It is legal.  It  is a good idea to do it yourself.  It's also a good idea to get someone to help you through the first time or two so you can learn about safety wiring the filter in place and the tricks to making less of a mess!

Walter Atkinson
Advanced Pilot Seminars

I need to start doing oil changes for customers!
An oil and filter change should take 30 minutes if the engine is already warmed up.

200 bucks wow!

Yes, check FAR 43.17 Appemdix A(c), for a list of preventive maintenance you are legally able to do.

Oil Filter ~$25
8Qts Oil ~$35
1-1/2hrs[Flat rate]@ $62.50 = $93.75
So ~$160 gets:
Run-up
De-cowl, drain the oil, replace the filter, Top-off, wash, re-cowl, run-up, inspect for leaks.
Filter inspection
Log entries.
Add $25 for an oil analysis kit & paperwork.

That's just for an oil change, not a 50hr inspection. Different beasts.
If they performed a 50hr inspection then $200 is not out of the realm of possibility.

I whole-heartedly encourage you to perform your oil changes.  Like the previous posters advised, get some tooling, some training,  and some supplies (a tube of Dow Corning 4 and a roll of .032 safety wire should last about 200 oil changes <grin>)

An owner who knows their aircraft inside and out will be very well rewarded when something goes awry. Luck favors the prepared.

On the other hand, if you're not so inclined to get covered in engine oil, disposing of the oil and the filter guts, and being current on your tetanus immunization, then let a shop do it.

Good[ ]  Fast[ ] Cheap[ ] 
(Pick Two)

Best regards,
RH

Next time you pay $200, have them put in a quick drain.  Then you will have no problem draining the oil yourself in the future.  Next, I am sure you will be able to find an old timer hanging around the airport to help with the filter.  I think most Champion filters torque to 17lbs. or so....if you get much more than that, you might have a really hard time getting it off, so get your hands on a torque wrench.

Don't forget to change the air in your tires!

The molecules become compacted after about 50 landings, so they no longer fill the space evenly.
Flying schools change it even more often because of all the bouncers that they typically experience.

HTH

Tony

> > Don't forget to change the air in your tires!
>
> Ok .... I can't resist anymore....
>
> Bryan
> *why* would you want to change the air in the tires?

Sorry guys, just checked back on this thread.  Our mechanics have a standing joke whenever an owner or newbies stop by the hangar.  "We will do this and this and this, and would you like the air in your tires changed also."  Gets them every time.  LOL

I hope CostCo is acutely aware of the dangers involved with using large amounts of nitrogen gas as a room full nitrogen gas will kill quite quicky.