If you don't have a garage does it make sense to change the oil yourself and is it worth the effort?

If you don't have a garage does it make sense to change the oil yourself and is it worth the effort?

Yes. You can do it outside in a parking lot, if the city/township allows it.

Not worth the effort if its winter, or rainy.

Might not be worth it buying the needed tools just to do an oil change outside on the ground.
Worth it owning these tools if you plan to do more work.

Yes and yes.

If you have a jack and a couple stands, it takes about 20 minutes.

I do mine outside, on a hill, with a gravel driveway. Still takes 20 minutes.

I have a jack(crappy one like pic related), change my tyres myself and I would be perfectly willing to spend half an hour on changing the oil as it would take longer for me to drive to a mechanic and have him do it.
I don't have stands, though and would need at least something to catch the oil in.

Where do you dispose of the old oil?

Do not use that jack for anything other than emergency road side tire replacement.

Buy a proper hydraulic jack, and jack stands.

Old oil can be taken to any automotive store.

I've been using it to change between winter and summer tyres many years. I don't see any other problem in using it than it being more work than a hydraulic one.

Changing your own oil is barely worth the effort even with the garage. It's more about the satisfaction of doing it yourself and actually knowing what is going into the car.

And depends what you drive. I don't even have to jack my car up to do an oil change. It has enough ground clearance and the drain plug is right behind the driver side front wheel and filter is right behind the radiator under the front bumper.

I drive an old Saab 900, '89. It has enough space under it to crawl under without jacking it up.
I just want to change the oil per manufacturer recommendation but going to the mechanic is a hassle, especially if I can just do it on the parking lot in half an hour myself.

Yeah depends where the filter is too. The only time it is really beneficial is when you want to use better oil. Jiffy Lube wants like $90 for full synthetic when it is said and done and you can often get a jug of synthetic plus a filter on sale somewhere for like $30.

My mom's Jeep, I'll just bring that to the place with the pit. It has all these skid plates or whatever bullshit and the filter is up under those in the middle. I just stop by on a Tuesday afternoon, pull it right in, and pay them the $50 for the synthetic blend. Save myself $20 for having to jack the thing up, crawling all the way under there, getting dirty, and being pissed off.

Plus that place will let you just sit in the car while they do it. I normally stand outside, smoke a cig, shitpost a bit, and they are done before I know it.

Why the fuck did my trip change?

Current jiffy employee here and let me tell you that you are getting ripped the fuck off. First jiffylube has the lowest quality oil I'm not sure about the filters but the oil is shit. Second unless you are having them service your front rear or t-case they don't check anything besides that there is no more oil in the car and that the filter has been changed. Third they are really hit or miss when it comes to grease points on older vehicles

I go to a Valvoline place. I doubt they do much besides an oil change and try to upsell me on an air filter, but I'm fine with that. Sometimes they will show me samples of trans fluid and shit but I don't even want to deal with that when I just need an oil change on my way home from work.

Easier to use ramps. A set of rhino ramps from advance auto with a 20% off online purchase should run you $30-$40. Will make your life soooo much easier, plus you don't have to use a widowmaker jack.

I just do it in autozone's parking lot and return the used oil immediately.

Doesn't take that long at all

I have an 01 saab 95 car is so low i have to at least drive it up on the curb to get to drain pan and filter

Tip: you can re-use crush washers. Be careful, don't over tighten, so washer doesn't end up a pancake, and inspect it. Just a tiny bit of metal deformation is needed for the seal.

Rotate the old oil containers for used oil. Be careful using generic plastic containers for old oil (may melt, very bad thing).

Hardest part of oil changes is jacking. If you can find an off-level kerb to get a bit more clearance for the pan, wrench and yourself it can be enough. Hook one wheel on the kerb, one on the raised road, pan and you in the gutter, perhaps add a little jack to one wheel, maybe don't need to. Try to find a spot where the car ends up level when jacked.

Walmart $20 pit crew oil change for life.

If you're gonna be shopping there anyway, might as well let them put shitbox oil in while you go about your business.

I've had one slip on me and have a stand catch on the sideskirt, nearly tearing the whole panel off. Needless to say I bought a $40 hydraulic one the next day.

You can use a jack to lift a vehicle but put it on jack stands afterward. NEVER get underneath the vehicle with only the jack supporting it unless you want to die and make it look like an accident.

>Oil all over that glove
Doing it wrong.jpeg

>$20 for mobile1 full synthetic
>$10 for mechanic to do the change
ez

dont we already have this thread

>Implying they won't use shit oil
>Implying they won't fuck your shit all up
>Implying they won't install the oil filter with a dry gasket

I agree with all your points, but if you take it to them again won't the dry gasket be their problem?

only poor people change their own oil

Dude... There's a DIY auto garage near where I live that only costs $10 an hour, they give you tools and have lifts n sheit . You should try one of those

>Jiffy Lube wants like $90 for full synthetic
At my local Jiffy Lube, they tack on the shop material fee and the hazardous waste disposal fee. It then becomes $104. Sales tax is 9.5% and that is added onto the $104.

Wal-mart tire/oil service centers do full synth for $49.99 and that is the final cost before sales tax. So no more hidden fees tacked on like at Jiffy Lube. Wal-mart gives me choice of oil from castrol edge, mobil1, pennzoil platinum, and valvoline with no price difference.

They just sell your oil for crack money and put in dino-shit, you retard

Oil filter included?

Jiffy Change outfits won't touch my Porsche anymore. Specialty garages want me to make an appointment, drop it off and pick it up. Too much time wasted.

The Quicky Lube outfits can't even figure out how to check lube level in my 928 tranny. Guy spent half an hour under it, came out and said he couldn't even find it. I asked if he checked the diff level. He said it was OK. I told him that he had already checked the transmission.

On my 4WDs, they just spend half an hour bitching about having to unbolt all the skid plates. So I'm not even certain they will do the job right.

No thanks. I'll do it myself.

Theyre called widowmakers for a reason.