How Long Does It Take to Change Oil in a Car? (DIY vs. Pro Service)

Changing your oil is actually really important and you don’t want to go too long without doing it. Many people sort of forget about changing their oil and their car winds up suffering because of it. You can avoid these problems by keeping the last date that you had an oil change right on your car windshield. In fact, when you go to professionals to get this done, they’ll give you a sticker that will tell you the next time you need to get your oil changed.

Whether you change your oil yourself or if you go to your local oil change business to get things taken care of, it’s important to get things done right. Some new drivers might be wondering how long this process takes. No one likes being without their car for too long and it wouldn’t be convenient if you had to wait for hours when you’re a busy individual. Today I am going to be answering that question for you to give you a better idea of what to expect.

I’m going to be examining things from both oil change perspectives. I’ll show you how long it takes to change your oil when you’re doing it yourself and then I’ll give you an estimate of how long it takes professionals to do it. This should give you a better idea of which route you want to take. You’ll find that both options are very viable and that the amount of time that it takes isn’t too much of a big deal.

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How Long Does It Take to Change Oil Yourself?

Changing your oil yourself is going to be one of the best ideas when you want to save yourself some money. Once you know what you’re doing, it’s actually possible to change your oil in as little as 30 minutes. This can really depend on several different factors, though. There are going to be times where it’ll take a lot longer to change your own oil.

Most people estimate that an oil change job should take between 30 to 45 minutes. This will depend on whether you have access to certain tools or if you know what you’re doing. If you have never changed your oil before, then the process is likely going to take a lot longer than usual. You can expect to get faster and faster at changing the oil as you gain practice.

There are some things that you can do to make the process go smoother, too. Below I’m going to examine some other factors to consider when you’re going the DIY route for your oil change. It should help you to feel more prepared and you’ll be able to time things out a little better. This is all useful information that you’ll want to take note of.

Things to Consider When Changing Your Own Oil

When you’re changing your own oil, you’re going to want to have a convenient spot to change the oil in. Not everyone has access to a garage area, so this may or may not be tough depending on the space that you’re working with. You also need to consider what you’re going to have to purchase ahead of time. To do things right, you’re going to want to buy an oil filter, fresh oil, a car jack, and possibly an oil funnel.

Also, if it’s currently cold outside, you’re going to need to warm the oil up before you can proceed. Cold oil won’t drain properly and it’ll be an arduous process. Simply turn your car on for a bit to warm things up and the oil will drain much smoother. Knowing this can save you from wasting time for no reason.

Likewise, you don’t want your car to be too hot when you’re changing your oil. If the oil is really hot, then you’ll want to let things cool down before draining it out. This is going to be a lot safer and you’ll have an easier time overall.

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Practice Will Make You Faster

Practice is definitely going to make you faster at changing your oil. Once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll be able to get far closer to that 30-minute mark. When you start out, it might take you close to an hour if you’re very unfamiliar with the necessary tools and where everything is located. Don’t worry about feeling a bit confused the first time, since everyone has to start somewhere.

You should also keep your car’s user manual handy. The information contained in there might be helpful if you’re having trouble locating something. Every model of car is a bit different, so it’s a good idea to do some research if you’re left scratching your head about something. Once you learn what you need to know, you’ll be much better prepared for the next time.

How Long Will Professionals Take to Change Oil?

Generally speaking, professionals are going to change your oil a lot faster than you’ll be able to yourself. This will depend on certain circumstances, but it’s pretty much always going to be faster than taking care of an oil change at home. The reason for this is that these people do oil changes all the time and they have access to the best equipment. It winds up being a very streamlined process that goes as easily as it possibly can.

If you go to a typical oil change business, then you should expect things to take around 15 or 20 minutes to finish up. There are situations where you might get done even faster than this, though. Some people have been able to get their oil changed by professionals in 10 minutes fairly regularly. When this is the case, it’s great, as it really does save you a lot of time.

Sometimes, things won’t go this fast due to the business being very busy. Depending on how popular your oil change business is, you might wind up having to wait in line for an oil change. Some places also perform automobile repairs and those jobs might be higher on the priority list than a simple oil change. Regardless, you shouldn’t expect an oil change to take too long.

Consider Going During Off-Peak Hours

One way that you can cut down on the waiting time at your local oil change business is to go during off-peak hours. This will allow you to get things done a lot faster than usual. If you’re the only person there to be served, then things are going to get wrapped up very fast. This is why you should put some thought into it when you’re going to the shop.

The busiest times for these oil change businesses are going to be during the weekends, lunchtime, and late afternoons. You can enjoy a better experience when you decide to go early in the morning. It might even be a good idea to arrive as soon as the place opens up so that you can get it out of the way. You can avoid having to wait in line and your car will be properly taken care of.

Remember That You Can Schedule an Appointment

It’s also important to remember to schedule an appointment when you can. Most oil change businesses will allow you to drive up and get things taken care of in a timely fashion. You can also save some time by simply scheduling an appointment so that they will be ready for you. This allows you to know that you’ll get things done on time.

Combining this idea with going early in the morning is smart. You can get an appointment during off-peak hours to really get things settled quickly. The oil change professionals will be waiting for your arrival and you’ll be back on the road before you know it. It’s worth it to take the time to do this just to save yourself a few extra minutes.

Many of the most reputable and popular oil change businesses allow you to schedule appointments online, too. This means that you’ll have the option to schedule online or you can simply make a phone call. Do whichever option is going to be the most convenient for you. It shouldn’t take long to get things set up at all.

Have Your Oil Changed on Time

Now that you’ve learned about what it takes to get your oil changed and how long it takes, you should be able to pick out which method is going to work best for your situation. Some people are really going to find changing their own oil to be quite convenient. Others will prefer having professionals take care of their oil changes due to it being a bit faster.

A professional oil change business should be able to take care of your needs in around 15 to 20 minutes. Changing your oil yourself will take between 30 and 45 minutes on average. No matter which route you decide to take, just remember that changing your oil is truly important. Your car needs oil to operate properly and it needs to be changed out regularly.

Take care of your oil today if your car is in need. It won’t take you too long to get things settled and you’ll be happy that you did. Whether you’re a DIY type of person or if you want to turn to the professionals, you need to get this done on time.

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By Car Roar