[JimD]

The only time I put a jackstand on the suspension it is as insurance. I will change a wheel with a jack on the jacking point but I also take a jack stand and put it under the car on the suspension where it looks sturdy enough. My logic is I am not really under the car but I want something there in case the jack fails. I don't lift the car with the jack on the suspension.

I have also switched to the metal jack pad inserts instead of the little blocks of wood I used initially. They are pretty cheap now, I think they were about twice as much initially (but maybe I am just getting slightly less cheap).

To change oil, I use home made ramps. I just got a couple 2x8s and cut them up and used my framing nailer to put them together. Once I put a piece of scrap 5/8 plywood for the intial lead in they work great. Before that they tended to skid away. The wood was cheaper than commercial ramps and it VERY sturdy.