Changing my oil: Little help please

[Joyriide1113]

Ok. Lets add the cost.

The oil itself in 9 QTs for my 4.8is along with the filter came out to about 60 bucks.

The shop rags I ended up having to throw away (due to the fact it was my first ever oil change on the X5) because of the oil that didn't land in the oil pan. 3 bucks for a pack of 10. Something that shouldn't cost the dealer anything, as they change oils all the time and know where the plug lands.

Rhino Ramps cost me 40 bucks. This is a one time purchase for me as I didn't have anyway to get under. Dealers own lifts already.

On top of the fact that I was brand new to this, It took me less than 30 minutes to get it done. And I'm not neccesarily a mechanic.

Any shop has an hourly rate of 20 bucks an hour.

If u add it up my total cost came out to about 113 dollars, and thats including supplies and 30 minutes of labor...

Dealerships are crooks...

[JCL]

Joyriide:

Your dealer may or may not be a crook, I don't know. Mine isn't.

I am guessing you have never run a repair shop.

Your cost came to $113, by your own calculation. As Kevin pointed out, many US dealers will do a simple oil and filter change (no other checks) for $75 to $90 US. How does that make them crooks? It looks like a loss leader to me, I would take them up on it, and not pre-authorize any additional work.

That $90 US equates to $125 CDN, not just due to exchange rate but also due to higher CDN prices. Oil here is over $8 per litre, filters are $20, for a total of $84 in parts alone. Shop hourly charge-out rate is closing in on $100. Thirty minutes? Probably 45 by the time they move the vehicle in and out. I would pay $125 in that scenario, just not $220.

[Joyriide1113]

Originally Posted by JCL

Joyriide:

Your dealer may or may not be a crook, I don't know. Mine isn't.

I am guessing you have never run a repair shop.

Your cost came to $113, by your own calculation. As Kevin pointed out, many US dealers will do a simple oil and filter change (no other checks) for $75 to $90 US. How does that make them crooks? It looks like a loss leader to me, I would take them up on it, and not pre-authorize any additional work.

That $90 US equates to $125 CDN, not just due to exchange rate but also due to higher CDN prices. Oil here is over $8 per litre, filters are $20, for a total of $84 in parts alone. Shop hourly charge-out rate is closing in on $100. Thirty minutes? Probably 45 by the time they move the vehicle in and out. I would pay $125 in that scenario, just not $220.

Gotcha!

[Aimster]

Originally Posted by JV

Do you have a 3.0 or 4.4?

Go to Olympus Auto parts on Eisenhower and the parts reps will get you everything you need. Get Castrol oil, they make it for BMW.

JV

going there now.
thanks!

[GUINNESS]

Originally Posted by Aimster

going there now.
thanks!

Just be lazy and take it to Martin Motorsports and let Gary do it

[drbgm]

Any one try Voll Synthese? Heard North Americain Castrol not the same as European. Used Mobil 1 5-30, sounds a litttle noisey right at start-up but not other complaints. Voll Synthese is made in Germany and is same price as the Mobil 1. Any thoughts?

[JCL]

Originally Posted by drbgm

Any one try Voll Synthese? Heard North Americain Castrol not the same as European. Used Mobil 1 5-30, sounds a litttle noisey right at start-up but not other complaints. Voll Synthese is made in Germany and is same price as the Mobil 1. Any thoughts?

Don't know anything about Voll. In North America, there used to be (and may still be) two different Castrol Syntec oils. One was a partial synthetic, and one is a full synthetic. Both were labelled Syntec, but you had to read the bottle. I always purchased Syntec, from either the dealer or a local autoparts store, and made sure it was the full synthetic.

I would just go with the BMW oil, 5-30, myself. It meets all the specs (at least here in Canada), and it is $1 per litre cheaper than the same Syntec (without the BMW logo) at Lordco.

PS: The BMW Syntec (and the Castrol full synthetic) are sourced from Europe, or at least the ones I bought were.

Edit: Checked Voll Synthese on the web. It has a lower spec than the BMW Syntec oil (SJ, I bought SL this week). 5-40 is advertised at $9-$10 US per litre on the web. I paid $8 CDN per litre at the dealer.