Expensive VW Dealer Oil Changes

4090 Views 4 Replies 4 Participants Last post by sixandeightstringer, Apr 12, 2019

DetroitArt51

Discussion Starter · Apr 4, 2019

I'd like to keep having my 2014 Beetle convertible serviced at my NC VW dealer, but their "deal" is $69.95 for synthetic oil/filter change with no tire rotation.
Our 2017 Honda CR-V dealer charges $49.95 for the same, AND rotates the tires.
When I asked my VW dealer, I was told that VW Corporate "requires" that they charge the higher amount. (Seems like Rubbish to me.)
I intend to start having my Honda dealer service my Beetle.

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Chumley54

· #2 · Apr 8, 2019

I just paid 9.99/qt for Valvoline 5w-40 full synthetic meeting VW spec 502.00 at Advance auto (least expensive oil meeting 502 I could find.) A Mann Filter is $14. So to do the oil myself (5 qts and filter) is $64. The dealer that does a full synthetic oil change with high quality filter at $69 sounds like a good deal.

If Honda is using a high quality filter and VW502.00 spec full synthetic oil for $50, then that is a great deal. I suspect the oil is probably a non-VW spec oil though.

My local guy will change oil and filter on my Mazda pickup, using semi-synth for $39.99. Full synthetic is $59.99. I suspect he would charge a little extra to get VW502 spec oil, I haven't asked him yet, so I think the VW dealer is reasonably priced. You are getting VW spec oil and OEM filter at about the cost for a self oil change, IMHO.

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britinorergon

· #3 · Apr 10, 2019

I agree, but I am using VW for my oil changes until the warrenty expires, then I will do my own using a VW brand filter, and Moblie One oil. 6 quarts of Mobile One at Costco is $37.99

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Chumley54

· #4 · Apr 10, 2019

My days of crawling under a car, especially a car with a nuisance belly pan, are over (Still in PT from Rotator Cuff Surgery). In my neck of the woods, I also have to pay for disposal (only $1.00/ gallon + trip to recycling station) of the used oil. Assuming Costco oil at $38.00 and a good filter at $14, that is $52. I'd give $20 bucks to a local kid to change it for me....that is $72....more than the dealer. So IMHO, $69 ids a reasonable price. I would never let a place like a Jiffy lube go near the car. I had a company car in the past, and they wanted us to use them. Lots of sad stories about what they did to the cars...(Ford Tempo catching on fire when the oil fill cap was not replaced and fell onto the exhaust manifold. Tempo's were never great cars, but did not deserve to be burnt up like that)

Since I only have had the Tig a month, I will need to find out what my local dealer charges. If he is $69, I will be happy.

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sixandeightstringer

· #5 · Apr 12, 2019

DetroitArt51 said:
I'd like to keep having my 2014 Beetle convertible serviced at my NC VW dealer, but their "deal" is $69.95 for synthetic oil/filter change with no tire rotation.
Our 2017 Honda CR-V dealer charges $49.95 for the same, AND rotates the tires.
When I asked my VW dealer, I was told that VW Corporate "requires" that they charge the higher amount. (Seems like Rubbish to me.)
I intend to start having my Honda dealer service my Beetle.

The folks above made some good points concerning the actual cost of doing the job yourself, the cost of the oil, getting VW-spec oil, etc.

A couple other points to add on:

Most modern VWs require that you replace the oil drain plug whenever you change the oil to prevent damage/leaks. It's only a $4 part, but it's likely that the VW dealer will do this and the Honda dealer will not. At retail, that part alone is 20% of the price difference.
Also, depending on the engine in your CRV, it could take as little as 3.4 quarts of oil for the 1.5 engine, on up to a max of 4.6 quarts for the 2.4 liter engine. The VW you have takes 5.5 quarts of oil, AFAIK. So that's a pretty big swing, at the cost of VW-spec synthetic oil.
Getting it done at the stealership will make it a lot easier to show documentation of proper service if you ever have a warranty issue.

In the end, $70 ain't bad for the oil change at the dealer. And I followed VW intervals of 10k on my 2009 Tiguan, and it's still running like a champ at 175,000 miles (though I have had other big dollar engine issues, including timing tensioner and fuel rail problems, that were unrelated to oil). And I tow with mine, as well... (I speed up oil change intervals when I'm towing.)

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