Suppose a Toyota Camry 4 cylinder with synthetic oil. Assuming you don’t do it yourself, how much is an oil change in your area?
The reason I ask, is because oil changes seem to be anywhere between $80-$100 in Los Angeles.
I remember when oil changes use to be just $20 bucks. Granted, that was many years ago, if not more than a decade ago.
I go to an independent Subaru repair shop. Oil changes are $48.50. This is in Western Washington State.
Guess it depends on where you go. They don't show price for the service, so I don't know how much our local (NC) Toyota dealers charge, but the oil, 5qts. and filter (dealer cost) is less than $40. But I checked a different brand dealership and they do show the prices and 6 qt. Mobil-1 f-s oil change is $95 and 8 qt. Mobil-1 oil f-s change is $125. That is just insane especially when a 5qt. jug is between $28-$33, so even if I need 2 jugs that's about $70 with a filter. That's why I do it myself and I know it's done correctly.
Jeez, I figured N.C. would be cheaper than that.
Granted I buy walmart brand synthetic 5-20 with 7 quarts coming to about $22. The filter on the other hand, I'm stuck with whatever sealed unit I can find at the parts store.
In the past I wouldn't have worried about the sealed thing but with how finicky the triton engines are I don't want to take a chance on a surprise being in the filter.
A few months back some guy was at the local walmart trying to return a couple jugs of used oil saying he purchased it that way....whether he was pulling a really stupid scam or he actually got ripped off by someone else successfully returning it as such just made me somewhat paranoid.
Used to go to Wally World but haven't stepped foot in one for at least 5 years. I hit the box stores oreilly's, autozone, napa, etc. for my oil and filters.
My perpetually ailing wallet pulled me back in. For a few years I had a decent boycott going but the price differential became too much to ignore.
Especially with stuff like brake kleen where I'm literally spraying away my pennies away. As the can empties all that goes through my head is "Really?!? $7 for that?"
As @toyotagrl mentioned, it depends on so many variables. If you don't change it, take it to an independent shop which you can trust for other repairs, so the chance of being screwed up be low.
They have this thing called a telephone. It lets you talk to mechanics far away. On the other side of the planet if you wanted.
What is this telephone you speak of? It sounds like sorcery.
I get flyers in the mail all the time, generally when there's a sale it's $50-70 on non-synthetic with a max of five quarts with all sorts of fine print justifying extra hidden fees such for disposal & different oil requirements.
Prior to the "stimulus" I saw $20 signs for the same just about everywhere.
Around 2006 the ONE time I let someone else change my oil was when I had a gift certificate for a free oil change. While sitting in the lobby for likely 30mins after my car was on the lift, this idiot comes in all p*ssed at me telling me I had to show him where the oil goes into the engine.
Keep in mind this was an 87 Camaro, a dyslexic toddler could probably change the oil on that in less time than this guy.
I pointed to the breather on the valve covers & said pick a side. Not only did he not replace the filter, the oil didn't register on the stick. I'm guessing he thought every vehicle takes 4 quarts.
Even if that wasn't the case, after that question of "Duh, where do I put dee oil George?" I still would have went straight to the parts store & grabbed oil/a filter to do the job myself.
The guy had the nerve to ask for a tip citing the difficult time he had & how that has never happened to him before. I can't repeat my reply to that on here haha. The shop owner who had no knowledge of cars herself(just wads of money) tried to calm me down with another gift certificate & some silly time release air freshener thing she bought for the lobby.
Thankfully that place went under years ago.
WHOA!
My thoughts exactly 😆
All these years later I still can't believe that happened.
I have a 2022 Civic that uses full synthetic 0w-20 (4.7 quarts if changing oil filter too). I buy the oil from Costco and filter from Honda when on sale and it costs me about $25-$30. I called a few chain shops just out of curiosity and they charge $210 for this same thing. Insane. I live in WA State.
{black}:vomited:
What?! $200+ for an oil change?! AYFKM?!
I guess it comes with living in Seattle and the idea that you're rich if you live in Seattle.