I usually do my own oil changes on my car and bike, but for peace of mind I generally have them fist serviced by the dealer. So last week I called up my local dealer to get an oil change quote for my recently purchased 14 Z51. The scheduler transferred me to the service advisor to get an accurate quote. They quoted over the phone anywhere from $80-$160. I asked if this was for the Z51, 10 quart dry sump oil change and the guy said yes, and its within reason for what others here have said they paid. This is where I messed up and did not get this in writing. So I schedule the oil change and drop off goes smooth, but picking it up they said $260.80. Needless to say I was pissed. Included in their was an almost $25 charge for "shop supplies" for which they said was "towels and gloves" which is such a bull crap charge anyways. But since I didn't have a quote in writing I was screwed.

For what its worth, they did put the 0W-40 oil in as I am taking it to the NCM Track in about two weeks, which you can get from Walmart right now for $9.87 a quart. Just needed to vent some frustration. Lesson learned, don't go to the stealer-ship, do your own oil changes.

 

There are people who love their dealership oil changes but I've always done my own (2019 GS, dry sump). They use the lowest skilled people to do oil changes these days. I don't take my corvettes anywhere near dealers unless I absolutely have to (mine is still under warranty). If I lived near MacMulkin that would be the exception. Amazon has the 6 quart boxes of 0W-40 Supercar for around $55-60 depending when you buy it (price fluctuates a lot). I get free shipping with Prime account. Bought my PF64 oil filter there too. It was about $123 total w/ tax shipped. It's sitting on my shelf for next spring. Always look for it on sale ahead of time.

I just bought a new 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid for my DD. After reading the reviews of the local Toyota dealers, I'll probably start doing this one too. I've read reviews of local dealers service experiences. They're pretty bad. People sit at the dealership for 3 hours waiting. Also drain plugs are loose. Who knows what else they will do to your new car while they have it. No thanks. Oh, the first two years of oil changes and tire rotations are free apparently. I can do tire rotations very easy too. One side at a time. Although if it's 15 degrees in the middle of January, I might be a little tempted.

 

my oil changes are $200 at the shop that did all my engine work. i go there because 1) too lazy to do it myself, and 2) i know they will do it right

 

5qt jugs of Mobil1 are $26-$30 at Walmart. That comes out to $6 or less. Don't buy the single quart bottles.

You can also order on Walmart.com and get the same pricing delivered.

 

Yeah I was just using that as an example to show I got SCAMMED big time. Even the most expensive way to buy the oil (quart jugs) was about half of what they charged me for the oil.

 

I believe OW40 Supercar oil only comes in quarts.

 

My wife's Porsche, dealer wants (said with straight face) $440 for an oil change w/ Mobil 1

I change it myself for around $75, including new aluminum pan bolt washer.

 

I usually do my own, but the recent post of the guy who destroyed his rocker panel because it slipped off the jack scared me to death. Good news is now maybe I can convince my wife to let me buy a quick jack!

 

HA! At least they didn't say it will be $200, and then charge you $440!
A few years ago Mercedes quoted me like $800 for my wife's service B (might have been A, idk) and I laughed right out the door.

 

At least in my state, if you did not sign a quote at or near that amount, they cannot legally charge you. If they exceed an approved quote by a certain amount (5 or 10 percent I believe?) they need to get approval before continuing work. This stuff is pretty set in stone.

The local dealer here tried to charge me around $250 for a warranty inspection of my idle rattle. After "not finding it" they straight up lied to my face telling me "we talked about this when you dropped off the car, it's a standard fee" -- first off, they didn't, secondly, a verbal agreement means **** all. I would have walked away if they said that. It's the main reason I even went to this place.

I kept asking them to provide me with the signed document approving the charge for the work performed until they admitted they had no such document and waive the charge.

 

This seems like it should be standard across the board. You don't walk into a pizza place and order a pizza for $16 on the menu and then get a $26 bill when you walk in to pick it up.
And while I am on it, all the fees associated with that pizza are shown up front. Extra toppings, delivery, etc. They give you an agreed upon price and you pay that price. Doesn't matter if they ran out of cheese and had to go get more expensive cheese, doesn't matter their new guy put too much toppings on. You still pay the agreed price.
Sorry I am ranting again. It is only $100 but I feel like I was robbed out of my $100!

 

Supercar, ESP, European. My understanding is Mobil1 has many marketing names for the same formulation.

 

Contest it. Raise hell with the service manager. It'll be an uphill battle if you've already paid it, but if you went there for service under the pretense it would be somewhere around half the price of what you were actually billed, that is absolute bullshit.

This is absolutely the time to Karen. If they won't help you directly, just file a BBB complaint and their PR folks will call you to make things right.

 

I buy the oil and filter at a local car parts store and take it to the Big O tire dealership down the street. They change it while I hang out in the bay and watch them. They charge $20.00. I have been doing this for several years. I tip the guy that does it $20. Everyone is happy.

 

Not anymore! I just read an article that some food places have started adding a service charge in addition to the menu price. It is usually in small print and most people do not find out until they get the bill. Now, when I come into a new restaurant, I ask if there is an additional service charge.

 

The "Supercar" branded oil is for the US market.

The "European" branded oil has different additives than the US "Supercar." (Per Mobil 1 website.)

Would it make any difference, in a Vette, I don't know. (Probably not detectible. YMMV)

I bought the "Supercar" 6 pack of quarts for $70.99 with free shipping off Amazon.

Note: today the price on Amazon down to $65.31/6 pack. (I ordered another 6 to cover next year's oil change.)

 

Well now that you mention it, one of my favorite restaurants has a 3 or 4% charge on all credit card transactions, as the menu reflects a "cash discount"

Still, that's 3 or 4% not the 62.5% increase I just paid!

 

What’s amazing, is how society doesn’t want to take cash anymore. But then you say they charge a fee for using the credit card. Insanity on display

 

Looks like ESP became Supercar, but yeah the European is separate. Looking at the additive levels they are within about 10 parts per million of each other.

0w-40
Supercar is 900PPM Phosphorus, 990PPM Zinc
FS/European is 930PPM Phosphorus, 1000PPM Zinc

Guess dexosR had to be different for marketing purposes.

 

OP - I agree with you that the price should have been what they quoted you in the first place. I would let the service manager know about the situation and see what happens. And I'm with you on doing my own oil changes.