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$118 for an Oil Change?

7K views 63 replies 41 participants last post by  Crutzy 
#1 ·
Sorry I am new to BMWs so sorry if this is a stupid question. This is my first oil change on a BMW.

I am totally not a DIY person as I am a girl and would rather pay a bit more to get things done. So I live in Los Angeles and an Indy wants to charge me $118 for an oil change on my 2001 530i. Does the price seem right?
 
#39 · (Edited)
Look for a Dealer coupon. The $118 is about average on this coast (I'm in Bellevue WA). The coupon drops it to around $90 or so.

I compare DIY cost, tools required, and difficulty level to pro cost. I also consider the potential for causing more costly damage for the sake of savings when I look at doing the work myself. When it comes to the oil change, you may save $60-$70 per year (counting discount coupon for Dealer) if you DIY. Those savings are just not worth the effort for me. Some people do it because they enjoy doing it, they have the tools, and they are good at it, which is great. Work can be very therapeutic. If the savings were more substantial I'd DIY on the oil change, but they are not and I now only have a one car garage.
 
#42 ·
If you don't have the tools to DIY oil change you don't have tools to DIY anything. Changing the oil is one of the easiest jobs and the change of causing damage is quite low compared to working on suspension/brakes/engine etc.

I'm not saying everyone should DIY, but owning e39 can be quite expensive, if you don't DIY.
 
#41 ·
I know its cheap but thats no reason to abandon my values... will never shop at walmart ever... non union pricks
 
#45 ·
This is an old thread but back to the very original question, a $100 oil change is what should be the case.

For years, many shops (Jiffy Lube included) claim they can change your oil for $19.99 or $29.99 etc.
The truth is: they basically do the work for "free", but while the car is up in the air, they look for other jobs (axles, control arms, exhaust) that generate way more $.
So the $19.99 was simply a "bait".

To properly charge for oil change:
- Oil, if synthetic, then $5/qt x7 = $35
- Oil Filter $5.
- Half-hour labor ($100/h) = $50

You can see that charging $100 for an oil change is not outrageous if the shop wants to survive.

If you DIY at home, then it is certainly much cheaper.
 
#47 ·
I keep seeing 5 or 6 qts of oil being posted. I guess that may be true for other, smaller engines, but the 540I takes 8 qts. @ $9 per qts., plus the oil filter.
 
#48 · (Edited)
I don't know where you guys are getting your figures, but if you shop around and DIY, you can do a 540 oil change for $55-$60. This is what I do:

I buy my oil filters online, often if they are on sale, or if I can get free shipping. Depending on the filter of the month (Mann, Mahle, Hengst) I can usually score one of these reputable brands for $5-$7. Also, I never pay sales tax, whether it be Autohaus, Amazon, or RockAuto.

As for the oil, Wal-Mart is your friend. You can get a 5 quart jug of Mobil 1 0w-40 Euro (meets LL-01) on average for $26. When it's on sale "roll back" it's $22. I don't buy 20 at a time, but I do stock up if I see a sale because you are going to use it eventually and one of my best friends has an e90 so we share oil.:D Even if you don't stock up, I save the remaining two quarts and repeat. It's like getting a free oil change every 4th one I do (sorta.)

I know some people swear by German Castrol and that's fine, but not $9 a quart fine, when I can find a comparable product for almost half that.

Lastly, I used to be a store manager for Autozone, and let me tell you, they don't have a a lot of margin when it comes to oil. Some, but not a lot. Wal-Mart (from what my District Manager told me long ago) has an exclusive agreement with some of the big names in oil. Why else would they sell $26 jugs when everyone else sells them for $38? When you see the oil change specials, they really want you to buy accessories; shop towels, hand cleaner, drain pans, and funnels. Oh, and air filters are a huge push too. Those things have HUGE profit margins (some in excess of 60%) that really drive the bottom line of the store.

Moral of the story: Shop around, save some cash, and do a better job yourself.
 
#49 ·
Actually, I've shopped around and gone to Amazon, which have the lowest prices per qt. for the oil I use. It's the same at Auto Zone and O'Reilly's: http://www.amazon.com/Castrol-06249-5W-40-Synthetic-Motor/dp/B007G7PWSA This isn't available in the "jugs". BMW has also just changed their "recommended oil" to the new Shell product, which is also running the same price. I use the Mobil 1 5w-30 in my 2008 Corvette and get it for the prices you mentioned, but have opted to go with this Castrol product for now in the BMW. Here's the info on the "new" Shell recommended by BMW: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/ Click on the Pennzoil Synthetics tab at the top. I tend to go by what "Bob Is The Oil" Guy says.
 
#50 · (Edited)
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the $8.50 a quart Castrol you are using is a group III hydrocracked oil? While the 0w-40 M1 is a group IV PAO? I've read a lot on BITOG before, and while Group III+ isn't terrible, the consensus was group IV and V were superior.

Funny how Pennzoil is stepping up their game, about 10 years ago I saw some nasty Pennzoil sludge and most folks I spoke to regarded it as crap. After reading the Q & A, the new Platinium is still a group III with a different additive package. Personally, I don't care what BMW recommends now. We all knew Castrol on our engine caps was just marketing to help both companies, and I'm sure that is what this new agreement relates to as well.

But to each their own. Personally, I do 5k OCI's so I could probably get away with something that's not LL-01 rated.
 
#53 · (Edited)
No to Oil Debate

To each their own I guess. Suggesting what oil is best is one debate I'm not going to get into. :thumbdwn: It's a subject that's be done to death. I've had numerous performance cars and my oil selection has never let me down or created any sludge problems.
 
#54 ·
To each their own I guess. Suggesting what oil is best is one debate I'm not going to get into. :thumbdwn: It's a subject that's be done to death. I've had numerous performance cars and my oil selection has never let me down or created any sludge problems.
I didn't mean to offend. Sorry about that.:eek:

The OP was asking the economics of an oil change. To me, if I can get a BMW approved product at $5 per quart, as compared to $8.50 or $9, I'm all for it. If the Castrol works for you, by all means use it. If it blew up engines or caused problems I doubt it would be as successful as it is. I was merely trying to point out that you could successfully do a DIY oil change for about 1/2 an indy would charge if you went the M1 route.

Alternatively, if I found a readily available LL-01 product cheaper than M1, I would use that instead.

We're all down for saving money, right?:thumbup:
 
#55 ·
No worries, no offense taken. I've subscribed to many different forums over the years and the "Oil" threads are like beating a dead horse most of the time. I like Mobil 1 and use the 5w-30 Extended Performance in my 2008 C6 Corvette with an LS3. It's what they come with as a "factory fill". There are some things about Mobil 1 that other oils have a leg up on them though. Because of the dual overhead cams in the BMW for one, I wanted an oil that had better/higher "shear" properties for one. I think they talk about that on Bob's The Oil Guy site. Which if you aren't familiar with it, it's considered to be gospel, truly not a better info oil site out there. That new Shell oil, from what I've read, besides BMW, is actually made of one of the best synthetic bases you can buy now. It is their top of the line oil I'm talking about, which again is about $8-$9 per qt. I do maybe 5K a year in miles, so it's no big deal for me. Again, do a little digging on Mobil 1 and you'll find out a few things in comparison. ;)
 
#57 ·
"Oil" threads are like beating a dead horse
The reason certain topics are like that is interestingly multifaceted.

In most cases, it's mainly a teaming up of MARKETING FUD and supremely illogical people.

However, also in most cases, it's in a product that really makes absolutely no difference.

So, when you add up these three things:
1. MARKETING FUD
2. Emotional people
3. Commodity

You get the "what oil", "what gasoline", "what coolant", "what brakes", "what tires", "what brake fluid", etc, threads (don't even get me started on the myriad miracles in a can).

See also:
- Fundamental BMW fluids decision-making religious camps (1) and algorithms specific to motor oil selection (1), coolant choice (1), & gasoline dogma (1)

For the miracles in a can, see:
- What is Seafoam motor treatment, what does it do, where do you put it, and how does it work (1)

- What is Bell Performance "Mix-I-Go" and what does it do about ethanol in gasoline (1)

- What is Rislone or Bars Stop Leak or Bar's Head Gasket Fix and what will it do in your BMW (1)

- DIY to clean your fuel gauge sending unit (1) & a detailed Techron "soap for gasoline" thread (1)

- Where to find a good deal on LL01 Mobil1 0W40 (1) & what is the difference with Mobil 1 10W40 (1) high mileage oil (1)

- What is Techron and what does it do in your engine (1) & what is Seafoam motor treatment and what does it do in your engine (1) & what is BG44k Fuel System Cleaner and what does it do in your bimmer (1) & what is Marvel Mystery Oil and what does it do in your bimmer (1) & what is Zmax and what does it to in an E39 engine? (1)
etc.
 
#56 ·
Completely agree on BITOG. No better site on the net for oil discussion. Also, I'm aware that the M1 "shears" out over time, to the point where some folks have heard valvetrain noise with it, and when they switch to a different brand (say castrol) it's gone.

As for the new shell/pennzoil product, I just don't know. Pennzoil/Quaker State was crap for many years, and in my mind, I still associate it with being crap. Hopefully, time will tell and if it's good as it is on paper, they can change their image/reputation. Now, shell rotella... that stuff is amazing!

Anyway bottom line, I'm a cheap skate as long as it doesn't cause damage to my car.
 
#58 ·
Nice post bluebee, don't forget about "Motor Honey". Off topic, I miss SJ. I lived there for 40 years, worked as a Marketing Consultant for AT&T. Recently "had to" move to AZ and sell my home there. I'm still in culture and environment shock. No great places to drive the BMW or Corvette either.
 
#60 ·
Why is your post listed as "new" in the forum given the 2013 date? you 've changed your oil by now. If you're a DIY girl, Walmart sells Mobil 1 Euro spec Synthetic 0W40 for $23/5 quarts. Napa Wix or Mann filter is about $11.00. If you have tools and home made ramps it's a $45, 20 minute job. Might want to hold onto those extra 3 quarts till the next oil change.
 
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