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As a boy growing up in Guatemala, my father and I bonded over taking care of the family car. As Latino “car guys” or gear heads we took a lot of pride in keeping our cars looking and running well. I remember doing the simplest of maintenance chores with him on our family vehicles so fondly. Even changing the oil was something, that as a kid, I would look forward to doing with my dad.
I remember we would always check the car and make sure it was working properly before we would take a family road trip. I remember those times fondly as some of my happiest memories happened on those fun family road trips.
As an adult I fully understand that changing the oil is crucial to keeping my car on the road and getting the most out of my investment, and yes ,I am still that proud Latino “car guy” I was back in Guatemala. So I really appreciate when I find a reliable and afortable product that both my father and I agree we can confidently use in our cars with consistently great results. Quaker State Oil is the one brand of motor oil we both trust in our vehicles. Paying it Forward as I Teach My Son About Car Maintenance
Recently an older couple from the neighborhood mentioned they were relocating across the country. They were worried about their cars and wanted to make sure they where in the best condition possible for making the trip. So I decided to help them by changing the oil on both of their cars. I also helped them to find a Spanish-speaking auto shipping company to ship one of their cars as they where only driving one to their new home. This really helped ensure that communication was clear and that all of their needs and preferences were understood, making the process smoother and less stressful for them. It felt really good to be able to do something to make the process of moving less stressful for them.
This was also a great opportunity to teach my son about car maintenance. Although he is too young to change the oil himself helping me out and watching as I do it has helped him learn a lot about how cars work and how to keep them working properly.
When I roll up my sleeves to change the oil, weather it’s on my car or someone else’s car, I pick up a few quarts of Quaker State Oil at Walmart and use the Diaz family oil change tips my dad passed down to me to make the job a bit easier. When you are ready to save money by changing your own oil at home stop by Walmart and grab some Quaker State Oil and follow these tips to make your oil change go smoothly and keep your car running like new.
Oil Change Tips:
- Warm up the engine: This is one tip my dad taught me that a lot of people don’t know, but it is crucial to a professional grade oil change. Warming the engine for around three minutes helps to make removing any sludge a lot easier. Be sure not to run the engine too long though as the oil will get much too hot to handle.
- Floor Protection: Trying to get oil off the floor of your garage or driveway is really not any fun, at all. An inexpensive shower curtain can save you a lot of work from those inevitable spills that are going to happen.
- Green Oil Absorbent materials: It’s going to happen, even when you are prepared. Be ready to sop up any minor (or major) oil spills with eco-friendly oil-absorbing materials which you can easily find online. Don’t use kitty litter or clay-based absorbers, they tend to just leave you with a bigger mess.
- Always change the oil filter: My dad always stressed having the right tool for the job and that applies to oil changes as well. Make sure you have the proper sized wrench for your vehicle. After removing the old filter rub a small amount of the oil onto the seal of the new oil filter and always hand tighten it; a wrench can sometimes exert too much force if you aren’t very careful.
- Don’t forget to refill: Find the oil cap and fill it up with your Oil, using the recommended weight and amount for your specific vehicle I use Quaker State Advance Durability. Replace the cap and wait a few minutes. Check to see that your oil level is between the low and full marks on your dipstick.
- Safe oil disposal: Never dump used oil into sewers. Aside from this practice being environmentally unfriendly it is also illegal and you can be fined or even serve time in jail. Instead, collect it and find an approved disposal location for your used oil. Most service stations and gas stations offer a disposal service.
Another important thing to keep in mind when you’re taking care of your car is to make sure that you check your car battery to see when it needs changing. The last thing you want is to find yourself stranded because you should have changed the battery of your car and you didn’t. There are great places to buy your battery online and save. However, before buying a battery online you need to make sure you are getting the right battery for your car. That is why it’s a good idea to research this first. Remember your battery type and size will depend on the both the make and model of your car. For example if you’re looking for the Dodge Dakota battery size you need to also specify what year your car is.
You’ll want to keep your car maintained and running well. If you don’t end up maintaining the car, it can quickly deteriorate in price and worse yet it could get damaged. If the car’s engine has an issue you might have to sell it to a damaged car buyer which won’t net you a lot of money. So, always do your best to keep your car maintained and in good condition or it’ll cost you.
Your car is very important to you and your family for your everyday life, take good care of it. Be sure to check out the different Quaker State products to find the correct one for your vehicle here.
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Importante información para ahorrar y mantener a la familia segura! Thanks for sharing this tips!
Great tip.. I wouldn’t dare to do it myself, but I can always go to Walmart and they do it for me. #client
A mi me toco esta semana el cambio de aceite… Entiendo lo importante que es cuidar nuestro vehículo, ahorrar, y principalmente, mantener a la familia segura (como dice Romi)
Great tips! I have never change my car oil, I have always take it to the Auto Center and I always used the same oil.
Gracias por la info César mi papá siempre me quiere enseñar y yo le escapo al tema pero no hay como saber cuidar el auto de uno .
Que buenos tips, se los paso a mi esposo!!
I had the same bonding experience with my Daddy because I would never leave his side hahaha.
Today I don’t change the oil myself, but if I did, I would be bookmarking your great list of tips. I specially love your last one – let’s help keep the planet clean and safe!
I live in my car, well not literally, but I am on the go all the time and have to maintain my car to keep me going.
Muchas gracias por la recomendación, ya le cuento a mi esposo para que compre ese aceite, saludos y
¡FELIZ DÍA!ॐ
http://mamaholistica.com
I’ve always wondered if it would actually save money or not by learning how to change my oil at home. I’m glad to see that it might be easy enough for the everyday person to do. My one concern is not knowing where I would take the used oil. Do you have any suggestions for how to find a place that takes that?
My husband wants to try and do an oil change on our car by himself this weekend. I don’t think it’s such a great idea because, unlike you, he definitely didn’t learn anything about cars while growing up! Do you have any tips for knowing when to call it quits with the DIY job and take it to the professionals? I want to be able to convince him if he can’t do it that we need to take it somewhere.
Doing these tasks ourselves is really a way in saving money. For example, I myself clean my own car every weekend.
thank you, these tips are very useful for me and my family.
Wow..
What a lovely post. Nice to see that you are proud of being a Latino. I agree completely that car is an integral part of our lives. We need to take care of it in the best possible manner. I have never changed the oil in my car. I always get a monthly service done from service centre and get all my basic things fixed. But still I think will be suitable to at least change the oil of my car on my own. I will keep all these useful tips in mind. Thanks Buddy..
Keep posting and keep sharing.. 🙂
Regards;
Cortney G
Thanks for sharing this great piece of information!
I’m still not brave enough to do it myself.. But it’s something for me to sleep on at least!
Thanks again!
Leanne!
Some really do not understand the importance of oil changes and just how easy they can be to do on your own! Thank you for sharing this story and how-to!
These are great tips for changing your own oil that is very beneficial for readers who do not know the importance or how to on their own. Thanks for sharing!
Great Done!
As a car lover, I highly recommend that you should check the oil and change it regularly.
It’s so important for a smooth operation. The dirty oil can cause the important damage for your engine.
Otherwise, I think you should also check your car battery frequently to ensure that your car battery will not be dead after a night you forgot to turn off the light.
Thank you so much for your share and have a nice day!
I never miss checking the engine oil and water level every morning. In every week, I also check the transmission oil level. And, I change the engine oil after every 3000km and my car is running super smooth.
Changing oil regularly will make your engine run efficiently. Like what I do to my car. I change oil at every 5000km. Now my 25years old car still runs perfectly.
Really helpful tips that everyone can follow through and as a note, maintenance is really important for cars.