Sounds like the quickie place just tossed a cartridge in without seating it, and then cranked down on the cover ?
All my stuff is can-style - newest vehicle I own is a '97.
If I don't have the car on stands, I have some 2x6 wood ramps I made to drive up on; doesn't need to be too high.
Sheet of cardboard, drain pan & filter wrench, fill the new filter before installing. Simple.
Some cars are laid out so it's easy to get filter oil all over stuff; for those I use aluminum foil or a shallow aluminum cake pan to guide the oil into the drain pan.
I grab drain plug washers with the seal in their ID from the local parts store.

Get a garage, man ! Maine's too dang cold