Oil Changes & Radiator Flushes

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Nothing makes you feel more like a man than working under the hood of your car, but sometimes it makes more sense to take it to the garage.

Oil Change

It seems like only yesterday that you had an oil change, and now it's already time to do it again. The oil change is a simple procedure. It's probably the most frequent thing you will do to keep your car running. Thankfully, it's also the cheapest thing you'll ever pay a mechanic for. Doing it yourself is a messy job, and you can get a mechanic to do it for next to nothing.

Verdict: Pay a Mechanic!

Do It Yourself:
Easy, but messy. Cheap, but tedious. Get an oil bucket, five quarts of oil, and an oil filter at your auto parts store. Oil has two numbers on it, like 10W-30 or 20W-50. This is known as the oil's weight. Generally, the older the car, the higher weight you want, but check your car's manual for specifics.

Step 1: Open the oil cap under the hood. Crawl under the car and, with the oil bucket underneath, unscrew the bolt (usually around 9/16") at the bottom of your oil pan (near the car's front center). Let the oil drain completely, then tighten the bolt back up.

Step 2: Unscrew the old oil filter, dab some oil around the seal of your new filter, and screw the new one on hand-tight, just right.

Step 3: Pour in 4 quarts of oil, and check the level. You may need a bit more to make it read full.

That's pretty much it. Oh, and you need to get rid of the used oil too. Gone are the days when it was cool to dump it in your neighbor's yard, take it to the beach and set it on fire, or pour it on a fast curve of highway. Most of the big auto parts stores, and some gas stations, will let you dump your used oil into their recycling barrel. Ask around.

Pay a Mechanic:
Unless you're completely broke, or you really love working on cars, this is the way to go. Shops charge the listed price, plus some fees for disposing the oil.

Tip: Synthetic oil, it is said, will drastically increase the life of your car. It's about twice as expensive, but you have to change it about half as often. Buy it by the case, along with a filter. Many smaller lube shops will charge only $10 for labor if you bring your own oil and filter.

Tip: Some shops have "patented" and expensive extras for oil changes, with names like VacuFlush and CleanTech. This is the extended warranty of the auto world. You're not a sucker, are you? I didn't think so. Don't bother.

Radiator Flush

The radiator flush is another simple procedure that keeps your car cooling properly, and keeps your radiator (or cooling system) from getting clogged with gunk, residue, t...

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