Of the remaining population, very few indeed were fortunate enough to own a car. Those who did carried out their own vehicle maintenance, which included frequent oil changes. It was commonplace to see vehicles precariously suspended over their owners on stands – or less precariously on angle-iron ramps – as they emptied and refilled their crankcases.

Recently I returned to look at the house that I grew up in. Much has changed. There is nowhere to park because there are now more cars than houses, and (probably as a result) there are no kids playing football in the road. Despite there being more cars on the street that ever before, I note that there is no one underneath his car changing the oil.

Of course, thats not surprising. Its been well-documented that rates of do-it-yourself oil changes have declined to the point that today they are rare. Still, one wonders if the recent recession might cause a bit of a revival. As money becomes tight, might not people look for services that they themselves can do in order to save money?

It certainly seems feasible that someone who wanted to change his own oil could do so. Finding instructions is easy in the Internet Age. Searching Google for DIY oil change generates page upon page of instructions. It is quickly evident, though, that not all of the instructions agree, and this makes interesting reading. One article starts with this direction: Never change the oil while the engine is hot, whereas others state the importance of ensuring that the oil is hot before draining. There are a number of instructional videos showing people with bare hands covered in used engine oil. Used engine oil contains some nasty substances, and the occupational health nurse at one of my former employers used to tell us to avoid contact with used engine oil like the plague.

Would-be do-it-yourselfers from the United Kingdom or elsewhere in Europe should pay attention to the origin or geographical target audience of websites that they turn to for instruction. If they do, they will find that many, perhaps most, are for the United States or Canada. This makes sense since DIY is significantly more common in North America, though rates have declined there, too.

But its important to recognize that car culture in the United States is much different than on this side of the Atlantic, and this extends to oil change practices. Many advisories for U.S. motorists recommend that engine oil be changes every 3,000 to 4,000 miles (approximately 4,800 to 6,400 kilometers). Such distances are very short compared to Europe, where automakers call for service intervals upwards of 16,000 km, with no requirement for interim oil changes. A European motorist following U.S. oil change intervals would probably waste money instead of saving.

A more focused Internet search can still turn up numerous websites with advice for Europeans about changing their own oil. Moreover, there are retailers that sell engine oil, along with the few items of ancillary equipment needed to do the job: a funnel, pans to catch the used oil, ramps to raise the car.

Nevertheless, there seems to be consensus that its unlikely many Europeans will start doing their own oil changes – recession or no. Even companies that would cater to such practices share this opinion. I contacted Halfords, the U.K.s largest retailer of aftermarket lubricants and was told most motorists here find little practical benefit from becoming a DIYer.

That may be due in part to the length of drain intervals in Europe. Fewer oil changes mean fewer opportunities to save money. Longer intervals also mean oil change due dates are more likely to coincide with other maintenance that really does require a professional mechanic. If a trip to the dealer is necessary any-way, a motorist may be less motivated to climb under the hood himself.

What seems more likely – or at least more plausible – is that Europe could see increases in the number of motorists who take on the task of topping up their oil. Of course, adding half a liter when needed is much simpler than emptying and refilling the crankcase. It may also be true that European cars need more top ups than in the U.S., for example; longer intervals between changes means more opportunity for oil levels to dip too low.

BPs Castrol is one lube marketer that seems to follow this logic. The companys U.K. website has posted a video of television personality Quentin Wilson explaining how motorists can do their own top ups.

There may be a few people in Europe who decide to change their own oil in order to help their budgets. I suspect, however, that most of the inhabitants of the street I grew up on will forgo the effort. My trip back to memory lane was pleasant and provided some food for nostalgic thought. But I will look for other ways to save money, and I suspect most of my former neighbors will, too.