Ripoff?

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My sister took her car for an oil change at the local gas station/mechanic. She was getting an inspection done and I was too busy to change her oil this week so she asked for an oil change. Her car takes 2.8 quarts of oil and a tiny filter.

They charged her $37 for a standard oil change not including a $2.50 disposal fee. Seems pretty steep for some Formula Shell bulk oil. They raised it $10 over the past few months....from now on, if I am too busy I will have her take it to the local tire and brake place...they charge $24.99 for a standard oil change.

Is $37 a lot, or am I just too used to the DIY price?
 
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too busy???
spankme2.gif
it takes 15-20 mins depending how long you like to drain,for that money do it for her holy cr@ p!!!
crazy2.gif
 
Haven't checked lately (as in, this year) but the local full service car wash/Shell oil change place does a Formula Shell oil change for $26.99, plus you get a free full service car wash worth $12.00.

So, yeah, $37 is a little steep. But, its done and there is one less car on the road in desperate need of servicing.
 
Kind of steep, especially for not being a dealer service department. Most everybody around here does $25-30 for UP to 5 quarts + multi-point inspection, so even if you only need 3 or 4, you still pay the same price. Over 5 quarts you start paying per quart.
 
Hey, these small family owned dealers gotta make a profit. Nobody put a gun to her head to go there.

Lighten up; she wasn't robbed -- she just paid more than she might have paid had she gone somewhere else.

Sorry, Dude. Don't mean to sound mean-spirited, but....
 
Originally Posted By: daman
too busy???
spankme2.gif
it takes 15-20 mins depending how long you like to drain,for that money do it for her holy cr@ p!!!
crazy2.gif



Well, I've been digging trenches lately and my hands are so sore and blistered that I have no desire to attempt taking the oil filter off. I haven't done manual labor in a few months so my hands took a beating. Plus, she was taking it in for an inspection so I recommended she get it done since I had no desire.

We all have our moments of laziness
grin2.gif


I figure I've saved her the cost of many oils changes thus far, so she has still saved overall. I generally charge her $10 to change her oil (the cost of the materials).
 
The overhead for a small shop is high. Labor rates will start at $40 an hour and go up. Pep boys charges around $30 for an oil change before rebates.
 
The small shops here are always the ones offering the cheapest oil changes. The dealers always charge $40-$50.
 
Wal-Mart charges $30 for bulk ST oil change. I was there today to buy some Mobil 1 and noticed this. Crazy. I haven't paid to get my oil changed in a long time I guess.
 
Originally Posted By: daman
too busy???
spankme2.gif
it takes 15-20 mins depending how long you like to drain,for that money do it for her holy cr@ p!!!
crazy2.gif



I always claim the 15 to 20 minute thing when I tell my wife I need to chg the oil. Then an hour or two later I'm finished.

Assuming you already have the oil & filter. Get the pan, park the car in the right spot, find the wrench that fits, move the car a bit more. Get it draining (sometimes I'll take an hour break here - won't count that time), get the nut out of the oil (or clean it if I was lucky enough to hold onto it), put nut & filter on, install oil, study old oil, transfer old oil to jug to take to recycle place, clean the various messes I invariably make (cleaning messes repeats itself), clean the oil plan (to some degree), take oil to recycle place.

And all that was with easy engines. Now I have a Mazda 6 with an undercarriage shield to remove and a cartridge filter.

But next time it'll once again be - "honey, I'm going to change the oil real quick on the ...", and then the next two hours are all mine.
 
Every week I get a couple of coupons for $19.99 oil changes, and that's with Motorcraft or Kendall semi-synthetic
 
[/quote]I always claim the 15 to 20 minute thing when I tell my wife I need to chg the oil. Then an hour or two later I'm finished.[/quote]

Right on with that one! Me,I let the oil drain,have a coldie,put the filter and drain plug back in,have a coldie,then fill her belly with the oil of my choice,then have a coldie
11.gif
10.gif
 
I didn't add jacking the car up (which I'll have to do on the Mazda - my other cars had plenty of clearance and no shield). And for that reason, I think I've retired from oil chging (on the Mazda). I'll ask my mechanic for some extra drain time - he put this fill of M1 0w20 in it last summer for $18 (I provided oil and filter).
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
[/quote]I always claim the 15 to 20 minute thing when I tell my wife I need to chg the oil. Then an hour or two later I'm finished.


Right on with that one! Me,I let the oil drain,have a coldie,put the filter and drain plug back in,have a coldie,then fill her belly with the oil of my choice,then have a coldie
11.gif
10.gif
[/quote]


Mmmm, coldie :) Me likey coldie
grin2.gif
 
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