WOW, I;ve noticed that a majority of oil change centers that carries synthetic oils charge at least $70. This is freaking ridiculous and so sad because people actually pay this much when they have no idea that synthetic oil cost about 10-15 dollars more per 5 quarts yet they're paying three to four times that.
Oil change centers RIP OFF
- Thread starter calvinnnnnnnnn
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Yeah, the "mechanics" work for free? that's what your paying for.
Originally Posted By: TrentMiller
Yeah, the "mechanics" work for free? that's what your paying for.
It does not take any more effort to pour in oil priced at $7.00 per quart than oil priced at $3.00 per quart. Therefore, the price of the oil change should only increase by $24.00 for a 6 quart change, not $50.00.
Yeah, the "mechanics" work for free? that's what your paying for.
It does not take any more effort to pour in oil priced at $7.00 per quart than oil priced at $3.00 per quart. Therefore, the price of the oil change should only increase by $24.00 for a 6 quart change, not $50.00.
It's all very well to tell someone how to run a business - but try it yourself and see what sort of figures you have to produce to turn a profit...
Originally Posted By: Harley09
It does not take any more effort to pour in oil priced at $7.00 per quart than oil priced at $3.00 per quart. Therefore, the price of the oil change should only increase by $24.00 for a 6 quart change, not $50.00.
Harley09,
So, they should only make profit on labor & not parts?
It does not take any more effort to pour in oil priced at $7.00 per quart than oil priced at $3.00 per quart. Therefore, the price of the oil change should only increase by $24.00 for a 6 quart change, not $50.00.
Harley09,
So, they should only make profit on labor & not parts?
Originally Posted By: calvinnnnnnnnn
WOW, I;ve noticed that a majority of oil change centers that carries synthetic oils charge at least $70. This is freaking ridiculous and so sad because people actually pay this much when they have no idea that synthetic oil cost about 10-15 dollars more per 5 quarts yet they're paying three to four times that.
Yes, it's a ripoff, but that's how they pay their bills. The same way a local dealership does a "safety inspection" on every vehicle that comes into their shop, even if it's only 6 months old. (It's amazing how many "problems" they can find on a new vehicle. My mom found out she had to have nitrogen put in her tires or they would blowout on the drive home with out it)
Gas stations charge $.10 a gallon more for a 2 point octane increase when it only costs them a penny or two. Electronic stores sell you an inflated warranty on some product that two minutes earlier was touted as being the most reliable record on the market. Your phone bill adds taxes and fees that they can't explain where it goes. Have you noticed that Amazon charges taxes on shipping and handling?
You have a valid point, but the best way to resist this stuff is to be a smart consumer.
WOW, I;ve noticed that a majority of oil change centers that carries synthetic oils charge at least $70. This is freaking ridiculous and so sad because people actually pay this much when they have no idea that synthetic oil cost about 10-15 dollars more per 5 quarts yet they're paying three to four times that.
Yes, it's a ripoff, but that's how they pay their bills. The same way a local dealership does a "safety inspection" on every vehicle that comes into their shop, even if it's only 6 months old. (It's amazing how many "problems" they can find on a new vehicle. My mom found out she had to have nitrogen put in her tires or they would blowout on the drive home with out it)
Gas stations charge $.10 a gallon more for a 2 point octane increase when it only costs them a penny or two. Electronic stores sell you an inflated warranty on some product that two minutes earlier was touted as being the most reliable record on the market. Your phone bill adds taxes and fees that they can't explain where it goes. Have you noticed that Amazon charges taxes on shipping and handling?
You have a valid point, but the best way to resist this stuff is to be a smart consumer.
Originally Posted By: Kruse
Have you noticed that Amazon charges taxes on shipping and handling?
This is required by law in various states. It's not the same issue as the oil change shop who arbitrarily marks up a synthetic oil change by $50.
Have you noticed that Amazon charges taxes on shipping and handling?
This is required by law in various states. It's not the same issue as the oil change shop who arbitrarily marks up a synthetic oil change by $50.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Silk
It's all very well to tell someone how to run a business - but try it yourself and see what sort of figures you have to produce to turn a profit...
x2. It cost's us $5k a month to keep the doors open. Not including employees wages.
People don't realize that we have many different permits to buy, electric, water etc. You don't want to know how much a "special generator' permit costs in Ca. And you need a "special generator" permit for everything. Oil, antifreeze, lead, contaminated mop bucket water etc.
Plus we get charged to get the stuff hauled off.
It's all very well to tell someone how to run a business - but try it yourself and see what sort of figures you have to produce to turn a profit...
x2. It cost's us $5k a month to keep the doors open. Not including employees wages.
People don't realize that we have many different permits to buy, electric, water etc. You don't want to know how much a "special generator' permit costs in Ca. And you need a "special generator" permit for everything. Oil, antifreeze, lead, contaminated mop bucket water etc.
Plus we get charged to get the stuff hauled off.
It is a ripoff. I recently had a local oil change shop change my oil in my little Saturn. $28 or so later, it was changed. I brought my own PP and filter for them to use.
$28 was the price with or w/o conventional oil. No discounts. THAT is a ripoff.
$28 was the price with or w/o conventional oil. No discounts. THAT is a ripoff.
Lots of people, for various reasons, can't or won't do their own oil changes. I'd rahter see them go for an oil change at a Q-L than NOT change the oil.
I'll admit I have my oil changed at a Q-L. Filter on my car is excessively hard to reach/change, and I live in a condo where you're not supposed to work on your car. If I could do it quickly, I'd sneak it, but my filter makes it an hour-plus job easily, and lots of mess.
I'll admit I have my oil changed at a Q-L. Filter on my car is excessively hard to reach/change, and I live in a condo where you're not supposed to work on your car. If I could do it quickly, I'd sneak it, but my filter makes it an hour-plus job easily, and lots of mess.
JHZR2
Staff member
It may cost a lot for permitting, etc, but gouging consumers on the sun change is unfair to those paying for that stuff. Syn changes subsidize the conventional ones... Just like premium unleaded subsidizes the regular prices at many stations.
The only people that get "ripped off" are those who allow the work to be done after they've seen the price. Or someone dumb enough to be talked into a synthetic change when conventional will work just as well.
You can always go elsewhere or simply change the oil yourself. I'm sure there are lots of mechanics/service centers that charge a lot less.
No one forced anyone to go to an oil change center and purchase their top of the line synthetic change.
You can always go elsewhere or simply change the oil yourself. I'm sure there are lots of mechanics/service centers that charge a lot less.
No one forced anyone to go to an oil change center and purchase their top of the line synthetic change.
My posting was in response to the reply that seemed to indicate mechanics would be working for free if only the marginal increase in the cost of synthetic, including the cost of extra labor involved with bottled, rather than bulk, oil were added to the cost of the basic oil change. There is not much, if any, additional labor involved.
I agree that businesses are free to charge what the market will bear, and it is up to the consumer to decide whether to pay for it. I meant to say the marginal price of the change would only increase by $24.00 to the business; not that the price should only go up by $24.00. Higher cost items such as SUVs have a greater profit margin than econoboxes, as well as other examples given here.
Forums like this can help consumers decide the value of premium products vs. cost. Many would be better off changing their oil 2.33 times as often with dino, if the cost of syn is $70 vs $30 for dino. A leading analyzer finds little difference between UOAs for syn vs dino. I have junked 3 high mileage/hours vehicles run 98% on dino, none due to oil related problems.
Changing the oil yourself brings syn changes a lot closer to the cost of dino changes. In sum, I agree with most of the postings.
benjamming, have read many of your posts, and always enjoy them.
I agree that businesses are free to charge what the market will bear, and it is up to the consumer to decide whether to pay for it. I meant to say the marginal price of the change would only increase by $24.00 to the business; not that the price should only go up by $24.00. Higher cost items such as SUVs have a greater profit margin than econoboxes, as well as other examples given here.
Forums like this can help consumers decide the value of premium products vs. cost. Many would be better off changing their oil 2.33 times as often with dino, if the cost of syn is $70 vs $30 for dino. A leading analyzer finds little difference between UOAs for syn vs dino. I have junked 3 high mileage/hours vehicles run 98% on dino, none due to oil related problems.
Changing the oil yourself brings syn changes a lot closer to the cost of dino changes. In sum, I agree with most of the postings.
benjamming, have read many of your posts, and always enjoy them.
Kestas
Staff member
The original poster's beef was about the premium charged for synthetic fluid over regular fluid. I too share with his disgust.
OTOH, one can always do it themselves. If you are unwilling or unable to crawl under the car and change the oil - especially synthetic - then you may as well pony up the money.
OTOH, one can always do it themselves. If you are unwilling or unable to crawl under the car and change the oil - especially synthetic - then you may as well pony up the money.
If I had to guess I'd say synthetic oil changes subsidize the $25.00 conventional oil changes. They probably do whatever they can do to lower the cost of a standard oil change just to get people in the door.
There's nothing inherently wrong with a primary service being a loss leader but then charging inflated prices for other services. However, it's most definitely wrong when Jiffy Lube et al. intentionally misleads or outright lie to ignorant customers regarding manufacturer recommendations.
There's nothing inherently wrong with a primary service being a loss leader but then charging inflated prices for other services. However, it's most definitely wrong when Jiffy Lube et al. intentionally misleads or outright lie to ignorant customers regarding manufacturer recommendations.
+3 on the disgust factor on the margins of dino vs syn. I fully appreciate the need for a business to make a profit and feel that the marketplace needs to keep things in sync. I guess I place the blame on the consumer for supporting those margins.
My real beef with the QC industry is that NO MATTER how well I maintain my vehicle, every time I go in one (which is not often,) I ALWAYS need EVERY service they have to offer, because they look at the odometer and think they are going to treat me like a sucker. This website does not have adequate bandwidth to allow me to relate every story, so I will limit it to one of my favorites. Took my 95 Ranger 2.3L 5sp in to have the oil changed. Watching the guy. He comes out in the lounge ranting about the terrible shape that my transmission fluid is because it is brown and about how if I knew anything about maintaining my vehicle I would know that ATF is red. My response was "If YOU knew anything about maintaining my vehicle, you would realize that it is a 5sp and DOES NOT TAKE ATF it takes gear oil and gear oil is brown. Never saw anyone run away so fast. Some moments are priceless.
My real beef with the QC industry is that NO MATTER how well I maintain my vehicle, every time I go in one (which is not often,) I ALWAYS need EVERY service they have to offer, because they look at the odometer and think they are going to treat me like a sucker. This website does not have adequate bandwidth to allow me to relate every story, so I will limit it to one of my favorites. Took my 95 Ranger 2.3L 5sp in to have the oil changed. Watching the guy. He comes out in the lounge ranting about the terrible shape that my transmission fluid is because it is brown and about how if I knew anything about maintaining my vehicle I would know that ATF is red. My response was "If YOU knew anything about maintaining my vehicle, you would realize that it is a 5sp and DOES NOT TAKE ATF it takes gear oil and gear oil is brown. Never saw anyone run away so fast. Some moments are priceless.
Originally Posted By: Tdbo
+3 on the disgust factor on the margins of dino vs syn. I fully appreciate the need for a business to make a profit and feel that the marketplace needs to keep things in sync. I guess I place the blame on the consumer for supporting those margins.
My real beef with the QC industry is that NO MATTER how well I maintain my vehicle, every time I go in one (which is not often,) I ALWAYS need EVERY service they have to offer, because they look at the odometer and think they are going to treat me like a sucker. This website does not have adequate bandwidth to allow me to relate every story, so I will limit it to one of my favorites. Took my 95 Ranger 2.3L 5sp in to have the oil changed. Watching the guy. He comes out in the lounge ranting about the terrible shape that my transmission fluid is because it is brown and about how if I knew anything about maintaining my vehicle I would know that ATF is red. My response was "If YOU knew anything about maintaining my vehicle, you would realize that it is a 5sp and DOES NOT TAKE ATF it takes gear oil and gear oil is brown. Never saw anyone run away so fast. Some moments are priceless.
i love these stories!
+3 on the disgust factor on the margins of dino vs syn. I fully appreciate the need for a business to make a profit and feel that the marketplace needs to keep things in sync. I guess I place the blame on the consumer for supporting those margins.
My real beef with the QC industry is that NO MATTER how well I maintain my vehicle, every time I go in one (which is not often,) I ALWAYS need EVERY service they have to offer, because they look at the odometer and think they are going to treat me like a sucker. This website does not have adequate bandwidth to allow me to relate every story, so I will limit it to one of my favorites. Took my 95 Ranger 2.3L 5sp in to have the oil changed. Watching the guy. He comes out in the lounge ranting about the terrible shape that my transmission fluid is because it is brown and about how if I knew anything about maintaining my vehicle I would know that ATF is red. My response was "If YOU knew anything about maintaining my vehicle, you would realize that it is a 5sp and DOES NOT TAKE ATF it takes gear oil and gear oil is brown. Never saw anyone run away so fast. Some moments are priceless.
i love these stories!
JHZR2
Staff member
Tell us the whopper!!!
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