GQD_GS4

mobile 1 synthetic is $22 a jug at walmart!

bassil2022

mine is 2001 LS430 UL, it has radio controls. So, how many filter do I need??

The mirror, I think a short problem because on time I was playing with until it worked for couple of days and then stopped working again. I think I will let the Toyota dealer check it while they change the oil this Friday.

Red Square

^yup, $22 here in california too. toyoto tundra oil filter $4 (discounted). but i have my friends shop change the oil, since my car is slammed its much easier to change on a lift. tip them a 20, no mess, no sweat, and on my way.

jayclapp

I grew up on a farm where we serviced all our equipment. Bought oil in the 50 gallon drum, etc. I never knew anything different than changing our own oil and filters.

Thirty years later with a degree in engineering, I was laying under my car changing my oil filter (was too tight and had to drive a screwdriver thru it to remove and was rather agitated) when the wife walked by and asked why I was doing such a thing. Never thought about it, it was my culture.

Although I continued to change the oil and filter in my 92 SC400 for a few more years, I have been retired for nearly 10 years and wouldn't think of having anyone else touch my LS 430 other than my local Lexus dealer.

To each his own.

LS430inDE.

Wow..is this oil changing time or what!? Ironic with the timing of this thread.

Since my parents literally sealcoated their driveway 2 weeks ago, they have banned me from performing any maintenance that would either stain/mar the sealcoating, or tear up the asphalt (which my drive-up ramp edges always do). I took the LS to my girls house YESTERDAY for an oil change.

I bought a jug of Valvoline 5-30 for like $12.50 and a Fram Toughgard filter for like $6, both at Walmart. Grand total for the job was ~$18.50...however, the sweat and effort with changing the oil on the LS is more than I'm used to.

Being that the bottom of the front end of the LS hits my drive-up ramps (and my LS isn't dropped) when I try to pull up to them, I now use the SPARE TIRE JACK from the LS, crank her up, then stand up the front end with JACKSTANDS.

Yea....it IS a pain in the you know what..and took me about an hour from setup to cleanup, but the self satisfaction is always worth it. I'd say that it's also great to INSPECT the engine for leaks, etc, but the underside of the LS is sooo buttoned up and protected with plastic covers for wind noise/aerodynamics/etc, you can't see a THING aside from the drain plug!

If anyone is contemplating flaming me for not using a toyo filter or synthetic oil, I literally change the stuff every 3k miles. I'm still on the old school thought process on this subject.

btw...attempting to do the right thing, and wanting to please Al Gore, i went to 3 different service stations (gas staions w/service bays) to try to dispose of/recycle the used oil, which I always painstakingly put BACK, into the original containers! NOBODY would take it! Talk about frustration!!!! I ended up taking it to Pep Boys..a regional auto parts/service store 12 minutes away.

AlexusAnja

Here in NJ, if the station does oil changes, then they HAVE TO accept your used motor oil. I'm not sure if there's a cap, but I would imagine 5 quarts is fine. Do you have a local conservatory that takes used motor oil? We have one right in town, about five minutes away, so I just drop it there. They have an used motor oil bin.

**
State law (NJSA 13:1E-99.36) requires all retail auto mechanic services with oil collection tanks to accept used motor oil from DIYs. Additionally, many municipalities and counties, and retail businesses offer collection programs. Further, towns and counties educate "Do-It-Yourselfers" (DIYs) in proper recycling. But there is a need for both more outreach, more cooperation from small auto repair businesses, and additional collection sites, and it is important that the sites be designed to protect the environment and promote the success of the collection program.
**

Yeah, doing things yourself is more satisfying, if it's not overly time consuming. One hour, not too bad, considering you had to jack the car up. What kind of ramps are you using? I'm using ramps too (along with jack stands once the car is up) and they clear fine.

I do the Mobil1 at Walmart for $22 + Toyota filter for $5 so $27 (+tax) and I'm done. Buying conventional and generic would save about $8/change or so, so I'd rather spend the $8 extra for "quality"

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Same here, except I have switched from Mobil 1 to Castrol Edge after about 25 years of using Mobil 1 oil. I wouldn't touch a Mobil 1 filter (which is not manufacturered by Mobil at all) due to scary experiences I've had with them -- finding metal particles in new ones, even new ones sent to me directly from the manufacturer.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Even though I still use it, synthetic oil is overkill IMO, if you change it regularly. Most of the highest mileage vehicles I've ever known -- 350-400K miles -- happen to have used dino oil and run-of-the-mill filters. Not at all saying that synthetic engines won't last that long, just saying that there's nothing really wrong with dino in proper real-world use. I think Fram filters will probably do the job just like dino oil will do the job, but for about the same money you can get the Purolator One filter, which as repeatedly tested among the top in filter performers.

stock_sc

iTrader: (2)

i spend a little more than $50 on my oil change. that only because i get amsoil and wix filters for the car and pay a mech to change my oil.

AlexusAnja

I spend like $30 on parts, and about 20 min. time on oil change. If I can get someone to do it for $40, I'm in. The cheapest synthetic place I can find is for $90 and I'm not paying $60 to someone for 20 min. of time. I only make about $35/hour before tax, so my 20 min. ain't worth much.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

LOL That's the same reason I cut my own grass and a lot of other things -- I can't get comfortable with paying someone $40-$80/hour to do something I can do (and probably will do better since it's mine).

LS430inDE.

WOW. Impressive that you were able to find the LAW/Statute regarding service stations taking used oil!!! I know I've searched the (de) website looking for motor vehicle laws, or county zoning codes, etc..and it's soooo difficult to find exactly what you're looking for.

The ramps are big ol' steel? Bought from Pep Boys (do u have them in nj?)..and they're painted red...with quarter sized raised holes/indentations upwards to help the tire get a good grip when driving up them.

I bought them like 6 years ago and when doing my RL (that everyone from this site LOVES..lol) i STILL was rubbing the bottom of the front air dam area..and the way to solve it was to put a large wide piece of wood in front of the ramp..it was like a 1" x 8" x 12" block of wood that i could drive up onto first, and then drive onto the ramp.

When doing this, it would raise the car about 1"..just enough so when the front edge of the tire was 100% on the ramp, the bottom of the air dam was not hitting the ramps. I tried a LOT of tricks when attempting my 1st oil change on the LS---blocks of wood, etc..but nothing worked---not to mention the 245/45 tires looked like they would be hanging over the OUTSIDE EDGES of the ramps if i'd ever make it on them!!!!!

I have since given those ramps to my gf because now i use them to change the oil on her 06 Accord V6 EX-L that I highly suggested she buy.

campisi

You got that right. I'm 48 years old, make a damn good dollar, and have paid for someone else to do an oil change on my vehicles a grand total of ONE TIME in my entire life. I've never paid anyone to cut my grass. I paid the neighborhood kids to rake up my leaves last year just cuz I wanted to give them some money. Couldn't care less about not having to do it myself.
I give a pass to the retired guy who's just 'done' with it. I might get there one day but not for now. The rest of you young guys better wise up and quit tossing your hard-earned money around. I've got a paid off house in the Bay Area CA and another paid off in Texas - all on a salary. I don't throw away money. Period.

sojah

iTrader: (1)

funny that you mention this, and heres my take on it:

i just don't have the time. i leave the house at 6 am every morning (M-F) and don't get home till 5 pm, or if i sleep in 6.30-5.30pm. when i get home i have chores and homework (in school full time, again), and i try to get in about 30 minutes of exercise 2-3 weekdays. on weekends i wake up early do some homework for an hour or two, then eat, exercise and try to convince my wife that we should go do something. i would prolly have time on the weekends to do it but i feel like my weekend time is precious and therefore only do stuff that is enjoyable. i do a lot of my car sheez on the weekends and what not but yeah. bottom line is that i make good money but don't have any free time. i could get a closer easier job with more free time but then i wouldn't make as much money. m-f is pretty fast paced for me and it sort of sucks but i guess i'm addicted to having nice things. one day i hope to get paid more for doing less, hence the back to school stuff. and i'm 28 in case you were wondering.

i get what you saying about young cats not being diy-ers and all and i agree for the most part. often times i wish i could trade in a little free time but then the end of the month rolls around and yeah... if i was retired i think i would love to do all the things that i currently pay others to do for me.

its a catch 22. (great book)

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Your line of thinking for hiring this kind of work done when you can do yourself makes sense to me even though I've never done it more than a specific occasion or two where there was an especially compelling circumstance (to let someone mow my lawn -- I've never had anyone else change my oil in my entire life). I guess it comes down to the old economics 'law of marginal utility.' Your time is particularly scarce right now, so even though you could do it and save some significant $/hour money, at some point you might just have to break down and "pay" so you can in effect buy that spare time for yourself. But two things one should watch in those cases -- that he's not paying an unreasonable amount (and this is relative to an individual's earning level, IMO), and that he doesn't use it as an excuse too often, and end up dribbling too much money away out of what amounts to laziness (this latter would certainly be the "slippery slope" tendency that I'd have to watch out for).
Just my $.02.