I thought a $25 plastic drain pan was a waste until my transmission swap made a mess
I used to just slide a cardboard box under my truck when I changed oil, which worked fine until I tried swapping a transmission in my garage in Boise last month. Fluid went everywhere, and I mean everywhere, probably 8 quarts of red ATF across a 10 foot slab. I broke down and bought a $25 plastic drain pan with a pour spout at Napa, and it caught everything without a single drip on my driveway. Now I am wondering what other cheap tool I have been avoiding for no good reason.