Oil changes: Do it yourself or leave to the pros?
There’s something to be said about doing your own auto maintenance and it’s not always about saving money.
There’s the challenge of learning about and successfully tackling the everincreasing technical complexity of a modern vehicle. There’s the comfort level attained by motorists who boost their confidence levels on being able to keep their vehicles running without any outside assistance.
But in the case of the most common service — an engine oil and filter change — is it feasible, cost effective and safe for the average doit-yourselfer to tackle this on home turf, or is it best left to the pros?
First consider the restrictions. Many municipalities have bylaws that prohibit automotive repairs being performed on residential properties. Check with your local municipality first.
The next consideration is safety. For just about anything on the road, except a full-sized 4X4 truck, you’ll need some type of lifting device to get the vehicle up high enough for clearance to access the oil drain plug. Drive-on ramps don’t make the grade.
On hard paved or concrete surfaces, they are hard to secure while the vehicle wheels are moving on them. On soft or gravel surfaces, they are just too tippy. The majority of ramps offered by retailers aren’t sturdy enough for safe use and if you overshoot them, you’re in for a major body-shop repair bill. And, of course, if one collapses or tips over while you’re under the car, well, repair bills will be the least of your worries.
Properly rated axle stands and a good quality floor jack are the only safe way to lift a vehicle, other than a powered shop hoist. For most cars, crossovers, and mid-sized and small SUVs, all four “corners” should be mounted on stands for safety.
There are many other safety concerns, such as exposing flammable substances to open flame or spark sources, handling chemicals and oils, and dealing with hot surfaces and materials. But the largest risk to DIYers or backyard mechanics is brought about by working alone. The overwhelming majority of auto repair-related major injuries and deaths occur when there is no spotter or helper present to call for help or perform first aid in the case of an emergency.
Knowing the exact spot on the vehicle to put the jack and position the stands is critical, as a good deal of undercarriage damage is caused by using improper lifting methods and locations. These spots vary from vehicle to vehicle, so check in your owner’s manual or with your auto retailer for advice if you’re not sure.
On a cost basis, if you own one of the more popular mainstream vehicles and usually get two or three oil changes done annually, you’re likely to save less than $20 each on average between the costs of having this service done at an independent shop or oil-change chain and doing it yourself. If you don’t already have any of the tools or equipment to do the job and have to go out and buy them, your payback in DIY savings will take a few years to realize. And, of course, one small mistake and a DIYer can face some expensive repair bills.
When it comes to convenience and time, appointment-less oil change services are plentiful in most urban centres (even small ones) and many factory dealerships now offer quick-lube services. An experienced lube tech can complete most vehicle oil changes in less than 30 minutes and almost always have any required fluids, filters, and related parts on hand.
Oil- change services haven’t changed that much in the past century, so you’re not likely to learn anything new.