Oil change cost

[CanAmAndMore]

Do you work for free?

Yes if I own it.
Changed the oil in a semi truck just today.
Nobody walked up to me after and handed me money.
I changed the engine oil, oil filter, coolant filter, both fuel filters, greased it, new front tires, checked it all over, replaced a marker light bulb, a headlight bulb, swapped the DPF out with a clean one, checked the air filters, blew them out and put them back in, replaced the turbo, checked the brakes, and pulled it outside and took it for a 15 minute test drive. One of my summer students detailed the interior, and cleaned the windows and mirrors while it was in the shop, then she checked the 12 rear tires condition and psi. I had to change 1 rear tire with a badly cut sidewall she found.
When i came back from my test drive 3 of my summer students washed the exterior.

 

[The Critic]

Yes if I own it.
Changed the oil in a semi truck just today.
Nobody walked up to me after and handed me money.
I changed the engine oil, oil filter, coolant filter, both fuel filters, greased it, new front tires, checked it all over, replaced a marker light bulb, a headlight bulb, swapped the DPF out with a clean one, checked the air filters, blew them out and put them back in, replaced the turbo, checked the brakes, and pulled it outside and took it for a 15 minute test drive. One of my summer students detailed the interior, and cleaned the windows and mirrors while it was in the shop, then she checked the 12 rear tires condition and psi. I had to change 1 rear tire with a badly cut sidewall she found.
When i came back from my test drive 3 of my summer students washed the exterior.

My point was: all of these services carry a market value. It isn’t fair to use the cost of DIYing as the rubric for what a service should cost.

 

[CanAmAndMore]

My point was: all of these services carry a market value. It isn’t fair to use the cost of DIYing as the rubric for what a service should cost.

Dealers rarely even use a certified Technician to do lube jobs.
They use a minimum wage boy who has no clue what is truly good or bad for your engine.
I don't even want them driving my car thank you very much.
So it costs the shop about $2 in wages, and a little overhead to run the place, so lets say $4, plus $15 for bulk bought oil, $5 for the filter. So anything over $24 is profit.
If you use the old shop theory of doubling costs, an oil change shouldn't exceed $48 anywhere on a little mazda cx5.

 

[NETWizz]

Okay. It’s a 2022 CX-5 at Hello Mazda in Temecula that wants that much. I would change the oil myself, but she has no ramps or anything to catch the oil, and it is hard to log it for warranty.

 

[CanAmAndMore]

Okay. It’s a 2022 CX-5 at Hello Mazda in Temecula that wants that much. I would change the oil myself, but she has no ramps or anything to catch the oil, and it is hard to log it for warranty.

Ramps and a catch pan are cheap, and last a lifetime.

 

[NETWizz]

Ramps and a catch pan are cheap, and last a lifetime.

Yeah she will throw them out. Dad passes and she threw away a ton of stuff far more valuable than than Ramps.

 

[mr_boring]

Ramps and a catch pan are cheap, and last a lifetime.

I had to replace a catch pan last winter. Darn thing let go at the seam. It was at least 15 years old, but had seen little use, comparatively speaking. It do get brittle with time. It might have had 20 oil changes through it.

Just for fun, plastic cat litter jugs make great temporary catch pans. Cut a big hole in one side and let 'er rip. Great for coolant.

 

[The Critic]

So it costs the shop about $2 in wages, and a little overhead to run the place, so lets say $4, plus $15 for bulk bought oil, $5 for the filter. So anything over $24 is profit.

Not sure what the wages are in your area, but those numbers would have been unrealistic 10 years ago, let alone today.

 

[CanAmAndMore]

Not sure what the wages are in your area, but those numbers would have been unrealistic 10 years ago, let alone today.

Hmmmm

I thought I was being generous at a cost of $24.

 

[doublebase]

It depends; are they doing a tire rotation, checking fluids, adjusting air pressure, checking brakes? Maybe a car wash?

Even then ^^^ I still would prefer just the synthetic oil change for around $100 bucks.

And I’d really prefer just doing it myself for $35 bucks.

 

[doublebase]

Hmmmm

I thought I was being generous at a cost of $24.

Thirty years ago I’d have a hard time getting an oil change for $24 bucks. And that would be conventional oil, bottom barrel filter.

Now? Most repair facilities in my area are $135-$150 an hour labor. If I head further north the price drops to $90 an hour. An oil change takes maybe a half hour to do (tops), most shops will just have a specific price for oil changes, with options on the type of oil (synthetic, synthetic blend, conventional and boutique). ranging from $80-$120 for five quarts depending on the type of oil used.

 

[zzyzzx]

Our local Jiffy Lube is $112.99 for 5 quarts of PP. Tire Rotation is extra.

Out of morbid curiosity, I tried to get an estimate from their website, but I stopped when it wanted a license plate number.

 

[CanAmAndMore]

Thirty years ago I’d have a hard time getting an oil change for $24 bucks. And that would be conventional oil, bottom barrel filter.

Now? Most repair facilities in my area are $135-$150 an hour labor. If I head further north the price drops to $90 an hour. An oil change takes maybe a half hour to do (tops), most shops will just have a specific price for oil changes, with options on the type of oil (synthetic, synthetic blend, conventional and boutique). ranging from $80-$120 for five quarts depending on the type of oil used.

Actually I said the shops cost is about $24, so if they double that and charge $48 they are doing fine.

And unless the oil change person is 16 months old, it doesn't take them even close to a half hour.
Last summer I sat on the patio at Earl's restaurant, and enjoyed lunch while facing a Great Canadian Oil Change.
I decided to time exactly one hour, and see how many vehicles they did. It has 2 bays, and they did 17 vehicles in an hour. They could have done several more, but sometimes a bay sat empty for a while waiting for someone to pull in for an oil change. No shop wastes a half hour doing an oil change. I can have 2 semi trucks in my shop, and change the oil in both in way less than a half hour.

 

[GMFan]

Most dealers here charge around $60-$70 for a synthetic oil change, $50 or so for semi-synthetic. It’s probably a loss leader for them to get other maintenance services.

Your standard quick lubes will charge around $60-$70 for a semi-synthetic oil change and $100+ for synthetic.

 

[D60]

Actually I said the shops cost is about $24, so if they double that and charge $48 they are doing fine.

And unless the oil change person is 16 months old, it doesn't take them even close to a half hour.
Last summer I sat on the patio at Earl's restaurant, and enjoyed lunch while facing a Great Canadian Oil Change.
I decided to time exactly one hour, and see how many vehicles they did. It has 2 bays, and they did 17 vehicles in an hour. They could have done several more, but sometimes a bay sat empty for a while waiting for someone to pull in for an oil change. No shop wastes a half hour doing an oil change. I can have 2 semi trucks in my shop, and change the oil in both in way less than a half hour.

*I* take well over half an hour for any oil change, but I'm not a quickie lube. By the time I pull it in, pop the hood and get it on the 2-post at least 10 minutes is gone. But halfway up I pause with wheels about torso height so I can grab all four at 12/6 and 3/9.

Then I let the oil drain for way too long. Drips are ok but I hate reinstalling a drain plug if it's still a tiny trickle. Not saying it makes sense.

While draining I look at CV boots, u-joints etc and inspect for other oddball damage. I'll look at what I can see of brakes with wheels on.

When applicable I pre-fill filters, something I suspect no quickie lube on the planet does. I hate those few seconds of rattle on start-up if it can be avoided.

Ironically, I don't bother with the normal fluff the LOF places do: I don't check tire pressure (unless a tire is visibly low) or air filter or washer fluid or wiper condition. To me that's just unnecessary fluff. A loose u-joint or cracked CV boot is FAR more important.

I have decided to start cleaning windshields with each oil change, that's a nice touch which is noticeable by most drivers, esp now with summer bug season

 

[The Critic]

Ironically, I don't bother with the normal fluff the LOF places do: I don't check tire pressure (unless a tire is visibly low) or air filter or washer fluid or wiper condition. To me that's just unnecessary fluff. A loose u-joint or cracked CV boot is FAR more important.

Tire Pressure is a safety item in my book - it should always be checked. My state requires it.
Also, not filling the washer fluid is a quick way of ticking off a customer. If a customer finds their reservoir empty after any maintenance service, that is a recipe for a bad review.

Out of morbid curiosity, I tried to get an estimate from their website, but I stopped when it wanted a license plate number.

Just use the VIN/lic plate from a random used car listing.

Actually I said the shops cost is about $24, so if they double that and charge $48 they are doing fine.

And unless the oil change person is 16 months old, it doesn't take them even close to a half hour.
Last summer I sat on the patio at Earl's restaurant, and enjoyed lunch while facing a Great Canadian Oil Change.
I decided to time exactly one hour, and see how many vehicles they did. It has 2 bays, and they did 17 vehicles in an hour. They could have done several more, but sometimes a bay sat empty for a while waiting for someone to pull in for an oil change. No shop wastes a half hour doing an oil change. I can have 2 semi trucks in my shop, and change the oil in both in way less than a half hour.

A lot of those of costs are going to be dependent on the shop's cost structure, but I'm still standing by my prior comment that your numbers are way off. At an industry level, MOST full service shops need to be at an effective labor rate >$125/hr in order to be positioned for long-term survival and growth.

 

[The Critic]

Out of morbid curiosity, I tried to get an estimate from their website, but I stopped when it wanted a license plate number.

Just for giggles, I used the information from a used 2015 CRV listed is listed on a dealer's website. This vehicle calls for 4.5 qt of 0W20.

 

[D60]

The last time I filled a washer reservoir was an '05 Freestyle.....the whole gallon wound up on my shop floor. Now we know why it was empty.

No good deed.......

 

[AutoMechanic]

I’d say excessive. At my dealership we charge $79:99 that’s up to 5 quarts of it needs more it’s based on however much more a quart cost could be $7-$10 or whatever extra plus the oil filter and 30 minutes labor as they pay flat rate guys 30 minutes to do an oil change. 30 minutes is about average for an oil change these days. Sometimes it takes less sometimes longer.

 

[doublebase]

Actually I said the shops cost is about $24, so if they double that and charge $48 they are doing fine.

And unless the oil change person is 16 months old, it doesn't take them even close to a half hour.
Last summer I sat on the patio at Earl's restaurant, and enjoyed lunch while facing a Great Canadian Oil Change.
I decided to time exactly one hour, and see how many vehicles they did. It has 2 bays, and they did 17 vehicles in an hour. They could have done several more, but sometimes a bay sat empty for a while waiting for someone to pull in for an oil change. No shop wastes a half hour doing an oil change. I can have 2 semi trucks in my shop, and change the oil in both in way less than a half hour.

I don’t think you’re going to find a single shop on earth that can get a vehicle out of a parking lot, pull it in, set up a lift (or drive it on a ramp), get the correct filter, and oil, do the oil change and pull it out of the building in much under a half hour.

And when you said the “shop’s cost”, you added overhead and salary for a grand total of $4 bucks, there are only a couple countries on this planet could do that. You’d have to pay the tech $2 bucks per half hour, plus the electric, insurance and heating bill for the other $2 bucks. Don’t forget the person answering the phone/service advisor, paper for the actual paper work, the ink for the printer, the all data software programs, the hazardous waste charge, worker‘s comp, a half dozen other things I’m forgetting off the top of my head. Unless the oil change is being done in a cave in Uganda, or Bangladesh, it’s not costing a shop $24 bucks for a synthetic oil change for five quarts of oil/labor/overhead. IMO.

And the cost of synthetic oil and a filter is going to run you around $30 bucks right now, even using bulk oil and a cheap filter.