[kevenj]

Why isn't an oil change an "at home" item? It is one of the simplest things to do on a car, and it gives you the chance to notice other things (like leaks, etc.) that you might not discover 'til it is too late otherwise. If you do it yourself then you KNOW what oil is really in there, and you KNOW if it has a good quality filter (i.e. not Fram or other similar garbage) and you KNOW the drain plug is not stripped out from some idiot torquing it to 500 lb/ft! And you can take the used oil to most any 'quickee-lube' type place because they usually get paid for their used oil -- or use it to heat their shop in the winter.

Air filter -- about 10,000 miles is a good rule of thumb, but that can vary depending on where you drive. I'd say inspect it every other oil change if you do 3000 mile oil changes.