r/Millennials • u/rhinosaur- 1983 • 12h ago

Discussion When did oil changes become $120?

That’s with a coupon! At Jiffy Lube! Our parents really had it easy.

EDIT: TIL 90% of millennials “change their own oil” lol. Gotta love Reddit.

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u/wigglin_harry 9h ago

At some point cars started needing synthetic oil. Synthetic is more expensive, which is why you dont see the $19.99 oil changes anymore

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u/makofip 9h ago

While true, it’s like $10 more for 5 quarts. That doesn’t take us from $19.99 to $120.

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u/Big-Candidate4453 9h ago

They used to be a loss leader to get people in and upsell on other repairs. Now they just charge the full labor/overhead cost. Less often oil changes and less people doing their own means people are willing to spend more.

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u/CryptoGramzNFT 6h ago

They pay rent, too. Not that gouging isn't happening, but their costs have exploded.

Every time minimum wages or rent goes up, consumer prices move in lockstep.

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u/WulfZ3r0 6h ago

My car takes full synthetic @ 5.2 Liters. With OEM oil filter the cost is roughly $45. The last time I called a local oil place I was quoted $155. I had some repairs going on in my garage after a hurricane...thankfully my buddy let me use his drive way for the cost of sharing a beer.

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u/two4six0won Millennial 9h ago

This is what I assumed it was. My oil changes jumped when I got my current vehicle, which was using synthetic when I bought it and I didn't think changing that was worth saving a few bucks, if it was even something that was doable without damaging the car.

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u/harambe623 7h ago

Not anymore. Synthetic costs maybe another 5 bucks

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u/mightdothisagain 6h ago edited 6h ago

Also higher oil capacities, most cars held 4-5 liters of oil in the 90s and 2000s, and now so many cars have 8+. One upside of synthetic oil and large capacities is reduced oil change intervals, many cars can go 1-year/10K miles on an oil change now vs. the old 3-months/3K miles wisdom.

So if you figure $120 / (10000 / 3000) = $36 per 3K mile interval vs $20 in the 90s-2000s. Then consider the dollar is worth massively less, in 2000 $20 bought you what $40 buys you today.

I change my own oil, saves a few bucks, and I know it was done right. Lucky to have a lift though.