Originally Posted by Canibalistik
I'd do it yourself for the sake of knowing it is done properly with the correct amount of oil! I've been a professional tech for the last 12 years, and I can tell you horror stories of what I'd like to call, "High Velocity Engine Flushes," lol.
On the other hand, if you're just wondering if it will save you money if you do it yourself. No, in most cases, the oil you'd buy at a store will be more expensive than just having it all done at once...plus most every shop in business will take competitors' coupons. Why not you know? If they don't let you, you'll use it elsewhere! Anyways, I used to change my own at the house, but ended up constantly buying Royal Purple or Castrol GTX Full Syn, and it was actually more expensive.
I'd also recommend to anyone reading this thread, to avoid factory set oil change schedules. Those were set based on daily driving under normal easy conditions, NOT extreme conditions. Most of us enthusiasts are known to drive a little hard from time to time; or even racing. If you're driving hard, you risk the oil breaking down faster, so I'd suggest changing it every 3-5...even with full synthetic.
Baby the engine for the first 500 miles, then change the oil to get the break-in oil out. At this point decide whether you're going to go full synthetic, blend, or conventional oil, and stick to the same type of oil for the rest of the life of the car. It's not a real good idea to swap to synthetic two years down the road, as seals have come accustomed to the oil they've been using. Convention oil is thicker when its cold, where full synthetic doesn't change consistency, and on colder mornings, you could develop a leak or saturation on a seal, where the conventional oil wouldn't of leaked - thins as it heats, while seals expand with heat. Anyways after the initial change at 500, I'd change every 3,000-5,000 depending on how you drive your car. Also, the best bet to save money...is to check your oil regularly, if it's low-ish...change it, if it's dark/burnt...change it, if its clear and smooth, you're probably okay to keep going on it.
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