Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Manly man

So today I put all the resources of my super-cool shop into action and decided that there was NO WAY I would ever pay $35 for an oil change again. I purchased oil and filter and did my first solo oil change without permanently harming myself.

The process is pretty staight forward. Jack up the front and put it on stands. Remove plug and drain hot oil onto hands, floor and into oil catcher. Remove old oil filter (sending yet another quart of warm oil onto hands) Clean up oil puddles, replace filter and plug and refill with fresh oil.

Total time: approx 30 minutes.

Upon my lovely wifes return I told her of my Manly Deeds. I told her how it cost only $15 for the oil and filter, thus saving about $20 and a trip to the "city". My mate seemed somewhat unimpressed, telling me that SHE gets her oil changed for about $20. It takes longer, but she works it in around a shopping trip usually.

I was, needless to say, a bit gobsmacked. I rushed to the interweb and tracked down some better prices for oil and filter, getting the price down to a measely $8.47 HA! PLUS my wife wife hadn't factored in the cost of GAS to get her "cheaper" oil change. I began to feel better.

Of course, this ignored the money I spent on the various tools that were used on this project. Hydraulic jack, jack stands, creeper etc. I also have 5 quarts of old oil that will have to go somewhere. But these costs will be ammortised over the next 1-200 oil changes so it all works out in the end. *cough*

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