DIY Car Servicing - How to Get Started and Is It Worth It?

thriftysach on 19/02/2021 - 02:24

Hi All.

I was basically looking towards getting into doing basic servicing for my car at home.

At the moment, I have no tools so need people’s input on whether it is worth the investment long-term.

The car I own is an 2000s Lexus, so servicing is not anything overly complicated.

I have never had this car serviced in my ownership so as the next service is due soon, I was looking towards buying a car jack and basic tools to perform an oil filter change, air filter if needed, topping up coolant/engine oil.

Anything major that involves removing a lot of components, I am leaving those to the private mechanic.

Would someone with my limited knowledge on cars benefit from this from a financial point of view in the long-term or it is better to let the mechanic do it all every 10,000kms to ensure that the car is in the best condition it can be and that there is nothing major that needs to be changed which I may overlook.

The mechanic I have been recommended to go to does not over charge so I am assuming it will be much cheaper than the dealership.

Obviously, I appreciate any input and feel free to recommend places and times of the year when it is best to buy car products.

Regards.

Automotive

Comments

  • Richardc on 19/02/2021 - 03:22
    +7

    Don't do anything more than an engine oil & filter change if you don't know what you are doing.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/02/2021 - 04:32
    +16

    Heres what you need , initial investment is a little high but savings on servicing in the long run is worth it. quick crash course OP.

    1. Buy a set of car ramps that is safety rated for the weight of your car , your car weighs approximately 1532kg kerb weight if i am correct so you will need a set of ramps that are at least 850kg load rated per ramp (preferably branded because i have bought ramps where they did not meet aus standards) Here is how to use them

    Here is a set that you could use with no issues (Not affiliated) , they are also having a sale atm where if you are an NRMA member it comes down to $103.20 after you put your member #

    1. Set of wheel chocks $24.74 Example

    Now you have the basics what you need to get under the car and start your work

    Use what oil weight is recommended by your owners manual , only going up a grade if you notice excessive oil consumption.

    Oil filters can be sourced from any automotive shop , these days you just put your rego # in and it should give you a few different part #s but just to be sure cross reference online and dont hesitate to call up toyota and ask the exact part # for the oil filter for your car and just buy whats compatible , they generally are under $25 for MOST non european cars.

    [Tools]

    In most cases you will need a socket set , preferably in 1/2 drive with an extension with a few generic sizes. each car can be different and given your car is old don't be surprised if you find a replacement bolt on there that isn't the standard size that originally came with the car.

    Phillips screwdriver - mostly for removing small screws and plastic clips to remove the plastic undertray (which is on most cars) , also doubles as an effective way to remove an oil filter that won't come off (if doing by hand)

    Oil Filter Removal Cup - looks like THIS and comes in difference sizes , pick the one that fits your oil filter (easily identifiable once you have a new filter in your hand). connects straight to your socket set and is fairly straight forward , left-loosey / righty-tighty.

    Funnel - for pouring new oil in and old oil back into the container you used

    [Extras]

    You will NEED an Oil Pan

    You will NEED some form of disposable gloves , i do not recommend any gloves that are not fit for automotive purpose but if you have nothing else something is better then nothing.

    You will NEED rags to help clean used oil off your tools / oil filter area / any spillage

    At this point search youtube for some how-to oil change videos on your car model (extremely likely there will at least be 1 thats relevant)

    Once you have drained the old oil out , replaced the filter , pour the old oil into the bottle the new oil came out of , if you still have some new oil leftover just use another container.

    Containers full of oil and even oil filters can be recycled at special oil collection stations (look online to see where to find them in your state) , but if you are in NSW some super cheap auto stores take them off your hands just double check and call them first.

    Good luck and take your time with it if it is your first time , try not to spill any oil and if you accidentally spill a little clean it up ASAP. if it is a small spill after you have soaked up the oil with the rags spray some brake cleaner/degreaser on the surface then wash it with a hose. if it is a over a litre's worth i would recommend having some garden soil handy to absorb the oil and then just scoop it out and dispose of it when you are done.

    i wrote this at 4am in the morning so i hope i didn't miss anything major but if i did cut me some slack , i am sure others will happily chime in.

    P.S ideally you should change your oil filter every change but if your oil is fairly clean when you check it and it has good maintenance history , there is no harm buying THIS and just pumping out your oil and putting new oil in and skipping the oil filter, if you do …ensure it is changed every second oil change. literally turns 20-30 min labour job into an effortless 10 minute process. park on a flat surface , ensure the engine is up to operating temperature , throw one end into the dipstick tube and pump away. then recycle the old oil and put the new oil in and you are done.

    • Richardc on 19/02/2021 - 05:13

      Check price for parts from dealer first, for my Honda, engine oil(0w-20) & filter are around $80 in total from dealer. Engine oil alone for my car is around $60-65 from supercheap auto or repco.

      • [Deactivated] on 19/02/2021 - 05:25

        only NEW cars use 0w-20 oil weights and not every model either , what Honda do you have richard out of curiosity? , his car is year 2000 and would have a fair amount of K's on the motor. he should be using a 5w-30 if there are no leaks/oil consumption or a 5w-40 if he is consuming oil due to excessive wear.

        SCA has 5w-30 fully synth oil on sale atm only $36 for the oil , then throw on another $20-25 for an oil filter.

        Repco has 5w-30 semi synth on sale for $30

        or if he really wants to cheap out can put in a 10w-40 semi synth for $20

        Good specs for the valvoline for dirt cheap , only issue is semi synth has to be changed on schedule as the bulk % of the formulation is still mineral and can gum-up and cause issues if left for too long or excess KM's put on it.

        • Richardc on 19/02/2021 - 05:31

          2019 Odyssey

          • [Deactivated] on 19/02/2021 - 05:39

            @Richardc: oh wow , very interesting. such a thin oil for a heavy people mover.

            oil technology sure has improved immensely , i have also seen 0w-16 used in other countries.

            it is a very new car also and a honda engine so i don't forsee any engine issues but it still perplexes me at such a thin oil for our climate.

            i would be extremely curious to see a used oil analysis of it just before its scheduled change to determine if it has sheared much over its life.

            oh and just FYI repco have a sale on the 0w-20 atm that should meet the specs your odyssey requires

            • Richardc on 19/02/2021 - 05:51

              @[Deactivated]: Bloody earth dream engine atkinson cycle with useless stop start, still prefer Honda part for easier warranty claim(7 yrs during promo from Honda). Sadly no hybrid for Odyssey in Australia, it's the best system for MPV.

              • [Deactivated] on 19/02/2021 - 06:03

                @Richardc: haha , funnily enough i managed to find a way to permanently disable stop-start mode on a new Ford Focus SA without anything too instrusive so i would not have to keep reminding myself to push the button.

                i bought This , i got it after a month (comes from china , is probably a knock off of the real thing but it works) once i got it , put it in after 5 mins and tidied up the cables.

                i believe where the software from the ECU sends a signal to cut-off the engine , this device negates the signal and the engine basically remains on. (would be curious to hear from an actual electrical engineer what happens exactly)

                it also has other marketed benefits but the only ones i personally saw was improved throttle response and no surge in voltage when the AC on which would cause the engine revs and headlights to dip. it also sped up the interaction on the shifting dial , before there was a 1 second delay between toggles of drive modes (park to drive , drive to reverse etc) and now it is basically cut in half whereby to me i don't feel it is actually even noticable anymore as it should be.

                • pegaxs on 19/02/2021 - 07:22
                  +1

                  @[Deactivated]: Lol @ voltage stabiliser…

                  Might want to chat with Peter Brock, he has a cool fuel polariser you might be interested in… or maybe a HiClone for your intake.

                  • [Deactivated] on 19/02/2021 - 07:47

                    @pegaxs: honestly i was super skeptical at first , but they actually do work. i mean for under $50 i can't complain. there are lots of things in this world that are snake-oil products but it works for me and is just one of those things where you have to see it to believe it.

                    i didn't buy it for a +1 HP gain or anything like that haha , but at the same time i am not going to argue and say everything they market on it is true (lol fuel savings)

                  • MS Paint on 19/02/2021 - 08:13

                    @pegaxs: Ahhhh. The good old days. Classic times. RIP Pete.

          • brad1-8tsi on 19/02/2021 - 10:53

            @Richardc: Richard.
            We had a 2015 (current shape) Odyssey and still have a 2005 Accord Euro (same 2.4 engine).

            I never looked at the oil requirement for the Odyssey (company car) but I know in the Euro the 2.4 only needed 0w-20 when the ambient temps were hovering around freezing (eg: North American / European winter).

            It may be worth double checking the manual to see if the 0w-20 recommendation has a temperature range next to it.

            We had the Odyssey Lux / Premium (whatever it was called) and I thought it a great car (better than 7 seat SUVs) but the CVT longevity was a concern.

    • Euphemistic on 19/02/2021 - 06:07

      Some of those things you don’t NEED, but they make life easier.

      For a low vehicle, sometimes the front bumper can rub on car ramps. Have seen videos of cars reversing off ramps and ripping the bumper off. I had a car that I had to jack up a bit to get the car started on the ramps. A jack will work, but you must use stands as well, not only the jack.

      A bucket can work as an oil pan, just need to make sure the vehicle is high enough for it to fit and needs to have enough capacity.

      Bricks and blocks of wood work as wheel chocks.

      Sometimes you can park the car one wheel on the kerb and it’ll be high enough to crawl under. You just can’t put it on the jack that came with the car without some extra support, you might get crushed.

      You dont NEED gloves, but you’ll get dirty hands. Many disposable gloves will rip too easily and you’ll end up with dirty hand anyway.

      You may not need to remove a plastic under tray depending on the vehicle, but suspect a Lexus will have something that needs removing.

      Oil filters can sometimes be removed by grilling with some old sandpaper and undoing by hand, or by stabbing a screwdriver through them.

      • hoey888 on 19/02/2021 - 09:12

        +1 park on wheel on curb/gutter and another on the road. usually this is enough height to get under the car safely. just remember to lay a piece of cardboard underneath to catch oil drips and spills. wouldn't want to pollute the drains and enviroment.

        -you might want to keep some degreaser handy. really helps with the cleanup of oil spill/drips/mess.

        -we use c clamps like this to open/release oil filters. pretty much screw until it tight and give it an anticlockwise turn and then twist by hand.
        https://nuweldtradesupplies.com.au/products/nuweld-g-clamp-2…

        -getting your hands on a car workshop manual specific on your car is a good idea. else you can refer to DIY guides/videos on youtube

        *under no circumstances work under a car with the regular car tyre change jacks. it failed on my mate; luckily enough he put his tyre under the car so he is still alive today.

  • Euphemistic on 19/02/2021 - 06:08
    +4

    If you don’t know about cars, start with an oil change and get every second/other service done professionally. A big part of a mechanic servicing your car is using their experience to look for other issues.

  • MS Paint on 19/02/2021 - 06:56
    +2

    All of the above is great and detailed advice. I have nothing else to add other than keep a written record of all work performed with receipts and mileage.

    I would only perform diy servicing if you intend to keep the car forever.

    I service my own cars from new thus voiding my warranty (it's a calculated risk). I keep my cars until they are only good for paddock bashers or parts as I travel 50k kms per year on regional roads.

    • ihbh on 19/02/2021 - 07:58

      Wow, I've done a bit more than 50kms in 15 years! I live in the suburbs closish to amenities and try to walk/run everywhere. Will increase a bit more as we put kids in preschool/primary in the "bush"/farm area.

  • PissLUR on 19/02/2021 - 08:19

    get a Fumoto oil valve for you car.

  • Rocah11 on 19/02/2021 - 08:21
    +1

    If you like learning and don't mind getting a little dirty then it is a good idea to get into working on your own car.

    You may find in the future that you can change other parts yourself when you get more confident, also perhaps if you have a mechanically inclined friend they could help too.

    For example, changing rocker cover gasket, coolant replacement, power steering fluid, etc. are all simple for older Jap cars and there are plenty of resources online to learn.

    In turn, this will save you even more money, not to mention the satisfaction of completing the job.

  • SF3 on 19/02/2021 - 09:17

    I used to do the oil and filter change years ago, when you didn't need to reset the "You need to take me to service" lights cars.

    I had use a ramp, rather than a jack, for safety reasons.

    pegaxs your comment? re: ramp vs jack.

    • pegaxs on 19/02/2021 - 10:44

      Ramps ok, but need wheel chocks. Jack ok, but need stands. Ramps take up more space than a jack and stands, but are easier to use. It’s really a case of 6 of one, 46.15% of a bakers dozen for the other.

      OP should just buy a hoist for their driveway or install a pit in their garage. :D

      • JIMB0 on 19/02/2021 - 10:58

        Just dig a hole in the ground and concrete it. Doubles as a swimming pool then.

        • MS Paint on 19/02/2021 - 12:44

          A neighbour buried a 20ft shipping container. Cut out the appropriate orifices with a plasma cutter. A weekends work and he has himself an awesome pit.

      • Euphemistic on 19/02/2021 - 12:10

        Ramps aren’t as flexible as a jack and stands. Ramps are easier to use on uneven or softer ground.

        Ramps make my 4wd ute too high up to reach into the engine bay from the top without a stool, but super easy to get underneath it.

        Ramps for my lowered car were too steep to just drive up, had to either jack up and push the ramp part way under or add extra boards to reduce the angle or the front end scraped on the ramp.

  • Daniel Plainview on 19/02/2021 - 16:09

    Great advice in this thread - I'd encourage the OP to embrace it - what you save on a single 'service' will largely pay for the majority of tools you'll need for basic maintenance. The basic stuff is ironically the most important - so if you're regularly changing your oil, using good quality oil, changing your filters and just giving things a look over at the time you do this you'll be doing as good a job as many pros.

    While your skill level might not be as high as there's what you will have going for you is the extra time and effort you put in to double check stuff and ensure it's done correctly and thoroughly - I KNOW A LOT OF MECHANICS ARE GREAT - but alas many aren't and real slap dash work is done.

    Oil, filters, brake fluid flush/replacement, brake pad change, spark plug change, coolant flush/change, tyre rotation all are very simple and there's now often a Youtube tutorial specifically for your vehicle or something very close. If you don't feel comfy, don't do it - but a lot of services are often little more than glorified fluid changes and 'checks'. Just make sure you get the trickier stuff done by a good pro you trust.

    Other have thankfully stated it over and over but seriously folks die every year getting under cars that only are supported by a jack - I had ramps but found they scrape my new car's bumper, so have a couple of sets of stands. As others have said keep thorough notes in the back of your service book or similar stating what done, when etc. That will matter when you come to sell and is handy for your reference.

  • saliya on 19/02/2021 - 17:40

    Depends why: I did my own work on all my own cars for years after I got stung as a teenager by a less-than-reputable mechanic.
    Then I found a trustworthy mechanic. I still do all my own mechanical work on one car; I take pride/satisfaction in it (and if something goes wrong, I own it).

    The dailies still go to that mechanic. If I supply consumables they charge me the for their time; but otherwise I trust them to supply/fit what is needed and charge me fairly for it.

    There's lots of useful advice above; but I'll re-iterate: Don't work under your car unless it's properly-supported. Read the workshop manual. Use the right equipment for the job. So far unsaid: An oil change is easiest / fastest if the car is "warm not hot." Buy a torque wrench. Use it every time until you get a feel for torque. Then every so often to check your arm.

  • andrek on 20/02/2021 - 09:05

    Great tips and advice above. My tip: sign up for Repco and SuperCheapAuto membership and newsletters. They have specials almost every week. When you see the parts for your car on sale - get a few. I know I'll need 4L of oil and an oil filter every 6 months, air filter every year, brake pads every 2-3 years. So when it's on sale, I stock up for next few services.

    Sometimes there are other items on sale which you might not need at start, but as you become proficient with oil change and other service, you'll find them useful. Things like 40% off trolley jack or 40% off torque wrench

    And by just having Repco membership (it's free) you'll be able to get some discounts of non-sale items.

  • redvaldez on 22/02/2021 - 10:24

    If you wanted to do an interim oil change yourself between services (at 5,000/7,500 km or 6 months - assuming that this works out to be half your service intervals), then go for it. But to be frank, if you have to ask how to DIY an oil change on a 10+ year old car, I would be getting every service done at a mechanic. I don't mean any offence - I'm a car person but can't work under an engine bay to save my life. But for an older car, I'd want it checked by a mechanic at least once a year. Most private mechanics aren't that expensive either - my last services were $140 labour.

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