Oil change scam: Hidden camera investigation on what really happens to your car

[allodial]

Women are typically targeted moreso than guys. Maybe old men too but females moreso. An easy remedy is to acquire a set of ramps and chocks (to put up against the back tires to keep the car from rolling back as an added safety measure). Basically, you drive your car up on the ramps, put in park. Put the emergency brakes on. Put the chock blocks behind the back tires. I would add jack stands just for extra safety (what if the ground under the ramp was questionable). Of course you want to see to it that the ground is hard and capable of supporting the automobile without sinking (hard pavement for example would likely be suitable).

Some lighting (worklights, LED disc lights you can lay on the ground --who knows what time of day it might be). An oil pan (you could filter your own oil too). Of course you'll need the specific tools to loosen the nut to allow the oil to leak out. Its relatively easy to do. I maintained multiple cars and trucks. Trucks are usually easier to get under so there is an advantage there. Taking the whole oil pan out and cleaning it is is preferable. But letting old used oil out of the outlet (typically a small bolt you loosen then put back in place) and changing the oil filter goes long way.


Ramps $40


Chocks $15

and/or


Jack stands $20

Heavier duty jack stands 3ton prob cost only $15 more. The heavier your automobile the heavier duty you'd require. Jack stands would be used if you use a jack --


...a hydraulic jack not the scrap metal trash they give you with new cars. $55. A jack that starts higher off the ground may not be suitable for lower-sitting cars. Some jacks may not rise high enough for trucks.


Creeper $30 (a comfortable one)

Hmm let's think about this, I could pay $100 + tool costs and change my oil myself or pay someone $69.00 per car to rip me off potentially? Hmmm.

So basically: Ramps + chocks + creeper or hydraulic jack + jack stands + creeper. I prefer the ramps if I'm having to spend any reasonable amount of time under a car. IMHO, hydraulic jacks are mainly for changing tires + emergency service. Also:

• an oil pan and a place to take oil for recycling
• some overalls or clothes you dont mind getting dirty
• some work gloves
• a breaker bar (for stubborn bolts)
• goggles (preferably the strap on kind so they don't fall off) to your eyes safe

An interesting grass roots method of cleaning crankcase oil that I've seen, but never tried, is a rope. As in two buckets, one above the other. The top one has the dirty oil in it. A clean rope is dropped in the top one and dangled down to the lower one. Wicking action slowly transfers the oil from the top bucket to the lower bucket. It looks very clean in the lower bucket.

Here's an interesting discussion about what one can do with used motor oil (treatment of pine board for fences seems to be of the best).