So how long does an oil change take? It depends. Every car owner has to go through oil changes because it's inevitable, but in terms of how long it takes, it depends on the make and model of your vehicle, how long since the last oil change occurred, the mileage of your car, and so forth.
Usually, it's a quick process but certain factors can lead to it becoming longer than usual. Some pro car services might take their time dealing with it as well because your car is in queue with many other vehicles in need of oil changes. Certain techniques and processes can also be observed to make the whole (or)deal quicker or slower.
How Long Does an Oil Change Take Specifically?
- How Long Before You Get an Oil Change: Ideally, you should get an oil change every 8,000 to 10,000 kilometers or every six months, whichever comes first. You can get delays for that for whatever reason, but you shouldn't delay for far too long or else your car will suffer, leading to irreparable damage. It's like delaying on changing your lifestyle or losing weight, leading to a heart attack, diabetes, or other complications. The sooner the oil change comes within 6 months, the better.
- Professional Service Center Estimates: If you choose a car service center or your dealership to do the oil change job, then it should take about 15 minutes to a whole hour when push comes to shove. There are also a lot of quick-change places that can do it within an assuredly short period of time if you're in a hurry, like somewhere between 15-20 minutes. That's nearly as long as waiting for your car to get washed and vacuumed at a carwash, almost!
- The Process Shouldn't Ideally Take More Than 40 Minutes: The hour-long oil change usually includes about 20 minutes of delays because a truly efficient oil change should never take more than 15 to 40 minutes. In fact, do-it-yourself oil changers claim that doing the oil change job shouldn't take more than 15 to 25 minutes, but only if they're familiar with the whole process and no additional issues are discovered, like leakages. Novices or busy mechanics can take up wards of 40 to 45 minutes.
- How to Go about DIY Oil Change: You can save money and time by doing the oil change yourself. First, lift your car with a jack and open the oil pan's drain bolt while placing a bucket or tray in order to catch the old oil. Wait until the pan is completely empty. Remove the oil filter carefully since it still has oil in it and put in a new one. Put the drain bolt back in and use new seals for both the oil filter and drain bolt. Pour new oil on the engine, check the oil level, and take the jack lift off.