This has always confused me - oil changes

Jeffblue

the guy who changes my oil makes me a sandwhich while the oil drains out of my car.

b1adesofcha0s

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TreeSemdyZee

I take my own oil, they install their filter and change the oil for $18.
I have to believe the $90 dollar changes you're speaking of are the Nissan Ester Oil, which is a $14-15 per quart.

Jeffblue

nah my brother gets charged 90 for a synthetic change on is 2003 A6.

spiGini

The reason why conventional oil is so cheap to do is because shops buy it in bulk so they get a greater discount from the distributor. synthetic on the other hand you have to buy case by case just like you would at autozone or where ever else. they still receive a discount for buying it from the distributor but it isn't as big of a discount as if they ordered 100 gallons of conventional oil. plus they have to put a markup on the oil so they can still make money causing the price to be higher. $90 for only 5 qts is def high no matter what but at my shop for 5qts synthetic mobil 1 and oil filter is about $60+tax . 7 qts about 85+ tax so its all depending on how many qts it takes. again $90 for 5 qts is ridiculous and i would def get it done someplace else if he can't do it himself

haitech

They try to take your life savings.

kenchan

$25 5qt jug at walmart for mobil1 silver cap + $5-6 for the filter and 1hr of my time.

Skeeterbop

If the guy making the sandwich/changing oil is the same guy that is waiting on the oil change; then it doesn't count

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FL 4Motion

those dirty rat bastards! I won't fall for their trickery.

TreeSemdyZee

Must be more expensive to change the oil in an A than it is in a Z.

sonic370

Well said which is why i bring my own oil. Who knows whats really in those
bulk tanks they pump out of............. Just saying far as we know could be
wal-mart special brand..............

brucelidat

Dealers are always going to try to gouge you and luxury makes will do so eve more. They mark up the oil big time so you can't use your purchase price elsewhere as a guide. I bring my own oil and the guy I go to charges me $15 for filter and labor. Also, as others have stated, shops/dealers buy conventional oil by the barrel. It probably costs them a dime a quart. Synthetic they have to buy by the case. This of course does not meaning they are also marking things u big time to rip you off. I only ever go to the dealership for warranty repairs or if I have a coupon (though that was with the Altima, they never have coupons for synthetic)

Also, don't let them trick you with the free first oil change. They'll treat it like any other car and put conventional in. They mentioned it to me, the free first oil change. I asked if that was the ester oil, and they were like no, that's like $75 extra. Offering a free oil change but using an oil below factory recommendations is retarded.

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CC_370z

Me too.

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bvl

Service is a business. Yes there are horror stories everywhere, but most people post bad things, almost never good things. People also seem to feel that prices are not worth what they are.

Lets break it down.

You get an oil change for $30 for your Z, takes 5.2 qt with filter.

$5 oil (5/30 bulk 55gal which is what large shops buy)
$5 OEM filter and washer (their cost, no profit. Actual loss: they pay people to stock the shelves, run the parts department).

Oil Change: start to finish 30m. This includes person who checks you in (service advisor), person who drives car in, tech who works on the car, cashier who checks you out.

So that is effectively $40/hr for labor on the service. Well below their rates.

$40/hr is roughly $80K year...I bet most people on this forum are close to that or over that if they drive a 40K car. If you want equal quality as yourself, why should you not expect to pay equal value? Do you want a $10/hr spanky doing your oil change and hosing it up? Alrighty, check out Jiffy-lube where the odds are better.

So is a $50 oil change really a rip off? I think not. The oil changes are low margin service at high volume for customers. Larger services are more profitable since it takes more time (highest margin is in labor costs), and more parts where there are some markups.

My local dealer charged me $27 or so for the Z's oil change when I brought my own oil. With conventional its $35+tax. More then reasonable.

With any service, I simply itemize it. The 'package' services are typically higher margin as well. Instead of the 30K package, I say do X, Y, Z only. And the break down is reasonable as parts plus exact labor.

Note: I have done almost all of my routine maintenance for 20 years and am pretty experienced. This has saved me a lot of money and helped finance my car habits

While under warranty, given the complexity of modern cars, the Z is the first car I am taking to the dealer while under warranty and letting them do it. Yeah I can save $20 on my oil change, but jacking it up, dealing with the splash pan, crawling under it, etc...takes time.

Sitting in waiting room with my laptop and wireless working == money. Its a value equation I am quite happy with

I still work on the WRX and G35, so all is not lost.

- b

shadoquad

What one person considers a value, another will consider a ripoff it is as simple as that.

But yes, garages try to take all they can get, especially at dealerships.