ok first off I have done all my own fluid changes ( all fluids not just oil) for years. ( forklift mechanic by day...im fairly handy) but I noticed at my local Ford Dealer they charge $39.00 for Oil change and a oil filter on my F150, not just a blanket sign for all cars and then my 5.4 v8 has a hidden cost cause it's larger... it's legit.. only $39

so this has me thinking

the cost of Oil and a filter will be fairly close to their price... except for the peace of mind having done it myself... why not just take it in?

i've never gone to anyone for service so it's a foriegn topic for me

thoughts?

 

I stopped changing oil on my late model cars years ago. The local lube shops (EZlube, JiffyLube, etc) only charge $20-$25 with coupons. I can maybe do it myself for $5 less, but I have to drive to the store to get the oil and drive back to dispose of it. Lube shop is on my way home. They are quick. I don't get dirty. Only downside is they constantly try to sell me more services. You just have to be strong willed and say "no" alot with them.

On the other hand, I have several vintage cars and would never take them to a lube shop. No one touches my babies! I doubt they would even know where the drain plug was on my 1956 Triumph TR3, let alone what type of wrench it takes. I use a plastic 5 gallon fry oil jug from a restaurant to keep the used oil and dump it at Pep Boys every few years.

Paul Wills
Torrance, CA
2010 Ranger - 4 days old

 

OK, here is one.

My wife's 04 New Beetle has a plastic pan screwed to the underside of the egnine that must be removed to change any fluids. Also, the oil filter drips oils over the radiator hoses and fan wiring harness. No way to stop it.

I have been changing the oil in that car since it was new, carefully removing and reinstalling that plastic pan, wiping all the oil off the hoses/wires.

The car threw an airbag light and I had the wife take it in to fix it (bad sensor, fixed under warranty). While it was there, the antifreeze had never been changed, and looked to be a PITA. So I had the wife have the VW dealer do a coolant flush/refill. And we went for a tire rotation too. Simple right?

A few days later, I notice the tires have not been rotated.

A few months later when I go to change the oil, The plastic pan is installed incorrectly and is missing a screw.

What you have to remember is that the mechanic trainees do the simple things like oil change. Oil changes are not hard to do, but they can be easy to screw up.

Car and Driver once commented that its experience has been that oil changes are routinely performed improperly (usually loose drain plugs) and that OEM dealers have been the worst.

 

AZ and O'Reillys all have oil/filter specials for <$15. And the "$19.95" usually do not include "disposal fees" of upwards for $5.

You also have to go to the shop when it is open. I change my oil whenever I feel like it. Don't even have to put on pants if I do not feel like it.

I drive by about 2 dozen Wallys. AZs or ORs every day. No big deal to wheel in and pick up whatever I need.

Also, Rockauto sells filters and Amazon sells oil, all at the the same or lower prices than AZ or OR, even with shipping.

Look, I am not being critical or trying to talk you into anything. If you do not want to change your own oil, that is great. Please just don't explain it by saying Quickie Lube is cheaper or more convenient.

 

Change at home. MC semi-syn and filters are available at Wally World and are very inexpensive.

There's no way it's cheaper in the long run.

 

The lube shops use the least expensive oil filter & oil they can find.

Most Ford Dealers use Motorcraft filters & oil, so we would be getting a semi-synthetic oil & a filter with a Pure One filter element in it, wrapped in a Pure Plus can, a really good oil & filter value!!!!

Both use bulk oil, so we have to trust that their bulk system is properly set up & maintained, such that the oil we get is the right viscosity & is clean.

The quality of service depends on the managment & how well they do their job, so we just have to be persnickety about who we let turn wrenches on our equiptment.

I'd watch their every move if it were my ride!!!!

More thoughts to ponder.

 

$39 is a legit price, but I dont know how you think the supplies will cost you that much, unless at the dealer's parts counter, maybe. Motorcraft or equivalent oil is about $3 and most Motorcraft oil filters $4 at your FLAPS when not on sale. Average sump capacity is six quarts. That is $22 and the highest sales tax rates in the nation are about ten percent, so <$24.20 out the door.

Jim

 

Ahh!, that is a key word.

I would say that most Ford dealers have to compete on price with the Quickie Lubes, so they use whatever they can get cheapest.

No, it depends on the mechanic and how well he does his job.

The oil change guy, even at the dealership, is the lowest level mechanic that they have. Unlikely to be certified. Dealerships have to compete with the Quickie Lubes, so their cost structure has to be similar.

Consumer studies have shown time and again that most people will not pay for good service. Price is all that matters. Just look at the Walmart/Kmart model.

Management is only interested in throughput. Someone who does an adequate job and 6 cars an hour is much more valuable than someone who does a stupendous job, but only 3 cars and hour.

In my case, when I complained about the lack of tire rotation, the service manager said "Sorry, bring it in again and we will do it this time".

So it cost the dealer virtually nothing not to do my tire rotation and run a bet that I would not figure it out.

As far as the plastic pan, my wife would have never discovered it, and no one who does not do their own work would not have discovered it either.

I collect/buy/sell old cars for a hobby. I have probably bought/sold/kept 100 Fords from the 60s and 70s in the last 5 years. I have spent $1000s and 100s of hours fixing repairs made by "professional" mechanics. Missing brackets. Missing bolts. Missing clips. Incorrect brake springs. Missing wire tires (and no, twisty ties off of your bread wrapper are not the same). I rarely see a car that has those little oval rubber plugs that seal the adjusting hole installed. And if I ever see another blue Scotch Lock wire clip, it will be too soon.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with having someone else do your maintenance work, if that is what you want to do.

But if you want it done 100% correct, 100% of the time, do it yourself.

 

Like I said a "waste disposal fee" of up to $5 is generall not included in the cheapo advertised price.

My local AZ takes my used oil for free. I have a 5 gallon jug. Even with all my cars I only have to dump maybe 3 times a year.

 

Wow...
I only pay $35 every 15,000 miles for my Mobil 1 5W30 and a filter.
That includes the Mobil 1 or Royal Purple filter and doing it myself.
I dont pay any disposal fees, because I bring my bulk oil to either the
oil change place or fire department collection facility, no charge.
My oil changes would cost me $70, every time at the oil places.
I dont like wasting money and it doesnt take but 15 minutes to do.
On top of that, there is no chance of some kid stripping out my plug.

Rent-A-Man! lawn & tree
Killeen, TX

 

I have always done my own oil changes on my Expedition. It takes me 15-20 minutes to do a complete drain & refill with filter. I have friends who used to take their vehicles to the quick-lube places for convenience, but many of them now do it themselves due to issues experienced at the quick-lubes. I understand not all lube shops are bad and there are quite a few who do a nice & thorough job. I personally get satisfaction from doing my own changes and knowing it was done the way I would want it done, thus my reasoning for doing it myself. I use all MC products, as well.

 

I still enjoy crawling under the truck at 50yrs old. Hope to for a long time to come. Seven quarts of Mobil-1 5w-20 and a Motorcraft filter came to $54 but, I know I kept it clean and double checked what I did. I'm not a trusting soul. I sleep better if I do it myself.

 

My wifes Kia I always do it my self, however the one change that we need over the winter I take to a shop because I have no garage.

Will do the same for the 150 I just bought.

The one time I do take it in each year I always have to check under the hood to make sure they put the cap back on and look underneath to make sure the plug is in.

I've had lube techs yell at me because they think I'm insulting them. I just yell back that I've had it happen twice before so I always check.

 

Does changing the oil yourself affect the warranty in any way and how do you maintaining supporting paperwork for your timely oil changes?

 

Keep a maintenance log and copies of your receipts. You can even enter maintenance activities at FLMOwners.com

If you're really concerned about being denied a warranty claim, then take digital photos with date/time stamps - first photo would be the odometer.