Garage tools · Amazon & Vevor picks
The tools behind every DIY oil change
What each tool does, what to look for, and a name-brand and a budget option for each. Buy once; the oil and the filter are the only things you keep paying for.
01
Floor jack
The fastest, safest way to get a car off the ground for an oil change or tire rotation.
Starter kit
02
Jack stands
Non-negotiable if any part of you goes under the car. Buy them with the jack.
Starter kit
03
Wheel chocks
The cheapest safety item in the garage, and the one people skip.
Starter kit
04
Oil drain pan
Catches the old oil and, if you choose well, carries it to the recycler without a spill.
Starter kit
05
Oil filter wrench
The filter you can spin on by hand is never the one you can spin off. Get the right wrench.
Starter kit
06
Torque wrench
Drain plugs, filter housings and lug nuts all have a spec. This is how you hit it.
Starter kit
07
Socket set
Drain plug, splash shield, battery terminals, air box: one set covers nearly every fastener on the car.
Starter kit
02
Tool guides
5Article
The DIY Oil Change Tool Kit: What You Actually Need
The seven tools that cover every driveway oil change, what to skip, and a budget and a name-brand option for each.
Article
Floor Jack vs. Ramps vs. Jack Stands: How to Lift Your Car Safely
Which lifting setup fits your car, your driveway and the jobs you plan to do, plus the safety rules that are not optional.
Article
Do You Need a Torque Wrench for an Oil Change?
Yes, and here is why: drain plugs, filter housings and lug nuts, the specs involved, and which wrench to buy first.
Article
Oil Extractor vs. Drain Plug: Is Topside Oil Extraction Any Good?
How dipstick-tube oil extractors work, which engines they suit, what they leave behind, and the pumps worth buying.
Article
Budget vs. Name-Brand Garage Tools: Where to Save and Where to Spend
A practical split: which DIY tools are fine from a budget brand like Vevor, and which are worth paying for the name.
03
Lifting & safety
5Get the car in the air and keep it there.
Lifting & safety
Floor jack
The fastest, safest way to get a car off the ground for an oil change or tire rotation.
Starter kit
Lifting & safety
Jack stands
Non-negotiable if any part of you goes under the car. Buy them with the jack.
Starter kit
Lifting & safety
Car ramps
Drive up, chock the rear wheels, slide under. The simplest lift for oil changes.
Lifting & safety
Wheel chocks
The cheapest safety item in the garage, and the one people skip.
Starter kit
Lifting & safety
Mechanic’s creeper
Roll under the car instead of shuffling on cardboard. Your back will notice.
04
Oil change
5Drain it, catch it, filter it, torque it.
Oil change
Oil drain pan
Catches the old oil and, if you choose well, carries it to the recycler without a spill.
Starter kit
Oil change
Oil filter wrench
The filter you can spin on by hand is never the one you can spin off. Get the right wrench.
Starter kit
Oil change
Torque wrench
Drain plugs, filter housings and lug nuts all have a spec. This is how you hit it.
Starter kit
Oil change
Socket set
Drain plug, splash shield, battery terminals, air box: one set covers nearly every fastener on the car.
Starter kit
Oil change
Oil funnel
Pouring five quarts through a filler neck without one is how oil ends up on the exhaust manifold.
05
Fluids & transfer
2Move oil, ATF and coolant without the mess.
06
Diagnostics & electrical
4Read codes, keep the battery alive, fix flats.
Diagnostics & electrical
OBD2 scanner
Read the check-engine code yourself before anyone quotes you a repair.
Diagnostics & electrical
Lithium jump starter
A battery pack the size of a paperback that starts a dead car without a second vehicle.
Diagnostics & electrical
Battery charger / maintainer
Keeps a stored car, boat or second vehicle ready to start, and rescues a battery that sat flat.
Diagnostics & electrical
Portable tire inflator
Set all four tires to spec in the driveway instead of fighting the gas-station machine.
07
Shop essentials
4The stuff you reach for on every job.
Shop essentials
Cordless impact wrench
Twenty lug nuts off in a minute. The tool that turns a tire rotation from a chore into a job.
Shop essentials
Work light / headlamp
The underside of a car is dark even at noon. Good light is the difference between finding the plug and finding it by feel.
Shop essentials
Nitrile gloves
Used motor oil is not something you want on your skin. A box of gloves fixes that for a year.
Shop essentials
Tool chest / cart
Once the sockets stop fitting in a drawer, a rolling cart keeps every job from starting with a search.
ⓘPicks are chosen by our editors; retailers do not pay for placement. OilChangeDIY earns a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon and Vevor links at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability change, so check the retailer page. Full disclosure.