Oil change procrastination and losing 11.66 dayshealth and lifestyle, customer adventures — by TDavid @ 11:59 am PST
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Argh, oil changes.
Don’t change my own oil, never have and probably never will. I’m not a mechanically-oriented guy. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty doing physical work, but I don’t like grease and grime under my fingernails. I understand that oil changes are necessary car maintenance but it’s one of those things in life I’d rather pay somebody else to do. In fact, I’ll describe my dream oil changing scenario.
Our vehicle contacts the oil changing company of my choice when it’s time for an oil change. The person contacts me using my preferred method of communication to setup an appointment to come and get my car from our work or home. They change the oil, charge my credit or debit card, clean the inside of the car, wash and wax the exterior and return the car to my office or home location.
I’d pay a minimum of $100 USD for this service every 3,000 miles or three months. Does such a service exist?
Instead the process I usually face is going to one of these drive-thru oil change places or visiting the local mechanic. The waiting rooms for these places are never clean and don’t have WiFi, so it’s BYOI (Bring Your Own Internet). The process doesn’t take that long, but it’s the whole process of getting in the car, driving to the shop, waiting the few minutes for the oil change (and it doesn’t take long), paying, then leaving. The process is an hour easy and if you do that four times a year on average that looks something like this:
Age 16 - 86 = 70 years
70 years x 4 hours per year = 280 hours
280 hours / 24 hours per day = 11.66 days
11.66 days over the course of my life gone for oil changes, assuming I spend 4 hours a year on oil changes and live to age 86. It’s much worse if you go to most dealers to get your oil changes done. If you change your own oil and love doing it, then this really isn’t “lost” time. Nor if you schedule lunch around getting your oil changed, I suppose. Do you like changing your own oil?
Perhaps my dream oil change system will be realized in the next 5-10 years. In the meantime, I don’t want to waste sands in the hourglass of life in some unkempt waiting area for some greasy-handed dude/dudette to come tell me my car is done and break out the plastic.
Ok, I’m out of here to go burn an hour. Maybe when I return some smart reader will have pointed me to something close to my dream oil change system.
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A lot of newer cars only need changing between 5000 or 7500 miles, especially if you are using a synthetic oil. Perhaps factor this in next time you choose a car. I change mine about 3 times a year (21500 miles/yr).
Secondly, and more importantly, that’s a lot of money. $400 a year for oil changes? I do it myself 3 times a year (21500 miles) for about $60 in oil and about 30 min each time. I wouldn’t say I like it, but it does make the beer you just ‘earned’ taste that much better. Or perhaps, maybe I would just rather do it myself then take the time to drive there, go into the waiting room and then trust someone else with my car.
Comment by Rob — February 22, 2007 @ 12:47 pm PST
Back now, $75 poorer. Needed a few other things done today besides the oil changed.
Rob, keep in mind that the $400 figure was for my dream scenario where basically I don’t even have to think about the process, it just happens. In the 11.66 days I’m losing over my life to oil changes, I’ll make more than the extra money I’d spend on this dream scenario.
We drive our vehicles combined mileage about 20,000 miles a year, so we are changing the oil about every 5,000 miles. I realize Consumer Reports says once every 7,500 but that is for optimal road conditions and not a lot of start and stop driving. Well we do a lot of stop and start driving.
Also, our primary vehicle (2005 Saturn Relay) does use synthetic oil. Our cost for oil change maintenance runs around $200-250 a year currently and that’s without me having to do the change myself.
We’re planning on buying a smaller car either this year or next.
Comment by TDavid — February 22, 2007 @ 2:36 pm PST
I average 30,000 miles of driving a year (mostly road miles, of course), and change oil every 5,000-7,000 miles. My time is worth more than the total hour or so an oil change takes, so I read a book or a magazine while I wait, and don’t count it as lost time.
Comment by Vince Williams — February 22, 2007 @ 3:31 pm PST
There are some places that you can get an OLF done while you go do something else. WalMart has been one, though I’ve heard rumors that they may be discontinuing it. Some of the more-or-less drive-through operations are often near restaurants or hair salons or other places one might choose to get something done. I often get the oil done while I get a hair cut, or eat lunch, or do some shopping - all of which I tend to consider time-wasters, so if I get to do 2 at once, I’ve wasted less (kind of like a penny/minute saved is a penny/minute earned, if you will. Also, when really pressed, I have been known to change the oil and filter myself (5:00 a.m. prior to a last-minute road trip).
Comment by TSullivan — March 2, 2007 @ 4:21 pm PST
If you don’t want to get your hands greasy, why not out on a pair of latex gloves? Or maybe you really just DON’T KNOW HOW TO CHANGE YOUR OIL? Is that it? After reading your complaint about dirty waiting rooms that don’t even have wi-fi (GASP!) I’ve concluded you’re the type of guy who works some shitty job for the state, gets nothing done and is always expecting more to be given to you. That leads me to believe you really aren’t THAT concerned with money. Do you buy a new vehicle every two-years? Do you do a trade-in, thinking you’re getting a “deal” and everyone is benefitting? Fuck it, if that’s you, dont even bother changing your oil. RUN THAT FUCKER INTO THE GROUND! It doesn’t really matter anyhow! If you made any effort to save money, maybe you’d have told the people at the Quik-Lube not to vaccuum your seats, wash your windows, check your tires, lube your frame, replace your air filter, ect. All those little things they do, which you should just do yourself to save time and money. If you do all of those, I doubt you’ll be paying over $30 for the oil change PLUS you’ll only have to endure the plight of a filthy waiting room serving luke-warm espresso for several minutes.
But I suppose, my manicured friend, more than ANYTHING, if you had ANY regard for saving time, you wouldn’t be spending your time working out stupid formulas and ranting about them in blogs. It’s the stress of worrying that will make your time hear short. So please sir, tear your head from your ass and learn to do a few things yourself before whining. It’s that DIY ethic that makes life fun.
Comment by Chris Robin — April 24, 2007 @ 4:32 pm PST
Chris Robin - bad hair day or trying to be just another keyboard warrior? I don’t know what’s with the rage in your comments. Perhaps take the caffeine or other substances down a few notches, do some READING and you’ll figure out that:
1) I don’t have nor never have done manicures, nor do I care for latex.
The point is I don’t want to change my own oil. You seem to be confusing desire with ability.
2) If I’m going to change the oil (extremely doubtful) I’m going gloveless. Do I know how to change the oil? Never tried before as said in the second sentence above but it is not a matter of not knowing how to do something when somebody has the library of the world at their fingertips, is it? I didn’t know how to program over 20+ years ago, but I’ve figured that out enough to make a business out of it
3) Have never worked at any “shitty job for the state.” Frankly, I found that unnecessary diatribe demeaning to people who do work for the state. I think any honest hard working job including one where people get paid to change oil or work for the state are not “shitty jobs.” Maybe you used to work for the state and are bitter about the profession?
4) The title of this blog should give you a clue as to what I do here and you know what, I make a profit doing something I enjoy. If making a profit is a bad use of my time I’m guilty as charged! Too bad you didn’t seem to enjoy this post, but there’s either thousands more or the door, use the option that makes you feel better. Lots of options out there.
5) “It’s the stress of worrying that will make your time hear short.” It’s actually “here” but then again, I spent a little more time in English class hearing what the teacher had to say than shop class (obvious by this post, I think). It appears because you can’t seem to make your point without insults and inflammatory remarks that you must have done the latter.
Here’s to hoping you have a good hair day heretofore and your next commenting effort, if there should ever be one, will be a little less angry
Comment by TDavid — April 24, 2007 @ 5:41 pm PST
T David:
Chris is right, even though he comes on strong. Nothing wrong putting an hour out to read a book or magazine if you equate using your hands with menial jobs. Car dealers are very clean, they charge you for that, and will let you walk in with your own Second Cup Java mug if you don’t go for the percolated Maxwell House. Most have the business papers for you to read while waiting
Can you calculate how many days of your life you (and I) are wasting in this blog? Or watching blah videos and FoxTV? Far, far more that 11 days in a lifetime!
Lose the Captcha, Dave. Or you are getting days off your life wasted erasing the spam?
Comment by A Brinck — November 9, 2007 @ 4:16 am PST
A Brinck - Firstly, thank you for taking time to leave a comment. I respect anybody who takes time to leave legitimate, heartfelt thoughts, even if I disagree with them.
With that said, I think comment #6 details that this blog is making money and that I love to write, so is this a waste of time? Heck no! I don’t drink coffee, which you’d also know that if you read more than a few posts at this blog (yes, I saw your other comment and will address that next).
If you or Chris love to change your oil, more power to you — that’s not a waste of your time. Who do you think you are trying to tell me what is a waste of my time? I get to decide that, not you. And vice versa. I didn’t use the word “menial” in my post or talk down to those who do this kind of work, and resent that flawed assumption. If you think I did, read it again aloud. Read it a hundred times aloud. You’re seeing something that’s not there. I respect any type of work in society that’s a legal, ethical profession.
As for the CAPTCHA, that is also helping a good cause, not only capturing spam, so lighten up. Before I started using the CAPTCHA this blog received well over 1,000 comment spams a day. Is that a waste of time and resources? You bet.
Comment by TDavid — November 9, 2007 @ 8:20 am PST
I also appreciate a clear logical non insulting rebuttal and you made a good one.
As for the captcha, I suggested to lose it because the bloggers I visit regularly do not have that problem. I you have been targeted by spammers it becomes almost essential.
As for changing the oil, I only do it myself in summer a Montreal winters are not outdoor-mechanic-friendly.
Regards.
Comment by A Brinck — November 14, 2007 @ 4:07 am PST
A. Brinck - the CAPTCHA requirement will go away for you after making at least five comments aggregate, so if it is a hassle for you here, it will only last through a couple more comments and then, assuming the code is working and you allow the site cookies, you shouldn’t even see the CAPTCHA any more. Please let me know in the post I linked in comment #8 if that doesn’t work for you, as that post is specifically related to the CAPTCHA and this one is for oil change discussion
Ultimately the CAPTCHA might go away, it’s still experimental, so again your feedback is appreciated. Commenting activity hasn’t decreased since implementing it which seems to work against the common belief that adding CAPTCHA decreases comment activity in every case.
Comment by TDavid — November 14, 2007 @ 4:23 am PST
[…] line findings: although I replied to reader A. Brinck this morning that comment activity hadn’t decreased and even Twittered about it, I was basing this off a […]
Pingback by Does adding CAPTCHA reduce the number of comments? » Make You Go Hmm — November 14, 2007 @ 6:54 am PST
Oops, my apologies for the error, after more detailed research I stand corrected A.Brinck, the CAPTCHA has reduced comments by ~10%, see this detailed post this morning:
http://www.makeyougohmm.com/20071114/4942/
Comment by TDavid — November 14, 2007 @ 6:55 am PST