Need help with my first oil change for 2003 Boxster-S
 

Hi All,

So finally I bought a 2003 Boxster-S with 43K miles. Thank you all for all your help for my earlier request.

The car was not used for about 6 months and the oil id bit old in the car, so I want to change oil, filter along with air and cabin filter.

I called around couple of Independent places and price is around $220 just for the oil change. Can you please pm me or refer some place which might be bit more reasonable.

I have done my own oil change on my other cars. I am bit nervous about doing this by myself for the very first time, particularly backing up a stick shift on ramps (all other cars are auto).

BTW: I have ordered oil filer with 0-ring, crush washer, air filter and cabin filter from Pelican and they should arrive by Saturday.

A Boxster's oil change is definitely DIY. However, the quoted oil change prices are not that unusual. Note that the car takes around 10 quarts. So using the recommended synthetic oils means your at around $100 just in oil. An hour of labor and you're at $200. Plus, you need a large enough container to catch the used oil (I think there's a thread in Dorki somewhere about trying to collect 10 quarts of oil in a 6 quart container).

The concerns about driving the car onto ramps is legitimate. However, maybe an alternative would be to jack up each rear corner with the OEM jack, and then slide the ramp underneath the wheel. When you're done, you simply drive off.

If you have a large enough catch can, I think it would be worthwhile to try and do it DIY.

Good first project

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...Oil_Change.htm

If you decide to DIY then get the oil from Walmart, Mobil 1 is $27 for five quarts, they have the 0-40 or 5-40 weights and more. If I'm not mistaken your car should take 8.2 quarts. I actually jack up one side at the rear support in front of the rear wheel, slide the catch bin under the oil filter and drain plug and remove. I then carefully and slowly lower the car so its as flat as possible without touching the catch basin and let it drain for a while. No ramps involved.

is this guy telling you to leave your ebrake on while going up the ramps? I back up ramps all the time and have never done that. I suppose it helps from too much power to the wheels going in reverse..interesting...

Interesting time saver. I typically drive the fronts onto ramps (to have the car flat - don't know if that's worth while or not), jack up from the rear suspension mounting points and use jack stands in the rear.

wouldn't it be easier just to raise it on a lift?

my suspicion is the the OP doesn't have a lift...otherwise he wouldn't be asking for the assisit...

IMHO, that's a better approach so that oil from the front mounted cooler(s) can drain back. Front up slightly more than rear prolly even better.