the Price of an Oil Change

The oil change was $40 regular price but I had a coupon knocking that down to $19.99. They just did your typical oil change and basic inspection (e.g., fluids, tire tread). The price of course included fees for disposing of the used oil.

Since it's a pretty basic task, the service was friendly and quick. The whole process took maybe 20-25 minutes. They offer you additional services which I kind of find offensive because I assume they're just trying to squeeze some more money out of me even though I may not need the service. But when you refuse they kindly back off.

They suckered me in for an additional $20 to replace my air filter which I normally refuse and do myself but since I was going on a trip I wanted to just get it done. Generally, I find that they recommend additional services that aren't really necessary. So I typically refuse and check it out myself after the fact. I'm no mechanic but some of this stuff just takes some common-sense and is reasonably simple to do on your own.

Going early in the morning is a good idea because you beat the crowds. Also, depending on the establishment (e.g., a place that only does oil changes versus the service center at a dealership) you can sometimes squeeze out a free vacuuming, window cleaning, or even a car wash.