Acura RSX, ILX and Honda EP3 Forum banner

oil change without jack and jack stand?

15K views 81 replies 48 participants last post by  *El Ocho Uno* 
#1 ·
anyone tried doing an oil change without a jack and jack stand? i am thinking about just driving up some 2x4 or concrete blocks because for the cost of buying a jack etc. i would rather take it to the shop
 
#2 · (Edited)
There are those ramp things that replace the floor jack and jack stands. They're much cheaper, but I hate using them and don't think they are terribly safe. Think of the floor jack and jack stands as an investment. It will last ages and you can start modding your car. Last week the local NAPA store had a nice floor jack with jack stands as a set for $200.
 
#81 ·
pathetic.

oh and another note, it's more worth it to pay for a 200$ jack to make sure all the installs on your car are properly done. i've heard of so many horror stories ranging from a dealership to a pepboys doing shitty work. hell the only thing i will allow anyone else besides me to do is an alignment, since i dont have the machine to do it.

but if sears did have it, i'd hella go viet styles and "rent" and return.
what happens when you do it wrong, who's gonna pay to fix it? :dontknow:
 
#4 ·
oh and another note, it's more worth it to pay for a 200$ jack to make sure all the installs on your car are properly done. i've heard of so many horror stories ranging from a dealership to a pepboys doing shitty work. hell the only thing i will allow anyone else besides me to do is an alignment, since i dont have the machine to do it.

but if sears did have it, i'd hella go viet styles and "rent" and return.
 
#5 ·
if you're buying the jack and jack stands just to change the oil on this one car this one time, then i can see how it wouldn't be worth it...

but it's a good thing to have for a lot of other reasons
 
#7 ·
take the oil and filter etc to the dealership and ask them to do it..they do it free anways..well from where i got my car from..dont know about u anyways cant you use a sissor jack to lift the front? thats dangerous though lol..goodluck..
 
#10 ·
doesnt that fuck with your car if your lowered? oh and sears had a set of 2 jack stands plus a 3ton jack for like 10 bucks it was a sale
 
#11 ·
I drive my front tires up onto some 3/4 thick slate slabs (2.5 ft long) and thats all the height I need to do an oil change.

I take the filter out through the top though.
 
#18 ·
It's cool, bro. He's from Canada.
 
#17 ·
sure u can try to use 'roll on ramps', as long as you have good ones and you keep the car serured you should be ok...I have some in my garage but It'll mess up my bumper
 
#20 · (Edited)
Just use ur factory jack, lift the car, loosen the drain bolt, and remove the jack and let it sit flat for awhile to drain all the fluid out.
 
#22 ·
I wouldn't get under the car if it was only lifted by the factory jack. I don't even think I'd want to reach my hand under there as simply cracking the drain plug loose could result in the car moving enough to fall off the jack.
 
#24 ·
What is the problem with some of you? I ask a simple question and all I'm getting is rubbish

1. I ain't putting my life in the hands of a scissors jack
2. I do not mod so buying a jack and stands is not worth it
3. The last time I checked, they costed $200+, thanks for telling me they are actually not that expensive anymore so I will definitely take a look
4. I used to change the oil in the family's camry without needing to lift it so I was just curious to see if there is an alternative for the rsx

Thanks to those who actually gave me legitimate answers. Not everyone here is a mod monkey. Seriously.
 
#25 · (Edited)
If you really are too cheap to buy a jack and stands, just drive the car onto your lawn and dig a hole in the middle so you can get under it.

Just buy a jack at autozone or something, they are cheap and its not like you won't be using it again. Sears has a 2 ton floor jack for 16 dollars on sale

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950181000P?vName=Automotive&keyword=jack

Decent jacks are like 60 bucks. I dunno what kinda jacks you are looking at that are 200+ dollars, is it one of those aluminum 1 pump racing jacks that uses vtec fluid in the hydraulic system or something
 
#47 ·
#27 ·
Holy crap, unless your tire jack is rusted to shit, you're not putting your life in danger. We're not talking about pulling the motor here. A few simple precautions: park on a level surface, leave the car in gear, pull the parking brake, put the jack in the correct location behind the passenger wheel well. Once the car is jacked up, give it a good shove from the side, if it doesn't fall off them, it won't fall off from loosening the oil drain plug. If you're really paranoid, put a few bricks or wood blocks beside the jack so if shit happens, the car only falls an inch or so.
 
#29 ·
He doesnt need jack stands for an oil change. Just a simple plain normal jack. Plus all the jacks that are sold from sears,etc. are garbage. They will gradually start to lower itself. Get a snapon hydraulic jack if you want a good product...
 
#34 ·
IDK man, I wouldn't get under a car without having jack stands :ugh:

If you look in the FL forums one of our friends died when a car fell on him.






And I hear the snap on jacks are made by the same Chinese co. that make the Sears jacks, the are just labeled diff.
 
#33 ·
:laughing:. hey, whatever works


i'm kinda cheap too....i just use a friends jack everytime. i need to eventually just put some cash down and get a nice one myself. i don't think he likes me using his garage for anything that requires the car to be lifted (pads, oil change, tranny fluid change,...)
 
#35 ·
I do alot of work on my car & my wifes car, so I needed a good jack & jack stands.

My biggest pain in the ass had always been jacking the car up with a shitty jack that didnt fit under my car & didnt lift it high enough
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top