i think i get more out with the Sucker than by draining it at the plug. On some cars, the drain plug is actually at the lowest part of the pan (assuming you jack the car a little this way or that), but on my Aviad pan, the drain hole is a little up on the front of the pan, so even with a little jacking of the car's rear, it still isn't at the lowest part of the sump, leaving some
oil in the pan. But my hard plastic tube, that i stick down the
oil dipstick hole really does go right down and sits on the bottom of the sump, and sucks more out of my pan than by the usual way. Plus, i always drain my
oil when it is warm after a run, so that any microscopic debris is still in suspension, and gets sucked out too. I use the sucker on all my cars, except the Liberty, as it has a dipstick about 7 feet long.
When i try to carefully drain oil from below into a nice big pan, i always burn my hands, drop the plug into the oil, then splash it all over when i pull the drain pan out, then manage to step into it a few minutes later when i am adding oil from above. Then, trying to pour the used oil into some milk jug, i would overfill the slow funnel, and it would all run down and on the floor and make a mess. The sucker has a pour spout. Once, many years ago, i forgot to put the drain plug back in, noted about when the fourth or fifth quart of
synthetic oil made me slip and fall. Plus now i just put the drain plug in right one time, and never have to scrounge up some specific gasket or washer to put in every time.
Besides, several times i have overfilled a car, and have sucked out the overage. Plus, when i was dinking around with oil pumps, and taking my sump off and on, i could suck out the oil, keep it clean, and then reuse it!!
When i used to drain from below, Abby, my faithful Weimerainer, just used to roll around laughing her head off at the mess i made. Now she just yawns and acts all bored.
I am a High-Tech guy now!!