Do you do your own oil changes?

markopolo · 09-09-2011, 12:19 AM

Mike · 09-15-2011, 01:06 AM

Nope. No ramps.

markopolo · 10-31-2012, 02:03 AM

Costs me around $45 taxes in doing it myself. That's for a filter and 6.5 to 7 liters of Shell ROTELLA® T Triple Protection 15W-40. (diesel engine)

What does it cost to get it done at a shop? I'm wondering if it is worth doing it at home.....

Mike · 10-31-2012, 02:20 AM

I think mine were around $44 all in, at the GM dealer where we used to live. The hard part for me is finding a GM shop with a minimum 5 ton, 4 post, drive on hoist, with enough clearance above it for the raised roof.
Thinking about it some more, I also had it done at drive through 10 minute oil change places (with the below floor pits) for a little more than the GM dealership. 2 or 3 dollars maybe? They always try to sell you stuff, though.

markopolo · 10-31-2012, 02:58 AM

I'm starting to wonder about DIY.... Retail price of stuff is higher to start... I have to find out what a shop in town will charge.

I bought an oil filter for my lawn tractor at Napa ..........$19.31 with the tax

Mike · 10-31-2012, 12:56 PM

WOW. no tractor for me.

booster · 10-31-2012, 01:48 PM

I do ours at home for about $25 using dino oil (Castrol GTX). If we go for extended times, I will switch to Mobil 1 to get longer change times.

Cost is not the biggest reason I like to do ours at home. The extra $20 to hire it done would easily cover the time and work for me. It allows me to let the oil drain overnight, or longer to get more out, chose my own filter brand and number (we use a Wix that is bigger than stock for our 6.0 Chevy), add some anti-scuff additive, and do a careful greasing of the front suspension with the grease of our choice (moly filled).

We have all heard the horror stories of loose drain plugs, stripped drain plugs, wrong oil, overfilled, not all fittings greased, etc, so I tend to be a bit paranoid about it. I lift ours with a jack and set it on jack stands as I have never really like ramps for much, and you can't turn the wheels when you grease the suspension.

Mike · 10-31-2012, 04:03 PM

Add "oil fill pipe cap not replaced" to the list. By a Texas GM dealership, no less.
Drove about 300 miles before I stopped to gas up and fill the washer fluid reservoir, and it fell out of the engine compartment on the ground. Fortunately, no damage. It could have fallen into the fan area, or just fallen out on the freeway somewhere between Amarillo and Albuquerque. The oil fill level was very close to normal, too. Had to add a bit from the emergency quart I always carry.
It was just lucky.

g1g · 10-31-2012, 11:26 PM

I couldn't vote in the poll but I do all my own oil changes using Mobil 1

markopolo · 10-30-2013, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markopolo

Costs me around $45 taxes in doing it myself. That's for a filter and 6.5 to 7 liters of Shell ROTELLA® T Triple Protection 15W-40. (diesel engine)

What does it cost to get it done at a shop? I'm wondering if it is worth doing it at home.....

My DIY cost is down to $34 taxes in per oil change including filter. I'm still using Shell Rotella Triple Protection but now buy the 9.5L (2.5 gal) jugs from Walmart. Two jugs = 3 oil changes. Bosch filters are $6 at Walmart seems like an OK brand / price to me.

Mike · 10-30-2013, 01:33 PM

I found a place across the river that does the truck for me. It's a Pennzoil 10 Minute place. C$37 with exchange rate conversion. I believe the van would be about the same price. Same capacity.
PROS:I like the staff, they always treat me well, and so far no mistakes have been made that I know of.
CONS: It's about 30 miles inland from the border, but it's worth the drive.
When we're heading in that direction for other reasons, and if I'm close to needing a change, I add it to the itinerary.

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