How do you change the oil in your car?

[dead0man]

I just had my done today at a local chain oil change place.  I'd do it myself but:
A.it's not that much more expensive to have somebody else do it
B.modern cars are a pain in the ass to do almost anything on, including changing the oil...seriously car companies, can you put the oil filter in a worse funking place?  The answer, no, no they can't.

[angus]

dealership (yes, I'm a chump)

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

dealership (yes, I'm a chump)

After the initial warranty expires I go elsewhere (indy service), but yeah, you're a chump. 

[angus]

haha.  I changed my own oil from about 1983 till 1990.  Then I started going to cheap places (Jiffy Lube, Meineke, etc.)  When I got the Mazda they first put synthetic oil in it (good for 10 thousand miles, or so they claim).  I like to change it every 5000 miles, which amounts to once per year.  Since it's only once per year, I don't mind paying the dealership price.  They work on these cars all the time so they know what they're doing and they use good products and they check everything out and keep a thorough record.  Also, there's free good coffee (really good coffee) and comfortable sofas and cable TV and magazines and newpapers and free wi-fi.  It's really not so bad.

[Tender Branson]

A mix of "guys at the local garage" and "change it myself".

Here's why:

I have a relatively new car: A 2009 Audi A3 Sportback, which actually won't need an oil change until the next mandatory checkup (yes, in Austria you have annual mandatory car & emissions checkups by law for your car, unlike many US states. Well, actually if you buy a brand new car the first mandatory checkup is after 3 years, then after 2 and then each year. I made my last one in July and paid 35€ for it).



So, my car hardly needs new oil and I let it change when I bring it to the local garage dudes on a bi-annual basis (oil-changes are expensive and every 2 years is OK, otherwise the oil-lamp will start to flash like a christmas tree anyway ...)

I sometimes check the oil though if enough of it is inside, with the dipstick.

As I'm in mountainous Austria, there's also mandatory winter-tire regulation from November to April. I also change the winter tires myself and put in the antifreeze liquid by November.

[The Dowager Mod]

The cute guy at the dealership does it for me.

[Franzl]

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You're apparently a lot cheaper than TÜV here...they're around 100€.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Option 1 and 2 (meaning, I change the oil while my dad tells me what to do-I have only done it a few times since I got the car).

[dead0man]

Do 22.7% of us just click every fricken thread no matter what it's about?  That's weird.  You guys need a hobby.

[tik 🪀✨]

I usually only bother getting it checked or changed when I nick in for a service, so I go to a chain joint.

A lot of my friends at work insist it's way more economical to do it yourself, and it isn't difficult, so I might try it out next time.

[dead0man]

It really depends on your ride.  I've had cars I could do the entire thing in just a few minutes, others, closer to an hour or more.  The big problem is oil filter location and oil pan drain location.  If those are in easy to get to locations, it's really quite simple.  Getting rid of the used oil can suck though.

[Tender Branson]

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You're apparently a lot cheaper than TÜV here...they're around 100€.

Yes, but considering the car insurance rates are much more expensive here than in Germany (which you pay every month), you are still better off.

[Franzl]

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You're apparently a lot cheaper than TÜV here...they're around 100€.

Yes, but considering the car insurance rates are much more expensive here than in Germany (which you pay every month), you are still better off.

Yeah car insurance is indeed pretty low. A 24 year old single male student (although I think gender is no longer a factor) who pays about 375€ a year (for Haftpflicht and Vollkasko) is in pretty good shape.

[Tender Branson]

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You're apparently a lot cheaper than TÜV here...they're around 100€.

Yes, but considering the car insurance rates are much more expensive here than in Germany (which you pay every month), you are still better off.

Yeah car insurance is indeed pretty low. A 24 year old single male student (although I think gender is no longer a factor) who pays about 375€ a year (for Haftpflicht and Vollkasko) is in pretty good shape.

I pay 80€ a month for HP+VK+Passenger Haftpflicht+Rechtsschutz.

But if I don't have an accident I get 100€ back next year.

Still, basically 2x the German rate ....