Guest Post by Eric Peters
Oil changes are still pretty simple. But easy is another thing. If you haven’t done one in awhile – to a new car – you might be surprised by how much more complicated the process has become.
First, it’s gotten harder to get underneath new cars. Or rather, to get them up in the air, so you can get at things.
Driving them up on ramps – as was common back in the day – is often not possible today because the front end of many new cars will push the ramps forward as you try to drive up and on. Or they get pushed unevenly. That can be very dangerous to your wallet as well as to you. The ramps may also hang up on the lower part of the fascia – the rubber front end cover all late-model cars have – and be damaged during the attempt.
A $40 oil change becomes $400 in body damage.
One way to avoid that is to use some boards to “step up” gradually to the ramps – as in this picture.
It is my sincere desire to provide readers of this site with the best unbiased information available, and a forum where it can be discussed openly, as our Founders intended. But it is not easy nor inexpensive to do so, especially when those who wish to prevent us from making the truth known, attack us without mercy on all fronts on a daily basis. So each time you visit the site, I would ask that you consider the value that you receive and have received from The Burning Platform and the community of which you are a vital part. I can't do it all alone, and I need your help and support to keep it alive. Please consider contributing an amount commensurate to the value that you receive from this site and community, or even by becoming a sustaining supporter through periodic contributions. [Burning Platform LLC - PO Box 1520 Kulpsville, PA 19443] or Paypal
-----------------------------------------------------
To donate via Stripe, click here.
-----------------------------------------------------
Use promo code ILMF2, and save up to 66% on all MyPillow purchases. (The Burning Platform benefits when you use this promo code.)
Similarly, standard floor jacks may not slide under a new car’s low-slung bodywork.
The good news is there are low-profile floor jacks specifically made to get around this problem. The bad news is if you haven’t got one already, you’ll need to buy one – and a good floor jack usually costs at least $75 or so. Either way, be certain of your jacking point before you start pumping up the jack. Most new cars are unibody designs – integrated frame and body – and it can be not-obvious which is body and which is frame. You want frame.
Don’t apply jacking force to body panels such as the floorpans or the rocker panels.
Once you have the car raised, you may discover you can’t find the oil drain plug.
Many new cars are fitted with plastic underbelly pans – designed to smooth airflow underneath the car, for reasons of fuel economy as well as noise reduction. But these pans have to come off before you can access the car’s mechanical underbelly, including the engine oil drain plug (and oil filter, if it’s not topside).
With the car on a hoist and a technician able to stand/walk around under the car, removing the underbody pan isn’t that much of a hassle. It’s not so easy when you’re lying on your back, in your driveway.
Actually, getting the pan off isn’t too hard.
It’s getting the pan back in place that can be a pain. These things are often large and unwieldy. You have to line them up with multiple holes and then get the plastic tabs or whatever the fastener system is locked down without the pan moving out of position.
Here’s where a helper – human or floor jack – is . . . helpful. A second pair of hands to hold the pan in place while you get it fastened. Or, use the floor jack to do the same. The pan is usually made of plastic and isn’t heavy. It’s just awkward to get it lined up.
Be sure it’s reinstalled correctly before you lower the car and drive off. If it falls off with the car at speed, you will not be happy. Neither will the driver of the car behind you.
As far as the actual oil:
Modern car engines are much more sensitive about which oil goes in the crankcase. It’s not like it was in the past – when almost any off-the-shelf-oil would do. Or at least would do no harm. Synthetic or standard; 10w-40 was on sale this week.
No worries.
Today’s engines want very specific oil and using other-than-specified oil can lead to problems which you’ll end up paying for – because use of other-than-specific oil will usually void your warranty coverage. If the manufacturer says use synthetic – use synthetic. If it says use only 5W-15.
Don’t use 10W-40.
And don’t use additives, either – unless they are approved additives.
Also be exacting about the oil level. Too much can be as bad as too little. This, by the way, is one of the perils of having someone else change your vehicle’s oil. Quick lube places often use a pump to feed fresh oil to the engine, rather than pour the oil in one quart at a time, as you would at home. The pump system makes it easier to lose track of how much actually got pumped in.
If you have someone else change your oil, always check the level on the dipstick before you drive off.
Another thing to check is for drips under the car before you drive off. Quick lube places sometimes overtighten oil filters, crushing the gasket – which results in leaks. They also sometimes overtorque the the oil pan drain bolt, damaging the threads. If that happens, the leak can become a gusher when the now-barely-hanging-on-by-a-thread drain bolt falls out while you’re driving.
If you do your own oil changes, you’ll never have to worry about stripped threads or overtightened oil filters.
It’s just not quite as easy as it used to be!
Went to Jiffy Lube with my wife’s car at 9:00 am on Sunday when they opened. Got the oil changed with their synthetic blend for $70. I had a $15 coupon, so the total bill was $55. I was back on the road at 9:35. The staff was courteous and efficient. I was mowing my lawn by 10:00 am. Been using this place for a decade with no problems.
How do you even know you got the correct specification synthetic blend? And the correct amount?
You don’t.
5 qts of syn blend is $20 at most at Walmart along with a $5 filter. Once familiar with my car’s necessary procedure, I can change my own in 20 minutes. And, I know what I got, along with how it was done.
My son’s friend recently brought his late model Audi to a quick oil change center.
The $9 per hour kids entrusted to fuck with his $50K machine. installed motor oil in the wrong fill tube.
$14K damage to the transaxle on the car, fully voiding the factory warranty.
Had to get a lawyer for the quick oil change people to finally pay up for their mistake.
Until I’m physically unable, I’ll be doing it myself.
Good for you.
I have no interest in changing my oil.
I also have not interest in putting on a new roof or fixing my furnace.
I pay others to do stuff I don’t want to do.
Jim,
While I agree with your statement, I always do a double take on work done by 3rd parties before I leave the premise. If they have a pit then I require that I inspect the work before I leave the venue. If they do not, I ask to inspect the work with the car in the air. Just saying.
I’ve gotten oil changes at this same Jiffy Lube for 10 years without one problem. I’m a financial guy. Me going in the pit and looking up at the underside of my car would be as useful as you trying to understand the $500 million budget I’m submitting this week.
I go only to the dealer. I trust them more. They are speficically trained for their brand.
It’s good that they didn’t strip your drain plug.
When they do and you try to confront them, they’ll always deny and say it was that way when they unloosened it to change the oil.
It’s more satisfying to simply go back when they’re closed and pour some concrete down their bathroom drain clean-out.
Hey Eric,
You forgot to even mention that some P-O-S BMWs don’t even have a dipstick anymore.
With a BMW the dipstick in in the seat, just behind the wheel.
What’s the difference between a porcupine and a BMW? With the BMW the pricks are in the inside.
I love anti-BMW jokes!
Yes!
Neudday….one of the best lines; should have gotten 100 upvotes.
Today’s BMW don’t come with dipsticks. Oil is electronically monitored.
I’ll start changing my own oil right after I start growing my own wheat to make a sandwich.
Yeah Iska, that’s how I feel about it. It’s a dirty / crappy job, you need to deal with the drain oil. With the newer cars 7,500 miles between changes. I let the dealer do it. They have two techs that do nothing but change oil. Make an appointment, you can get your oil changed, and they give your car a ‘once over check’ – all this in 1/2 hour.
I wouldn’t trust the butt monkeys at these quick lube places to do anything right. Long time ago, I tried one – I hand them my CC and tell them to change the oil. Then I’m supposed to fill out this forum with my name / address / phone / e-mail…. I told him I just wanted a oil change – it pissed them off – I don’t want to be confronted by some idiot demanding my personal info.
Dutch,
The wife’s 2016 Honda Civic LX WAS being changed at the dealer. The goofball at the dealer failed to place the metal bottom engine cover back properly. Additionally, he left off fasteners that hold the darn thing in place. Needless to say the cover immediately started dragging the ground. Took it to a Jiffy Lube and they said parts were missing. Took it to the body shop which just repaired some hit and run damage to the car. They said they had the necessary parts. Nope! It took me getting under the car and fixing it myself after going to the Honda dealer and getting the proper fasteners to hold the cover in place. The only place that changes the oil now is the Firestone dealer down the street. The cover is inspected once the oil change is complete and the car is in the air to make sure it got reinstalled properly.
I did my own oil changes up until I was 32. Then I had other things to do with my time. I used the same Jiffy Lube for years. It was convenient. I stopped using them when the morning after an oil change when I saw oil under my car when I pulled out of my space. Crawled under, and found the leak. The oil drain plug was loose. That ended that. Started going to the dealer. Price really wasn’t that different, as they’re usually sending a coupon. Now that my ride is 12 years old and has 220K plus miles, I’m glad to have someone go over it anyway.
When the place I used to take our cars for oil changes breached the $40 mark a couple years ago I decided to start changing my own oil again. In my younger days I had always changed my own, so I was by no means a novice to oil changing. However, the first time I did the changes in this chapter of life I did find a lot of the challenges described here to be true. But thankfully I already owned all the gear, tools, floor jack, etc.
One of the cars in particular, I could not locate a suitable jack location, It was a blow to my man card to be under a car thinking, where the hell am I supposed to jack this damn thing up at!? I had to resort to the owners manual for the approved jack locations. Good Grief….
Next, there was no way in hell to get the oil filter removed without removing some underneath plastic air flow crap, the first time I removed the whole thing, the next time I found that if I just remove 2 of the bolts it will drop down enough for me to barely get my arm up in there to get the filter removed. That made the job go from pain in the ass to easy. Now that I have several changes under my belt, I am quick at it, takes me less time than it would normally take waiting in line at the drive thru lube shops and I also save a crap ton of money. I buy the oil and filters in advance when they are on sale. The last change I did cost me $15 and I rather enjoy the task now, get to spend some quality me time in the garage with only the radio and my thoughts. The best and most important part is I know the job is done right.
Uncle Ed’s:
20 yrs.ago, a dark man double dipped my credit card there. Caught.
3 years ago, I gave Ed’s another chance. Classic bait and switch on everything advertised as low price.
Convenience of quick, Saturday service was torpedoed by a disgusting high invoice. Done.
Iggy, the dealer does me ok, too. Factory spec’d oil, filter, rotation, 40 point inspection, good for 7,500 mi. intervals, around $50-60 bucks. But, long wait times & short Saturday hours makes it necessary to leave car with them for 3-4 hrs.
Drop off, free shuttle home, where I can find plenty to do while car is serviced.
To each, his own.
Done doing oil changes myself.
My gal has a Dodge Magnum, like about 10 inches clearance on the sides, if that. Couldn’t do it. OTOH, my truck, a Titan, is easy peasy. Lots of room. I do all of the fluids, wouldn’t think of letting some one else do it. Use Royal Purple. Getting under the truck also allows me to inspect it closely. Nipped a rear seal leak a while back and a radiator leak a few years ago. Fucker hums. Love it.
I think some people are probably more comfortable working on a Model T than on modern high precision machinery.
For all the cars I’ve owned over the last 3.5 decades, I’ve never had anyone else change the oil. Not even once. And I would generally disagree that new cars are difficult – SOME are, some aren’t. My little 4×4 tacoma I had there was no way to change the oil without it getting everywhere. My wife’s CX-9 is a breeze. Most cars are somewhere in between. But changing oil usually only takes about 10 minutes, but I usually rotate tires on every oil change, which adds a bit more time.
It’s not about the time or the money really. I had a gig as a mechanic in my younger days, and knowing a good number of those kids are high as a kite while working on customer cars, I’d much rather do it myself and know it was done right.
I use to wrench in my younger years too. However, my wife’s 2016 Honda Civic changed my mind. Even the dealer could not get the she it right. They left off numerous fasteners to the point the steel stamped rock shield dragged the ground. I had to pay for replacement fasteners left off by the dang stealership. Long story short, don’t think the stealership can change the oil properly. It is incumbent that the owner inspect the work each and every time. I pointed this out to Eric on his site.
A reader asked a question and his response while usually adequate left out the most glaring issue with new cars. Under engine protection. Yes the so called rock shield. These things are increasingly hard to reinstall. My Wife’s 2016 Honda Civic included. I bought all the missing fasteners. However, 2 did not have separate part numbers. Those were in a kit with the metal shield. The Honda clerk let me have them no charge. Of course, they lost them so they should replace them.
My point? When the stealership can’t do a proper oil change who can you trust?
I drive a vehicle with a new whizz bang diesel engine in it. Apparently you have just a few minutes from the time the oil drains to when you need to have it refilled. Otherwise, you are in shit city. Do not ask me why.
I will not take it anywhere but the dealer. If that fill/replace time is screwed up, it is a major issue. At the dealer I am covered. At home or the local Jiffy Lube, not.
What ever happened to the days when a car or truck sat high enough off the ground where all you had to shove a pan under the engine and crawl under it with a wrench to remove the plug, wait, then screw the plug back in? No ramps or jacks were needed. On most of the inline sixes you could reach the oil filter by leaning over the fender.
That’s how I did it with my 1940 Plymouth. Some parts of engines have been hard to reach ever since struts replaced knee action for front suspension. With my 1964.5 Mustang, 260 cu V8, 3 spd, you had to loosen the engine mounts and jack up the engine a few inches to reach the rear spark plugs.
I own a F-450 stake Truck. Changed oil last week. 7.3 Powerstroke Turbo Diesel. 15 Quarts of Diesel engine oil. Oil filter is the size of an artillery shell ( hold 3 quarts by itself ). wrestled with that muther for an hour before I finally got it off. All the materials cost $132.00! and that’s with 20% discount at NAPA.. Work on that truck all the time. everything is bigger and heavier. I feel like a Man should feel satisfied by working on their own Vehicle. Take that you little pussies.
Fuck the rock shield. Take it off and simply never put it back on.
Change the oil? Change it into what?
Go to girotsgarage com and get the vacuum pump. Do your oil change in a suit. No mess, best costumer service on the planet, worth every penny in not laying down on cold concrete.
I have a vacuum pump for changing oil. I bought it because my wife’s used Mazda came to us with the drain plug socket hex rounded out, and I didn’t want to deal with it. It works pretty well.
But lotsa luck changing your oil filter without laying down on cold concrete.
Synthetic is more better. Filled up my tractor with it figuring a machine costing me an arm and leg and needing to last 50 years ought to be given the best even by a cheap skate like me. Well bless it’s greasy diesel heart, surprise surprise, instead of sounding like the usual clickity clackity clanging diesel requiring ear plugs, my baby now sounds like a baby kitten purring in my lap, smooth as a new factory V-8 Cadillac.
I bought a $90 floor jack almost 30 years ago. A similar model will go for $150-200 now. That and a set of jack stands and I am good to go.
I change the oil on all of my vehicles and have done so since the 70’s. I use Mobile1 and the OEM filter. I have about 6 different filter removal tools that were specific to a brand or model. The worst vehicle I have done an oil change on is a Mini – I can still do it with a tire rotation in a half hour.
eric’s correct about the warranty being voided if the correct product is not used–
several years ago i worked w/a gal who had a shade tree change the oil on her 6 month old suv –her manual called for synthetic but he used real oil–her engine blew & the manufacturer said take a hike–
“Don’t apply jacking force to body panels such as the floorpans or the rocker panels.”
“If you do your own oil changes, you’ll never have to worry about stripped threads or overtightened oil filters.”
The fact that you felt the need to tell people not to jack up a car by the floorpan would seem to indicate that one might indeed have to worry about stripped threads or overtightened oil filters if you change your own oil!
Been there and done that with the ramps and wood blocks.