Author Topic: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?  (Read 41259 times)

lthenderson

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #50 on: November 20, 2015, 07:34:44 AM »
I was in and out of the dealer yesterday in 30 minutes flat to get my oil changed and tires rotated.  It is on my way home so I'm not adding to my drive time.  I don't have two jacks so it would really hard to rotate my tires myself.  I really need to check CL for a floor jack.

I'm not sure why you need two jacks in order to rotate tires?

Sure you don't NEED two jacks in order to rotate tires but it certainly isn't desirable doing it with one jack and having to put a spare on and off. I bought a floor jack at an auction for $5 and it was the best investment I have made when it comes to rotating tires, perhaps second only to my impact wrench.

JordanOfGilead

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #51 on: November 20, 2015, 07:55:38 AM »
I've always changed my own oil. Shops use recycled conventional oil and I am very particular about which oil and filters I use (mobil 1 synthetic for my new car and typically mobil 1 high miles for my old ones that are all near or over 200k).
I have had shops cross-thread, over-torque, and strip my drain plug, over-torque my filter making it nearly impossible to remove, straight up not change my oil and filter at all ... the list goes on. I don't trust anybody to do work on my car that I can do myself. My wife is a mechanic and I've been working on my own cars since I was a teenager, so I don't really see it as that big of a deal. Even when I didn't have a garage, I would do my own oil changes outside when they were needed. Usually I made sure to time it so that I wouldn't need one in the REALLY cold months though. I've only taken my car to a shop to get the oil changed once since I learned how to do it, and that's because I was working crazy hours and there was a foot of snow in the parking lot at my apartment.

TL;DR - Do it yourself. It's more rewarding and the quality is guaranteed.

jba302

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #52 on: November 20, 2015, 09:32:53 AM »

jba, where do you buy your big bag of those god damn things!?! I buy them in the three-pack from Advance Auto and they are starting to cost me real money. I replace one every time I do the oil in my Honda.

Ahhh....another superb benefit of that beautiful horizontally-opposed boxer engine! Toyota does the same thing on their big Tundra trucks - I locked up and stared at it for five full minutes when I first saw it.

Amazon has them - http://www.amazon.com/Honda-10mm-Hole-Plastic-Rivet/dp/B000NC0SA2 I think that's the right size...it might be these http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Splash_Shield_Push_Type_Retainer_20mm_Hd_Dia_p/a17379.htm

I don't have my maintenance notebook on hand so I don't remember but there are plenty of online options. And yea I was floored when I first opened the hood, I almost shed a tear of joy seeing the layout of everything. It's also the first vehicle I've owned that the windshield washer reservoir holds a full gallon jug's worth.

dragoncar

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #53 on: November 20, 2015, 01:39:49 PM »
I was in and out of the dealer yesterday in 30 minutes flat to get my oil changed and tires rotated.  It is on my way home so I'm not adding to my drive time.  I don't have two jacks so it would really hard to rotate my tires myself.  I really need to check CL for a floor jack.

I'm not sure why you need two jacks in order to rotate tires?

Jack stands.  Get them if you plan to do any work on your car

reader2580

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #54 on: November 20, 2015, 02:53:14 PM »
I was in and out of the dealer yesterday in 30 minutes flat to get my oil changed and tires rotated.  It is on my way home so I'm not adding to my drive time.  I don't have two jacks so it would really hard to rotate my tires myself.  I really need to check CL for a floor jack.

I'm not sure why you need two jacks in order to rotate tires?

That or a jack stand or something.  You can't really take two wheels off at the same time without supporting both wheel positions.  Someone mentioned putting the spare tire on when you remove the first wheel, but man that would be a lot of jacking with just a scissor jack.

Spork

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #55 on: November 20, 2015, 04:24:04 PM »
I was in and out of the dealer yesterday in 30 minutes flat to get my oil changed and tires rotated.  It is on my way home so I'm not adding to my drive time.  I don't have two jacks so it would really hard to rotate my tires myself.  I really need to check CL for a floor jack.

I'm not sure why you need two jacks in order to rotate tires?

That or a jack stand or something.  You can't really take two wheels off at the same time without supporting both wheel positions.  Someone mentioned putting the spare tire on when you remove the first wheel, but man that would be a lot of jacking with just a scissor jack.

Or if you have a car with an actual frame rail, just jack it once in the middle!    (Yes, I know almost no one has a real frame rail any more.  But I still have one.)

Kaplin261

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #56 on: November 22, 2015, 01:12:24 PM »
I had my oil changed at Wal-Mart today while I did some grocery shopping. It costed me after tax $20.11 and on my drive home I passed a Advance Auto parts store advertising 5 qts of oil and filter for $22. They also put air in my tires eliminating the TPMS light that was on in my car.

I have been using walmart exclusively for over 10 years now for my oil changes and my wife's car. That's about 50 oil changes and we have never had any issues. 50 oil changes = 50 hours and that turns out to be $1000 if my time is valued at $20 a hour.

dragoncar

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #57 on: November 22, 2015, 02:03:30 PM »
I had my oil changed at Wal-Mart today while I did some grocery shopping. It costed me after tax $20.11 and on my drive home I passed a Advance Auto parts store advertising 5 qts of oil and filter for $22. They also put air in my tires eliminating the TPMS light that was on in my car.

I have been using walmart exclusively for over 10 years now for my oil changes and my wife's car. That's about 50 oil changes and we have never had any issues. 50 oil changes = 50 hours and that turns out to be $1000 if my time is valued at $20 a hour.

How does using walmart save you an hour of time, exactly?  I've heard enough horror stories to prefer doing my own to avoid using walmart, but great if it works for you.  I just got 5 quarts of full synthetic online for like $12 as a slickdeal, and my fumoto valve makes the change take 5-10 min, so I'm definitely coming out ahead in both time and money (but the time/money savings aren't super significant in the grand scheme of things)

reader2580

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #58 on: November 22, 2015, 02:54:39 PM »
How does using walmart save you an hour of time, exactly?  I've heard enough horror stories to prefer doing my own to avoid using walmart, but great if it works for you.  I just got 5 quarts of full synthetic online for like $12 as a slickdeal, and my fumoto valve makes the change take 5-10 min, so I'm definitely coming out ahead in both time and money (but the time/money savings aren't super significant in the grand scheme of things)

Any chance that slickdeal on oil is still available?  If one has to pay retail prices for oil it can be cheaper just to take it to a place to have the oil changed.  I figured I was at close to $30 with tax to buy the cheapest name brand oil at Walmart and a WIX oil filter at Oreilly.  I have since found that Sam's Club sells a 12 pack of oil for just over $2 a quart.  My engine takes 6 quarts so that would be perfect for two changes.

Kaplin261

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #59 on: November 22, 2015, 02:58:22 PM »
I had my oil changed at Wal-Mart today while I did some grocery shopping. It costed me after tax $20.11 and on my drive home I passed a Advance Auto parts store advertising 5 qts of oil and filter for $22. They also put air in my tires eliminating the TPMS light that was on in my car.

I have been using walmart exclusively for over 10 years now for my oil changes and my wife's car. That's about 50 oil changes and we have never had any issues. 50 oil changes = 50 hours and that turns out to be $1000 if my time is valued at $20 a hour.

How does using walmart save you an hour of time, exactly?  I've heard enough horror stories to prefer doing my own to avoid using walmart, but great if it works for you.  I just got 5 quarts of full synthetic online for like $12 as a slickdeal, and my fumoto valve makes the change take 5-10 min, so I'm definitely coming out ahead in both time and money (but the time/money savings aren't super significant in the grand scheme of things)

The hour saved is my hour not having to change the oil myself and using the hour to do some other productive chore. I do think 1 hour is a reasonable time frame for a oil change at home not counting time to clean up if you get soaked in oil and your drive time to dispose of oil. I would also have to dedicate storage space for ramps and a oil drain pan. The fumoto valve seems like a great time saver but what about the oil filter, the oil filter is always the part that gets me dirty.

If time and money are not the significant part here then I assume you are referring to the risks to your vehicle of out sourcing oil changes. What about the risks of injury by doing it yourself, being under a car is a unsafe environment. A simple mistake can cause a mechanic to lose his life. You are working with dangerous tools that can cut, smash and maul fingers and toes. Auto mechanics can get burned by battery acid as well as from hot oil, coolant, hydraulic fluid and other liquids.

And doing it yourself does not make you immune from making a critical mistake yourself. Chances are if a mechanic at a big chain garage does make a mistake, the garage will pay to have it fixed.

paddedhat

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #60 on: November 22, 2015, 03:19:20 PM »
Oil filters are no big deal. First, change your oil when the engine is warm, not when the oil is scalding hot. Next, slip a disposable glove on, and spin the filter until it's draining all over the exterior. Let it run until it's down to a drip, and continue to unscrew it. Once it's in your gloved hand, flip it upside down and hold it above the drain pan until it's empty, then drop it in a zip lock bag. For final cleanup of the pan, funnel and whatever else got oily, I use a few paper towels and a spray can of brake clean. The towels go in the bag with the filter, and the bag hits the trash.

As for the dangers involved, every time we end up with a newer vehicle, I make a real serious attempt to figure out a way to change the oil without using ramps, or jack stands. As other's have pointed out, generally it's possible, but there are some vehicles that it isn't going to happen unless you a gymnast and 3" thick. As for avoiding DIY vehicle repair and maintenance due to the alleged danger involved, sorry I'm not buying it. Safety is not an abstract concept, and with the proper knowledge and equipment there is nothing to fear.

reader2580

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #61 on: November 22, 2015, 03:25:40 PM »
Some cars even have top side cartridge oil filters so you don't have the pain of dealing with a regular oil filter underneath the car.

Faraday

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #62 on: November 22, 2015, 05:27:19 PM »
Some cars even have top side cartridge oil filters so you don't have the pain of dealing with a regular oil filter underneath the car.

What cars?

Spork

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #63 on: November 22, 2015, 05:29:27 PM »
Some cars even have top side cartridge oil filters so you don't have the pain of dealing with a regular oil filter underneath the car.

And some have the 1950s tractor technology cartridge filter from underneath, where you are guaranteed to spill oil.   (Toyota: I'm talking to you.)

dragoncar

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #64 on: November 22, 2015, 07:00:38 PM »
Some cars even have top side cartridge oil filters so you don't have the pain of dealing with a regular oil filter underneath the car.

What cars?

I know newer suburu foresters do. 


I had my oil changed at Wal-Mart today while I did some grocery shopping. It costed me after tax $20.11 and on my drive home I passed a Advance Auto parts store advertising 5 qts of oil and filter for $22. They also put air in my tires eliminating the TPMS light that was on in my car.

I have been using walmart exclusively for over 10 years now for my oil changes and my wife's car. That's about 50 oil changes and we have never had any issues. 50 oil changes = 50 hours and that turns out to be $1000 if my time is valued at $20 a hour.

How does using walmart save you an hour of time, exactly?  I've heard enough horror stories to prefer doing my own to avoid using walmart, but great if it works for you.  I just got 5 quarts of full synthetic online for like $12 as a slickdeal, and my fumoto valve makes the change take 5-10 min, so I'm definitely coming out ahead in both time and money (but the time/money savings aren't super significant in the grand scheme of things)

The hour saved is my hour not having to change the oil myself and using the hour to do some other productive chore. I do think 1 hour is a reasonable time frame for a oil change at home not counting time to clean up if you get soaked in oil and your drive time to dispose of oil. I would also have to dedicate storage space for ramps and a oil drain pan. The fumoto valve seems like a great time saver but what about the oil filter, the oil filter is always the part that gets me dirty.

If time and money are not the significant part here then I assume you are referring to the risks to your vehicle of out sourcing oil changes. What about the risks of injury by doing it yourself, being under a car is a unsafe environment. A simple mistake can cause a mechanic to lose his life. You are working with dangerous tools that can cut, smash and maul fingers and toes. Auto mechanics can get burned by battery acid as well as from hot oil, coolant, hydraulic fluid and other liquids.

And doing it yourself does not make you immune from making a critical mistake yourself. Chances are if a mechanic at a big chain garage does make a mistake, the garage will pay to have it fixed.


For filters, there's also the "paper cup trick" where you put a paper cup over the filter and unscrew... all the mess goes into the cup. Then you pop in the new one and you are done.  Luckily for me, my wife has a suburu and my car's filter is easily accessed if I turn the front wheels. 

There are no tools involved at all, let alone "dangerous tools".  That said, before I installed the fumoto valve, I still changed my oil in under 30 min.  I don't have ramps, just jack stands.

I think you are seriously overestimating the "hour" it would take you to do this.  Waste disposal is easily accomplished with almost no extra time lost -- just wait until I'm already headed in the direction of literally any auto parts store. 

Don't forget to subtract the time it takes you to let Walmart do it.  Are they instantaneous?  I'd assume not, and that in fact the time it takes to fill out paper work and pay, even assuming you shop while they work on the car, is more time than it takes me to do the whole job start to finish.  If it takes them 15 min, why don't you think you can do the same job in the same amount of time?  The biggest advantage they have is a lift, but as discussed above most cars don't even need to be lifted to do this job.

JordanOfGilead

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #65 on: November 23, 2015, 06:18:30 AM »
Oil filters are no big deal. First, change your oil when the engine is warm, not when the oil is scalding hot. Next, slip a disposable glove on, and spin the filter until it's draining all over the exterior. Let it run until it's down to a drip, and continue to unscrew it. Once it's in your gloved hand, flip it upside down and hold it above the drain pan until it's empty, then drop it in a zip lock bag. For final cleanup of the pan, funnel and whatever else got oily, I use a few paper towels and a spray can of brake clean. The towels go in the bag with the filter, and the bag hits the trash.

As for the dangers involved, every time we end up with a newer vehicle, I make a real serious attempt to figure out a way to change the oil without using ramps, or jack stands. As other's have pointed out, generally it's possible, but there are some vehicles that it isn't going to happen unless you a gymnast and 3" thick. As for avoiding DIY vehicle repair and maintenance due to the alleged danger involved, sorry I'm not buying it. Safety is not an abstract concept, and with the proper knowledge and equipment there is nothing to fear.
I learned about auto repair safety the "fun" way by neglecting to use stands and having a jack fail while I was under the car. Pretty much the worst case scenario for doing your own car work but I still refuse to let somebody else wrench on my car, even for an oil change.
Safety is only a problem if you aren't doing it right. If you lift the car, use jack stands, the parking brake, and jam something under the tires that are still on the ground as a redundant measure to keep them from rolling. Otherwise, the biggest safety risk to changing your oil is a busted knuckle now and then.

reader2580

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #66 on: November 23, 2015, 07:18:29 AM »
Some cars even have top side cartridge oil filters so you don't have the pain of dealing with a regular oil filter underneath the car.

What cars?

Any vehicle that has a Chrysler 3.6 liter V6 should have a top side cartridge oil filter.  I was surprised to find out about this.

Faraday

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #67 on: November 23, 2015, 07:45:39 AM »
Some cars even have top side cartridge oil filters so you don't have the pain of dealing with a regular oil filter underneath the car.

What cars?

Any vehicle that has a Chrysler 3.6 liter V6 should have a top side cartridge oil filter.  I was surprised to find out about this.

I have to disagree. I've owned a vehicle with the Chrysler 3.6L V6 and it had a non-cartridge (spin-on metal) filter you reach from the bottom. 

Google searches for "top side filter" yielded only the Subaru, which we've already discussed in this thread. My Toyota claim, I verified in person by looking at the engine in a new Tundra.
« Last Edit: November 23, 2015, 07:47:27 AM by Faraday »

Clean Shaven

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #68 on: November 23, 2015, 07:53:40 AM »
The V6 4.0 motor Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner oil filter is right on top, in the front, with a sort of funnel built in to the filter mount for catching the oil the old filter upon removal. Those are the easiest filter change design I've ever seen.

Jack

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #69 on: November 23, 2015, 08:13:59 AM »
As for avoiding DIY vehicle repair and maintenance due to the alleged danger involved, sorry I'm not buying it. Safety is not an abstract concept, and with the proper knowledge and equipment there is nothing to fear.
I learned about auto repair safety the "fun" way by neglecting to use stands and having a jack fail while I was under the car. Pretty much the worst case scenario for doing your own car work but I still refuse to let somebody else wrench on my car, even for an oil change.
Safety is only a problem if you aren't doing it right. If you lift the car, use jack stands, the parking brake, and jam something under the tires that are still on the ground as a redundant measure to keep them from rolling. Otherwise, the biggest safety risk to changing your oil is a busted knuckle now and then.

Another safety tip: if you take the wheels off (which shouldn't normally apply when doing an oil change...), put the wheels under the frame rail. That way, if the car falls off the jack or whatever it'll ruin the finish on your alloy wheel instead of ruining your skull.

Some cars even have top side cartridge oil filters so you don't have the pain of dealing with a regular oil filter underneath the car.

What cars?

1.9L VW TDIs (Jetta, Golf, Beetle) have top side cartridge filters. (At least the '98-'03s do; not sure about the '04-'06.)

Faraday

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #70 on: November 23, 2015, 08:16:33 AM »
Some cars even have top side cartridge oil filters so you don't have the pain of dealing with a regular oil filter underneath the car.

What cars?

1.9L VW TDIs (Jetta, Golf, Beetle) have top side cartridge filters. (At least the '98-'03s do; not sure about the '04-'06.)

JACK, GET OUTTA here. VW?

Are you sure it doesn't just jump to the top when they do the emissions inspection but is on the bottom any other time! :-) :-) :-)

JordanOfGilead

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #71 on: November 23, 2015, 09:38:24 AM »


Another safety tip: if you take the wheels off (which shouldn't normally apply when doing an oil change...), put the wheels under the frame rail. That way, if the car falls off the jack or whatever it'll ruin the finish on your alloy wheel instead of ruining your skull.


Wish I would have known that 6 years ago lol

Jack

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #72 on: November 23, 2015, 10:02:52 AM »
Some cars even have top side cartridge oil filters so you don't have the pain of dealing with a regular oil filter underneath the car.

What cars?

1.9L VW TDIs (Jetta, Golf, Beetle) have top side cartridge filters. (At least the '98-'03s do; not sure about the '04-'06.)

JACK, GET OUTTA here. VW?

Are you sure it doesn't just jump to the top when they do the emissions inspection but is on the bottom any other time! :-) :-) :-)

LOL

But seriously, the "emissions scandal" TDIs are the 2009+ 2.0L "Clean Diesel" ones. The years I mentioned above aren't even supposed to be "clean." And in my area, at least, Diesels are exempt from emissions testing anyway. I'd strongly consider getting one of the 2009+ ones and having a tuner modify it for even more NOx output (along with more power and better fuel economy, which I consider a good trade-off), but I'm not ready to get rid of my '98 yet.

reader2580

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #73 on: November 23, 2015, 11:59:55 AM »
I have to disagree. I've owned a vehicle with the Chrysler 3.6L V6 and it had a non-cartridge (spin-on metal) filter you reach from the bottom. 

Let me be more specific then.  Many (maybe all) of the 2011+ Pentastar 3.6L V6 engines have top side cartridge filters.  Models for sure that have them include the Town & Country, 200, VW Routan, Grand Caravan, Wrangler, and Grand Cherokee.

Faraday

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #74 on: November 23, 2015, 06:55:54 PM »
I have to disagree. I've owned a vehicle with the Chrysler 3.6L V6 and it had a non-cartridge (spin-on metal) filter you reach from the bottom. 

Let me be more specific then.  Many (maybe all) of the 2011+ Pentastar 3.6L V6 engines have top side cartridge filters.  Models for sure that have them include the Town & Country, 200, VW Routan, Grand Caravan, Wrangler, and Grand Cherokee.

Time for a Mopar Madness! Gotta check into this. Maybe Daimler really did change things over there.

M2 pilot

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #75 on: November 23, 2015, 08:08:49 PM »
I change my own.  I enjoy doing it.  Simple job, takes a little time, saves a little money & gives me a chance to catch potential under the car problems early.  I also know it's done correctly when I do it.

reader2580

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #76 on: November 27, 2015, 10:51:59 AM »
It would not have saved me any money to do an oil change myself this time.  Oil at Walmart for six quarts of the least expensive brand name would have been $18 and the filter another $7 for a WIX filter.  I paid $24.95 for an oil change so the labor was basically free.  I have since found that Sam's Club sells 12 quarts of 5W-30 for about $2 a quart.  I plan to do it myself the next time.

I am going to see if my father will let me have his set of ramps since he is 70 and hasn't changed his own oil in years.

FerrumB5

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #77 on: November 27, 2015, 11:06:36 AM »
One also needs to realize that 12 qt of oil for $2 cannot be of good quality. No matter what they put on label. Your milk at Sams is more expensive than that. Engine "health" directly depends on oil quality, don't forget this fact

Faraday

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #78 on: November 27, 2015, 01:03:33 PM »
One also needs to realize that 12 qt of oil for $2 cannot be of good quality. No matter what they put on label. Your milk at Sams is more expensive than that. Engine "health" directly depends on oil quality, don't forget this fact

He said $2 per quart.

FerrumB5

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #79 on: November 27, 2015, 01:06:39 PM »
Indeed. My mistake.

dragoncar

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #80 on: November 27, 2015, 01:29:08 PM »
It would not have saved me any money to do an oil change myself this time.  Oil at Walmart for six quarts of the least expensive brand name would have been $18 and the filter another $7 for a WIX filter.  I paid $24.95 for an oil change so the labor was basically free.  I have since found that Sam's Club sells 12 quarts of 5W-30 for about $2 a quart.  I plan to do it myself the next time.

I am going to see if my father will let me have his set of ramps since he is 70 and hasn't changed his own oil in years.

Most oil change places will limit you to 5 quarts and a crappy $3 filter, so yeah I guess if they are giving you an extra quart plus an upgraded filter that's a good price.  You still have no idea if they correctly torqued that drain bolt though.

One also needs to realize that 12 qt of oil for $2 cannot be of good quality. No matter what they put on label. Your milk at Sams is more expensive than that. Engine "health" directly depends on oil quality, don't forget this fact

Are milk and oil comparable goods?

FerrumB5

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #81 on: November 27, 2015, 01:40:06 PM »
very much comparable. Producing a quart of milk should be cheaper than producing a quart of good quality oil. If it's not, I would question oil quality.

Faraday

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #82 on: November 27, 2015, 02:08:39 PM »
Indeed. My mistake.

Manly comment. Good on ya mate.

very much comparable. Producing a quart of milk should be cheaper than producing a quart of good quality oil. If it's not, I would question oil quality.

Agreed! I once bought WalMart's store brand oil and HATED it. The gunk it left in the engine shocked me. Quickly went back to Castrol GTX and Mobil 1 for synthetic.
« Last Edit: November 27, 2015, 02:10:20 PM by Faraday »

FerrumB5

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #83 on: November 27, 2015, 02:19:16 PM »
To reiterate on oil price, so I don't sound like a complete prick :)
Shops can afford lower prices on oil change because they buy oil in bulk, hundreds of gallons. When oil is sold for $2/qt in retail, it is not the oil you want to buy.

Faraday

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #84 on: November 27, 2015, 02:21:28 PM »
To reiterate on oil price, so I don't sound like a complete prick :)
Shops can afford lower prices on oil change because they buy oil in bulk, hundreds of gallons. When oil is sold for $2/qt in retail, it is not the oil you want to buy.

I'm guessing they were talking about the 12-pack of non-synthetic Pennzoil at Sam's Club. I don't buy it myself, but some people I've heard from swear by it.

reader2580

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #85 on: November 28, 2015, 10:38:56 AM »
Most oil change places will limit you to 5 quarts and a crappy $3 filter, so yeah I guess if they are giving you an extra quart plus an upgraded filter that's a good price.  You still have no idea if they correctly torqued that drain bolt though.

I had my oil change done at the dealer.  It appears from the invoice that they didn't charge me extra for the 6th quart of oil.  They use Mopar filters and Pennzoil oil.

Jack

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #86 on: November 28, 2015, 08:05:59 PM »
Most oil change places will limit you to 5 quarts and a crappy $3 filter, so yeah I guess if they are giving you an extra quart plus an upgraded filter that's a good price.  You still have no idea if they correctly torqued that drain bolt though.

I had my oil change done at the dealer.  It appears from the invoice that they didn't charge me extra for the 6th quart of oil.  They use Mopar filters and Pennzoil oil.

Or more likely, your engine is a quart low and you don't know it. Or your engine still has a quart of old oil in it.

dragoncar

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #87 on: November 28, 2015, 08:55:36 PM »
very much comparable. Producing a quart of milk should be cheaper than producing a quart of good quality oil. If it's not, I would question oil quality.

Why? 

To reiterate on oil price, so I don't sound like a complete prick :)
Shops can afford lower prices on oil change because they buy oil in bulk, hundreds of gallons. When oil is sold for $2/qt in retail, it is not the oil you want to buy.

Go nuts: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/ORO0/53055/N0423.oap

reader2580

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #88 on: November 28, 2015, 09:42:12 PM »
Go nuts: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/ORO0/53055/N0423.oap

I'm not sure what your point here is.  This oil is $3.77 per quart in a 55 gallon drum.  I can buy brand name oil by the quart for less.  Generic oil like this sells for under $3 a quart.

reader2580

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #89 on: November 28, 2015, 09:53:28 PM »
Or more likely, your engine is a quart low and you don't know it. Or your engine still has a quart of old oil in it.

The dealer had a coupon listed on their website for an oil change for $24.95.  The invoice lists 6 quarts of oil at $2.76 per quart.  The total for the oil change including environmental fee was $25.29 before sales tax.  Somehow I still paid the $24.95 price while getting six quarts of oil instead of just five.

The dealer's invoice is screwy because they list parts and labor separately at normal price and then list two discounts at the bottom to get to the $24.95 price.  My guess is they increased the discount so I was still paying the $24.95 price even with six quarts.  I have some confidence the dealer isn't going to screw up an oil change and lose future opportunities to service my vehicle for a lot more money or to sell me another vehicle.  (Yes, I realize some dealers are crooked and would screw up an oil change on purpose.)  I would never use the dealer for normal repairs unless it was something only a dealer could fix.

dragoncar

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #90 on: November 29, 2015, 01:20:06 AM »
Go nuts: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/ORO0/53055/N0423.oap

I'm not sure what your point here is.  This oil is $3.77 per quart in a 55 gallon drum.  I can buy brand name oil by the quart for less.  Generic oil like this sells for under $3 a quart.

My point is the bulk isn't necessarily cheaper

dragoncar

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #91 on: December 03, 2015, 11:09:16 PM »
How does using walmart save you an hour of time, exactly?  I've heard enough horror stories to prefer doing my own to avoid using walmart, but great if it works for you.  I just got 5 quarts of full synthetic online for like $12 as a slickdeal, and my fumoto valve makes the change take 5-10 min, so I'm definitely coming out ahead in both time and money (but the time/money savings aren't super significant in the grand scheme of things)

Any chance that slickdeal on oil is still available?  If one has to pay retail prices for oil it can be cheaper just to take it to a place to have the oil changed.  I figured I was at close to $30 with tax to buy the cheapest name brand oil at Walmart and a WIX oil filter at Oreilly.  I have since found that Sam's Club sells a 12 pack of oil for just over $2 a quart.  My engine takes 6 quarts so that would be perfect for two changes.

There's a new one: http://slickdeals.net/f/8344903-5-qt-quaker-state-full-synthetic-motor-oil-9-99-after-rebate-free-store-pickup-advance-auto-parts

BlueMR2

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #92 on: December 05, 2015, 05:37:03 AM »
On a bit of a tangent, I thought $10-12 for a Mobil 1 oil filter was pretty expensive.  However, I just spent $164 on an oil filter last night.  On the plus side though, it's reusable.  Has a metal filter element that you remove and clean instead of throwing away.  The only real wear item is the gasket (which is designed to be user replaceable).  No anti-drainback valve though, so not suitable for all vehicles.

It's a really long story as to how I ended up with it, but the short version involves *suspected* light rod knock on a vehicle that has a very difficult to get at oil pan.  With gory details omitted, a visual inspection is a large part of the way to a rebuild.  Plan "B" is drive it until something becomes more obviously wrong, but it *may* go straight from "too light to diagnose" to "catastrophic failure".  The anecdotal evidence so far is that people with this pricy filter that blow up engines are able to re-use the head and turbo, whereas those with paper filters end up replacing everything...  We shall see...

reader2580

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #93 on: December 05, 2015, 11:41:17 AM »
Unfortunately, the Quaker State deal from Advance doesn't work for me since they only include filters up to $6.99 retail.  The price for my filter is $12.99 retail.  (I can get the same filter much cheaper elsewhere.)

It look like I can get just the oil for 99 cents a quart after two rebates from Menards.

dragoncar

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #94 on: December 05, 2015, 01:37:21 PM »
Unfortunately, the Quaker State deal from Advance doesn't work for me since they only include filters up to $6.99 retail.  The price for my filter is $12.99 retail.  (I can get the same filter much cheaper elsewhere.)

It look like I can get just the oil for 99 cents a quart after two rebates from Menards.

Even if you give the  filter to someone else, $2/quart for FULL SYNTHETIC is smokin.  Is the Lenard's deal synthetic?  Cause if so WOW

reader2580

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #95 on: December 05, 2015, 01:45:01 PM »
The Menards oil for 99 cents a quart is the same Quaker State synthetic oil as the other deal.  There is a $2 per quart rebate in form of a merchandise credit from Menards and a $2 per quart rebate from Quaker State.  The Menards merchandise credit is not cash, but I am always buying stuff from Menards for fixing the house.

dragoncar

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #96 on: December 05, 2015, 05:20:30 PM »
The Menards oil for 99 cents a quart is the same Quaker State synthetic oil as the other deal.  There is a $2 per quart rebate in form of a merchandise credit from Menards and a $2 per quart rebate from Quaker State.  The Menards merchandise credit is not cash, but I am always buying stuff from Menards for fixing the house.

pretty sweet -- too bad there's no menards near me (plus I'm set on oil now for a couple years at least!)

hoping2retire35

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #97 on: December 14, 2015, 08:35:41 PM »
Oil change every six months. 1qt of oil = great bonfire starter and no recycling...shouldn't be a problem to get rid of.

hoping2retire35

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #98 on: December 14, 2015, 08:42:19 PM »
BMW z3 has oil filter right on top. Watched them the last time I took it in and was shocked. Doing my own changes from now on. 2.8 liter, 2000. Should be the same on all 2,8 and the 3 series.

I'll check out the T&C tomorrow, I think we are past warranty so I'll do our own from now on.
« Last Edit: December 14, 2015, 08:45:06 PM by hoping2retire35 »

paddedhat

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Re: Oil changes: DIY or just pay for it?
« Reply #99 on: December 15, 2015, 05:29:01 PM »
The Menards oil for 99 cents a quart is the same Quaker State synthetic oil as the other deal.  There is a $2 per quart rebate in form of a merchandise credit from Menards and a $2 per quart rebate from Quaker State.  The Menards merchandise credit is not cash, but I am always buying stuff from Menards for fixing the house.
This post made me smile. We live on the east coast, and were lumbering the motorhome across the great plains this summer, when I saw the Menard's ad in a Sunday paper. I stopped and thought I would be walking out of the store with a nice case of super cheap synthetic oil for the CRV, and the chance to thoroughly impress the DW with my shopping prowess. Well, the best laid plans of..............  First, there was a giant hole in the inventory where the cases of 0-W20 used to be. Next the deal involved a store credit, with a fine print note that it could not be applied to internet transactions. In the end, the mission failed, as even if they had the oil I need, I couldn't really justify the 1000 mile trip back to Menards to use my store credit. That said, its seems like a great store.