Thread: $600 for an oil change?

My last service cost me about $600 and all they really did was an oil change and replace the fuel filter.
Everything else was just general fluid checks and inspections which I generally do.
Was ringing around today and got told by other garages this is typical these days.
Perhaps im out of touch, but in the past this sort of work only cost me something shy of $300
Im almost at the point of doing it myself at that cost, and ive had a bad experience with the dealership some time back, they repacked the wheel bearing grease and over tightened the hub nuts damaging the wheel bearings.

Originally Posted by Old_School

My last service cost me about $600 and all they really did was an oil change and replace the fuel filter.
Everything else was just general fluid checks and inspections which I generally do.
Was ringing around today and got told by other garages this is typical these days.
Perhaps im out of touch, but in the past this sort of work only cost me something shy of $300
Im almost at the point of doing it myself at that cost, and ive had a bad experience with the dealership some time back, they repacked the wheel bearing grease and over tightened the hub nuts damaging the wheel bearings.

I have a Toyota hilux and just booked in for 45k service ( $1290 quoted). Getting pricy alright.

The most expensive service I had was when they had to do valve clearances and take the rocker cover off, that was about $1100 at the time.

Our local mechanic is really good i just had cambelt and waterpump done on my ute and 150km major service so oil and filters, radiator flushed and antifreeze replaced, gearbox flushed and oil replaced, all cabin filters, diesel filters replaced and DPF cleaned etc. And they did a wof at the same time (just needed one reverse bulb)
Thought it was going to really hurt but was $1750 was quite chuffed with that

Shit what a rip. I do it myself so have no idea how much they charge. But for me, in our diesel Prado, It's about $100-$120 for oil (and that's buying it at whatever price Supercheap sell it at not in bulk) and about $20 for a filter and I can get it done within half an hour if I tried. Maybe add find tools and tidy.
Even if you say $150-$200 of materials including disposal, that means if it's minimum hr charge your paying about $400per hr. Even with 15% going to the crooks at IRD that's sitll another.

I should've become a mechanic instead...

What type of vehicle is it.

My old patrol td4.2 done at Oil Changers,10litrs oil,2 oil filters,air filter,fuel filter.$290.No appointment reguired,10 minute wait at most.

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Our local mechanic is really good i just had cambelt and waterpump done on my ute and 150km major service so oil and filters, radiator flushed and antifreeze replaced, gearbox flushed and oil replaced, all cabin filters, diesel filters replaced and DPF cleaned etc. And they did a wof at the same time (just needed one reverse bulb)
Thought it was going to really hurt but was $1750 was quite chuffed with that

Thats a bargain with cam belt and water pump included.

How long ago was that

What brand of oil?

@Trout

think the difference between doing it yourself and using the dealership is liability and overheads..... the dealer will use whatever the manufacturer specifies not aftermarket which is always dearer but if something goes wrong the can go back to the marque and say we have done and used everything you specified . if you do it yourself then you wear the risk.....
I have older vehicles so I do it myself and accept the risk

Originally Posted by blip

What brand of oil?

I'd have to go out side and look at sticker on wind screen,But iv been using oil changers oil for about 15 yrs.Hasn't hurt the engine which has done about 616000ks now.
Last oil change without fuel filter,about $260,early April.

Yep this, the home handy man doesnt have anywhere near the overheads a proper workshop has plus the home handyman does it for ? An hour and tends to use the cheapest oil and filters etc. And the mechanics still a rip off cunt if he charges to fix the stripped sump plug or a stripped spark plug, seen it all before.....

When i had my navara nissan were pricey
With my hilux I have fixed servicing for 4 years at $410 it's likely only oil changes aswell. When my navara was out of warranty I did it myself. Always using the best oil when it was half price I'd buy 2.castrol edge full synthetic.