Automotive Blog

Who changes their own oil anymore? Not me but thought it was a good
idea to teach my teenage daughter how to in case she wanted to save
some money by doing it herself. To help her out I wrote out
step-by-step instructions on how to go about it, you may find that
these simple to follow steps can help you as well. Below are the exact
list of steps she followed to actually change her car’s oil.

I created a list of tools and material she would need to gather
before starting. Check your owners manual for type of oil and amount
needed. All auto parts stores will assist you in finding the right oil
and filter.

I explained that it was a good idea to run the car’s engine for a
few minutes before she drained the oil because warm oil drains faster
than cold oil.

Always park the car on a level surface, engage the parking brake
and turn off the engine. It may be necessary to raise the front end in
order to get under. If so, use two stands, one on each side for a
sturdy foundation.

I told her to place the new oil under the hood so she would not
forget to add the new oil back into the engine. I’ve heard of people
forgetting.

Next to locate the oil drain plug on the underside of the engine. Check your owner’s manual for the exact location.

Place the oil drain pan under the plug and loosen the plug with a socket wrench and turn counterclockwise to remove drain plug.

Remove the plug by hand and be careful of the rush of hot oil. Wearing gloves is a good idea.

Let the oil drain into the pan.

It is a good idea to replace the drain plug gasket at least every other oil change.

Reinstall the plug by hand then tighten with a wrench or socket and
be careful to not over tighten the plug. This could cause a leak and/or
make it difficult to remove the plug later.

Locate the existing oil filter. Again, check your owner’s manual for exact location.

Place the oil pan underneath the filter to catch oil.

Use an adjustable oil filter wrench to unscrew the old oil filter.

Use a rag to wipe the area where the filter mounts to the engine.

Using your finger add some new oil to the rubber seal of the new filter.

Screw the new filter into place by hand. If you’re not strong enough use the adjustable filter wrench, don’t over tighten.

Once all of the old oil is out and you have installed the new filter and tightened the drain plug it’s time to add the new oil.

Locate the oil filler cap on top of the engine and remove it.

Place the funnel in the opening and pour in the new oil.

Replace the cap when you’re finished.

Run the engine for a minute, then check the dipstick. The owner’s
manual should show you a diagram of where the oil level should be. Add
more oil if necessary.

Check the area around the oil drain plug and the filter for oil leaks. Tighten the plug or oil filter if you find leak.

Use rags and/or newspapers to wipe away excess oil.

Pour the used oil into a plastic container after the used oil cools. I use old plastic milk containers.

Lastly, dispose the used oil at a recycling center, an auto repair
shop or county land fill. Never pour it down the sewer or directly on
the ground.

That’s it! She was able to change her car’s oil with little help
from me and she keeps these instructions in her glove compartment for
future oil changes. By doing this herself she was able to save $20.
Good luck.

Tags: automotive oil change, how to change oil in a car, oil changeautomotive oil change, how to change oil in a car, oil change

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If you aren’t a car salesman by vocation, the whole process of how to sell your own car can be intimidating, but if you follow a few simple guidelines, almost anyone can do it and do just fine. Selling your own car is a wise move as you can often save several thousand dollars over just trading it in instead, as most people do. But you have to be prepared to show what your vehicle is worth and know how to get the price you want. Here are some negotiating tips on how to sell your own car quickly and easily:

* Before you even put your first ad out there, get to know exactly what your current vehicle is worth. This is very important as many buyers are going to try to convince you that your car is worth less than it really is, and that’s because they want the best deal possible. But if you have done your homework you will know what a fair price is and you won’t have to waste time on insufficient offers. So go to kbb.com and nadaguides.com and find out what they say your car’s “Market Value” is, not the trade-in vale. Market value is what you can expect to sell the car for on the open market as a straight sale. It’s also a good idea to print out these pages that list the car’s market value so you can show them as proof to prospective buyers. This validates your asking price.

* Another great way to build value in your vehicle is to run a Carfax report on it to show the vehicle history and offer outside proof that the odometer has not been tampered with and that it is has not been in a major wreck in the past where it was junked. It’s a good idea to also have a copy of this report to provide to each person who test drives the car. This will help the buyer feel more confident in buying your car and all of this available research shows that you know your car very well.

* If someone just wants to steal your car at a value that is ridiculously low, let them walk. Tell them that you have plenty of other people coming to look at the vehicle and them ask them where they got the idea that your car was not worth what you are asking? Obviously you will have proof that your car is worth what you say it is, so it puts you in the position of authority in the situation. You don’t have to lose money just because someone tells you that your car isn’t worth what your research tells you it is.

* If you have kept maintenance records for the car, it’s a good thing to make them available to show that you have been caring for it while you owned it. If you don’t have the records themselves, go back and get the receipts from the work you have done instead. All of this shows that you have not just been ignoring the vehicle’s maintenance and that can certainly build more confidence and more value in the vehicle in the minds of many buyers.

If you want to sell your own car, it’s not as difficult as you may think. Especially if you have done some advance work beforehand, you can bargain from a position of strength and quickly and easily sell your car for a nice profit.

Tags: auto, auto sales, automotive, car, car sales, sell cars, truckauto, auto sales, automotive, car, car sales, sell cars, truck

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There are a lot of perks associated with car shopping online with eBay Motors, including the buyer being able to set the price. In addition, automobile insurance is more affordable on used cars and, with an auction, the buyer pays in full and there is no hassle of a monthly payment. If you do plan to shop for your next car on eBay Motors, take a moment to consider the following tips to help get you started on the road to car shopping success.

First and foremost, check with your car insurance company before deciding to purchase a specific car on eBay Motors or anywhere else. If the cost of car insurance is a major deciding factor, then you will want to be clear about the costs before you commit to purchasing. In addition, it may be helpful to know that SUVs carry a higher insurance cost than that of a car. With that being said, the cost of insurance will be less on a used car than if that same model were purchased new.

Request a CarFax report from the seller and, if they do not have one, request the VIN number so that you may obtain a copy directly. This report is something that every potential car owner needs to have. Why? Because it contains the number of previous owners that a particular car has had, information regarding whether or not the car has ever been involved in a flood or other accident and whether or not the title is clear. There is also more information detailing a car’s history included, which is why no automobile should ever be purchased without a CarFax report.

Before deciding that your car of choice is the deal of a lifetime, take a moment to research it’s value according to Kelly Blue Book. This company is one of the most respected in the industry and instantly provides new or used car values directly from their website. After entering specific information relating to a car, individuals will receive an instant value assessment according to the information provided. This tool will help all potential car owners to find out whether or not a deal is too good to be true or just not too good at all.

Take a moment to consider the car’s fuel mileage. With gasoline prices what they are, it is important to think about how many miles you will get from one gallon of gasoline. The more mileage you have per gallon, the less you will end up spending in gasoline. This is definitely something to think about!

When shopping for cars on eBay Motors, take special notice of the mileage. This is a good indication of how much life the car has left in it or whether you are buying a car that has seen it’s best days. A great number of cars on eBay Motors have very low mileage, but others are well over 100,000.

As a final thought to shopping for cars on eBay Motors, take a moment to make sure that the car you ultimately select is one that will best fit your lifestyle. If you have a large family, for instance, a compact car probably isn’t the best choice. You will need additional space to make sure that everyone is comfortable and to make it ideal for long road trips. At the same time, a single person may be more than happy in a smaller car because of the simple fact that they use much less gasoline than an SUV or similar automobile. When shopping for cars, either new or used, it’s all about lifestyle and which one best fits yours.

Tags: auto, automotive, blue book, buying, car, carfax, cars, shopping, tip, tips, used, valueauto, automotive, blue book, buying, car, carfax, cars, shopping, tip, tips, used, value

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