How can I change my own oil?

Easy? Sure, Toy dealer service center!

 

Or Jiffy-Lube.

 

• Jack up the car and place the ramps under the wheels;
• Place blocks in front of the ramps to raise the car before going up the ramps;
• Park with the front wheels on a curb; or,
  
• Suck the used oil out of the engine with a pump or syringe.

 

These ramps work just fine;

Both are so much better than the widely available Rhino Ramps.

A few days, ago, I changed the transaxle fluid using the Scepter ramps.

 

There you go. For around $50.00 you just sit in the waiting room drinking a cup of free coffee until a service person tells you it is ready. It doesn't get any better or easier than that and you only have to have it done every 10,000 miles.

 

Haven't tried it with PiP, but how about the old "one wheel up on a curb"?

 

How much space do you need to get on ramps? Use like a 2x6 in front of ramps to raise car giving you extra height as needed.

 

I figured he could do without the "take it in to get your oil changed" option because it's such a no-brainer.

 

When I got my Prius, I had to buy "low rise" ramps that are about 70% the height of traditional ramps. Later, they continued to work perfectly for the Volt and now our Energi's all of which also have very low front ends to aid aerodynamics. The quiet, electric torque of these cars makes climbing these a piece of cake. Here's a pic of them while changing the oil on the CMax:

 

Stay away from Jiffy Lube there a rip-off buiness.. Try to sell much more then you need ...Tell you your wipers need changing, your trans oil needs to be changed . could run the Oil change you wanted up to hundreds of dollars if your gullible and believe all they say. Least thats how the one in my town works and the town hall received many complaints about there operation

 

Any of the above advice will get you on the ramps. I particularly like Greg's suggestion to raise the front end with a floor jack and then settle it onto the ramps (you could also sub. wheel cribs). I prefer jackstands, my issue with ramps being the "excitement" of running the car up them. Especially in a tight garage. OTOH, they are piece of mind personified, very stable. Anyway:

What I do is raise the front end end with a floor jack, at the front/central jacking point. Then put in jack stands. I don't like the spec'd scissor jack location (between the 2 notches on the lower edge of rocker panel), use these points instead:

 

I have done that with non hybrid cars years ago. I just stopped changing my oil when I bought a Prius. Not worth it to me. Putting one wheel up on the curb with a Prius? It won't work. If you just feel you have to do it yourself you can buy portable ramps that are lower and you can drive a Prius up on them and the front bumper will clear them. Better to have the dealer change the oil every 10,000 miles for about $50.00.

 

The key phrase here is "if you're gullible". The other key phrase is "Least that's how the one in my town works". Its like any other business, some do a better job of serving their customers actual needs, some don't.

 

Unfortunately, we're not all mechanics, so we tend to rely on the opinions of people selling those services. Good mechanics who will make the best recommendations on your behalf are unfortunately in the minority. I was lucky to find a good one, and I even allow him to sell me a few things I don't need, just to acknowledge that I'm happy with his service.

My Toyota dealer is the best I could find in this city, but when I went in for my "free oil change" it was also recommended that I change the cabin air filter element for $60. I opted not to do that, because it was completely unnecessary and a waste of a good filter. Of course if it had actually needed changing, I would have spent the money.

Yes, they have a right to make a good living, but it should be as a result of serving their customers' best interests, and not directly at their customers' expense. That's why online feedback is so important.

 

You are right. That is the problem that I have with the "free" oil changes. They are just a "sucker punch" to ease you in to doing things that are unnecessary and two of their favorite things is an air filter and cabin filter that they charge an enormous price for that even an amateur like me can easily replace. They want you to get used to taking your car to their service department early and often. Just my opinion.

 

^ Coming up on 48000 kms, the Canadian Schedule mandates to change the engine air filter by this point (no more just checking it). And I'm pretty sure the cabin filter was supposed to be changed by now, too. Trouble is:

I pulled both filters out the other day to check, and they're both so clean there's no way I'm going to change them yet.

 

Exactly, and some of us have a problem with throwing away good parts (and good money).

Some historical patterns that repeat themselves over and over have instructional value. Toyota broke away from the pattern of the "Big Three" who each offered you roughly the same choices of reliability, where you were expected to spend more and more on parts and repairs until you decided to buy a new vehicle every few years. Toyota and other foreign automakers were hindered by massive US tariff barriers, so they pursued the strategy of making their cars worth the extra money. It worked, and it taught Detroit a lesson. That's why cars are so much more reliable nowadays, but it's not even across the board, as we all know.

If Toyota embarks on a course of building in planned-obsolescence, they will pay the price, as so many other manufacturers have, all throughout manufacturing history.

 

I go to a large Toyota dealer and luckily they have an express oil change lane. No appointment. Just drive in. In and out in 45 minutes just like clockwork. I hope it stays that way. About $50.00.