OK, I'm new to all this car DIY stuff, but there are two ways to raise your car to work underneath it (oil change, etc), right?

1)The jack? So that just hooks onto the sides and raises the car like only in one direction right? Kinda tilts it?

2) My stepdad was telling me about getting a ramp...not sure how exactly it works, but I'm guessing you can set the incline and drive the car up it, set to park, engage hand brake, etc.?

 

im not a big fan of those ramps. i usually jack the car up and set it down on jack stands.

 

i use ramps.. whats so bad about them?

 

i use both ...

ramps for oil, short shifter .... anything that doesn't require pulling a wheel.
jack is good ... not the factory toy jack, but a decent floor jack and jack stands are the best rout IMHO. to answer you ? ... about a jack - tilting the car, depends on how you use the jack, but in most cases, yes. there are different jack points on the car and depending on the job, you use the right one.

 

Get yourself a good floorjack and jackstands and call it a day. (That is if you have $150-200 to drop on a decent set )

 

a guy on the local board had a set collapse. cant find the link or pic of it now. im sure there are good and bad products out there. i just feel more secure under the car with some sturdy jack stands. plus ramps wont help you if you do work where the wheels have to come off.

 

i have ramps but have never used them. Wait once i used them as rear tire blocks on a car without e - brake...

 

Couldn't jacks also technically fail? Hmmm...

 

not if you have a real jack. i have a craftsman aluminum jack.

 

Yes, that's why you ALWAYS have jack stands under the car in case the jack fails.

ANY jack can fail. And what's funny, is that Craftsman have a very high rate of failing the last few years. Craftsman is wasn't it used to be, in the jack department anyway...

 

floor jacks...yes. that's why you should always use jack stands before you get under the car.

 

jack stands is the safest way to go.

 

a friend of mines brother died because he had his car on ramps and the car fell on him and crushed him. I'm not saying it was the ramps fault, but I'm never going to use them, ever.

 

not saying craftman jacks are the best, but mine out lasted my friend's blue point. i wouldnt mind taking his blue point jack stands though

 

I'm sure people have also died from jacks right? Or are jacks technically more safe than ramps? A friend of mine's dad uses ramps for oil changes and such and hasn't found a problem with it as of yet.

 

Point is:

1.) Flat surface
2.) Jackstands

 

/thread.

Anything can fail, ramps, stands, floor jacks, hell the pinch weld or frame rails on your car can, then you're fscked regardless.

Get some nice stands and you're good.

I'm not a fan of ramps...bad experience with a Dakota and overshooting the ramps (right into the max). In retrospect, very bad idea parking in front of a 2 ton truck when putting it on ramps.

 

You should aways make sure to push on the car after you put it on jack stands to make sure it's secure before climing under it.

 

i love using jack and jackstands. i use them like once or twice a week on many different cars and im still alive

 

A good floor Jack, a Pair of jack stands, and Wheel blocks for the other side, if only jack one side up!
My Craftsmen floor jack was probably the first tool I bought, when I was 16, and is still going strong, some 26 years latter!

 

I have never used ramps only jack stands.

 

Jacks always seem to bent my car but after what u guys say about ramps...