Conventional oil hard to find?

Yes. In most cases, the VI is breaking down faster than the base oil.

However, if you're driving an old car with a lot of blowby, you may find that contamination of the oil becomes a problem before breakdown does. On the other hand, if you're driving a new car in widely varying temperatures you may find VI breakdown becomes an issue long before contamination.

Yes, this is true. Also we have many cars which use an algorithm to estimate the state of the oil given the time and driving conditions, and which can more precisely estimate proper oil change intervals.

Bingo.

--scott

It's really hard for me to understand why this is such a long thread that includes so many erudite discussions of motor oil chemistry and operation.

Of course you change your filter every time you change your oil!

Here's why: You're already underneath the vehicle. The drain pan is in already place. You already have oily hands and a greasy smear on your face. You've already skinned your right hand knuckles and yelled Damn it! Walmart sells a standard Fram oil filter for $3.88 while Fram's "Ultra Synthetic 20,000 Mile Change Interval" filter goes for $8.57.

I haven't run the filter/car cost ratio/percentage yet...but I paid $44,762 for my ride...

You forgot "You already broke the cheap Harbor Freight open-end wrench on the drain plug and had to go find another one in your tool box. While looking for the other wrench you find the 10mm socket you lost a few months ago. While contemplating this miracle you forget you were looking for the other wrench..."

When I bought the Corolla I decided I was never going to fix another car thing. At some point "I'm getting too old for this s*it" becomes the driving force.

BTW, while walking I found both a regular and a deep 10mm 3/8 socket. Different walks, different locations. This is really disturbing.

I'm quick for look for a way to save a buck- but not on tools; top-drawer stuff all the way.

Of course, if I can find it on sale, I'm on it!

Go out right now and get a set of Wright wrenches. It will save you a lifetime of torn-up knuckles.

You might not be too old, it might be your tools.

--scott

You have not changed the filter on some of the newer cars. Toyota has gone to an old timey cartrage type filter instead of the screw on ones. You often have to remove much of the shielding or whatever you call that stuff under the engine that helps with the wind resistance.

As I have gotten lazy in the last few years and don't drive much, I just take my car and truck to the dealer once a year and let them service it and inspect it. Doubt they change the filter, but who knows ?

I have good tools by Craftman and SK, also some HF junk tools. I am another that decided I am too old to fool with most thing on a car.

Speaking of HF, I saved a club members night. His fan belt had jumped off and he needed a 3/8 inch ratchet or pull bar. Out of about 20 men there I was the only one that had the tool. It was in a $ 29.95 (with coupon) HF tool kit I keep in my truck for just emergencies. The tool seemed ok after use, but it may never work again.

You're right, it's been a while since I've been underneath a Toyota. Didn't know about the change to hidden cartridge filters.

The oil filter in my wife's Subaru Forester is located on the top side of the engine opposite the battery with its threaded end facing down. You can remove the filter wearing white gloves and stay clean. The mess that drips down into the engine and onto the garage floor is another story however.

There are a lot of vehicles with cartridge filters. That started over 20 years ago. Some are easy, some are a pain. Then you have some cars that no longer have drain plugs and use spin on filters. Just keeping track can be fun. I do like some of them though, top mounted oil filter and easy access dipstick that you can pull all the oil out of. Nothing like not even getting dirt on your hands to do an oil change.

I was thinking that a few weekends ago when I swapped the studs for street tires. Then I realized I'd just covered my next gym day and could skip it.

1. 40 yard farmer's walk with 2 tires -- 4 reps
2. Breaker bar curls -- 40 reps
3. Squats -- 8 reps
4. Pushups -- 4 reps
5. various cardio maneuvers
6. Probably did some crunches or situps along the way

That makes changing oil a piece of cake. 1 pushup to see if anything is dripping.

All their merchandise is offloaded from Chinese container ships at the Harbor Department of the City of Long Beach?

He would have been SOL with me if I had the Toyota since all the tools are metric. He would have been in luck if I had the pickup since the '86 F150 is a half breed born in Canada and I need both.

My Toyota has a spin on filter that I can reach down from the top and spin off. If I'm lucky I don't drop it in the pan.

Disclaimer: that's after the first change. The first time around I need a filter wrench to break the OEM filter loose.

When I'm looking at cars I open the hood and take inventory to make sure it's maintainable. I'll admit the first Yaris fooled me. I thought the ignition wires were hiding under the plastic panel but it doesn't have any.

I had a 1998 Forester and filter and drain plug were on the bottom of the engine and I had to use ramps to get at it and remove a cowling with half dozen or so plastic push ins to get at it. In next few years they put in a small entry point in the cowling with still push ins to remove then finally drain point unrestricted with filter on top of engine.

I have a Crosstrek now configured the same and in latter years with not much driving just have the dealer service it. Out of curiosity I watched a You Tube video on a guy changing the oil and he had a struggle getting off the factory installed filter.

They haven't read the part about a quarter turn after the seal touches at the factory. I've gotten a collection of those end cap things over the years and generally have one that fits. If not I fall back on the strap wrench.

I had the dealer put on a filter I could not get off in the limited space under my Forester when I went to change the oil. I made the dealer take it off and replace it with my filter. I had been screwed on a 60,000 mile service where I had changed the oil a couple of months before I went in and did not realize that they had done an unnecessary engine flush.

Surprising the dealer would install a part you supplied.

The usual party line why they won't do it is that the dealership agreement prohibits installing anything but factory/OEM parts due to liability and fit/function issues...the real reason being they don't make any money on the part- just on the labor to install it.

OTOH, I can't imagine going into a nice restaurant and saying "here, please cook and serve me this nice sirloin steak I bought in the supermarket across the street" ;-)

Some apply courking fees to cover their costs when you bring your parts.

Waterfront Restaurant on Anna Maria Island advertises "You catch, we cook"