November 19, 2007
Oil Change Bill in Beijing
Here’s the bill from having the car’s oil changed. I know only suckers have their cars serviced at the dealer, but I don’t know any local mechanics so I pay a premium to have it done at the dealer where I trust (hope?) that the materials are genuine and the labor competent. Sacrificing accuracy for convenience, I’m using 7.5 as the exchange rate.
Labor: 108 yuan ($14.40 ($16 hourly rate))
Oil Filter: 28 yuan ($3.73)
Oil (5W-30, 4 liters): 260 yuan ($34.67) — seems high!
Brake light bulb replacement: 10 yuan ($1.33)
Grand total: 406 yuan ($54.13)
(They also wash and wax the car and clean its interior.)
What do you pay to have your oil changed? (Remember to tell us where you’re located.)
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November 19th, 2007 at 11:13 am
[…] Oil Change Bill in Beijing […]
November 19th, 2007 at 11:21 am
Well, I got my oil changed for my truck over a month ago in the burbs of KC for about $24. I had a coupon for 14.95 for the oil change which included labor, oil filter, oil. They also added the “environmental disposal fee” of $1.99.
They don’t do washing or waxing though. They do try to sell you that various other things need to be replaced , in which they actually don’t. My personal favorite “sells attempt” was when some high school kid tried to tell me I need new windshield wiper blades and to replace a belt even though my truck was brand new off the lot.
Needless to say that their marketing strategy of offering oil changes just above cost to try to generate other sales doesn’t work on me.
November 19th, 2007 at 11:25 am
About the same $54 for a Diesel 10 Quarts of Oil
Walmart - actually they do better work than the dealers.
November 19th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
$41.99 synthetic, filter, lubrication, full car inspection (filters, systems, batt, fluids). Free vacuum, Rain-x application and door lubrication. Not bad, all things considered… will run 1 yr on syn oil.
November 19th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
The oil price does seem high. Was it synthetic?
It costs around $36 or so in NJ for a quickee type place, last time I had it done.
November 19th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
In New Zealand I used to pay about $90 for oil change + basic service checks. No cleaning included.
http://www.pitstop.co.nz/acatalog/economy_service.html
November 19th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
KC: Love the wiper blade replacement story … I think it’s called cross selling (yes, I do have an MBA lol) but it doesn’t work on people who have a backbone or an IQ above say 110.
paul: 10 quarts is more than twice as much oil so I think $54 is cheap, no?
stan & marco: Thanks. I’m not sure if I got synthetic oil (must check when I go home but I suspect that it’s not since I chose their middle of the road selection) … marco is that $36 for the synthetic?
eyal: NZ$ or US$? ;-)
November 19th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
US$, I already converted all prices for the convenience (or confusion) of readers :-)
November 20th, 2007 at 8:11 am
$79 Australia
November 20th, 2007 at 8:50 am
BMW changes my oil for free - it’s included in the warranty. Do you think they would do that in China as well?
November 20th, 2007 at 9:10 am
Yes but with BMW you pay a $10k premium for the brand name - I’m not knockin it, I love the 3 series, great driving cars. I’m just sayin’, the oil change isn’t really free…
November 20th, 2007 at 10:19 am
@Rod: US$70.16, thanks (must be synthetic oil)
@atomic: For the life of the car? Interesting perk, and yes, I assume they do the same thing in China but I’d have to ask to make sure.