It seems I can get away with doing oil changes in the auto parts store parking lot. On my Malibu I can reach the filter without raising the vehicle. Just changed the filter and topped off. Have AMSOIL signature in it right now. Probably didn’t need to replace the filter but, if I’m going to push it twice the manufacturers recommend interval it makes me feel better with a new filter half way through.
Oil change in parking lot
- Thread starter jkhawaii
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I assume you have no other place to do it. If so, why not. Around here I doubt they would care anyway.
Apartment living. It is forbidden to do any vehicle maintenance. Other places considered. Side of the road, public park, Walmart parking, abandoned business parking lots.
I can also rent a lift for $45 an hour. Which I’ll do next time to rotate the tires and do a full oil change.
I can also rent a lift for $45 an hour. Which I’ll do next time to rotate the tires and do a full oil change.
Condo dweller. I do it here in our parking lot anyway. No management around on the weekend. Sunday morning is especially quiet. I'm neat and clean. Put cardboard down to catch any dribbles. Always return old oil for recycling. No problem.
I maintain my friend’s car and do oil changes in her appointment parking lot whenever needed. Thankfully her apartment doesn’t care.
A little bit of consideration goes a long way.
Buy an oil extractor. Makes removing oil quick and easy. If you do it at the auto parts store, just take the extractor inside afterwards and then just dump the used oil in the collection tank.
That is a pretty smooth setup if you can swap the filter on that Malibu without even having to break out the jack stands. Honestly, running premium stuff like Amsoil definitely gives you some peace of mind if you're stretching the intervals, and swapping a fresh filter halfway through is a cheap way to keep the oil clean.
How many miles is twice the manufacturer recommended interval?
You can do oil or filer changes anywhere where is quite and you clean after yourself. I know a friend of mine who does it at a school parking lot on the weekend.
It's not allowed BUT if you are nice, quick, and clean, it's unlikely anyone will care.
If you go to a Discount Tire they will rotate your tires for free. Even if you're not a current customer.
Last week I went to Autozone for some closeout oil and someone was doin their oil right near the front entrance since it was raining at the time. Nobody cared.
Everyone has to eat. Saving money when you can DIY is one of the best ways of doing it.
My wife and I lived in an apartment complex when we first married. I left one day to get her 1968 Chevy Caprice new power steering hose.
When I returned I had a note on the windshield telling me I couldn't work on my vehicle in the parking lot.
Within a few weeks we were gone. At least we got the experience of apartment/condo life out of our systems at a young age.
My friend's daughter, her husband and two teen age girls had to relocate.
The reason was their neighbor a few doors down decided to she would take a nap with a candle burning.
Verboten vehicle repairs in a parking lot isn't the only reason I don't live in an apartment/condo.
When I returned I had a note on the windshield telling me I couldn't work on my vehicle in the parking lot.
Within a few weeks we were gone. At least we got the experience of apartment/condo life out of our systems at a young age.
My friend's daughter, her husband and two teen age girls had to relocate.
The reason was their neighbor a few doors down decided to she would take a nap with a candle burning.
Verboten vehicle repairs in a parking lot isn't the only reason I don't live in an apartment/condo.
I don't want to either, but I have, and when I have I didn't have much choice. Having any roof was a plus.
Its nice to have options but many do not, especially younger people.
Yeah I caught a guy that changed his oil at the apartment complex where I worked. Exxon Valdez type spill on the ground. I made him go get oil dry and clean it up.
Back in my Navy days, we had a young kid that was traveling home from CT to Ohio for the holidays. We were talking about car maintenance and he said he hadn’t had an oil change since he got to the ship. A year and a half. Granted, some of those months were underway, but still. Anyway, he said he checked it and it was on the low mark, so he added a little bit of WATER to get it full! I thought he was kidding, but he was not…..
He was leaving the next morning, so I took him to the Navy exchange, bought him 4 quarts of oil. Luckily, they had the correct filter (they had a limited selection.). I also got a catch drain pan that closed so you can take to recycling. We did the oil right there in the Navy Exchange parking lot (I had some tools in my truck.). He left the next day and returned after the new year. Still driving that vehicle when he transferred a couple years later.
He was leaving the next morning, so I took him to the Navy exchange, bought him 4 quarts of oil. Luckily, they had the correct filter (they had a limited selection.). I also got a catch drain pan that closed so you can take to recycling. We did the oil right there in the Navy Exchange parking lot (I had some tools in my truck.). He left the next day and returned after the new year. Still driving that vehicle when he transferred a couple years later.
On Chevy LS engines there is a baffle above the sump. If using an extraction tube, make sure you are getting 5 quarts out, otherwise the hose might not make it to the bottom of the pan.
Until someone does.
I met up with a pal to do a transmission D&F. All went well.
Upon clean-up, I noticed the side of the dumpster had a sign which included the NO CAR WORK prohibition.
I mentioned it and he said, "[blank} them".
He was amidst a younger fellow's 'angry phase'.
Things could've gone bad.
I suppose I should've known of such prohibitions, but his knowing and not mentioning it was definitely not right.
Sometimes in life you get tired of being the understanding one.
The AAP near me always has cars in the parking lot where people are trying to fix something.
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