Changing your own oil doesn't have to be hard or complicated. In the 5 minute video below, we walk through the 10 simple steps to get started performing your own oil service.

This 5 minute video walks you through performing an oil change on a 2015 Volkswagon TDI and a 2017 Honda Civic.

Changing your own oil can be intimidating, especially if you don't have anyone to show you the ropes. But performing your own oil service comes with some key benefits: You have full control over your vehicle maintinence (no one but you can overtighten your filter or strip your drain plug) and you can usually save a bit of money. Not only that, but it also allows you to check out the underside of your vehicle for any other issues that need addressing.

• Car jack, ramps or lift (may not need these depending on clearance)
• Latex gloves (trust us, you want these)
• Box end wrench/socket and ratchet to remove the drain plug
• Oil filter wrench (hey, we have these!)
• Hex driver or allen wrench (optional - for removing skid plate)
• Oil drain pan (yep, we have those too)
• Funnel (Oooh, look at this fancy one!)
• Oil (check your owners manual to find out what kind is reccomended for your vehicle)
• Oil filter (check owners manual)

In the video, we went to a local self-serve garage and rented a bay with a car lift. Depending on your location this can be fairly pricy or pretty affordable. The price varies widely, but even if you don't need a lift and just want to use your jack or ramps, you can usually rent a standard bay wihtout a lift for pretty cheap. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with your driveway or a garage bay.

Unless you're in the minority of car owners who doesn't have a skid plate underneath their engine, you'll have to remove the plate to access your drain pan and sometimes your oil filter as well. You'll typically need a hex driver or allen wrench set to get these off.

Each vehicle is going to be different, so the first time you change your own oil, you want to familiarize yourself with where everything is at. Find the drain plug and make sure you have the right socket or wrench to remove it. Also locate the oil filter. Determine what oil filter wrench you will need and whether or not you need an extender for your ratchet in order to reach the filter.

Oil filters can be EXTREMELY hard to remove sometimes. Make sure your wrench is seated properly and you have a good amount of leverage. Apply steady and smooth pressure. Make sure your oil drain pan is underneath the filter before removing it, as oil will come out once it gets loose.

Note: A lot of people remove their oil drain plug first (step 6). This is personal preference and the order doesn't really matter.

See All Motivx Oil Filter Wrenches

A couple of tips here. First, you'll want to clean off the housing where the oil filter connects to the engine. Make sure it is nice and clean. Also replace the oil filter gasket and then put a little bead of oil on the new filter gasket before installing. This can help keep the filter from seizing up and being so hard to remove next time you change your oil. Also, when tightening the oil filter on to the housing, don't overtighten it! 3/4 of a turn past hand tight is plenty.

Note: If you're really fancy and have a torque wrench, you can look on the side of the filter and see what the reccomended torque specs are. Usually they are around 18 ft lbs or 25 newton metres.

Make sure the oil drain pan is below the plug. The oil will come out pretty fast once you remove the plug, so make sure the drain pan is far enough away that you will catch the stream of oil when it first comes out. You might also want to remove the oil cap (on top of the engine) or dipstick. this helps air escape from the drain pan and keeps oil flowing smoothly out of the pan while draining.

You would be surprised how many people forget this step...

This is a good time to look over the bottom of your car one last time before lowering it. Check brake lines, tire pressure, etc... Also it's a good idea to wipe up any oil splashes and double check that everything is back as it was originally.

Now is the time to add your new oil. Check out our advanced engine oil funnel - this makes a potentially messy and slow job simple, fast and clean.

See All Motivx Oil Filter Advanced Funnels

Double check that you reinstalled the drain plug! Add the reccomended amount of oil into the engine, taking care to check the dipstick as you get closer. After you get it to the perfect amount, replace the oil cap and then turn on the engine for a minute or two. this allows the new oil to circulate. Then, shut it off and check the dipstick again. You may need to add a little bit more oil.

Changing your own oil for the first time is always a little bit challenging. But once you've gone through it once, the next time will be much faster. Hopefully this oil change guide helped you have the confidence to change your own oil. Happy driving!

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