Decided to do my own oil change this time, so I read the nice writeup, gathered the materials, and set on my way.
I opted to use ramps vs. jackstands because I'll just never feel too good about being under a car on jackstands. What I didn't anticipate is that I wouldn't be able to use my creeper...sometimes you forget just how low these cars are.
Having read the instructions, I grabbed my 10mm socket and slid under the car. Surprise #1: the 5 rear bolts and 3x2 side bolts were not 10mm. In fact, they were a shade smaller than 8mm, but I didn't have a standard socket that fit any better. Surprise #2: the 2 bolts near the vents were not 10mm either, but rather 1/2". Suprise #3: both bolts were not 1/2"; one was 13mm. Surprise #4: I had to use my breaker bar to loosen the drain plug. Surprise #5: it actually was 14mm, as advertised. Surprise #6: after all that, I was able to hand-loosen the oil filter. Surprise #7: if you buy one of those big 5 quart oil jugs, it is relatively challenging to pour into a funnel which barely sits into the fill hole (suprise #8) while the car is still on the ramps, although it'd be hard anyway since the boot lid doesn't open all that wide.
However, no blood was spilled. Oil was spilled, though.
But seriously, wtf with the bolt sizes??
I opted to use ramps vs. jackstands because I'll just never feel too good about being under a car on jackstands. What I didn't anticipate is that I wouldn't be able to use my creeper...sometimes you forget just how low these cars are.
Having read the instructions, I grabbed my 10mm socket and slid under the car. Surprise #1: the 5 rear bolts and 3x2 side bolts were not 10mm. In fact, they were a shade smaller than 8mm, but I didn't have a standard socket that fit any better. Surprise #2: the 2 bolts near the vents were not 10mm either, but rather 1/2". Suprise #3: both bolts were not 1/2"; one was 13mm. Surprise #4: I had to use my breaker bar to loosen the drain plug. Surprise #5: it actually was 14mm, as advertised. Surprise #6: after all that, I was able to hand-loosen the oil filter. Surprise #7: if you buy one of those big 5 quart oil jugs, it is relatively challenging to pour into a funnel which barely sits into the fill hole (suprise #8) while the car is still on the ramps, although it'd be hard anyway since the boot lid doesn't open all that wide.
However, no blood was spilled. Oil was spilled, though.