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I always change my own oil. Best and easiest was a 97 ford truck. The oil filter was up under the front bumper. You could reach under and unscrew it without jacking the truck at all. I just kicked a pan under and unscrewed the filter to let it drain. Then I would grab a wrench and slide under enough to pull the oil pan drain plug. 10 minutes and the whole process was done and zipped back up. Fill it with Roboteer's preferred Mobil 1 synthetic and away I'd go.
I pour the used oil back into the container the new oil came in. We have an oil recycling center a few miles from me. No cost, just drop it off and they take care of it.
Most oil change places will take the used oil. No problem.
Install a Fumoto oil drain valve! The one with a nipple so you can attach a piece of clear vinyl tubing. You'll never have to worry about oil running down your arm again if you change the oil filter from the top.
I have a Fumoto valve installed instead of the regular drain plug in one of my cars, but I do not use it because even hot oil does not drain quickly enough for me. I would get impatient waiting 1/2 hour or more for the oil to drain.
So instead I always use a topside extractor, which sucks the used oil out of the engine. I've used the kind that you have to pump to create a vacuum, and they used to be excellent; but then their quality went to hell so I do not recommend them. Instead I bought a electric pump that runs off the car battery -- I think it was $10 but it might have been $20, and I had to change the hoses to one that was small enough to fit down the dipstick tube but not too small. I wasn't sure whether this cheap device would hold up, but it has so far and it basically paid for itself after the first two oil changes. I'm driving a lot more now, so will be doing oil changes about every seven weeks -- I buy cases of Mobil synthetic oil when they're on sale and cases of filters online to get a bulk rate.
Next time you park for several hours, look underneath and see if there is a leak spot. If not, then don't worry about it. Changing oil often results in a little bit of oil being spilled on the engine, which gradually runs down the outside of the engine and drips off the lowest point.
I don't for one simple reason. handling, storing, transporting and disposing of the old oil is not worth the $13 I save by doing it myself. I do our brakes, most external engine work, cooling systems, some electrical, shocks, tie rods and control arms. But oil change? No way too messy to be worth the tiny cost. Also if I spill any it is a major problem because we nave a river/international waterway in our front yard.
You can't trust the oil change outfits. I was having shoulder problems and used one a while back. Feeling better, I did the next oil change myself, and found they had installed a filter half the size of the correct one. With that little filter medium, it had to be bypassing for the entire 5000 mile oil change interval. I was not a happy camper. I have heard from ex-employees that they will charge you for full synthetic and install the cheapest generic oil. My father-in-law paid for a transmission fluid change once. I checked it when he brought it home, and they had left it five quarts low on transmission fluid! It's a wonder it worked at all.
For as cheap as a oil change is I let the dealer do it I’m to old anymore to be crawling under my vehicles to do a simple oil change. I did them in the 70’s and 80’s when I was younger I even lube my vehicle I had a nice grease gun with a flexible hose to get the top grease fittings on the top ball joints and the drive shafts u joints rear wheel drive. But today’s vehicle no more grease fittings so no such thing a a lube and oil change, just oil change and for what the dealer charges it’s cheap and on their computer system in case I have a warranty issue down the road.
Can you not just crawl under there with a 15 mm wrench and check the plug, and the filter? There really is not much to it.
Pretty sure it is just oil residue from when they drained it.
Honestly I'm guessing this place won't miss you, you got too uptight with them.
You really need ramps to get under a car. You may be that skinny, but I would never fit. I save cardboard from appliance boxes to lie on run the car up on ramps, and it takes just a few minutes to change the oil. If the wind is blowing, the cardboard catches the drips, so it doesn't get on the driveway.
I like to crawl under a vehicle every once in a while. I look for leaks, not just oil drips, check the condition of rubber boots, etc. It's a simple service check. Popping the hood tells me the condition of the brakes. If brake fluid is dropping, it means the calipers are extending. I check tire inflation. I refill the washer fluid and check coolant levels. I look for corrosion on the battery and service the battery if necessary. I check the air filter. I check the radiator and intercooler to see how much of it is plugged by bugs.
That reminds me, my wife's car needs an oil change.
You really need ramps to get under a car. You may be that skinny, but I would never fit. I save cardboard from appliance boxes to lie on run the car up on ramps, and it takes just a few minutes to change the oil. If the wind is blowing, the cardboard catches the drips, so it doesn't get on the driveway.
I like to crawl under a vehicle every once in a while. I look for leaks, not just oil drips, check the condition of rubber boots, etc. It's a simple service check. Popping the hood tells me the condition of the brakes. If brake fluid is dropping, it means the calipers are extending. I check tire inflation. I refill the washer fluid and check coolant levels. I look for corrosion on the battery and service the battery if necessary. I check the air filter. I check the radiator and intercooler to see how much of it is plugged by bugs.
That reminds me, my wife's car needs an oil change.
You are right, these new cars are really low, you do need to get them up higher. I forgot about that.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Often it's just that they failed to clean the frame or cross member after draining, and the spilled/splashed old oil drips until gone. Was the puddle fairly clear (new oil) or black? I never used those quick oil change places, but one near us has a sign "Now Hiring - No Experience Required" which does not inspire confidence.
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