When Dealership's OC deal = less or same as DIY

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
5,294
With the current price of regular old 5W30 conventional running around $4/qt and the OE oil filter around $8 I'm probably going to take advantage of the local Subaru dealership's oil change special for $29.95. They probably use bulk XOM or SOPUS oil anyhow, and I would be using either Mobil Super 5000 or Havoline so... Might as well drink some coffee and let them get dirty instead.

P.S. I probably won't. I'll probably DIY it due to my obsession with perfection and all, but it IS food for thought.
 
That's what my father says. He gets PP 5w30 put in his car at Jiffy Lube for about $50. Barely costs more than doing it yourself when you consider the time spent getting the car on ramps, disposing of the oil, etc.
 
I take my vehicle to a local Gateway Tire and Service center and let them do my oil changes. Runs around 35 to 40 dollars and they clean the windows as well as vacuum the carpets.

I really don't have a place to do it and plus at my age, I don't feel like crawling around on the ground to do it. If I had a garage with a concrete floor....I would do it myself.
 
Its reassuring knowing I tightened the filter, drain bolt and topped off correctly. That and I like the smell of burnt oil.
 
Unless you have a diesel that holds anywhere from 12-15qts of oil you aren't really saving any money changing it yourself. BUT the peace of mind of knowing it was done right is priceless.
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
With the current price of regular old 5W30 conventional running around $4/qt and the OE oil filter around $8 I'm probably going to take advantage of the local Subaru dealership's oil change special for $29.95. They probably use bulk XOM or SOPUS oil anyhow, and I would be using either Mobil Super 5000 or Havoline so... Might as well drink some coffee and let them get dirty instead.

P.S. I probably won't. I'll probably DIY it due to my obsession with perfection and all, but it IS food for thought.



"Perfection" is why I DIY almost all the time.
 
I ask myself why every time I change it myself. I don't know I guess I'm a creature of habit.

Plus I can change it faster myself than paying someone to do it.
 
I'm struggling w/ this a little. My new Subaru comes with free maintenance, including oil changes, for 2 years or 24k miles. The catch is that the recommended interval is a bit on the long side.

I'm toying w/ the idea of doing every other oil change at the dealership. But in the end I think I'll just do them all myself and pretend the "free" option doesn't exist. That way I know it's done right. Plus, it's like a hobby
smile.gif
 
For me at least, DIY is a no brainer, I save time and money, plus I enjoy working on cars.

I'm usually done within 30-45 minutes and that usually includes cutting the filter open while the oil is draining or checking other things under the car. If I'm really in a hurry I can be done in about 20 minutes.
I know of no oil place or a dealer that can be done in 30 minutes, including the drive there. Then you have to deal with appointments, watching some high school kid work on your car and double check their work.

It’s not for me.
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ


It’s not for me.
+1, but the Firestone $16.99 oil change nearby is oh so tempting sometimes...
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
That's what my father says. He gets PP 5w30 put in his car at Jiffy Lube for about $50. Barely costs more than doing it yourself when you consider the time spent getting the car on ramps, disposing of the oil, etc.


I can get my car on the ramp relatively quick and disposing oil is a once a year or twice a year affair(15 gallon storage). Once it gets filled I take it to the nearest sewer drain and pour it in!!!**JOKING**. I take it to the ETD Tire down the street and pay the disposal fee(something like $5 or 6 bucks which is a steal to me.

I've had bad experiences with quick lubes, and the only one I actually do trust is over priced(Valvoline Quick Lube). Last time I went there was in 08 and it ran me $75 for synthetic :|
 
I'm the same way, have a five gallon used oil container that only gets taken for disposal about once a year. I'm still working through my stash of cheap PP that's been stockpiled at an average after rebate cost of $1.75 per quart. At that price, an oil change comes in at under $14 with a filter change. Of course, I take the money I save on the materials and spend it on UOA's, so the total cost ends up being the same as paying for the dealer to change it.
 
Don't get me wrong guys, I said it was tempting... I have DIY'd every OC on the Forester and wife's Beetle TDI (diesel) for the same reasons most of you mentioned. Actually between the two, I would be more inclined to shop out the OC on the TDI because its a mess to deal with, but I always did it myself due to the special oil requirement (VW spec 505.01) even though I've been using CJ4 5W40 in it since warranty expired... Most recently Shell Rotella T6 Synthetic. The Forester, on the other hand, is a breeze to change oil on because it sits up high enough there is no need to ramp it, just slide under and pull the plug but filter removal is an art form on that car to avoid getting oil on the exhaust heat shields.
 
I only DIY because I want to.

I do buy only super cheap oil deals, so it does save some money.

But, if I didn't want to do it, saving a few dollars wouldn't be worth it to change it myself.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top