DIY oil change? Or do you bring it to a shop?

[GettingStarted]

Unless its something thats broken internally or has to do with the suspension, I generally do most of the maintenance myself.

[RaysWay]

Ya I don`t think I can let someone else have the fun. I think I`ll do it myself. Now I just have to decide on which type and brand of oil...

[PapaChop]

I do my own. It`s not that I don`t trust people - it`s just that I don`t trust people.

1. I know I`m getting a new (quality) oil filter.
2. I know the oil change is actually getting done.
3. I save money. 5 qts of the Wal-Mart full synthetic is about $17. Try getting full synthetic at a Jiffy Lube\comparable for anything close to that.

[cleanmycorolla]

I`ll do it myself if I have time. If not my grandpas best friend owns a place now operated by his son, and I`ll take my car there. Super great place in Pasadena. They do everything, talented folks with some classics I`ve seen them fix or restore. But I trust them. And they`ve been around my grandpa and family probably longer than I`ve been alive. As my grandpa would say "I knew him when we wore short pants"

[RaskyR1]

I do it myself, not because of cost savings, but because I don`t want some mechanic leaning up on my car and scathing the crap out of it...and they will!

[Ronkh]

I`ma getting toooooooo old to do it myself.

I don`t get down that low to well (refer to 3 old guys with buffers thread)

[RTexasF]

I did my own maintenance, including oil changes, from 1969 until Jan 2009. I decided then that the dealer was going to take care of things from that point on. I`m too old and too fat to be crawling around under cars anymore. If they EEFF it up they can pay for the new engine. Easy to thump your chest when you`re young but as you get older it`s just not feasible anymore to do what you used to do. ALL of you will find that out.........in time.

[Ronkh]

I did my own maintenance, including oil changes, from 1969 until Jan 2009. I decided then that the dealer was going to take care of things from that point on. I`m too old and too fat to be crawling around under cars anymore. If they EEFF it up they can pay for the new engine. Easy to thump your chest when you`re young but as you get older it`s just not feasible anymore to do what you used to do. ALL of you will find that out.........in time.

Amen !!!

[skibik]

I am a DIY`er whenever I can. Oil change is one thing I can do. I got to love the location on the oil filter on my 2012 Camaro, it is up under the hood where it should be. Cartridge style so I bought K&N oil filters and 6 quarts of Mobil1 synthetic oil from Walmart. Unfortunately the 5 quart just isn`t enough but it helps when the last time I was in I only needed to buy one more, since I had a partial, but decided to buy 2 and they were around $23 a jug. Couldn`t go wrong there.

I have a friend at work that used to take his to a local small time mechanic shop. He would bring the oil and filter and the guy would only charge time.

I was a Pennzoil user in the past and used to take my vehicles to Jiffy Lube about every 3rd or 4th oil change and let them do it that way it got a chassis lube.

[Stokdgs]

I did my own maintenance, including oil changes, from 1969 until Jan 2009. I decided then that the dealer was going to take care of things from that point on. I`m too old and too fat to be crawling around under cars anymore. If they EEFF it up they can pay for the new engine. Easy to thump your chest when you`re young but as you get older it`s just not feasible anymore to do what you used to do. ALL of you will find that out.........in time.

And another Big Amen, Brother ! ! !

I have changed oil in hundreds of cars for dozens of years, repaired everything, pulled engines, transmissions, etc., rebuilt engines, etc., and while it is kind of nice to get under there and look everything over, Im fine if I get to look at it under a lift at the Dealer`s shop bay..

What we need to do is set up some kind of School/Shop where we can teach all these young whippersnappers how to do it right the first time and totally trash the idea that watching YouTube Videos makes you an expert because you watched them...

My RF Texas Amigo --

My Dad`s family came from Espana, and ended up in McAllen..
They had a very big successful Dairy until the 1929 financial meltdown took everyone out.

We used to go to McAllen every summer and while me and my brother played at my Uncle`s Feed Store, the brothers were out on the golf course...
Loved the Feed Store - loved the smell of it...
They sold everything - hardware, tools, guns, ammo, chicks, thousands of 100lb sacks of different feeds, flour, etc...

The only thing I did not like about McAllen - the water!!! tasted terrible...

They still grow the best Ruby Red Grapefruit in the world, though, right ??
Dan F

[Dogfather]

that way it got a chassis lube.

Chassis lube? What`s that?

[Ronkh]

at least in my day, engines made sense.
1. intake
2.compression
3. ignition
4. exhaust.

no stinkin computers..........

just good old fashioned Detroit iron, then came aluminum and smog controls

[KillaCam]

I don`t trust anyone with my vehicles so I do everything myself. Anyone ever seen the YouTube video of the guy at the dealership that took a new camaro ss for a joy ride beating the piss out of it? You never know what goes on behind the scenes. Plus I like the satisfaction I get doing it myself.
However I`m fairly young, maybe this will all change one day lol.

[chet31]

I do easy stuff when it`s warm. If you have a lot of vehicles, a MitiVac makes oil changes a breeze.

[The Guz]

I do it myself. When I`m too old and can`t do it anymore that is when I will have someone else do it.