mires
Well-known member
This was my point. Not that I have no respect for someone who chooses not to. It's just that all my friends who don't do it is because they do not know how and do not even have the basic hand tools if they did.
The next "Craftsman" brand
- Thread starter JKennedy
- Start date
This was my point. Not that I have no respect for someone who chooses not to. It's just that all my friends who don't do it is because they do not know how and do not even have the basic hand tools if they did.
sberry
Banned
I agree with the guys about an oil change, diy isn't worth it.
Moose97
Well-known member
I don't look at it as a money saving move, it's about something else. Pride in taking care of your own stuff, time spent with your son passing on knowledge. I don't know, I want my son to look back when I'm dead and gone and remember those times of teaching and sharing. Different strokes I guess.
i agree with this statement, minus oil changes. I think it's important to have the oil change done, but I would rather teach my kids (when they're old enough) about the costly items, like brakes.
sberry
Banned
i agree with this statement, minus oil changes. I think it's important to have the oil change done, but I would rather teach my kids (when they're old enough) about the costly items, like brakes.
Yes,, this. I would look the rest of it over but the oil is such a hassle would find some place I liked o take care of that. One of our dealers has a great special.
tjpavlov
Well-known member
I think that a lot of you are overstating the loss of the DIY spirit. It is undeniable that many kids and teens today don't work on their own cars. But I think that has more to do with the cars themselves than the kids. Cars today are way more complicated. A car from the 60s was simple, mechanical engineering. You could open up the hood, take a look, and figure things out. Open the hood on a modern car and you will see a see of plastic covers. Get those off and the engine is usually so cramped that you can barely get your hands in to change the spark plugs. And even if you have all the right tools, so much is computerized now that it just doesn't give you the same joy. And sometimes the manufacturers are making things more complicated to stop you from doing things yourself. My wife's car hides the battery in the bottom of the front bumper. You have to pull a wheel to change it.
But look at the proliferation of DIY home work. There are blogs, websites, and entire TV channels devoted to helping people do their own renovations. I think that people's DIY is moving from the garage into the kitchen. People who would have changed their oil fifty years ago are now changing their cabinets. I just think that our own attentions have been redirected elsewhere.
It is lamentable that people don't work on their own cars, but we are more and more living in a service economy. I make my living by providing a luxury service to my clients. I think that makes me more likely to respect the work of others, such as mechanics. If I expect them to hire me for certain jobs, then I should also expect to pay them to help me on occasion.
I think that everybody should be able to change a tire if they need to, but I don't think that people need to be rebuilding engines in their garages.
But look at the proliferation of DIY home work. There are blogs, websites, and entire TV channels devoted to helping people do their own renovations. I think that people's DIY is moving from the garage into the kitchen. People who would have changed their oil fifty years ago are now changing their cabinets. I just think that our own attentions have been redirected elsewhere.
It is lamentable that people don't work on their own cars, but we are more and more living in a service economy. I make my living by providing a luxury service to my clients. I think that makes me more likely to respect the work of others, such as mechanics. If I expect them to hire me for certain jobs, then I should also expect to pay them to help me on occasion.
I think that everybody should be able to change a tire if they need to, but I don't think that people need to be rebuilding engines in their garages.
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jakemac
Well-known member
I used to do most of the work on my cars, but then they put computers in them and the EPA made it nearly impossible to get rid of the waste and old parts. It's just too much of a PIA now. Just finding a REAL junk yard today is nearly impossible and the ones near me won't take old parts for scrap because it's too much of a hassle for them.
Now, I just tinker.
Now, I just tinker.
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BirdMobile
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2014
- Messages
- 588
I hear you. Last time I went to a jiffy for an oil change, I handed them 5 quarts of Valvoline 10W40 and a Wix filter to use. Got done with the oil change, went across the street to grab a bite to eat. Looking out the window about 15 min. later, I noticed the manager guy carrying the shallow box with my 5 quarts of oil to his car, popped the trunk and in they went. he walked back in the jiffy, I finished my lunch then did the same. Told manager dude I wanted my oil back and a refund, he tried to play stupid... I told him I'd call the police and they could check his trunk. Changed his tune REAL fast... did the refund and yes, sir... thank you sir... yada yada. At least they put my filter on.
I've done my own oil changes since then, for the last 10 years or so.
petalmasher
Active member
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- Aug 13, 2014
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- 33
Computers are a double-edged sward for DIY. On one hand car makers can use specialized software, passwords, license keys to force us to go to the dealer for repairs. On the other side I can use Youtube videos to figure out how to do a lot of things I may otherwise have paid an expert to do
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petalmasher
Active member
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Ok
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PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
My adult nephew... whose father owns a full service gas station... and who works there on weekends... was in his mothers car when they got a flat on the road... Mom and son had to call someone after having no idea where to start.
Mom ended up dating the guy that fixed the tire...
Parrothead
Well-known member
Because realistically it's not really half as much. It's less than $50 for a full synthetic oil change at Wally World, but after I buy the filter and oil, what did I save? It's 23 for the oil, $8 for the filter for a total of $31. I've saved $19, which is a reasonable amount. However I buy the same oil and filter, take it to the local tire store, and they do it for $10-15 depending on who rings it up. Either way I am not complaining. At that point it's not worth it for me to get out the ramps. I drop it off at night, pick it up the next day, and here's your $15. Some things are worth doing yourself, oil changes aren't one of them in my book.
Tronyadorable
Banned
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I imagine about the time the coroner is called someone from Apex will show up with a checkbook.
That's too historical of a brand to let vanish and they have factories around the world that can spit out a quality craftsman pattern with ease.You ask any 90 year old on the planet "who makes a good hand tool ?" he'll say Craftsman.
Let the hand power and bench tools die. It was always second rate junk anyway(at least since the sixties).
That's too historical of a brand to let vanish and they have factories around the world that can spit out a quality craftsman pattern with ease.You ask any 90 year old on the planet "who makes a good hand tool ?" he'll say Craftsman.
Let the hand power and bench tools die. It was always second rate junk anyway(at least since the sixties).
sberry
Banned
They don't put an 8 $ filter on your car and not always the right one. There are places that do good work. But the disposal and spill potential is a problem in most places.
Parrothead
Well-known member
That's why I don't take my car to Wally World, I take it to a local place and I supply the filter.
mires
Well-known member
I think there are a lot of factors that can play into whether or not you change your own oil. That $19 savings is likely a much bigger deal to someone like myself who brings home $25k a year than it would be to a guy who makes much more.
The type of vehicle you drive is also a factor. In your case, you have to pull out ramps to get the job done. Ramps you had to invest in of course. I drive an SUV that I barely even have to crawl under. No skid plates to take off or anything. Just halfa** lay down in front of the bumper and remove the plug. Filter is right there easily within reach as well.
The biggest reason I do it myself though is all the people I know that have been screwed by these places. My grandfather drove a Dodge Dakota with the 3.9 V6. Took it to Kwik Car for an oil change. They put in the oil amount for the 5.9 V8, Bad things happen when you put in an extra 1.5 quarts of oil
I was out of town working for most of last year so my girlfriend had to take her Monte Carlo to the Chevy dealer to have her oil changed. When I got back and her car was ready for me to do the next oil change, I noticed the oil filter was never changed at the dealer. I knew this because I write the mileage on her filters with a sharpie.
I could go on with several similar stories but I'd likely develop carpal tunnel trying to type it all out.
One thing I can definitely see is the guys who wrench for a living not wanting to change their own oil. I'm a plumber with a kitchen faucet that could use a rebuild. Probably not gonna happen any time soon.
I do work with my hands all week but not on cars so for me, it is still kind of a hobby even just doing a simple oil change or brake pad replacement. I enjoy my alone time on Saturday mornings doing these things along with checking tire pressure and adding if needed. I'm kind of a spaz about proper tire pressure so this gets done every weekend.
Anyway, sorry for the novel. Just a few thoughts I had and wanted to share.
cstreu1026
Active member
New cars seem to take increasing large and often odd amounts of oil. The Cadillac SRX we had required 7.5 quarts of full synthetic. That meant buying 8 quarts at a costs of $55-65 depending on the oil. Throw in a decent filter and you're at $70+ or more.
Moose97
Well-known member
My point wasn't really about saving the money (although you will save money) but more to the point of self sufficiency and teaching my son the same. Like mires, a big reason I change my own oil is I like to work on cars. I get a kick out of it. Now, I make a fairly nice living but even if I only save 15 bucks, I'm making 15 bucks for 30 minutes work. Nothing I'm willing to sneeze at. And I enjoy it to boot! Now multiply that by 3 vehicles 4 to 6 times a year and that's a nice sum of money.
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wild cowboy
Banned
how would you guys rate the ease of warranty of various brick & mortar places for tools?
which ones are NO QUESTIONS ASKED and they just give you a replacement with no hassle (unlike the tool trucks......ugh!)
which ones are NO QUESTIONS ASKED and they just give you a replacement with no hassle (unlike the tool trucks......ugh!)
mires
Well-known member
Honestly, Sears was the only one for me personally. HD always gave me **** and I had to talk to a manager to make it right. Those are the only two I have experience with.
Sears, Harbor Freight, and Lowe's are all completely no-hassle for me.
This is probably something that varies depending on the managers of your local stores, though.
Cato
Well-known member
Yeah, it wasn't that long ago that to see a woman with tattoos you'd have to visit the circus.
LawnDart79
Well-known member
Falcon67
Well-known member
This paying for an oil change makes you less of a man is red herring BS. There is no recycling place in this city - the Texas version of the EPA didn't like it so it got taken out. You cannot -by law anyway - throw an oil filter out in the house trash. The main population center, next town, here has recycling. You have to show a water bill to use it, so if you don't have an address inside that city limits you can't use the recycling center. Makes no sense to change it then have to drive 4 quarts and a oil filter in a bag 20 miles one way to try and find an auto parts store that will take it for recycling. Money way ahead to just pay the $70 at the dealer and get on with life. Also, most young'uns I know live in some apartment. If they get caught working on a car in the parking lot, they could have their lease terminated. Not everyone can walk down the block to Auto Zone and drop off their trash.