Trying to Change Oil On My Own
 

I was considering changing the oil but then i relized that you need a jack pad to properly jack the car up. Do I need a jack pad for every jack stand? Could someone show me a place where I can find the jack pads for a good price?

Just to be sure we're using the same terms, I've attached a picture. As a pad for the jack itself (main pic) I recommend a hockey puck. If need be, you can easily cut it down to fit the cup on your jack (mine fits under the car without needing to be trimmed, but if you've got a lowered suspension...). An alternative is here. Jack stand pads can be had from a lot of places, the inset picture is from http://www.protechproducts.net/jackstandpads.htm for instance. Google search came up with more references than you could ever need. Another alternative commonly used is a block of wood on top of the jackstand.

BTW, I use ramps instead when I do the oil change. Way simpler in my opinion. I just back up onto the ramps (raising the rear of the car) and roll under with the creeper and drain pan, etc.

I bought a racing jack from Pep Boys last week for $78.00 and it's quite low (low enough to fit our cars) and still had the larger jack pad found on taller units and this one had a rubber mat on it that did a dandy job of protecting my boxster.

Check it out when you have time. Mine is blue and does not have the typical twin swivel wheels as the pic above shows. It has one, long, tube-like aluminum wheel on the front.

Buying this jack over the others with the 2 or 3 inch lift area will save you a bunch of time finding a hockey puck and figuring out how to keep it on the jack. My floor jack worked perfectly right out of the box.

How's this for cheap?

I took a piece of floor molding (currently finishing the basement) and stuck it on top of the jack. It's a soft material so the jack pushes into the bottom of it and the car's jacking point sinks into it a little so it doesn't slide around and scratch it. Now I just need those nifty rubbers for the tops of my stands. :D

Most important to me is the sturdiness of the stands. I use 6 ton SUV stands because they have a huge base. They take up more room in the garage, but it's a lot easier to use the space when you're alive. :dance: