Who changes their own oil & filter
Comments
-
Grumpy_chap said:Ebe_Scrooge said:It wouldn't surprise me if you were spot on there. Similar to some of these cars where it's nigh-on impossible to get to the headlamps to change a bulb. Things like that always used to be trivially simple, literally a two-minute job that anyone could do themselves.
Last time we needed a headlight bulb and, because I was being a lazy so-and-so, I took the car to Halfords to avail of their "we fit" service only for Halfords to decline and say that had to be a main dealer job...
Youngish female work colleague. Mid-20s, partner, 2 kids. One November I noticed she had a headlight out and told her. She said "I can't do that, I'll wait until it goes to the garage for its MoT." I asked when the MoT was due - March. That's 3-4 months with one headlight, and a rural area with little street lighting. I was going to offer to do it for her, but then I read about the procedure which, from memory, involved jacking the front of the car up, removing a wheel and then a panel on the inner wing to get to the back of the headlight unit. Hmmm, maybe not.If someone is nice to you but rude to the waiter, they are not a nice person.1 -
I used to change my own oil every 18 months or so
For the last 4 years or so my car has a very slow oil leak on the crankshaft case. This will be a belts off job to fix, so will save it until then. Since my car leaks a litre of oil every 3 months, the oil now basically changes itself!
That said, I also do the other service bits myself. Pollen/air/fuel filter, spark plug inspection etc, plus the non-service DIY items which will make your car crap if you don't address them periodically, such as engine mounts and suspension bits. If I didn't enjoy doing these things, I would just pay someone, but I've always had an engineer's mindset.
I leave the garage to do the MOT failure bits. Typically brakes/gaiters/etc.Pensions actuary, Runner, Dog parent, Homeowner0 -
Richard53 said:Grumpy_chap said:Ebe_Scrooge said:It wouldn't surprise me if you were spot on there. Similar to some of these cars where it's nigh-on impossible to get to the headlamps to change a bulb. Things like that always used to be trivially simple, literally a two-minute job that anyone could do themselves.
Last time we needed a headlight bulb and, because I was being a lazy so-and-so, I took the car to Halfords to avail of their "we fit" service only for Halfords to decline and say that had to be a main dealer job...
Youngish female work colleague. Mid-20s, partner, 2 kids. One November I noticed she had a headlight out and told her. She said "I can't do that, I'll wait until it goes to the garage for its MoT." I asked when the MoT was due - March. That's 3-4 months with one headlight, and a rural area with little street lighting. I was going to offer to do it for her, but then I read about the procedure which, from memory, involved jacking the front of the car up, removing a wheel and then a panel on the inner wing to get to the back of the headlight unit. Hmmm, maybe not.Pensions actuary, Runner, Dog parent, Homeowner1 -
Yep, always have done on all our cars.
Hit a small snag with the XR2 last weekend though because the sump refuses to budge. Decided to let our friendly local mechanic do it because he's got a few other bits to sort on ramps so be easier.2 -
biscan25 said:Richard53 said:Grumpy_chap said:Ebe_Scrooge said:It wouldn't surprise me if you were spot on there. Similar to some of these cars where it's nigh-on impossible to get to the headlamps to change a bulb. Things like that always used to be trivially simple, literally a two-minute job that anyone could do themselves.
Last time we needed a headlight bulb and, because I was being a lazy so-and-so, I took the car to Halfords to avail of their "we fit" service only for Halfords to decline and say that had to be a main dealer job...
Youngish female work colleague. Mid-20s, partner, 2 kids. One November I noticed she had a headlight out and told her. She said "I can't do that, I'll wait until it goes to the garage for its MoT." I asked when the MoT was due - March. That's 3-4 months with one headlight, and a rural area with little street lighting. I was going to offer to do it for her, but then I read about the procedure which, from memory, involved jacking the front of the car up, removing a wheel and then a panel on the inner wing to get to the back of the headlight unit. Hmmm, maybe not.Because they are designed for ease of manufacture, not ease of servicing.Around the last car designed for ease of servicing, because they were aiming at the company fleet market, was the vauxhall cavalier. You could change the clutch in 20 minutes, without removing the gearbox.Now we have cars that need the entire power unit dropping out on the subframe for a service item.A rangerover is designed to lift the body off the chassis to do a timing belt change.I see it costs £500 to change the supercharger oil on a mini!I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....
(except air quality and Medical Science )0 -
Ebe_Scrooge said:ColdPensioner said:
Oil to the recycling centre, not landfill. Although one of my near neighbours drains his sump over a street drain 😲It's actually illegal to pour engine oil into the drains - he could be in a lot of trouble if he was ever caught doing it.0 -
The 2012 MY BMW X5 requires a body shop to replace a 50p part because the windscreen wash fluid pipe is hidden away so well.0
-
Iceweasel said:I change the oil-filter at the half-way stage as I feel that 18K miles or two years is too long.
I also change the cabin-filter and air filter at every oil-change.
Some of these extended service schedules are to attract fleet buyers who change the vehicles regularly and to whom running costs are pared to the bare minimum - or less.
Our main car is every 18K miles, but we get it done every 9K. Planning on keeping it for a very long time, and i dont begrudge it some fresh oil.1 -
It's got to be much faster to do your own. I was always amazed how much palaver it is for someone who is car dependent to take it to a garage. Once you have changed the oil a couple of times on the same car you have all the socket sizes and torque wrench settings in your head. Wriggling under a car is good for keeping the 6 pack in shape.1
-
Ibrahim5 said:It's got to be much faster to do your own. I was always amazed how much palaver it is for someone who is car dependent to take it to a garage. Once you have changed the oil a couple of times on the same car you have all the socket sizes and torque wrench settings in your head. Wriggling under a car is good for keeping the 6 pack in shape.
Queue to get the parts
Drive home
Do the work
Clean up after doing the work
Take the oil to the disposal centre
Dispose of oil
Drive home
OR
Drop car to garage.
For me the latter is literally a mile up the road. Sometimes he drops it back down if hes not too busy.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 343K Banking & Borrowing
- 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 449.6K Spending & Discounts
- 235.1K Work, Benefits & Business
- 607.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 173K Life & Family
- 247.8K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards