Changing oil on my vehicles getting depressing.....

[fortyshooter]

as in the cost of oil and filter that keeps going up. Advance Auto.... Auto Zone now have very limited brand choice when it comes to the 5 qt plus filter bundle which I used to get. Now they are pushing Fram and Stp brand oil and filter which I don't care for. Motorcraft...Valvoline...Purolator is what I use. Plus at 12-14 bucks for a filter and same price for one quart of oil is getting plain crazy!! Most vehicles now can hold more than 5 qts. of oil so you automatically loose out on the savings. Ordered what I wanted on Amazon and saved 11 bucks!
Days of just walking in to your local auto parts and getting what you want at a fair price are long gone.

[BigAl52]

Just like everything else the price of things has gone crazy. I mentioned this about guns a while back and didnt get much agreement. S&W 686's now selling for close to 1K. Wasnt that long ago you could of bought one for 700. I use Amsoil and have for a long time. Change once a year.

[dave77]

Just got a Napa Gold/Wix filter for around $15 and a 6 qt. box of Mobil One for $33 at Costco for the Miata. Used to do the oil changes myself but found a dependable place that charges $40 if I bring my own oil and filter. For $40 once a year it's just not worth the the hassle of jacking it up, usually making a mess when taking off the old filter and then getting rid of the old oil. They also check my transmission and differential oil level and condition which I would have to jack up both front and rear and set jack stands to check.

Also get the Ranger's oil changed around once a year using their synthetic oil and a decent filter for around $80.

I still try to do most of the work I can on both vehicles if it doesn't involve crawling around underneath them.

[Cowboy Gun Fan]

Right, I buy my Wix Filters through Amazon and buy my Pennzoil Oil at Wal-Mart.

I save a bundle.

But I needed 30 Wt for my lawn tractor that Wal-Mart does not carry and a Quart was $9.99. When I worked at a gas station when I was 16, we sold 30 Wt for 35 Cents.

[markiver54]

Just like everything else the price of things has gone crazy. I mentioned this about guns a while back and didnt get much agreement. S&W 686's now selling for close to 1K. Wasnt that long ago you could of bought one for 700. I use Amsoil and have for a long time. Change once a year.

Back in the mid 80's I paid $350.00 for my 686.

[dave77]

Right, I buy my Wix Filters through Amazon and buy my Pennzoil Oil at Wal-Mart.

I save a bundle.

But I needed 30 Wt for my lawn tractor that Wal-Mart does not carry and a Quart was $9.99. When I worked at a gas station when I was 16, we sold 30 Wt for 35 Cents.

But how much did you make when you were 16? I was making $1.60 a hour working at a A&W/KFC.

[fortyshooter]

Wife and I just starting out didn't make a lot of money back then BUT what we had went a whole lot further than today! Started out with an apartment back in late 1975 and within a year bought our first home. Then a new 1977 Pontiac Can Am in early 77. Spent 30-40 bucks on groceries each week...ate more rib eye steak that we do now. An oil change on our two cars was no sweat every 3-4 months. Telephone and CATV bill was like 32 bucks together each month and now over 200 bucks. We couldn't afford a new car now even with everything we own paid off now and retired. YES much better back then than this strange new country I live in now!

[Cowboy Gun Fan]

Right, I buy my Wix Filters through Amazon and buy my Pennzoil Oil at Wal-Mart.

I save a bundle.

But I needed 30 Wt for my lawn tractor that Wal-Mart does not carry and a Quart was $9.99. When I worked at a gas station when I was 16, we sold 30 Wt for 35 Cents.

But how much did you make when you were 16? I was making $1.60 a hour working at a A&W/KFC.

I made $1.50. But you could buy a whole lot of things with that money back then. My first car, a '59 with a 348, 3-Speed cost me $50. The garage I rented to put it in was $6 a month. They were good days.

[Vaquero]

Speaking of Grocerys,
When I was a boy I could barely tote $20. worth of groceries in the house at one time...
Today I can carry a $100 worth in one hand.
Just goes to show ya...that in time we get stronger.

RP

[Hatchdog]

What’s up with motor oil? Like most of us I have a bunch of motorized equipment. I had different brands of oil for different motors and I decided to consolidate to one brand. First I tried Quaker State but found it was not available in the local stores. Switched to Pennzoil and now I can’t find it around. Pretty crazy and when I do see some it’s $7 per quart.

[220]

I started buying my filters online about 10 years ago. Anywhere from 1/2 to 2/3 the price compared to any of the auto stores.
OIl I still get from the auto stores but I stock up when they have it on special. They usually have what I am after on special at least a couple of times a year at 30-50% off.
One auto store here in Aus has a policy that if you have paid full retail on any product and it goes on special in the next few weeks they refund the difference in store credit, If I pay full retail for anything it is almost certain it will be on special shortly after so I tend to shop with them most of the time.
While oils have certainly become more expensive the longer service life of modern synthetics and the increased service intervals tend to equal it out.
I cant remember the last time I had to top up oil between services, in the good old days topping up the oil every tank or two wasnt unusual.

[Ranger2020]

You may try checking with Rock auto.com. A few years ago I needed ball joints for my '98 Ford Ranger. Priced them locally & from RA. Price was aprox 50% less.Same part name, same part number. Service was quick also. I have used them several times with no problems.

[clovishound]

If paying more for oil changes depresses you, think of what it will cost if you don't change it!

[Mr. Neutron]

You may try checking with Rock auto.com. Service was quick also. I have used them several times with no problems.

I've used them many times. Great folks to deal with, great service, and great prices as well! Wish I'd thought of them before my last oil change.....

[Mags]

I don't do my own anymore. Oil Can Henrys is close and convenient and reasonably priced.

[cooperhawk]

The local dealership does it so reasonable that I don't see the need to do it myself.
Besides, I'm old and it hurts to get down under the vehicle these days.

[clovishound]

I'm kind of tied to the local dealership for oil changes in the Camry because of the extended warranty. Not really happy about that. They've overfilled my oil 3 times. My suspicion is they didn't put a new oil filter on, but used the fill data for a normal change. Last time I was going to mark the oil filter, but I'd have to pull the shield under the engine to get to it. Last time was the first time they got it right. It was also the first time it was over 10K miles.

[Hatchdog]

I don't do my own anymore. Oil Can Henrys is close and convenient and reasonably priced.

I am in your boat too, my on the road vehicles get done by a shop but I have quite a bit of off road equipment that I have to do myself.

Just got a Motorhome and it looks pretty easy to get to the oil fill and the filter. I haven’t crawled underneath to see the drain plug set up. I’m thinking it might be easier to do it myself rather than taking that big unit to the dealer or to an rv shop. I suffer from mild vertigo which really flares up if I get under a rig looking up as doing an oil change requires. But with the frequency of an rv oil change I just might suffer thru it.

[dave77]

My problem with working under a vehicle is adjusting my head and glasses so I can look through the close-up part of my bifocals. Everything is very blurry otherwise.

Also, I don't have vertigo but going under the Miata when it's up on jackstands can be little scary, I'm very careful setting them but if it ever was to come off the stands I would be dead.

[BigAl52]

Im 71 and havent grown up yet I guess. While Im ok with crawling underneath a little bit but not like I use to. I also cant get use to paying outrageous fees at the stealership for something that takes 15 minutes to do and any moron like me can do it. I bought a Honda Passport in 21 and its a great vehicle. But they want 100.00 at the stealer to change the rear end oil which is supposed to be changed at 15000 miles. There is 2 plugs easily accessible with a 3/8 ratchet. It took about 15 minutes with 2 Qts 12.00 ea.