Why I change my own oil

[220yotekiller]

l went to one because someone gave me a gift card, the oil change was as advertised but they sold me a 150 dollar air filter, if they had told me it would be that much, l would have done it myself, l waited at least an hour to boot.

 

[DouglasR]

Unfortunately, these guys gotta make a living too.
Grease monkey in Silverthorne did a fine job on the jeep.

 

[Scott85]

I worked at a grease monkey in high school for a couple months. I worked down in the pit, I never had a car leave that wasn’t 100% right, that was over 20 years ago and I’m sure stuff has changed.

 

[rwc101]

Changed mine today which simultaneously reminded me why I hate having other people do it (ridiculously tightened drain plug) and why I hate doing it myself (wind blowing my oil pan as soon as I release the plug). Will be spending some time cleaning the driveway.

 

[DouglasR]

As the step son and heir to a small fleet owner, I’ve seen some pretty funny things.
Last month a professional tarp shop installed a tarp on a brand new dump trailer in a fashion that would have led to said tarp being completely ripped tf off upon first use if I hadn’t realized they’d mounted it improperly.
And I’m not particularly smart or observant.
People in these lines of work prob just don’t get paid enough so it just is what it is and you have to make peace with it. IMO

 

[noharleyyet]

We prepay for service at the dealership and spring for extended warranty...my truck stick showed two quarts low on oil about a month ago. Took it in and explained to the service manager what was going on & he asked who did the last oil change. I gave him a perplexed Golden Retriever cocked head look and asked him to check my account. He was new & a little chagrined for asking the question. Anyway, the tech said it was a 'crimped' filter gasket...& they did a complete service at no charge, a fair lagniappe IMO.

 

[LuketheDog]

Unfortunately, these guys gotta make a living too.
Grease monkey in Silverthorne did a fine job on the jeep.

I hope you went out and looked over the engine, checked the dipstick, etc. before typing that, right?

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

i took my brand new toyota tacoma to the toyota dealership for its very first complementary oil change,,and guess what,,had a puddle in my driveway when i got home,,even the toyota dealer has idiots that cant tighten the drain plug either,,whats the most important bolt??the drain plug!!never again,even for free.

 

[Don Fischer]

I used to deliver RV trailers foir a living and got oil changed about once a month in my Dodge with diesel engine. Never had a problem But with every other vehicle I have owned I do it myself. Those places are simply to expensive for me.

 

[Gellar]

I change the oil in my f150 every 5-7000 miles wether it needs it or not. I have my wife’s changed at a shop. The guy changes the oil, picks it up from and returns it to her work so she doesn’t have to wait or drop it off for only $35. I can’t change it for that in material let alone time.

 

[Nick87]

I change the oil in my f150 every 5-7000 miles wether it needs it or not. I have my wife’s changed at a shop. The guy changes the oil, picks it up from and returns it to her work so she doesn’t have to wait or drop it off for only $35. I can’t change it for that in material let alone time.

Same, by the time I buy the filter and the oil I'm about $5 more to let the shop in town do it and I don't have to deal with the waste oil either

 

[ashersdad]

Changed mine today which simultaneously reminded me why I hate having other people do it (ridiculously tightened drain plug) and why I hate doing it myself (wind blowing my oil pan as soon as I release the plug). Will be spending some time cleaning the driveway.

Wind blowing in Wyoming? Now we know you're telling stories...

 

[Beignet]

Only takes one tree branch laying in the road...
How do you know if you’re getting metal shavings in the oil without a magnetic plug?!

I used to be on some gear head forum and the Fumoto thread got more heated than the recent cheap Vortex vs Leupold binos thread on here, but for like 30+ pages.

You’re gonna need more vitriol in your questioning of them is what I’m trying to say.

 

[Gr8bawana]

There's plenty of oil pans where the plug isn't even on the actual bottom and it doesn't seem to be a problem for any of those engines.

This is from a forum called RangerG5.
I know I'm not willing to take a chance on a failure like that one. I also know that the factory drain plugs on cars and trucks I've had for the last 45+ years have never failed or fallen off.

Gonna post this in the Offroad section also. Out deer huntin with my kid who has a 2005 Tacoma decked out for off road with lots of clearance. Out in the brush, dust and rocks this past weekend, his Fumoto valve protection clip came off (or was removed by bushes) valve opened, lost all his oil, thought we caught it in time, got oil back in pan, thought it was ok, nope..... Engine is done, I had to tow it with my ranger which was loaded with a wall tent camp..... I know nothing about these valves and would only say, if you actually take your rig out in the sticks maybe dont put one of those quick drain valves on your truck......On a lighter note, the Ranger prolly had 500 pounds in the bed and towed the Tacoma 100 miles up and down a summit with no issues.... I do have the timberline bump springs installed and that made things great for the bed weight.

 

[Nick87]

This is from a forum called RangerG5.
I know I'm not willing to take a chance on a failure like that one. I also know that the factory drain plugs on cars and trucks I've had for the last 45+ years have never failed or fallen off.

Gonna post this in the Offroad section also. Out deer huntin with my kid who has a 2005 Tacoma decked out for off road with lots of clearance. Out in the brush, dust and rocks this past weekend, his Fumoto valve protection clip came off (or was removed by bushes) valve opened, lost all his oil, thought we caught it in time, got oil back in pan, thought it was ok, nope..... Engine is done, I had to tow it with my ranger which was loaded with a wall tent camp..... I know nothing about these valves and would only say, if you actually take your rig out in the sticks maybe dont put one of those quick drain valves on your truck......On a lighter note, the Ranger prolly had 500 pounds in the bed and towed the Tacoma 100 miles up and down a summit with no issues.... I do have the timberline bump springs installed and that made things great for the bed weight.

Lesson learned don't buy a toyota.

 

[np307]

This is from a forum called RangerG5.
I know I'm not willing to take a chance on a failure like that one. I also know that the factory drain plugs on cars and trucks I've had for the last 45+ years have never failed or fallen off.

Gonna post this in the Offroad section also. Out deer huntin with my kid who has a 2005 Tacoma decked out for off road with lots of clearance. Out in the brush, dust and rocks this past weekend, his Fumoto valve protection clip came off (or was removed by bushes) valve opened, lost all his oil, thought we caught it in time, got oil back in pan, thought it was ok, nope..... Engine is done, I had to tow it with my ranger which was loaded with a wall tent camp..... I know nothing about these valves and would only say, if you actually take your rig out in the sticks maybe dont put one of those quick drain valves on your truck......On a lighter note, the Ranger prolly had 500 pounds in the bed and towed the Tacoma 100 miles up and down a summit with no issues.... I do have the timberline bump springs installed and that made things great for the bed weight.

So you've abandoned the magnet argument then?

 

[DouglasR]

are we all talking about the same 9/16th bolt?
By the time you’ve ordered whatever tf that valve is called and walk to the mailbox to pick it up you’ve done more work than you would have for the entire life of the vehicle by just using the regular plug.

 

[DouglasR]

Take a wrench.
Put it in your glove box.

 

[Beignet]

are we all talking about the same 9/16th bolt?
By the time you’ve ordered whatever tf that valve is called and walk to the mailbox to pick it up you’ve done more work than you would have for the entire life of the vehicle by just using the regular plug.

They have a place for some folks. I found them to be very handy when I used to change my oil in the street. Could attach a tube without having to jack up my truck and drain right into an old oil jug without having to schlep a dirty catch pan back up to my apartment or risk spillage on the catch pan to jug transfer.

Finally found a rental with a garage we’re moving into next week and will probably switch back to the old plug. Those valves do drain kinda slow.

 

[David58]

The wife and I were newly married and had just moved to Oregon. Her piece of crap Dodge Neon needed the oil changed but since we were in an apartment, I didn't have a good place to change it so I told her to stop at a quick lube place on her way to school. She called me that day crying and had just got on the freeway after having the oil changed and the car had died. I told her I'd call a tow truck and meet her at a nearby grocery store. Got to the store just as the tow truck pulled in. I got under the car and sure enough, no filter. Took a picture with my phone and told the tow truck to follow me to the quick lube just down the road. Pulled in and told them what had happened. They took the car off the tow truck and pushed it into the bay and raised it up. Tried to tell us they weren't responsible and it had a filter on when my wife left. After a few choice words I'm not too proud of I told them they'd hear from my attorney in short order and we left. They called before we could get home and took responsibility. Had to replace the engine. Last time I had anyone change the oil in any of my rigs.

Never get a tranny flush....I got to replace the tranny. "Well, it was ready to go out..."