This is a very timely post! Here's what's happened so far at our house regarding a pending oil change:
1. With all the repairs pending on Belinda (our 300TD), and Belinda2 (the would-be donor for Belinda), Mary (our 1973 280) is being ignored. She is well over due for an oil change.
2. I cut a Jiffy Lube coupon out of the paper ($4 off!) and leave it on the kitchen counter where my husband can't miss it. He uses it for his wet tea bag.
3. I wipe the tea stain off, and suggest to him that we use Jiffy Lube to save time, since he's so busy yadda yadda yadda. He has such scorn for the idea I realize I will need a Jiffy Lawyer if I persue the matter further.
4. I buy a case of oil and a filter.
5. A week goes by.
6. Another week goes by.
7. I start to feel really guilty. Both about poor ignored Mary, and my poor overworked husband. I decide I will change the oil.
(Guilt is the greatest of motivators for women).
8. This takes us to last night. Feeling really keen and knowledgable now that I'm visiting a shop forum, I prepare to change the oil.
9. I remove my ruby ring and my wedding ring, then spend 10 minutes trying to decide where to hide them so my 3yr old won't find them, but that I will still remember where they are (Memo to self- try to remember where those rings are).
10. I go to my husband's half of the closet and pick out some clothes I have never really liked anyway. :p
11. My husband sees me, realizes I'm serious. His eyebrows furrow, and he starts to scratch his left ear (a sure sign he's worried). He quickly disappears outside.
12. I spend a little more time finding a coat of his that I dont' really like either.
13. When I go outside, he has already been underneath the car and realizes it takes a 14mm allen wrench to remove the oil plug. We do not have a 14mm allen wrench (this is our first time changing the oil, btw).
14. I phone around to Crappy Tire and a few other local places, and no one has a 14 mm allen wrench.
15. My husband starts mumbling something about making his own, then he disappears in to his shop.
16. I take my (his) coat off, and sit down and watch a video with my daughter.
17. My husband reappears with a 'gizmo' he has created using a 14mm bolt.
18. We look outside and realize... it's too dark. It'll have to wait till tomorrow.
Whew! That was CLOSE! :p :p
(do you really have to let it drain overnight? I hadn't planned for that)