Wow! (synthetic oil change price)

They can justify it because people are willing to pay it. The best business model says charge as much as the market can bear, and not one cent more or less.

Suddenly, without warning, PeterD exclaimed (6/30/2010 4:55 PM):

Well, I told 'em I wasn't willing to pay it, and went elsewhere, my old shop is charging me the same price for the oil change, tire rotation and balance as the new shop wants to charge just for the oil change.

"Bill" is not happy with me, I hope that doesn't mean my truck's hosed the next time I bring it there for service, because I like the work done and it's very convenient, but not if I'm going to pay something like $50 more for those three basic services.

jmc

If you cannot change your own oil, turn in your truck. If you are so busy, important, or make so much money that changing your money is not cost effective, then just pay what the man wants.

It's that simple.

Really.

Steve

visit my blog at

I wish I could buy my Royal Purple for that amount and do the work myself. Three gallons is expensive. I changed the engine oil, front and rear end, tranny and transaxle (?), ran me over 3 bills. All this before our trip to Inuvit, Northwest Territories. I'm a day South of that now in Eagle somthing or other.

FMB (North Mexico)

Maybe they don't use used oil like your old shop! I'd use the old shop, they add noises for free.

You get what you pay for. I paid $145 for one queen bee this month and think the price was quite reasonable.

On the bright side, look at the weather we are getting this week for free!

beekeep

I would only caution that: The guy that owns the shop, pays the employees etc, has to make a profit, or else he is going to close the door. Sometimes it seems un worthy of spending x for x, but when he cant do y for you, because he is not in business, you MIGHT wish you had. I live in a small town 35 miles from a real city, people keep driving to the city to save 5%, then wonder why the little town cant seem to support any "real" businesses? DUH! LOL. I hate that we lost the hardware store for a while, you had to drive 35 miles to get stupid crap like keys made, bolts, crap like that. another one finally opened and yes it is a tiny bit more than the city, but hey I don't lose an hour driving there and back getting a rubber washer for the hose and crap like that...

Lastly and yet conversely, Some places are using Synthetic Blends some places use totally synthetic, I get 8000 miles with my oil in my little commuter car, that I have these guys do full synthetic in. it is $55 or $60 I think, to get that changed around here. 25-35 for normal oil I think. Lastly some "business models" charge more for "pickups" even though one of my cars, holds more oil than one of my pickups (mightymax/d50 pickup), so go figure. My shop guys don't do the car vs truck thing, but 6 quarts are more than 5, but not labor wise.

I agree. The main reason for getting a garage or lube joint to do it, is they take the waste and resell it. Less hassle than taking the old oil somewhere to dispose of it.

Suddenly, without warning, default exclaimed (7/1/2010 1:51 PM):

Oh, bullshit! I'm perfectly capable of changing my own damn oil, I just choose not to. If I choose and can afford to pay someone else to change my oil, then I can damn well do so, no matter what some prick on the Internet says.

There are other reasons. Like living in a townhouse community where the HOA disallows any auto maintenance.

I have no problem paying for it, I'm just not going to pay ridiculous prices for the privilege.

Troll, crawl back into your hole.

jmc

Suddenly, without warning, FMB exclaimed (7/1/2010 12:13 AM):

Three bills? Seriously? Wow. Didn't know the price of synthetic could vary that much!

jmc

So over $80 for synthetic isn't out of line? Truly? Maybe I will have to find a way to go back to changing my oil myself...

Anyway, yes, the weather is awesome, and I hope your new queen bee creates large and glorious hives for you, and repopulates the honeybee population single-handedly (so to speak)!

jmc

Suddenly, without warning, jmc exclaimed (7/1/2010 7:19 PM):

Sorry, replied to the wrong post - this is directed at Steve, not default.

jmc

Suddenly, without warning, jmc exclaimed (7/1/2010 7:19 PM):

Ok, that may have been a bit over the top. Still, the sentiment remains

- telling me to get rid of my truck because I choose not to change my own oil is pretty ridiculous. I changed the oil in my own vehicles for a couple of decades, if you must know, and will probably again once we move back to the country.

jmc

Hmmmmm.... $145 smackers fer one bee???? Hey Greg, I've got a bridge I'd like to show you, it's a money making opportunity.....

;^)

Mike

Suddenly, without warning, PlowBoy exclaimed (7/1/2010 12:49 PM):

Both these shops are in "big city" areas and get plenty of business, so my situation isn't the same...

As for the synthetic, that's possible, and I'll have to ask. I'm also getting the idea that the price of synthetic varies wider than I'd thought, so will have to ask on brands as well.

Mighty Max, eh? Silly name for a truck, IMHO, but I owned two (1988 &

1991). Loved 'em. Recently crossed paths with the guy who bought the first one, it had been on the road for at least 15 years before he lost track of it (he sold it to a friend after owning it 8 years). I was sad to sell it, but we were going overseas and couldn't afford to bring two vehicles. When we got back I bought the second.

And FWIW, I change the oil myself on both trucks. So there :)

jmc

Well, hell, yes. The man should change it for free, and give you the oil, too. Don't they know who they're dealing with here?

Steve

visit my blog at

watch for the book A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

So, if you were working, and I came to you and asked how much you would charge to change my oil, what would you say?

Suddenly, without warning, Steve B exclaimed (7/1/2010 8:55 PM):

Silly question. I have no need to change anyone else's oil either :)

jmc

Suddenly, without warning, Steve B exclaimed (7/1/2010 8:54 PM):

Oh, now you are trolling! When did I say I wanted it for free? Fair market value is fine, and if it turns out that some synthetic is priced that high, fair enough, but I can't afford to pay that much, so I'll still go to the less expensive guy. Why is that such a horrible thing?

jmc

You said you wanted it for free when you went off on this rant about how high the prices were. If you were a normal consumer, you would have done the dirtiest nastiest thing you could do, and that is to take your money elsewhere. Oh, wait. You did that. You just had to come here and piss and moan about it.

Either change your own oil, or pay someone. Just quitcherbitchin. Oh, I forgot to ask you. Are you male or female?

That would explain the ability to piss and moan at the same time. That's why females have two sets of lips.

Hmmmmmm?