oil change

[micky]

Last time this mattered for me, maybe 30 years ago, the owner of a car still under warranty had to keep a record of oil changes done, so if the engine needed warranty-paid service, he could prove he'd changed the oil as often as they require.

That doesn't mean the dealer has to do it -- any shop can do it, if they give you a dated receipt referring to the car in question on letterhead paper. But I'm not sure it's enough for you to just have a receipt for the oil from Pep Boys. That doesn't prove you changed the oil on this particular car. It doesn't even prove you used the oil or the filter. .

Better read your warranty before you trash the warranty.

[DerbyDad03]

Yes.

pssst...there's an index in the document I linked to.

[Ashton Crusher]

Here's my 2cents and I do almost all my own oil changes on my old vehicles...... Unless the dealer charges an arm and a leg just take it to the dealer while its in warranty. The owners manual for my PT, for example, calls for oil changes every 6000 miles or 6 months. The dealer, of course, would like to have you do them every 3000/3 but there's no need to. If they were ever to challenge you just say that you read the manual and your driving fits the usage profile for 6000/6 mile changes. Don't argue with them about your driving style, just say you never drive it hard or in dusty conditions. They are not likely to care anyway. So you are only looking at 2 oil changes a year if you are anywhere near a typical driver. For me, I usually have a coupon for a $20 change so it doesn't even cost me more the what I'd pay for the oil and filter to do it myself plus the dealer does an inspection and has found stuff and fixed it under warranty that I didn't even know was wrong. I'm also letting the dealer do the 30K and such service like changing plugs and wires as called for. It's also pretty cheap.

By always taking it to the dealer you also have a permanent record of the services should a major problem develop. A lot better then pulling out your shoe box of receipts to prove you've been changing the oil and antifreeze if you get into a dispute.

Another thing you may not have noticed if you didn't read the fine print in the manual and you plan to keep the vehicle for a long time is that if it's like mine with the very long warranty on the power train, there's a required inspection around 60K or so that you MUST have the dealer do to maintain the warranty.

[Ed Pawlowski]

I'd use the dealer if he was closer. An oil change is usually about 1

1/2 to 2 hours door to door. I have a local guy I've been using for about 20 years that is the same price. He is five minutes from work so it is about 30 minutes door to door. Cost about the same for both.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, I just take it to dealer when maintenance reminder code appears. Oil change reminder comes depending how I drive, weather condition, terrain, etc. Some times it comes on at 5 months, some times at even 10 month. Oil change costs 75.00 using OEM 5W-20 oil and filter plus general look over underneath, check tires, etc. And car wash and interior vacuuming. But there are crooked dealers too. Mine is family owned. The guy who started the dealership dies few years ago, now his wife and daughter is running the business. Very dependable, trust worthy outfit. Acura and wife's is Subaru also family owned long serving outfit.

[DerbyDad03]

...snip....

$75 dollars will get me 3 car washes, 3 oil changes and a discount on gas when purchased together. All other fluids and tire air are topped off.

Vacuuming is something I do on my own. While I'm at it I wash the inside of the windows, clean the dashboard and perform other general cleaning.

[DerbyDad03]

...snip...

A local gas station/car wash chain also does oil changes, detailing, etc. When I get my receipt from any of their locations it lists all of the oil changes I've had done since I started using them about 4 years ago. I can get a copy of that record anytime I want.

I get a discount on gas when I buy a car wash and the purchase of the car wash gets me a discount on the oil change: $19.99.

Time it right, like I did this morning, and I'm in and out in less than 20 minutes.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Sure, for most of us, but not at an Acura dealership. Or Lexus, Infiniti, . . .

[Ralph Mowery]

Anyone that is paying around $ 40,000 or more for a car should not have to worry about changing their own oil or the price for it being done.

Seems that often dealers of the higher priced cars charge more for the same parts and service of lesser priced cars. Goe to one of the independant or oil change special places and they are much less for the same oil and filters.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Maybe they don't have to worry about the cost but it is unfair to charge more just because they have more. Do you think it would be OK for supermarkets to have a surcharge depending on your income?

[Ralph Mowery]

I did not mean they should charge more, just that they seem to. You are free to take your high dollar car to the cheaper places.

Just as around this area there are supermarkets that charge higher ammounts for name brand items, and there are some around here that seem to stock mostly gerneic or non brand items. Same for drug stores, you can pay a lot more for a name brand or less for the generic drugs.

Too bad the doctors do not post the prices of standard operations. Say so much for a gall bladder removal or a dentist posting filling prices.

[Larry W]

That's what the IRS does...

[Ed Pawlowski]

In MA for a self pay customer the medical doctor must give you the price ahead of time. Total cost may vary if it is determined that some tests may be needed, but they will give you each cost as you go. If you pay at time of service you get 40% discount.

Dentist are not covered under the law, but my daughter manages a practice. She will give you the cost for self pay and estimate co-pay if you have insurance.

Some months back my wife and I got shingles vaccination shots. We paid a co-pay but later were sent a $37 bill for each for the administration of the shot. I sent a letter and the charges were removed.

[Ron]

Why would you take your own oil and filter to an oil change place? You are then paying double (if they will even use your oil and filter).

I can get my oil changed at a Havoline xpress lube for $22.00 (taxes included) or I can buy 5 qts of oil and a filter for $22.00 plus tax and do it myself. Unless the price of oil drops drastically my days of doing my own oil changes are over.

[Ashton Crusher]

They sort of do. In any big city there will be a chain of "cheap" supermarkets, a chain or two of "regular" ones, and at least a few upscale ones with high prices that keep the riffraff away so the affluent can shop in peace.

[DerbyDad03]

I've never subscribed to that theory. Yes, there are those that can afford a $40K car and have more than enough left over to never care what they pay for an oil change. However, there are also those that decide to buy as much car as they can, even if they have to shop around for the least expensive place to get the oil changed, or even do it themselves.

That's like saying if you can afford a house in the most expensive neighborhood in your town, you can afford to pay someone to mow the lawn. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe you can afford the house but only if you lower the cost of maintenance by doing a lot of it yourself.

Bottom line: just because someone owns an expensive car or house doesn't mean that they have unlimited resources.

[krw]

That happened some 30 years ago, for me. Too much bother for no gain whatsoever.

[krw]

They aren't the same stores charging differently based on income. It could be argued that the difference is service.

[DerbyDad03]

There are stores that _stock_ differently based on income. A mall in one part of a metropolitan area may have the same anchor stores as a mall in another part of the area, but the stock might be considerably higher end at one location vs. the other.

I have heard them referred to as "A" stores and "B" stores but I don't know if that's an official term.

There are certainly different prices at different stores within the same chain, even within a few blocks of each other, but it's usually not directly related to income. The cost of doing business and nearby competition can impact pricing even within the same chain.

(Original link to St. Louis Dispatch article too long to post)

One could argue that higher income locations will warrant higher store rents and therefore higher prices. While not directly related to income, it could be an underlying cause in some cases, but definitely not all, as mentioned in the article.

[Ron]

30 years ago? In 1983 I could change my own oil for about $5.00. Thinking back that far I believe getting it changed was around $12.00 or more.

For some reason the price of getting your oil changed has dropped in the past 2-3 years. It used to be $25.00-$30.00, and it was still cheaper to do it yourself. Now that oil is $3.25 + a qt plus the filter, it's cheaper to have it done.