How Much Should I Pay for an Oil Change?

Getting an oil change is essential for proper engine functioning and maintenance. Fresh oil provides proper lubrication to moving components, preventing wear and tear as you drive. Depending on how much you drive and the age of your vehicle, you probably get between one and three oil changes per year. You might be wondering, how much should I be paying for an oil service?

Oil Change Components 

An oil service doesn’t vary all that much in terms of supplies and procedure. When you get an oil change, you are paying for labor, new oil, and a new oil filter.

Oil

Oil brand and type (synthetic, synthetic blend, or conventional) can impact the price, with a full synthetic oil change generally being more expensive.

Another factor that can impact prices is the size of your engine. A lot of shops will advertise a flat rate for an oil change up to five quarts. If you drive a car with a large oil capacity, the cost will be more. This is simply due to the amount of oil required to fill your engine.

 Oil Filter

There are a few different varieties of oil filters, screw on and cartridge. Conventional screw-on filters (when you think of an oil filter, this is probably what you imagine) are generally less expensive.

Many modern vehicles use cartridge filters, which sit inside of a housing. This variety will typically cost more.

Your repair shop will know the type of oil filter your car needs.

Oil Change Cost

You may have seen varying prices advertised at different shops. Some shops offer extremely cheap oil services, under $50. Other shops may charge $100 or more. What gives?

Quality Parts

Typically, places that offer low-cost oil services are using lower-quality filters. Lower quality filters do not offer the same protection as an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) quality one. While it’s better than nothing, you are getting what you pay for.

Courtesy Inspection

An oil service at Matson Point S includes a courtesy inspection of your vehicle. We can’t say this is the case at every shop that charges more for an oil change, but typically, if you are paying a higher price your car will get looked over.

Experience 

Getting an oil change at a reputable shop that charges a bit more money typically means the technicians working on your car are experienced and have a knowledge of vehicles beyond a standard lube tech. This means mistakes are less likely to happen. We have seen instances, particularly on more complicated European vehicles, where simple mistakes during an oil service have led to at best, a car needing to be towed to another shop to be completed, or at worst needing an engine replacement.

How Much Should You Pay for an Oil Change?

Ultimately, it’s up to you. A $35-$60 oil change will get you oil and a new filter, but the filter may not be OEM quality. Additionally, you probably won’t be getting a courtesy inspection, and you run the risk of mistakes being made by less experienced technicians.

Oil Changes at Matson Point S

An oil change at Matson Point S will get you OEM quality parts, fluids, and a courtesy inspection performed by ASE-certified technicians with years of experience. We serve the communities in and around Riverton, Utah. Give us a call or schedule an appointment online today!