10 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

You must be kidding JR, the only stuff I don't do is exhaust and tyre fitting, I do agree with you about the undertray though, straight in the bin, day one, on every vehicle I've owned since manufacturers started fitting them.

I find that a little hard to swallow... If for no other reason then day one, you will be too busy enjoying the car, to do such an unlikely PITA job. First self-done oil change I get but day one? I think you jest!

 

The under tray has been fitted there for a reason but that aside, throwing it away too, is as boners as you can get when, if brand new, it could be sold but also, stuck back on the vehicle when the selling time comes. 

 

The "Palaver" As you put it, was most likely my now fault for being zealous in trying to push the tubing too far, in order to reach as much oil as possible. Otherwise, the tube should remain intact and I would hasten to say, last many many oil changes but nothing lasts forever and as JR mentioned, the oil drain plug is meant to be changed at every oil change. If manufacturers WANTED customers to drain the oil themselves, they would have designed the under tray around this or put a smaller hatch in it. No, they know many will find it too much and return time and again to have simple job done for them. Thats people and their money for you!

 

You may also be physically able to "Monkey around" underneath a car but as I suffer from osteoarthritis, the easier I can make the job, the better for me, whilst still wishing to do what I can. Bear in mind, I did say my car is lowered and therefor even trickier to get to the underside. I don't have the luxury of my own garage so work on the road outside so using a perfectly acceptable means of extraction, suits me to the ground!

Thanks though, for your input.

Without the undertray then yes I would still be draining from underneath Sepulchrave.

 

However its such an integral part of the vehicle that without it all the side protection plastic pieces flap around & eventually break (been there done that) and I suspect the wind resistance increases, probably not measurably, the engine sounds even more rattly without the undertray.

5 hours ago, mrgf said:

If manufacturers WANTED customers to drain the oil themselves, they would have designed the under tray around this or put a smaller hatch in it.

My diesel Citroen Xantia had an undertray with a little hatch where the sump drain plug was. It had a simple rotating catch to secure it so no tools were needed to open it. I wonder if it would be possible to modify the undertray on my Octavia?

I will probably create a removable hatch on this one.

17 hours ago, J.R. said:

Without the undertray then yes I would still be draining from underneath Sepulchrave.

 

However its such an integral part of the vehicle that without it all the side protection plastic pieces flap around & eventually break (been there done that) and I suspect the wind resistance increases, probably not measurably, the engine sounds even more rattly without the undertray.

 

No, no and maybe.

 

I wouldn't recommend removing it if it caused problems other than triggering your OCD.

It wasn't  questions but a statement following my experience, nonethless thankyou for your comments on the vehicle and my character.