Is a DIY (Do It Yourself) oil/filter change worth it ?

[DIYAndy]

Is a DIY (Do It Yourself) oil/filter change worth it "cost wise" compared to a Ford dealer or other oil change businesses?

Approximate costs for parts and disposables for a 2019 Ford Ranger oil change*:
Oil filter - Motorcraft Oil Filter part # - FL-910S - Ford P/N BE8Z-6731-AB ------------ ~ $5.80
Oil drain plug with built-in washer - Ford Part # 9L8Z-6730-A --------------------------- ~ $6.60
Oil 6.2 quarts rounded to 7 quarts of Motorcraft 5w-30 "synthetic blend" oil - Part# XO-5W30-Q1SP -- $3.35 qt x 7 = $23.45 (RockAuto.com)
Approximate DIY oil change total cost (your labor is FREE?) ~ $36

*Please Note: Prices does not include local/state sales tax, parts shipping (if required).
Prices will vary greatly between parts vendors!

Samples of oil change approximate cost from a business**:
Ford's Quick Lane: "The Works" $49.95 includes tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, vehicle inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, filter check, and belts and hoses check. <--- This is a great deal?
Fastlube: Synthetic Blend ~ $52.99 (for 5 quarts) - you need 6.2 quarts for an extra cost!
Jiffy Lube: Synthetic Blend ~ $75
Walmart oil change: Synthetic Blend ~ $50 (for 5 quarts) - you need 6.2 quarts for an extra cost!

**Please Note: Prices does not include local/state sales tax. Any coupons and vendor discounts will reduce the costs further. Prices will vary from time to time due to inflation or vendor's cost increases or decreases.

Is a DIY (Do It Yourself) oil/filter change worth it? Ranger5g members make the call?

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[RedlandRanger]

Is a DIY (Do It Yourself) oil/filter change worth it "cost wise" compared to a Ford dealer or other oil change businesses?

Approximate costs for parts and disposables for a 2019 Ford Ranger oil change*:
Oil filter - Motorcraft Oil Filter part # - FL-910S - Ford P/N BE8Z-6731-AB ------------ ~ $5.80
Oil drain plug with built-in washer - Ford Part # 9L8Z-6730-A --------------------------- ~ $6.60
Oil 6.2 quarts rounded to 7 quarts of Motorcraft 5w-30 "synthetic blend" oil - Part# XO-5W30-Q1SP -- $3.35 qt x 7 = $23.45 (RockAuto.com)
Approximate DIY oil change total cost (your labor is FREE?) ~ $36

*Please Note: Prices does not include local/state sales tax, parts shipping (if required).
Prices will vary greatly between parts vendors!

Samples of oil change approximate cost from a business**:
Ford's Quick Lane: "The Works" $49.95 includes tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, vehicle inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, filter check, and belts and hoses check. <--- This is a great deal?
Fastlube: Synthetic Blend ~ $52.99 (for 5 quarts) - you need 6.2 quarts for an extra cost!
Jiffy Lube: Synthetic Blend ~ $75
Walmart oil change: Synthetic Blend ~ $50 (for 5 quarts) - you need 6.2 quarts for an extra cost!

**Please Note: Prices does not include local/state sales tax. Any coupons and vendor discounts will reduce the costs further. Prices will vary from time to time due to inflation or vendor's cost increases or decreases.

Is a DIY (Do It Yourself) oil/filter change worth it? Ranger5g members make the call?

For me it isn't about the price as knowing it was done correctly. I wouldn't trust any of the "quick change" places (Jiffy Lube, etc) to do it correctly or with quality oil and filter. When I do it, I know what was done and it was done right. Your costs above illustrate that quite well. If it cost $36 jsut for PARTS for an oil change, how can it be done for just a little bit more at one of those places? I know they get a better deal on oil, but there HAS to be somewhere that they are cutting costs. And my guess is the quality of the oil and/or the filter.

 

[RCMUSTANG]

I don't even know why this is an issue. It's no worse than most cars.

 

[Sarge104]

Short answer, Yes. You know your vehicle, or will learn the new vehicle. When you get under there you can see things the mechanic isn't looking for when they do a standard oil change. Instead of up-selling yourself a wiper you normally look for the major issue areas (brakes, suspension, drive train). After the complementary oil changes are done at the dealer I will do the standard maintenance myself. I do not want to get short changed by a shop using sub-standard parts on something I want to go over 200k.

 

[t4thfavor]

For me, absolutely. I use Mobil 1 and it still costs about 40$. I know that I did it right, and didn't spew oil all over my skid plates, or mad torque my oil filter on, or screw up the clips that hold the little flappy in the wheel well, or completely remove the flappy thing and throw it away, or use #NoBrandDinoOil, or strip out the drain plug, or put too little oil in, etc.


I know I did it right, I use quality parts, and quality oil, and in the the case of most of the options given, I can have the oil changed in much less time than it would take me to drive to the dealer and drop it off, and certainly as fast as the quick lube place where I am still sitting in the vehicle doing nothing productive.

 

[Pinecrestjim]

If you know or have somewhat of a clue about what you are doing, a DIY oil change is preferred. Nowadays, too many are being brought up without any common sense on how to do simple things and for those folks, I strongly recommend they let a shop do the work.

 

[DBRanger]

While you are changing your own oil you are looking at other things, sway bar links, ball joints, potential leaks in steering rack, greasing U joints, any grease fittings, etc. Assuming you have a decent hydraulic jack and tools. Oh, and a garage. I take these things for granted but have been around a long time.

 

[TimberWolf2018]

I get "the works" once a year from my Dealer. Just to have a second set of eyes looking over my vehicle. I know who I can trust, If you are going to pull wrenches on your own truck it is good to have a service manager and a parts guy you can trust. I like to bring my service advisor in a coffee to drink while we discuss the invoice and work completed. Same with the parts guys. Their advice over the years has been invaluable when I was young and poor and HAD to do my own repairs!

 

[Fishbern82]

If you know what your doing, then i say "It's well worth it to do it on your own"
You don't need to buy another drain plug. I'm still using the original drain plug and washer for my HHR. I've got 96,000 miles on it without a single drop from the plug. I bought the car new.

 

[rangerdanger]

I just had a oil change done at the dealership this week. They normally charge $149 + tax for what they call their "Red Basic Service", which includes oil & filter change, tire rotation and inspection.

A FL910 oil filter is $8.50 and 7 quarts of 5W-30 oil is $33.53 at their listed prices. The discounted total price is even cheaper at $36.43.

Without a coupon lowering it to $89, I don't think I would have them do it for me.

 

[t4thfavor]

I just had a oil change done at the dealership this week. They normally charge $149 + tax for what they call their "Red Basic Service", which includes oil & filter change, tire rotation and inspection.

A FL910 oil filter is $8.50 and 7 quarts of 5W-30 oil is $33.53 at their listed prices. The discounted total price is even cheaper at $36.43.

Without a coupon lowering it to $89, I don't think I would have them do it for me.

My dealer only charged about 35$ for that service, + something like $2.50 for each quart over 5qts. Their synthetic change is 140$ though

I get filters basically for free when I buy mobil1 anyways, so I can do the whole service for about 40$ (probably less)

Right now, 5Qts of mobil1 is 12$, (limit 4) after their rebate, so it's even cheaper


Maybe get that service done once every 5 years if you can't check your own belts and fluids... I think they are using that as a gateway to old ladies checkbooks.

 

[Murphie]

I just had a oil change done at the dealership this week. They normally charge $149 + tax for what they call their "Red Basic Service", which includes oil & filter change, tire rotation and inspection.

A FL910 oil filter is $8.50 and 7 quarts of 5W-30 oil is $33.53 at their listed prices. The discounted total price is even cheaper at $36.43.

Without a coupon lowering it to $89, I don't think I would have them do it for me.

My Ford dealer offers "The Works" - which I would have thought was standard across all Ford dealers. I just recently took my wifes Explorer in for this service, and it was $53.91. I'd just assume that it'll be basically the same when I need to take my Ranger in.

 

[t4thfavor]

My Ford dealer offers "The Works" - which I would have thought was standard across all Ford dealers. I just recently took my wifes Explorer in for this service, and it was $53.91. I'd just assume that it'll be basically the same when I need to take my Ranger in.

I think dealerships get to take many liberties with pricing. I assume they like to be right at the top of what the market will bear.

 

[CoastieN70]

"The Works" from a Ford Dealer is a good deal. Plus you have documentation that your service was performed and performed correctly. And once you are in the "system" they send you coupons for $$$ off this service. AND you don't have to dispose of the used oil and filter! Win...Win...

 

[rangerdanger]

I think dealerships get to take many liberties with pricing. I assume they like to be right at the top of what the market will bear.

There are no Ford dealers in SF proper, this is the only Ford dealer for a 1+ million area population.

They take liberties because they can, they have no nearby competition.

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