It feels good to do it myself. 🔧 It’s not hard and doesn’t take long to do, as long as you can get the oil and filter which was hard to find during the pandemic. I go back and forth about what things I should do myself and what you should pay somebody to do for you. What is the value of your time? ⌚ What can you do as well as a professional? What leaves you feeling satisfied doing it yourself?

During the pandemic years I used to take my truck to the shop 🧑‍🔧to get it done but it’s so hard to get an appointment these days and the time spent making an appointment, driving it to the shop, paying for it doesn’t make it worth it when the stores actually have oil and a filter in stock. But if you are going to three or four stores to find six quarts of 5w-30 it changes like during the pandemic the calculation. Plus motor oil has come down in price a bit.

I was at 33% oil life, I try to avoid getting below 40% though one time when it was newer I let it go to about 23%. 🔧I always use good quality full synthetic and a quality filter as after all it’s an infamous 5.3, lol. Some day I’m sure the engine will throw a rod but it’s been a good ride and I figure enjoy it while you still can. It’s like my eventual eviction from my apartment, 🏡 just enjoy it while you can, save enjoy things before it’s gone.

I do want to get a new air filter installed but I didn’t get one at Walmart. 🛻Maybe next weekend, or before my next trip. Just need to make sure I can find a star key to install it. Not difficult but I need that. Then I’ll do the tire rotation when the truck is inspected. I should take the burnt up old air filters that I keep saying I’m saving as a grill for camping in my truck but keep getting snagged on things. That used motor oil will be fun up at camp for perking up fires, 🔥 lol. That is if it ever rains. ☂️ Hoping for rain next weekend. Or sooner.

I don’t think I’ll head out of town next weekend, 🏕️ as I want to have some rain first for fire safety, plus the second half of the weekend looks rainy. Veterans Day Weekend looks better, I might tag on a few extra days to either end of the weekend to enjoy vacation. I’m leaning towards the Green Mountains though I’ve thought about Long Pond State Forest in Chenango County or Stoney Pond in Cazenovia. Maybe ride more of the Canalway.