Economics of DIY oil change

I like to work on my truck, but I wanted to see what you thought of doing your own oil change. In my experience, these are the advantages to going an oil change shop- quick, convenient, no mess, and disposal of the oil. There are some disadvantages, such as the shop putting in too much oil (6qt vs 5.3qt), and wondering if the guy with tats up his arm and neck monkeying around under my truck really knows what is doing.

I was looking at prices for different kinds of oil, and unless there is a special sale, it really isn't cheaper to do it yourself.

How do you justify doing your own oil change?

 

For me is quality of work.

 

knowing it is done right for me, correct oil, correct amount, new filter, etc... And normally a few $$

 

Quality control is number one. Second, I like to take that time to look around underneath and check things over. Makes me feel good.

 

I'm not sure what prices you were looking at...but it is certainly cheaper to DIY with the fluids and filters I use. Plus I know it's done right and I get a reason to look under the truck.

 

Letting it drain overnight.

 

You can get a 5qt jug of full synthetic for $25-$30 and if you watch the Advance Auto sales online you can get PureOne oil filters for about $5 each. There are also specials at the various auto parts stores for 5qts Synthetic + Premium filter for $30-$35 pretty much every month. I am partial to Pureone and Bosch Distance Plus, but the Mobil 1 shows up pretty often paired with Mobil 1 oil.

Being under your vehicle lets you bond a little and check for weird stuff going on. I also go with a 7500 mile oil change interval because I know exactly what is going into the machine and what it looks like coming out. You never know with Iffy Lube.

The bottom line is that there are very few times where the person changing the oil will be more qualified than I am, and they will never care more than I do.

 

I buy a 5 qt jug from wally world syn 5w 30 - 27$
A 1 qt jug from wally world - 6.50$
A filter from napa 6$

27+6.5+6 = 39.5 w/ tax = 42.27

On the next oil change I only need the 5qt jug and a filter
27 + 6 w/tax = 35.31

42.27
+35.31
=77.58/2
=38.79

So we can say about 40$ per oil change. I get the correct amount, I used quality oil, quality filter, and I don't make a mess, if I do it gets cleaned. I know its done right, I don't over tighten plugs or filters and I don't leave anything loose. Sure it takes some of my time but it's worth it. I also don't have to drive anywhere and wait in any damn room.

Rags and funnels and oil disposal is next to nothing and I already do that shit anyway. Plus I get under my truck and give it a thorough look over with a flash light and check everything else in the engine bay over as well.

 

Local shop will do mine for $30 but they use cheap NAPA oil, cheap NAPA filter, and have a history of doing shitty work such as blowing to motor on one of my friends Honda because they forgot to check and see if the gasket on the old filter had come off with the filter, it didn't and spewed oil all over the roads until it ran out and the motor burned up. For me I do it because I have the time to do it and know that it's being done right even at the expense of spending an extra $20.

 

Even If a DIY oil change costed more than at a shop, I'd still do it myself. I like knowing its done right. And, I don't like others touching my trucks...

 

The Toyota stealerships near me were running $9.99 oil changes and I let them do all the oil changes until it was out of warranty (I still marked the old filters to make sure they were replaced). Now, the truck will never see the inside of a shop unless it's something I don't know how to fix or can't fix. I'll echo the others on here when I say I do my own maintanence because I know it was done correctly. Also, when I'm working on the truck, I pay attention to other things and am more apt to see something that needs attention like a heat shield loosening up, grease and check the play in the drive line joints and look for other potential issues under the truck. Most paid shops will just do an oil change and that's it.

 

easy you learn how to work on your truck.. I never new how too and would go to the stealership to get service which cost about 79 bucks for all the silly inspections and oil change.. All you do is buy a pack of filters. Between 3 and 10 filters from the stealership and it comes out to be cheaper filter wise.. (check out the thread on filter quality..OEM is one of the better ones compared to shitty fram)... You choose the quality oil you want in everything going in including the labor..

compare a very careful, attention to detail, highest quality and care service place price to a DIY job at home(assuming you do the same as everyone has mentioned above..quality of products and attention to detail). If you compare the two you will see that DIY is much cheaper..AND FUNNER!! ha

dont compare DIY job with iffy lube

 

Little more pricy around here to change yourself but I enjoy doing it and know quality parts are going in.

 

How/what did you use to mark your old filter with?

 

I agree with SVHANC. Advance Auto usually has good prices for oil and filter combo's.......plus you know it's done right and don't have to go behind someone to make sure

 

Use a screw driver (etc.) and scratch the date into the top of side of it.

 

I was a mechanic for 10 years.

I never do my own oil changes. Its far easier for me to take it to the dealership then to deal with getting rid of the oil, lying on my back etc.

I have an advantage though, because i have relationships with all the service writers, manager and techs there so I request the techs that i trust. Plus i stand out there and shoot the shit with them while they do it.

Its free for my first 4 anyways, then i will only have to pay 19.99!

 

I have to recoup my costs for fucking up my first one...

 

I don't see how it can't be cheaper.

In my area a regular oil change, non synthetic, goes for 30-35 dollars. I can do a full synthetic oil change for the same price.

6qt's of Mobil 1 from Costco - $26.99
Filter from dealer - $4.50
Replacement plug gasket - $0.50

Total = 32.00

So way better product, synthetic vs. regular and I do the work.

 

Me too, I'll join you in the transmission flush first time. But I fixed it myself, so 3qt's of WS and a pump for a few bucks. Oh, and a few dollars for the 24mm socket ... I didn't have one.