A lot of vehicle owners try to save money by doing work on their vehicles themselves. While there’s nothing wrong with trying a little DIY auto work, sometimes it doesn’t save anyone any money at all. In case of an oil change, there’s virtually no difference between doing it yourself and taking it into a shop to get it done. You might think that $30-$70 is a lot to pay for an oil change, but you’d end up spending that amount of money anyway because you’ll need the following items for a DIY job:
Engine Oil
The first thing you need to have for your oil change is engine oil. The majority of cars take five quarts, though some only need four and some need more. A five-quart bottle of oil can cost anywhere from $15 to $30.To be generous, we’ll say that you need $20 for the oil.
A New Oil Filter
No oil change is complete without an oil filter. Thus, you’ll need to buy a new filter for your car. Filters average around $10 apiece with some being more and some being less. You’re up to $30 just for the oil and the filter with a generous estimate.
An Oil Drain Pan
Whether you have a home, condo, or apartment, you’re going to need to drain the used oil and store it somewhere. Only certain items can fit under your oil pan. Therefore, you’re going to need to invest in an oil drain pan, which will cost you $10 to $20, depending on the size you need. Oil is a hazardous material, so you’re going to have to drain it somewhere safe. You can’t skip out on buying the oil drain pan. It will be a legitimate expense for you. You’re up to $40 now if we’re continuing to be generous about the expenses.
A Ramp or Jack
Don’t forget that you’ll have to jack your car up to get to the oil filter in most cases. You’ll have to invest in a jack or ramp if you don’t already have one for your car. These items can get very costly, depending on your needs. A good hydraulic jack will run you about $30 from a discount parts store. A ramp will be a little more costly. It will probably be about $45. Now you’re probably starting to see why it might be easier for you to take your car into a reputable shop. To find one in your area you might want to Google search for something link, “car repair Boulder CO shop” if you live in the Colorado area.
Tools for the Oil Change
We’re still not done with the list of things that you’ll need to change the oil yourself. You need tools such as filter wrenches, ratchets, sockets, and so forth to do everything you need to do during an oil change. If you had to buy everything on the list of items that we stated, you might be looking at well over $100 in expenses. Of course, you won’t have to spend the same amount of cash the second time you do an oil change on your own car. However, you’ll still have to spend at least $30 just for the oil and filter.
The Benefits of Taking Your Car to a Shop
Auto shops do extra things for you when you take your car into them. They check your fluids and filters, and sometimes they might vacuum the car and wash the windows, as well. They can check your car for other issues and notify you if you need other work done. Aside from that, you won’t have to deal with the hassle of getting dirty at any time. It’s probably best for you to go ahead and deal with the expense of taking your car into the experts. Your wallet will be happy that you made that choice.
