How Much Should An Oil Change Cost?

An oil change is the substitution of your vehicle, truck or SUV crankcase’s oil and oil filter. Oil has a limited lifetime and should be changed in line with your ownership manual maintenance schedule. Many modern vehicles use synthetic motor oil which can extend the interval of time / mileage to 12,000 miles/12 months.

Even a car novice knows that failure to make a vehicle oil change can lead to serious problems. The humble change in oil has perhaps the most fundamental of all basic maintenance items. How many shifts is my car taking? How many times shall I alter its oil? Should I change my oil by a date or kilometer after the last change in oil? Is the change in the synthetic oil interval different? What could be the worst if I defer it? And then the key question is: How much does a petroleum change cost?

There are a lot of reasons why the price you pay for an oil shift depends. This is the perfect opportunity if you haven’t cracked your owner’s manual for a while (or ever). You will be told exactly what the car manufacturer recommends for oil change. The required viscosity of the oil (the thickness of the oil), the oil capacity of your engine, whether your vehicle takes conventional or synthetic oil, as well as exactly how often and under what conditions you drive to change your oil. These are the main factors that influence the cost of an oil change and vary from car to vehicle.

What factors affect oil change cost?

A basic oil change is quite easy: the oil of the vehicle and its oil filter are replaced. Usual payment from 20 to 70 dollars for oil changes can be expected. However, the cost will vary depending on several factors such as the type of engine oil you select, the size and the location of the service.

Types of motor oil

The four main motor oil types are to be chosen when an oil change is introduced.

• Conventional — This is made by refining crude oil, and is generally cheaper than synthetic.
• Full synthetic — Synthetic oil is crude oil that has been refined, distilled and purified. It contains less impurities than conventional oil and therefore offers greater engine protection. Synthetic oil generally costs more than conventional motor oil. According to the AAA study, full synthetic oil is particularly beneficial for newer vehicles with turbocharged engines, as well as those that often drive in extreme weather conditions or tow heavy loads.
• Synthetic blend — This is a mixture of conventional and synthetic oils. A synthetic oil blend offers some additional engine protection provided by synthetic oil, but is less expensive than fully synthetic oil.
• High mileage — This is an oil specially designed to support engines with an odometer of more than 75,000 miles. It contains special additives that can help to reduce corrosion and friction. High-mileage oils may be conventional, synthetic or synthetic mixtures.

Which type of engine oil should You choose?

The owner’s manual of your car will tell you what type of motor oil to choose for your vehicle. According to a consumer report, in the 2019 model year, about 70% of new cars have either fully synthetic or blended oil — providing the highest level of engine protection.

Even if your car doesn’t require synthetic oil, it’s worth considering. Although it is the most expensive option, synthetic oil can help reduce maintenance costs by extending the life of your engine and helping it to run cleaner.

Keep in mind that your engine is often the most expensive part of your car — engine repairs can cost you thousands of dollars. So making sure that regular oil changes run smoothly could help you avoid costly roadside repairs.

In addition, some synthetic oils can be used for much longer intervals than conventional oils before they need to be modified. This can mean less money spent on changes in oil over time. And because it reduces engine friction, synthetic oil can also help optimize the fuel economy of your car.

The size of your car’s engine

Another factor that affects the cost of oil change is the size of your vehicle’s engine. With a typical change in oil, you get up to five quarters of the oil included in the cost of the service. But if you drive a car with a larger engine, like a truck, which may require more than the standard five-quarters of oil, your costs can start to rise.

Where you go to get an oil change

When it’s time for an oil change, you can do it yourself or at a dealership or specialty auto shop.

The DIY route is the cheapest option, but it involves some elbow grease on your part. And while you usually save some money by making an oil change yourself, you may be missing out on some extra value — because accompanying maintenance services are often offered by oil change professionals.

So while getting a professional oil change is usually the most expensive way to go, additional bells and whistles that might come with, such as a tire pressure check, a visual brake check, a fluid lift and a tire inspection, could make it worth the cost.