Oil Change Cost
$100.00.
Cost of oil change at one of the local independent mechanic shops. Engine is a V8. What is the question? None. Just a comment. |
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Its back to doing it at home - I can get 10 quarts of full synthetic oil from Costco (Similar I'm sure to BJs or Sam's Club) for $40 - A filter is maybe $10 so.
I'd say an oil change has $20 worth of oil and $10 for filter. O'Reilly's has the common combo - 5 quarts of full synthetic and filter for $34. Well worth the investment of my time. |
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We pay $80 for full synthetic and tire rotate.
Absolutely not worth my time to do it myself. Sent from my SM-G990U1 using Tapatalk |
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Dan |
Faithful Customer Not Going Back...
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Shop is two miles north of Wolfeboro Falls, who has a new and sprawling competitor across the highway. This doesn't compute! 'Saved $40 this season by using an Irving shop closer to home. |
I changed my own oil from the time I was in my teens up until a couple of years ago. Now that I’m in my early 60s, getting my fat arse up and down just isn’t as easy as it used to be. I’ve been using Prompto for a couple of years. Most recent change on my GMC truck, 6 quarts synthetic and a filter was $58.00.
BT |
For about $50 or so, the Walmart's in Tilton and Plymouth do oil/filter/check and top off fluids/inflate tires and I get the Castrol Edge synthetic, 5-quarts and a Fram filter. I always upgrade to a Fram best quality "gold" filter for an extra five dollars otherwise you get the cheapest Fram $3 filter and not their Fram $8 filter.
The recommended oil change is every 3000-miles, but I always go to 5000-miles before next oil change, and maintain the level by checking the dip stick at every gasoline fill-up and adding Castrol Edge 0-20, $8.50/qt, as needed which is about one quart over five thousand miles in this 2014 200-hp Subaru horizontally opposed 'Boxer' 4-cylinder engine. Car is a 2014 Subaru Crosstrek w/ 5-speed manual and 129,000-miles, so far. My previous car, a 2013 Toyota Scion xB, 5-speed, had an oil consumption problem and needed about 3/4 quart added at every gasoline fill-up but it still went to 221,000-miles despite the oil consumption problem before I sold it to a used car dealer for $300 who removed it away on a trailer. It also had right side, smashed doors damage from a hit & run collision so's I kept the insurance payout and figured it was time to get rid of that Scion xB but it was a very reliable and fuel efficient car despite the defective Toyota engine that was always low almost a quart on the dip stick. |
Oil changes are not all the same, as several have mentioned. Quarts needed, type of oil, etc. factors in. My last diesel pickup took 10 quarts and I used high quality oil, high quality filter, did it myself and it was probably pushing 80 bucks.
The other thing is that over the past 18 months or so certain oils have not been available, Shell Rotella T6, Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck, Mobil Delvac, and several others at least. I've been in Walmart and seen shelves virtually empty of truck oil in particular. The days of $39 speedy oil changes are long gone. |
$80 Here
Local German Indie replace 7 Qts of oil and filter. Quick mechanical check under hood and chassis. Rotate tires and pressure check. That is not bad considering it cost $50 DIY.
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Think of it as insurance
As a youngster, I used to do oil changes and simple maintenance on our cars. When we lived in St. Louis in the early 1990s, my good friend and co-worker changed his oil too. At the time, he had a relatively new small pickup truck. Well, you can probably guess what happened. He changed his oil and did not properly secure the drain plug. He ended up blowing his engine. After that, I started bringing my cars to a mechanic for OLFs and routine maintenance, as well as bigger things. I thought of it as a small price to pay (an insurance policy) given what can go wrong.
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On vehicles I do myself I install a Fumoto valve, nothing to screw in and out any more, just a lever that opens and closes. Secure and simple. |
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Like so many things, there isn't a single fits-all answer to oil change intervals.
If I had to generalize, if you are running a modern car with synthetic oil, nobody has to change faster than 5,000 miles. I generally start thinking about it at somewhere over 4,000, get around to it somewhere in the high 4's. Contrary to what you were told the automakers aren't evil geniuses that don't care if their engines fail after the warranty. Their recommendations can definitely be followed, but I choose to not push it to the max since in the course of a year changing oil a bit sooner doesn't cost much. On my diesel trucks I'd go 6-7,000 miles. One exception was a Chevy Tahoe that had the cylinder deactivation "feature", they were prone to failure and pretty solid evidence that 3,000 mile changes would tend to avoid that problem. If you are interested enough to prove the point on a specific interval, you can do used oil analysis (UOA) to see what kind of life your oil has left and what if any wear is happening in your engine. |
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short trips and a lot of sitting can create a lot of condensation so I change the oil in my jeep once a year, even though I might only drive it 1000 miles, but my car that gets a lot of highway miles with long trips I go about 6000 -7000 and rotate the tires every other time. my chevy truck which has the cylinder shut off mentioned above I go by the change indictor which is generally about 5000 I miss when we would use the old oil as undercoating |
I have a 2020 Chevrolet and the recommended first oil change is at 7,500 miles.
In my other vehicle I put the Mobil One Extended Range Synthetic oil that says it is good for 15,000 miles. I may change the filter at 7,000 miles, just because. |
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Once, at a quality aircraft repair station where I was arriving to pick up my plane from its annual maintenance, I observed a mechanic trying to refill my engine oil. He commented that it was taking more than expected. His boss came over and pointed out that the spring loaded quick drain was still open and the clean oil was pouring into the drain pan. |
Used to do my oil changes. However, newer vehicle has cartridge type insert filters and they are a pain to remove, drain, and then replace the element. Much happier when all I had to do was spin off the old one and replace it with a new "can". Also, getting too old to crawl under the car. Now go to dealer and have them use factory parts / oil....having the record of changes may help if engine warranty issue later.
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I stopped using the dealer for service my 13 BMW was out of warranty. (I had to take it back twice to repair problems w/their service. They did them N/C but had no empathy for the time/inconvenience it caused me). I found a local shop that specializes in BMW and the first thing he recommended was to go to 7500 mile oil changes from BMWs recommended 12000. (Car uses synthetic). Not a revenue boosting ploy from him based on how much N/C repair he has done for me over past 9 years.
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I haven’t changed my own oil since the early 70’s when I had a car I could sit on he fender with legs in the engine bay to pull the spark plugs and the only things you had to worry about if your car wouldn’t start were fuel, air, & spark. I think I just got older, busier, and maybe lazier!
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No. Here, never go to new car dealer for oil changes.
They charge the same or more than an independent shop. Most new car dealers - the repair mechanics do not do the oil changes. They hire the less skilled and pay less to dedicated oil change people. There can be issues having oil changed at new car dealer. 1. My neighbor went to new car dealer in Laconia. He purchased new from that dealer. He always went to new car dealer for oil changes. One time. Just before getting home. The engine oil light came on. He called Laconia dealer. They promptly sent a tow truck to his home. Towed/flat bed back to Laconia. See - the drain plug was not tightened when oil was changed. All of the new oil leaked out just before he got home. 2. Years/decades ago. Went to new car dealer in Belmont. For oil change. After oil change they drive car to front of dealership. The keys are on service desk counter. Get bill. Take keys. Pay cashier. Then out to car. BUT. The car was running. No key in ignition. As I had keys in my hand. The car was running with no key in ignition. Oil change kid had just yanked the key out of ignition. Engine still running. Now I have an ignition lock mechanism issue. All done at new car dealer. 3. Oil filters. Most do not know that oil filters vary in quality and price. HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT OIL FILTER FOR YOUR CAR |
A lot of people with nice expensive cars probably stay away from Walmart for any type of car service but I have used them in Plymouth and Tilton for my 2014 Subaru Crosstrek with good results, so far.
So far, so good? ...... :eek: I simply find the correct oil filter and tell the guy at the counter that I want to upgrade from the standard el cheapo Fram to the best Fram ..... and hand him the filter ....... which adds about five dollars to the price. One does not see too many late model cars that cost thirty thousand dollars plus at the Walmart car service although once I did see a Porsche Cayenne at the Plymouth Walmart for four new tires ...... honest! I could not believe it, but there it was ...... holy smokes. ..... :laugh: File this one under "Tales from the Crypt on Oil Change Cowabunga." ..... ugh! Hey there you fans of CarFax ........ VIN JTLZE4FE7DJ031429 ...... is the number for my 2013 Scion xB which I sold to a used car guy for $300 in December 2021 ........ so, where is this car today ...... what happened to it? Did he fix up the two smashed-in doors and resell it for $3000 or what with 221,000-miles? |
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I recently bought a lawn mower that has no oil drain plug. The manual says never change just add as needed. If I wanted to change it I'd have to tip it upside down over a bucket. :eek: |
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Obviously this mower that I bought is a throw away, which is exactly what they want you to do so they can sell you another one. |
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https://www.amazon.com/FOUR-UNCLES-E...d670b6bc&psc=1 |
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With Subarus the oil filter is mounted on top of the engine.
One would need to try really hard to make a mess with that. On my Subarus, I have installed a Fumoto valve. I slide a plastic tube onto the valve and put the other end in my Walmart oil drain container. A quick turn of the valve gets the hot oil flowing while I change the filter up top. When it stops flowing I close the valve and pour in the new oil. This results in the cleanest oil change ever! The laconia transfer station, which I believe is in Meredith, takes my waste oil for free. |
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Castrol "R"--Still Used in Model Airplanes...
Synthetic oil was developed in 1909 by a British firm later known as Castrol.
The original product moved from aircraft to automobile race courses--known as Castrol "R". (And known by its distinctive scent). Following use of the pricey Castrol "R", I used "Redline" synthetic oils, as they were the only synthetic oils who advertised at the time: "Made in USA". :patriot: Today, all are "blends", so good luck getting a straight answer. :rolleye2: |
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I think several local garages and facilities have waste oil burners for space heating. We use the Belmont Public Works... as that ''donate'' helps keep down the cost of heating the buildings that would otherwise use tax dollars. |
went to walmart yesterday and there was almost nothing but synthetic and a lot of empty spaces. I usually use rotella in my truck but I read that's completely out of stock everywhere until some unspecified date
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Not sure which Rotella you use, I did see T5 and T6 in stock at Autozone a week ago, first time I've seen T6 there in quite a while. |
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Then the old used oil. Place into container and transport to a place that can use it or dispose of it. |
Just paid $49 at Valvoline for a basic oil change WITH a $9 coupon.
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Gasoline, but Especially Diesel, Temperatures, Geography, Chromium, Iron...
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The interview between "Dave" and the chemist (in the dark-framed glasses) covers a lot of ground, but the takeaway is as bolded above. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fu7PlRsqMyA Start at minute 13 and get your best life-time sophisticated lecture on oil, rings, additives (especially zinc), fuels ⛽️, rebuilds, break-in oils, "sims" (simulated breaking-in at the bench), oil change intervals, yesterday's folklore--and more. :eek2: |
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Just before a judge heard the case, Valvoline HQ decided to replace the engine at their expense. Great insurance when you have someone else do the job. |
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