So I found this interesting -- sometimes a customer will comment that our Oil Services are quite expensive when compared to other shops, or "Just as much as the dealer." The fact is, almost nobody makes money on oil services. It's usually what's called a "Loss leader" -- a service item that is used to get someone in the door so you can sell them more work. We don't use it that way, it's simply a service we offer to our customers so that we can ensure all of their maintenance is done properly by qualified technicians, using parts and fluids that meet all the required specifications.
All that being said, I was recently presented with an invoice from Jiffy Lube. This invoice was for an oil change on a 2001 BMW 325i -- a very common engine, the M54. At Carma, an Oil Service on an M54 usually runs around $110, and you are getting Valvoline Synpower 5W40 Full Synthethic motor oil, which meets the newest BMW requirements, a MANN oil filter (which is the OEM for BMW -- same filter the dealer uses) and a highly qualified BMW technician working on your vehicle. So guess how much the customer paid at Jiffy Lube? $103.66! Here's the invoice, for evidence.
What do you get for $103.66? Most likely an aftermarket, sub-standard, made in India / Korea / Pakistan / etc oil filter, hopefully some full synthetic oil (if you're lucky), and a guy making maybe $8 an hour who probably cares very little about you or your car.
I think the extra $7 is worth, at the very least, the peace of mind Carma can bring.
