All oiled up: DIY Oil Change

I don't know much about cars, but thankfully, Marcus does. Ever since we got married, Marcus has taken it upon himself to change the oil in our cars. As a non-mechanically-inclined woman, I am in complete awe!

I know plenty of people would see DIY oil changes as a hassle, waste of time, and would much rather bring it to a dealer's service department. Surprisingly enough, (from my perspective) DIY oil changes are pretty simple. "How does one learn to DIY oil change?" you may ask. Marcus learned "in theory" from his dad, but continually consults the manual for our cars (thankfully we have the same car). Specific make/model manuals can be purchased at your local auto supply store. Also, there are plenty of how-to videos on the internet nowadays. For example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ptw-BR2u4qQ

So why do we DIY our oil changes?

Time saver. Marcus has it down to a science now so it takes him about a half hour on each car. Much shorter than waiting at the dealership.

Money saver. Obviously, we save on the labor charge, but we also save on the cost of the oil and filters. Not only that, but we get to choose a higher quality oil for the same cost as run-of-the-mill oil at the dealership or lube shop. Up-front, we only save about $10 per oil change (every 3 months or so). But in the long run, we save quite a bit of money along the lines of better gas mileage and car longevity (using premium oil and filters).
We order our oil and filters directly from www.amsoil.com . Check out some of their cost comparisons on their website.

The only downsides to a DIY oil change are the oil spots left on my driveway and in my carport. But never fear, they make stuff to put on it - or good ol' kitty litter works just as well.