Oil change cost

[rh71]

Is it me or has the cost for a regular oil change doubled in price? I'm seeing $40-$50 for 3-month non-synthetic now? It's been a while since I've had to pay for a regular oil change (vs. synthetic).

And what is "synthetic blend" and is it true that can go 6 months? $70

No I won't do my own.

 

[BoomerD]

3 months? 6 months?
Change your oil based on the manufacturer's recommendations.
For decades, I changed oil at 3000 miles, regardless of the recommendations. Oil and filters were pretty cheap and simple to do...but then again, I drove a LOT, most of it in heavy stop and go (commuter) traffic. Nowadays, I stick pretty close to Ford's recommendations. My last truck was 7500 miles for "normal" driving...but I changed it at 5000 miles. ( got a great deal on a maintenance package when I bought the truck, so oil changes were free)
My 2019 F150 says 7500-10,000 miles. (Has an oil life monitor, mileage is approximate time to expect the system to recommend oil change) I'll continue to get it changed at 5000 miles. Ford runs "specials" for their "The Works" package all the time. Synthetic blend oil, Motorcraft filter, check all fluids, rotate tires, etc. Around $40.

 

[rh71]

Manual does say change every 6 months, but then why do shops tell me regular oil is only 3 months or 3k miles? My car can go 6 months (non-harsh driving) with that same regular oil??? Then how does synthetic blend for 6 months factor in? Overkill?

So $70 for 6 months when I compare it with Mobil-1 or equivalent synthetic for 1 year for not much more than that... doesn't seem to make sense. May as well go full synthetic for all cars at these costs, no?

 

[herm0016]

how many miles a year do you drive?

I go 4 to 6k on my truck, but it gets used in the mountains a lot. i have never paid attention to how long.

change it once per year, but don't worry about 3 or 6 months if you are not driving much.

i get charged about about 75 for full synthetic in my pickup. and honestly, the materials are less, but its worth 75 bucks for someone else to do it every few months.

 

[UsandThem]

Manual does say change every 6 months, but then why do shops tell me regular oil is only 3 months or 3k miles? My car can go 6 months (non-harsh driving) with that same regular oil??? Then how does synthetic blend for 6 months factor in? Overkill?

Easy. Because they want to make the most profit that they can.

Change the oil based on the schedule in your car's manual. It will also tell you the type of oil recommended, and unless it requires synthetic oil, you can just use conventional oil.

 

[deadlyapp]

Most OEMs are using a full synthetic or synthetic blend now, but most quick lube places are only going to give you a standard conventional oil - hence 3k miles and lower cost. The Syn Blends are mostly to force you to buy the OEM brand (eg the ford Motorcraft) for those unwilling to go off OEM.

I've switched to a long life synthetic and filter for 10k miles in my Explorer that mostly does highway or mid-duration stop/go highway frontage roads. My wife's civic recommends a specific Mobil 1 blend which I use and change every 5k miles (IIRC). Both oils I usually can get for $35 / 5 quarts with a filter and I change it myself.

I think $60-70 for a full synthetic or OEM blend at a dealership is about what I paid last time I used one.

 

[mindless1]

There is no such thing as a months period, true need to change oil. If you were to make one half hour trip a week but only put on 1.5K per year, you could go several years with no ill effects, except of course that if the vehicle still has a warranty then you are better off to do whatever is required to maintain it.

However if you make many short trips, or have an engine problem like clogged PCV valve, or oil dilution (by gas) then you shouldn't go by mileage either.

Regular dino oil is much better than it was decades ago, semi-synthetic a guess about how much synthetic is in it, and synthetic longevity depending on whether your oil filter is meant for the same duty cycle.

Cost at a shop can vary wildly depending on what oil they use and how much they are subsidizing the oil change to acquire new customers or get existing ones in to upsell more services or repairs.

Even little things like putting new wipers or air filter on at $20, is $15 profit to them. Of course some parts cost more, it's just a random example. They don't have to make money on every customer, just to average out profitable if they have service bays going unused at any moment in the day.

If you just want a minimum oil 'n lube w/o extras, Walmart will still do that for $20.

I'd rather do my own. You might think an oil change is simple enough that, "what could go wrong?". Plenty can go wrong, and I can usually pick up 5 qts of synthetic oil and a filter for under $40 and know what I'm getting, and it takes less time to DIY than drive there, wait, drive away.

Even if you pay for their premium synthetic oil, they may still slap a $2 undersized filter on unless stated otherwise. Granted a dealership will usually use the OEM filter.

 

[Torn Mind]

Oil changes are basically loss leaders or low margin work if you are getting them done for 20 dollars or so.

The local Toyota dealership though where my mom bought her Matrix, basically offers someone lifetime membership 35 off coupon, which can be applied to oil change service. Without the coupon, it's about 39-40 bucks or something without the discount. This is in the DC suburbs though.

Given the how busy it is there, and how slow the service can be, there is no time savings getting the oil change at the dealer service compared to DIY for my situation. I basically don't like wasting time on an econobox like a Matrix, so I've finally settled on a sequence of using a Mobil 1 filter every 2 changes and hunting for the bi-annual synthetic oil rebates.

My personal experience is that manufactures' recommendations are overstated by a factor of 20%. So service routine maintenance things at an interval quantity of around 80% of what is stated on the paper.

(So-called 10 year coolant was fully toast by ten years and the radiator slowly died over prior months to prove that point)

 

[pauldun170]

Why do shops tell me regular oil is only 3 months or 3k miles?

Sounds like you are bringing your car to private shops (or one of quick change places) and not the dealership AND the private shop that you are bringing it to thinks you a are moron who calls anything under the hood a "thingy".

Do they also recommend the fuel injector service and 24 point inspection?

Just about every shop has shop management software (such as Alldata) and the maintenance tables are right there on the screen when the tech looks up your car.
That soft glow in their eyes when they tell you to change your oil every 3 months\3000 miles is actual the screen telling them that your car should be changed at 6month\6000 miles (or whatever is appropriate for your car)

Sounds like you are being profiled as soon as you walk in the door.

 

[mindless1]

^ Maybe but some service managers are pushed to do this sort of thing regardless of the competence level of the customer. Heh, reminds me of a time I went in to get a simple alignment done after installing new struts, on a vehicle with no alignment problems before that, and the guy tells me "we may have to charge you double", and I'm like, how about half price since you know the only adjustment that's going to need done is the strut bolts.

 

[HarryLui]

13,000 miles interval for oil change for me.

 

[snoopy7548]

Just did my first oil change on Saturday. I used to go to a place every ~3500 miles that would do a 4qt. conventional change for ~$35 with my old car, but with my new one I decided to just start doing it myself.

I paid $24 for 5qt. of Mobil1 Extended Performance 0W-20 full synthetic (new car takes 3.9qt.), and $8 for a new filter. While I was under the car, I put on one of those fancy Fumoto valves. Took me maybe 45 minutes, but I went slow since it was my first time doing it. I'll probably do changes every 7500 miles, though I don't drive much more than that in a year.

 

[Torn Mind]

Just did my first oil change on Saturday. I used to go to a place every ~3500 miles that would do a 4qt. conventional change for ~$35 with my old car, but with my new one I decided to just start doing it myself.

I paid $24 for 5qt. of Mobil1 Extended Performance 0W-20 full synthetic (new car takes 3.9qt.), and $8 for a new filter. While I was under the car, I put on one of those fancy Fumoto valves. Took me maybe 45 minutes, but I went slow since it was my first time doing it. I'll probably do changes every 7500 miles, though I don't drive much more than that in a year.

2020 Mobil 1™/Mobil Super™ Rebate Program

Learn more about how you can get up to $24 back when you upgrade your conventional oil to Mobil 1 motor oil at retail stores. Offer valid through 9/30/2020!

www.mobil.com

Depending on when you bought it, you can get a rebate. It comes out about twice a year.

 

[snoopy7548]

2020 Mobil 1™/Mobil Super™ Rebate Program

Learn more about how you can get up to $24 back when you upgrade your conventional oil to Mobil 1 motor oil at retail stores. Offer valid through 9/30/2020!

www.mobil.com

Depending on when you bought it, you can get a rebate. It comes out about twice a year.

Nice, thanks!

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

If I recall, I remember hearing that syn oil these days is much much cleaner than the conventional of 20 years ago.

Also heard the filters these days are all around much better as well.

So with that - especially if I'm doing full synthetic I tend to do every 10-15k miles or annually.

Though I'm about to buy a new SUV so I might just follow what the manual recommends to be in compliance with warranty.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Do you guys honestly think it's worth driving further to get your oil changes at a dealer over a quick lube place? I always find it costs 60+ or even 75+ at dealerships for syn blend or full syn.

I mean there is a reason they are called "stealerships"

 

[UsandThem]

Do you guys honestly think it's worth driving further to get your oil changes at a dealer over a quick lube place? I always find it costs 60+ or even 75+ at dealerships for syn blend or full syn.

I mean there is a reason they are called "stealerships"

It depends.

The quick oil change places have a lot of employee turnover, so some person who doesn't know what they're doing can make a stupid mistake. Even at dealerships they try to upsell you on everything (at least where I live). When I was using the free oil changes when I bought my Toyota, they would always call me trying to sell air filters, wipers, etc.

That said, I do all of the regular maintenance (oil and fluid changes, brakes, etc.) on our cars so I don't have to worry about going anywhere. I put on some Floyd and get cranking.

 

[mindless1]

There is no way to predict what a random person will do. Find someone you trust to do it right, an independent garage rather than a quick lube place employing (mostly) morons, or a stealership who only wants to upsell you.

A good mom 'n pop garage will recognize how to build loyalty by doing the simple things right to gain your trust and from that, become a repeat customer.

It may not be the cheapest, but if you want both cheapest and best, you have to DIY. Anything cheaper than a fair labor rate to do it, involves some kind of calculation on how to milk more money out of you, or from paying less than a fair labor rate to people who aren't competent enough to command a better labor rate.

A crackhead on meth can get a job at jiffy lube, but one of those crackheads has to have it together enough to lead the team of crackheads and if you get that guy, he can probably also manage to remove and install a bolt and pour a liquid into a hole, lol. In that case the larger problem is tearing things apart trying to find something to upsell, when you just wanted an oil change.

 

[Steltek]

Do you guys honestly think it's worth driving further to get your oil changes at a dealer over a quick lube place? I always find it costs 60+ or even 75+ at dealerships for syn blend or full syn.

I mean there is a reason they are called "stealerships"

Let me tell you about quick lube places.

The last time I went to a quick lube place for an oil change, I headed out to work, got about a mile up the road, and hear a loud "clunk, bang". Turns out they had managed to put the wrong oil filter on the vehicle - the "clunk, bang" was the oil filter falling off, bouncing up, and hitting the bottom of the vehicle frame. Suffice it to say, that ended up being the beginning of a very long and miserable day.

Apparently, putting the wrong filter on a vehicle is an easy thing to do, as this was the second time it has happened to me. I previously had that exact same thing happen once before at a totally different quick lube shop a few years before. That time, though, it didn't do any damage - they pulled it out of the bay into the parking lot and left it for me to pick up. I got in, shut the drivers side door, hear a soft "clunk" sound underneath. Get out and look, and oil is running down the parking lot in front of my vehicle. At my insistence, they get the guy in charge of the place out of the back office. Turns out he is a pimply faced kid with, I kid you not, a mohawk haircut, complete facial tattoos, a nose ring, and vampire teeth implants. He looks at the mess, and without blinking an eye simply said "Sorry dude, our bad. We'll get right on fixin' that for you", just like it was something that happened all the time.

Suffice it to say, I insisted on a refund, walked across the street to Autozone, bought my own oil and filter, then proceeded to do my own oil change in their parking lot while they stood and watched me. Needless to say, I didn't go back to that place again (for all the good it did me).

You just never know who those places will have working on your vehicle - most times, it will be whomever they can get away with paying the absolute least.

I used to have a good local mechanic to go to, but I stopped going to him over how he treated a female relative of mine (he's a fantastic mechanic, but it turns out he has a habit of being very condescending with female customers).

Now, I either do it myself or take it to the dealership if I don't have time (the local Chevy and GMC dealerships - owned by the same company - usually alternate service specials with coupons that get the price for full a 8qt synthetic oil change and tire rotation down to close to the same price as the local shops charge). Sure, going to the dealership means having to put up with them incessantly trying to convince you about all the extra stuff you need done that you really don't need done. Just tell 'em thanks but no thanks.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

It depends.

The quick oil change places have a lot of employee turnover, so some person who doesn't know what they're doing can make a stupid mistake. Even at dealerships they try to upsell you on everything (at least where I live). When I was using the free oil changes when I bought my Toyota, they would always call me trying to sell air filters, wipers, etc.

That said, I do all of the regular maintenance (oil and fluid changes, brakes, etc.) on our cars so I don't have to worry about going anywhere. I put on some Floyd and get cranking.

Heh, I'll basically do anything BUT oil changes. There is something about jacking up the car and getting on my back on the garage floor that I'm just like... nope, not worth it. If I didn't have to go under the car I would totally do it in a heartbeat.

Changing a filter behind the dash? Not so bad though. Always makes me laugh how much stealerships charge for shit like changing a cabin filter.


But yeah, I understand what you guys are saying. I got a good mom n' pop place that I get all my repairs, but when it came to oil changes I found the valvoline 2 minutes from my house to be pretty decent to get crap done like the state inspection and a quick oil change. The people there seemed pretty competent (in the few times I've been there).

 

[deadlyapp]

Heh, I'll basically do anything BUT oil changes. There is something about jacking up the car and getting on my back on the garage floor that I'm just like... nope, not worth it. If I didn't have to go under the car I would totally do it in a heartbeat.

Changing a filter behind the dash? Not so bad though. Always makes me laugh how much stealerships charge for shit like changing a cabin filter.


But yeah, I understand what you guys are saying. I got a good mom n' pop place that I get all my repairs, but when it came to oil changes I found the valvoline 2 minutes from my house to be pretty decent to get crap done like the state inspection and a quick oil change. The people there seemed pretty competent (in the few times I've been there).

Haha oil changes is one of the few car things that I still don't mind doing (I used to do everything). Pull it up on ramps, slide under on a creeper, loosen a bolt, go have a beer or two, come back and pull the filter, then button it all back up.

Now if I had one of those sideways facing "fuck you" filters, I probably wouldn't do it.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Haha oil changes is one of the few car things that I still don't mind doing (I used to do everything). Pull it up on ramps, slide under on a creeper, loosen a bolt, go have a beer or two, come back and pull the filter, then button it all back up.

Now if I had one of those sideways facing "fuck you" filters, I probably wouldn't do it.

Yeah, my filters are a pain in the ass to get to. Need a decently long arm - and even though I changed my own oil ~2 times - it still takes me a good 3-5 minutes to even find the damn filter.

Also I've had plenty of times where just getting the bolt off or even the filter itself off is a huge pain in the ass (as far as how much resistant it is to unscrewing).

 

[repoman0]

I’ve used one of those hand pump pressure suckers last few times I’ve changed my oil. Warm up car for a few minutes, stick tube down dipstick, make some pressure, change filter while waiting 5-10 minutes for oil to get sucked out, add oil. I do 6-7k miles on quality synthetic or 1 year, whichever comes first, might stretch to 1.5 years if the car only did a thousand or two miles.

 

[desy]

I like changing oil because I go over everything at the same time just to make sure its winter ready. I do it once a year no matter the mileage, t so typically 12-18 k on synth. I drive a lot of highway, I don't have turbo vehicles. I buy whatever synth and filter is on sale.

 

[nakedfrog]

7k intervals are fine on conventional oil these days.