Pricey Oil Changes!

[ColoradoDriver]

depends if you can crawl underneath Its a bit tight but doable without ramps. Of course with ramps its easier as you have more height.

Little too claustrophobic for my tastes to go under there without ramps. Plus I'm not the tall skinny lanky kid I was 10 years ago. (I should really get back into shape lol...)

 

[hooked]

depends if you can crawl underneath Its a bit tight but doable without ramps. Of course with ramps its easier as you have more height.

If you use ramps, isn*t the car angled the wrong way to drain the oil? I*m asking out of ignorance, not because I know better.

And do you have to remove an underside cladding to get to the drain plug and filter?

 

[ruthrj]

Nope, the angle should help it drain slightly more. The hole on the drain pan is at the side of the pan, pointing towards the rear wheels.

The filter and drain plug have an access cover on that cladding. The cover pops out leaving plenty of room to maneuver in there.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

If you use ramps, isn*t the car angled the wrong way to drain the oil? I*m asking out of ignorance, not because I know better.

And do you have to remove an underside cladding to get to the drain plug and filter?

No, the ramps should actually angle it better for draining.

 

[ruthrj]

Is there an echo in here? XD

 

[hooked]

Thanks you two. I*ve been wondering how much I*d save by DIY. The place I go to charges over $50 for an oil change and that*s with a coupon. I*d have to invest in some ramps and a catch pan and lots of towels! Based on the discussions here, I*d probably only be saving around $20 each time. The main advantage is I*d control the oil and filter being used and know that it*s being done right. Well, assuming I do it right...

 

[ruthrj]

Thats why I do it on my own. I get great savings by bundling up on mail in rebate offers and save about $30 per oil change * 2 cars *2 times a year = $120, but having it done right and on my schedule is worth so much more to me. I know the oil is good and Im not getting just any old bulk oil and cruddy filter.

I can get my tires rotated for free at discount tire as well but it I hate waiting. Tires are always at 40+ psi afterwards and I dont trust them to use a torque wrench every time. So I do that on my own too when doing the oil change.

I have the low profile rhino ramps, but tbh Ive been squeezing myself under the car without ramps for the last couple of years. Harder to get under but its better than watching my wife grimace as she spots me driving up ramps.

Best oil catch pan Ive found is the 16 quart one at Home Depot. Probably holds only 12 laying horizontally but the caps are way better than anything else Ive come across especially for about $10: https://www.homedepot.com/p/FloTool-Super-Duty-16-Qt-Drain-Container-42003MI/207115129

 

[ColoradoDriver]

Thanks you two. I*ve been wondering how much I*d save by DIY. The place I go to charges over $50 for an oil change and that*s with a coupon. I*d have to invest in some ramps and a catch pan and lots of towels! Based on the discussions here, I*d probably only be saving around $20 each time. The main advantage is I*d control the oil and filter being used and know that it*s being done right. Well, assuming I do it right...

Yeah, I mean you get to control what oil you put in and as ruthrj said, take advantage of oil rebates when possible. I'd say I can do a change for about $35 (give or take, and not counting rebates) which includes a 5 quart jug of full synthetic 0w20, Thai made Mazda or Wix 57002 oil filter, and new crush washer for drain plug.

But I end up blowing any money saving by sending samples in for analysis (rofl)

 

[ColoradoDriver]

Best oil catch pan I*ve found is the 16 quart one at Home Depot. Probably holds only 12 laying horizontally but the caps are way better than anything else I*ve come across especially for about $10: https://www.homedepot.com/p/FloTool-Super-Duty-16-Qt-Drain-Container-42003MI/207115129

What do you do with these after you fill it up? Drain it into something else, or take the whole thing into an auto shop and then buy another one? So far I've just been draining into a simple pan and then refilling the empty 5 qt jug, but I have to admit this gets messy at times as it's very easy to spill.

 

[Felt_Rider]

What do you do with these after you fill it up? Drain it into something else, or take the whole thing into an auto shop and then buy another one? So far I've just been draining into a simple pan and then refilling the empty 5 qt jug, but I have to admit this gets messy at times as it's very easy to spill.

I recently bought this from Amazon and is a whole lot better than the flimsy plastic pan I was using. It is easy to pour back into the empty 5qt jug and take back to the auto store that is about a mile from my house.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)


Each oil change cost me about $40 between the 0-20 full synthetic oil and $8 Mazda filter (usually order several from Amazon). About the same to do the wife's Honda.
I have a Fumoto valve on both cars. It takes a little longer to drain out, but I can be done in about 30 minutes for either car counting having to remove the entire skid pan on the Honda. The Honda requires 3.8 quarts so it would be nice if I had something better to act as the perfect portion and funnel at the same time. If anyone knows of such a thing let me know.

Now what sucks is that almost 99% time when taking off the oil filter of either car it slips out of my hand like a greased pig, drops into the used oil and splashes. I need to hone my skills.

Dealer or quick lube place are both $75+.
Mazda and Honda were both 2+ hour waits when we did the very first oil changes.

 

[ruthrj]

What do you do with these after you fill it up? Drain it into something else, or take the whole thing into an auto shop and then buy another one? So far I've just been draining into a simple pan and then refilling the empty 5 qt jug, but I have to admit this gets messy at times as it's very easy to spill.

I used to bring the whole thing into an auto shop and drain it myself in their used oil collector. No need to drop it off and lose it forever at least at my local advance auto parts stores.

Ive started draining my oil pan into 5 quart jugs too, depends on if I have my tarp handy for the trunk. The 5 quart jugs of used oil are easier to transport and dont slosh around like the large container. I put the 5 quart jugs in a plastic grocery bag to prevent getting the car dirty. No empty jugs available? I put a tarp down in the trunk and just being the whole 16 quart container in.

 

[RepeatMazda]

That*s why I do it on my own. I get great savings by bundling up on mail in rebate offers and save about $30 per oil change * 2 cars *2 times a year = $120, but having it done right and on my schedule is worth so much more to me. I know the oil is good and I*m not getting just any old bulk oil and cruddy filter.

This is the answer to saving on maintenance costs. Lubricants (most) don't go bad over time if sealed and stored properly. I stock up on maintenance items when on sale, clearance and/or rebates are available. I have roughly 60 quarts of various motor oils in the garage because I buy only when the price is at a "stock up" price. For me that's usually in the $2/qt range. The Mazda's most recent oil change literally cost me under $13 dollars. 5 quarts of Citgo Supergard Synthetic that I purchased about a year and a half, possibly 2 years ago at Blain's for $2/qt after rebate and a Denso filter bought for $2.XX from Rock Auto. There is no reason to pay face value for oil. Even on tough to find products (see the oil for my Alfa), with the right timing and patience you can save a little bit of money.

 

[ruthrj18]

This is the answer to saving on maintenance costs. Lubricants (most) don't go bad over time if sealed and stored properly. I stock up on maintenance items when on sale, clearance and/or rebates are available. I have roughly 60 quarts of various motor oils in the garage because I buy only when the price is at a "stock up" price. For me that's usually in the $2/qt range. The Mazda's most recent oil change literally cost me under $13 dollars. 5 quarts of Citgo Supergard Synthetic that I purchased about a year and a half, possibly 2 years ago at Blain's for $2/qt after rebate and a Denso filter bought for $2.XX from Rock Auto. There is no reason to pay face value for oil. Even on tough to find products (see the oil for my Alfa), with the right timing and patience you can save a little bit of money.

My personal favorite was Pennzoil's 2018 mail-in rebate. $1 off per gallon up to 20 gallons of gas. I bought 5 quarts of oil for $22 and change, and refilled my Odyssey with the reward when it arrived. I don't think they counted on many people having a 20 gallon gas tank, lol!

 

[ruthrj]

^whoops. Looks like my desktop computer alter ego struck

 

[CX-5um]

What do you do with these after you fill it up? Drain it into something else, or take the whole thing into an auto shop and then buy another one? So far I've just been draining into a simple pan and then refilling the empty 5 qt jug, but I have to admit this gets messy at times as it's very easy to spill.

Got that exact model I believe. Mine holds enough for 2 oil changes. I take it to autozone or Orielly's and I drain it in to their collection tank. Fits perfectly upright and I keep it in a trashbag while in the car for transport.

 

[korean_mazda]

Thanks for the offer!!

I've been changing my own oil since my first car many moons ago. Years ago, I bought a drain container from the local Advance Auto, and take it in there for disposal rather than mess with dumping it myself at the recycling center. I've also bought oil & filters for my Canyon & Volvo there when it goes on sale. I haven't even hit 1,000 miles on my CX-5 yet. I'm wondering if I can shimmy underneath it as I have most of my other cars & trucks, or if I gotta get the ramps out.

So where is Med Center Mazda? An internet search shows one near Birmingham AL. You ain't making that drive to save $5, are you?

Here's the URL https://www.mazdaparts.org/gemacxma.html They offer free shipping for orders over $100. I usually order 2 oil change kits, one with the filters at a time. I use jackstands instead of ramps as I can then rotate the tires at the same time.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

Got that exact model I believe. Mine holds enough for 2 oil changes. I take it to autozone or Orielly's and I drain it in to their collection tank. Fits perfectly upright and I keep it in a trashbag while in the car for transport.

Great idea, thank you.