So regardless of price there are some fundamental requirements your engine requires. Your vehicle requires oil to function properly. The oil helps clean, seal and cool your engine parts. Most modern engines require synthetic oil. It is getting more and more common for engines to require synthetic oil in order to increase the life of your oil and to deliver improved efficiency. Shopping by price is not always the best idea.
First off, it is important to go to a shop where you feel comfortable and can trust the business establishment. A qualified staff and technicians can advise you on what exact oil product your vehicle needs. Also when shopping for oil prices some service centers use bulk oil and others use bottled oil. With bottle oil you know the product is sealed and exactly what you’re getting. We prefer to stay away from bulk oil as old storage tanks , condensation in storage tanks, different grades could have been accidentally mixed together, causing contamination. So ask for bottled oil to be on the safe side.
Can I put any oil in my vehicle?
No, even though your vehicle might take for example a 5W20 grade oil, it may require a special additive in the oil that you can only find in some oil manufactures. Your oil may require proper grade (0W20, 0W30, 5W20, 5W30, 5W40) inside the oil in order to protect your engine’s internal components. The owner’s manual or the manufacturer can advise you if there is a certain additive in the oil that is needed to maintain proper lubrication of your engine. Failing to follow the guidelines can result in premature engine failure.
Dexos oil was specifically designed by GM powertrain engineers, it was designed to increase fuel efficiency of the vehicle, extend the life of the vehicles emission control systems and to also extend oil life and to reduce the frequency of oil changes.
Mercedes also have different spec oil as well, most vehicles require 229.5 along with a grade of 5W40, 0W40 etc.
BMW also requires a certain spec of oil, for example LL-01 5W30, It is important just not to look only for the grade of oil such as 5W30, but to also look for the special spec that is required for each specific car.
Acura as well requires a certain spec of oil, The oil spec is different from the grade of oil. It is important to always check with your oil change company if they are using a specific grade and spec in their oil.
These are just a few of the manufactures that are out there, almost every manufacturer such as Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Landrover, Dodge, Subaru, Volkswagen etc require a special grade and specification of oil.
Oil prices are continuing to rise and shops do not have a large profit margin on oil changes. It is a service more shops offer in order to upsell another required service or worn part in order to maintain business costs. The prices of oil are all dictated on market price. The oil grades and specification are very important when it comes to your oil changes. In order to avoid voiding your warranty it is imperative to research and recheck with your local garage if they are using the right oil product in your car.
We had a customer come in and told us that he is receiving an oil change on a 2011 BMW 328i for $80 and our price was $180 plus tax. Even as a shop owner I could not possibly do this for my own vehicle at complete cost for the price indicated by the customer. The vehicle requires an oil spec of LL-01FE, at a cost of $20.00 a liter from redline, OEM filter, and labour and tax. Something was not adding up about the $80.00 price. Upon further examination the customer was using improper oil in his vehicle that is not acceptable to be used in the vehicle according to the manufacturer. Furthermore he was using conventional oil and not synthetic which can damage the engine.
Remember to always shop for oil changes according to the specific needs of your vehicle, ensure that the shop you are using is always using the right grade and oil spec for your vehicle. Research the information before going to the garage. Shopping by price is not always the best method when it comes to your oil changes. Check into the knowledge of the oil change facility to make sure they know what’s best for your vehicle. The oil price is set to go up based on the current sanctions on Russia because of the Ukraine invasion. It is important to remember the oil change has a time based interval or according to the mileage or whichever comes first.