I received a gift card to use with my oil change checklist while changing my oil. All thoughts and words are my own.
A few weeks ago I shared with you a little bit about my history with car maintenance and getting my oil changed. It wasn’t anything I had really done on my own; it was always something my Dad had done until my husband took over. I’m a pro about making a phone call to schedule the appointment, but actually going to the service station? Yeah, not so much.
Part of that was just because it’s been easier to let someone else deal with it, but part of it is because a lot of people in the car industry will look at a woman walking in and go “Oh, hey. She doesn’t know anything at all, let’s make some money.” The summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college I was car shopping, and I actually had a car dealership completely ignore me. Even after I stood next to the vehicle that I truly wanted to buy – they looked at me through the glass and never stepped foot outside. That is, until my father showed up to sign papers with me, which is when I asked him to meet me at the next dealership, because they no longer were getting my money.
With the Oil Change Checklist that MotorOilMatters.org made available, however, I decided that it was a good idea to go and try it once myself. I certainly felt more like an informed consumer when answering the service technicians questions. Having read my checklist prior to going, I knew to read my owner’s manual to find out what the right viscosity (5W-30) was for my car, and then to ask to see the oil prior to them adding it to ensure it matched. That information should also be on your receipt (mine was).
Chosing a service station can be a tough choice: dealership, quick lube, all-in-one service station? MotorOilMatters.org has tried to make it easy for you to find a good place to go by sharing a list of MOM-certified oil change locations. We don’t have any in our area just yet, but I’ll certainly check again before our next oil change.
Have you used the MOM Oil Change Checklist for your oil change yet?
About Liza
Liza is a mom (5-year-old daughter, 20-year-old stepson, and 24-year-old stepdaughter) and wife living in Louisville. She loves spending time with her family, visiting the local zoo and parks, as well as planning travel adventures. Cooking and baking, DIY projects and crafts, and coffee - lots and lots of coffee - round out some of her other hobbies.