Every combustion car engine requires having the oil and filter changed on a regular basis. This is critical to the reliability and longevity of the motor. Since changing oil on most cars is a relatively simple service to perform and the parts are usually widely available from different suppliers, most every shop can do them. As with anything that offers many service options, shops compete to get you in the door, often with a competitive price.
Most repair shops would not be able to survive exclusively on oil changes with what they charge. If they can, they usually do it with inexpensive parts and cheap labor. For dealerships and most shops, they need to offer a competitive price for oil changes to compete with the inexpensive quick service facilities and get you and your car in the door. Often, they break even or even lose money on oil changes. After you’re in the door, they will “advise” you with other work they deem necessary. This is where shops make up for the discounted price on the oil change. As discussed in previous posts, this is when a shop and technician with high integrity is critical. Maybe your car really needs what is recommended, maybe not.
For the quick service shops that drive the low-priced oil changes, the oil and filters that they often use are less expensive. This does not necessarily mean they are of lower quality, but it is potentially the case. Additionally, the other reason they can offer a low-priced oil change is due to lower labor costs. You will often see young people, usually without much automotive experience, performing the work. It is a great opportunity for young people to gain experience before moving to a different shop, but with inexperience comes risk. I recently experienced a situation where a quick service shop technician forgot to put oil in the engine, causing internal damage and requiring its replacement. Quick service shops are also looking to “upsell” you on other work such as batteries, bulbs, filters, fluid changes, and any other low-skilled work.
So, with this information, where do you get your oil changed? It really comes down to who you can trust. The price of an oil change probably will not differ all that much between service facilities. You need someone who you can trust to install quality parts into your car, perform quality work, and make accurate recommendations.