Doing an oil change yourself is a great way to save money on car maintenance. The process is fairly simple and most households will already have the tools required. Being prepared and organized with your tools will make changing the oil in your car quicker and easier. Below are the tools needed to change the oil in a car, including some tools that are not necessary but recommended for safety and maintaining a clean work space. A jack, jack stand and wheel chocks are usually required for lifting the car so the oil filter can be reached. Raising the car may not be necessary depending on how high the vehicle sits. It is best to check if you can reach the oil filter comfortably without lifting the car before starting. An oil pan or other leak proof bowl will be needed to catch the waste oil. This container should be sit flat and fit under the car easily. It is important the waste oil is not allowed to leak into the ground or sewers because oil causes serious environmental damage. An oil filter wrench is one tool many households probably do not own but is incredibly helpful for performing an oil change. The oil filter wrench consists of a handle with a gripping belt which gets wrapped around the oil filter. It is not necessary to have an oil filter tool but it is a great help when removing the filter and also for tightening the new filter fully. Some oil filter wrenches are specific for a make/model of car and come with a built in socket for removing the oil spout cover. A wrench or socket set will be required for removing and replacing the oil spout cover, especially if the oil filter wrench you have is generic and does not have a built-in socket. If unsure about the size of the bolt on the oil spout having a variety of sizes it is good to have a variety of sizes ready, including metric and imperial denominations. Some cars will also need to have a bolt removed before the oil filter can be removed although this is not common. Once the old filter and waste oil is removed from the car a funnel will come in useful. It will make pouring the new oil quicker, easier and safer. It can also make transferring the waste oil to a leak proof container, such as an empty oil jug, much easier. The waste oil can then be taken to a proper disposal facility without any damage to the environment. Safety is important when performing an oil change and the following tools are not necessary but encouraged: Safety glasses to protect the eyes from any oil that may splash or drip unexpectedly; latex gloves for keeping your hands from being coated in any oil; paper towel or old rags because a safe work area is a clean work area and any spills should be cleaned immediately; and a foam mat, wheel dolly or cardboard to lay on, keeping yourself off the ground and clean. Once you have all the tools you need as well as the replacement materials (new oil and new oil filter) you are ready to change the oil in a car a yourself. Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil