I refuse to let anybody change the oil on my vehicles other than myself... which got me to wondering: How many other folks still change their own oil nowadays? I usually put the vehicles up on my 2 post lift... and the oil change is enjoyable. Not so much this time: We moved earlier this year & my barn isn't done yet. The attached garage is full (of stuff that goes into the barn). So I changed the oil in the two daily drivers in our gravel driveway, using wooden ramps, surrounded by snow. I admit that the experience took me back. Last time I was doing maintenance on a vehicle in the winter, on my back, in a driveway, was 1978. _____ John
John, I've never, ever, paid someone else to change oil in anything I've owned. Cars, trucks, airplanes, ATVs, lawnmowers...nothing. My granddads, uncles, dad, everybody always did it themselves. I was raised that way, I guess. I also thought ALL men had wrench saavy, until I was grown. Then I hired a driver, and was around some farmers, who showed me otherwise. In fact, I have changed the oil in other guys big trucks, and usually end up with about 400-600 gallons of used motor oil in my bulk tank a year. I used to sell it, (for as much as 90 cents a gallon). Now, they will charge you to pick it up, unless you have min. 250 gallons. This due to the crash in crude oil. I could tell you lots of stories about outdoor truck repair, before I had a shop. Steve. P.S. I don't think you save much $$$, doing it yourself. But, you know it was done correctly.
