develop driveability problems after getting their oil changed at quick lube shops. The problem is that the $2  filter isn't up to the task and it will end up operating in a bypass mode. This drives oil pressure up beyond the operating range. At that point the oil driven variable valve timing will shut down to protect the engine, and the engine runs poorly, bucking and losing power. He reported that it can be frustrating, since some customers refuse to believe the truth and accuse the shop of fraud, and trying to sell expensive factory filters. He finished by expressing amazement that he has customers, some still under a warranty, that will risk trashing the engine in a $30K car, since they are convinced that spending $10 for the right oil filter is a scam.

[caracarn]

Twenty dollar oil changes and quick lube shops:

I just finished a long test ride with the head mechanic at our local Honda dealer. Since we were trying to replicate an odd, and elusive noise in the rear differential of the car, we had plenty of time to chat. I asked him about his experiences with oil filters, specifically to determine if it was worth the hassle of continuing to use Honda OEM filters on my car?  He replied that it, on his cars  it's OEM, Wix, or Napa Gold. He then reported that they are having continual issues with Honda cars that develop driveability problems after getting their oil changed at quick lube shops. The problem is that the $2  filter isn't up to the task and it will end up operating in a bypass mode. This drives oil pressure up beyond the operating range. At that point the oil driven variable valve timing will shut down to protect the engine, and the engine runs poorly, bucking and losing power. He reported that it can be frustrating, since some customers refuse to believe the truth and accuse the shop of fraud, and trying to sell expensive factory filters. He finished by expressing amazement that he has customers, some still under a warranty, that will risk trashing the engine in a $30K car, since they are convinced that spending $10 for the right oil filter is a scam.

If I did not have a Honda, I would have been skeptical of this, but our Odyssey really woke me up to this.  It goes about 10,000 miles before it asks for an oil change, so no way a cheap filter covers that.  We have nearly 70,000 miles on it and I think it has only had 9 oil changes or so.  I checked the reading last weekend and it was at about 80% oil life.  I expected the mileage to decrease over time, but it has fluctuated and if we do less highway driving we might have to change it 1,500-2,000 miles sooner, but the much less frequent changes have more than made up for the higher dealer cost of the oil change which is at $34.95.  It is actually cheaper for me to take the car to the dealer as out local quick lube shops charge over $50.  Sure I have to sit and wait for an hour, but I schedule it for Saturday mornings and read while I wait and save 30% over a quick lube change.

[sw1tch]

It's not even hard (or expensive) to get an OEM or other high quality filter.  I've always used amazon, ebay and advanceauto.com (w/ coupon codes) to get my filters.

It's not like you "have" to buy them from the dealership at their markup.

[joleran]

I get mine changed at the dealer for $30. I only have to change it once a year (and even then it's not because of mileage), so I just want everything above board and don't care about cost.

[zolotiyeruki]

What's the half-life for oil, after which it needs to be changed, regardless of the mileage?  My car only gets about 5k miles/year, but I change the oil every spring and fall.  I don't know if that's necessary, though--I just do it then because it's easy to remember and it doesn't hurt and it's pretty cheap.

[paddedhat]

What's the half-life for oil, after which it needs to be changed, regardless of the mileage?  My car only gets about 5k miles/year, but I change the oil every spring and fall.  I don't know if that's necessary, though--I just do it then because it's easy to remember and it doesn't hurt and it's pretty cheap.

I've always been under the impression that once a year is acceptable on a motor that doesn't get used enough to exceed a mileage, or hours of use,  limit. Per the manufacturer's requirements,  I do my motorhome generator every year, even though it's rarely used. I have read that motors that are really unused for long period, or never used hard enough to bring them up to a sustained  period of operating temperature, can have issues with damaging condensation in the oil. With 5K a year, you should be fine.

[paddedhat]

If I did not have a Honda, I would have been skeptical of this, but our Odyssey really woke me up to this.

My first issue with cheap filters was a while back. We had an Intrepid that would rattle on start up, like it was going to tear itself apart,  if you left it sit longer than overnight. Turns out it was a result of using the cheapest Fram filter on the shelf at Walmart. Allegedly, they were built with a cardboard drain valve that would fail, and allow all the oil to drain out of the upper 2/3rd of the engine, causing bone dry, damaging starts.

It's not even hard (or expensive) to get an OEM or other high quality filter.  I've always used amazon, ebay and advanceauto.com (w/ coupon codes) to get my filters.It's not like you "have" to buy them from the dealership at their markup.

I buy the Honda  OEM  filters from one of several dealers that do discounted online part sales. They are  30% off Honda MSRP. I get six at a time and they are $6 each.

[Chris22]

It's not even hard (or expensive) to get an OEM or other high quality filter.  I've always used amazon, ebay and advanceauto.com (w/ coupon codes) to get my filters.It's not like you "have" to buy them from the dealership at their markup.

I buy the Honda  OEM  filters from one of several dealers that do discounted online part sales. They are  30% off Honda MSRP. I get six at a time and they are $6 each.

Exactly.  OEM oil filters are way too cheap and essential to try and save an extra buck or two if you plan on keeping your car long term. 

[Andrew928]

23 now, I can change a tire, check oil, jump a car, all of that good stuff. But I cannot for the life of me properly iron a dress shirt...

[shelivesthedream]

23 now, I can change a tire, check oil, jump a car, all of that good stuff. But I cannot for the life of me properly iron a dress shirt...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EpinulvKTA

ETA: I iron the yoke straight after the collar, before the front. Otherwise the front collar area (which gets a "high percentage of visual attention") tends to crease while I iron the yoke.

[Andrew928]

23 now, I can change a tire, check oil, jump a car, all of that good stuff. But I cannot for the life of me properly iron a dress shirt...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EpinulvKTA

ETA: I iron the yoke straight after the collar, before the front. Otherwise the front collar area (which gets a "high percentage of visual attention") tends to crease while I iron the yoke.

Why thank you!