Car Ramps: The Automotive Lift For Do It Yourselfers?

Why are there so many accomplished do it yourselfers who don’t want to have anything to do with working on their own cars? People who can install an electrical outlet and tile a floor won’t even consider changing their own oil. While it can be a dirty job, so are most Plumbing tasks. Perhaps it’s due to a reluctance to crawl under a heavy vehicle.

Automotive lifts make getting under the car easy and painless but consumers could never afford them. What about a car ramp? They’re available at most major Automotive Parts Centers. While they certainly afford the under the car room you get with an automotive lift, they do provide an affordable means of access for anyone. Let’s take a look at the features and costs of some of the better ones out in the marketplace.

A great place is to start is at Amazon.com. There you’ll not only find descriptions and features of selected ramps, you’ll also find reviews from actual users. One of the most popular car ramps out there is the Blitz Rhino 8,000. They retail on Amazon for around $47, including shipping, but you can find the same thing at an O’Reilly Auto Parts Center for around $40.

While the reviews for the Rhino 8,000 are generally favorable, there are a few drawbacks to these ramps of which potential buyers should be aware. First, although they have non skid rubber bumpers at the base to keep the ramps in place while you drive your vehicle onto them, they can slip on smooth concrete floors. This is particularly true for rear wheel drive vehicles. Be aware you might have to provide front end support to use these ramps. Blitz has a heavier Rhino offering, the 12,000. While the model numbers imply the ramp could support an eight or twelve thousand pound vehicle, some reviewers insist this is not completely accurate. However, their sturdy foam plastic construction has easily supported SUV (Sport Utility Vehicles) and light trucks.

If you’re skeptical of anything made of plastic, consider the Petersen Tru- Cut UR 6500 Ultra Ramp. This is made of stamped steel and uses an angled wheel stop design to make it easier to get your vehicle up on the ramps. These retail on Amazon for about $30, plus shipping. Many car enthusiasts feel Petersen makes the best car ramps available. While not a substitute for an automotive lift, the functionality and reasonable pricing of car ramps makes them an attractive option for anyone willing to give do it yourself oil changes a try.