Should I try to change my own oil or just take it to a shop?

I should probably learn how to change my own oil, but is it really worth it? I mean, it costs like $20 just to buy 5 quarts of oil when i can take it to jiffylube or some auto place and they do the oil change plus a filter and supposedly other junk for like $20. Wouldn't it cost more to do it myself since i have to pay for the oil filter too? Not to mention having to do all the work myself!



Also does it really matter what kind of oil i get? Conventional or synthetic? What do you think?



I have a 1992 toyota corolla with pretty high mileage, 160,000+. I don't really drive much, except less than 20 minutes of highway driving to work and back.



Any other advice would be great too!Should I try to change my own oil or just take it to a shop?As you said it's not really worth the effort unless your like me and have to know that the job was done right. Toyota Corolla's are really easy to do, but it's not really worth doing it yourself unless you actually want to learn how to change oil. As you said, buying oil will cost you roughly 18-20 bucks and you can take it somewhere for like 20-25 bucks. So if you wanna learn how then go for it!Should I try to change my own oil or just take it to a shop?Im a pro auto tech, I wouldnt even bother doing my own oil change unless I worked in a shop. For the price a regular shop charges for an oil change its not even worth it, and getting rid of the oil is a pain too. And jiffy lube is a rip off, go to a local chain like meineke or pep boys. Its usually 30 bucks. And I would just do regular oil, no point in running synthetic @ 160kShould I try to change my own oil or just take it to a shop?You're right. You wont be saving that much money but its good for experience. I changed my own oil once just to say that i did it. Just make sure you check your dipstick for the right amount of oil. Too much oil is sometimes just as bad as too little...

I recommend Mobile 1 full synthetic for any car...Should I try to change my own oil or just take it to a shop?Changing your oil yourself will give you peace of mind that the job was done properly, and if using synthetic oil you can save money by extending the life of your vehicle and because of less frequent drain intervals.



For example, over the course of 25,000 miles, the cost of regular dinosaur oil with a drain interval of 3000 miles will require at least 5 quarts and a filter per oil change, for 25,000 miles you will need 40 quarts and 8 filters, this comes to a total of about $168.00 (40 quarts @ $3.00, 8 filters @ $6.00).



For the same vehicle using top-of-the-line AMSOIL 100% Synthetic Oil with a drain interval of 25,000 miles in conjunction with an AMSOIL Absolute Efficiency oil filter, you will need 5 quarts and 1 filter, this comes to a total of about $59.75 (5 quarts @ $8.75, 1 filter @ $16.00).



You would save $108.25 over conventional oil by using AMSOIL premium synthetic oil. This, along with the benefits of better wear protection, lower engine temperatures, improved fuel efficiency and easier cold-weather starts. All of these benefits add up to reduced operating costs and longer engine life.



More info is available at our website's FAQ section:

http://www.gforcesynthetics.com/FAQs.htm