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Oil Change
updated: Jun 18, 2010, 10:14 AM

Is there any place in town still offering a $25 oil change?

Places People Are Talking About:

Lompoc Honda	Meineke	Sears
Woolever Tires

What People Are Saying:

EDONE	2010-06-18 10:24 AM
Here is a past Edhat article about oil changes prices link
COMMENT 83612	2010-06-18 10:26 AM
Original submitter here, I found that Edhat article through Google. Unfortunately everyone seems to have raised their prices in a few years.
COMMENT 83623P	2010-06-18 11:05 AM
No where except for some places that have coupons. Check your mail...the coupons are everywhere. Also, you can get a coupon for a $24.95 oil change at Firestone on upper State at valpak.com. But you have to be very wary of the places that have coupons for an oil change. They want you through their door, with your car up on their lift, so you are vulnerable and they can sell you extra stuff. Considering the fact that the cost of the oil, filter, and disposal fee of old oil is well over $15, even if you buy the cheapest brands, a $25 oil change is a really good deal. But I do wish I had a good friend that owned a garage and would let me put my car up on the lift so that I could change my own oil. BTW, I will never go to Jiffy Lube again. Once they forgot to put the oil cap back on, which luckily was still sitting on top of the engine block when I next opened the hood. But they also stripped the threads of my oil pan plug. Now, no one will change my oil because there is a temporary plug (liability issue). I have to either find someone who can re-tap the threads for a new plug or replace the whole pan.
COMMENT 83629	2010-06-18 11:39 AM
Jiffy Lube is way more than that. I decided to learn how to do it myself the last time I drove in there.
COMMENT 83640	2010-06-18 12:29 PM
I do my own changes. Years ago when I only had basic equipment and no driveway to work in, what I'd do is (on a quiet, low traffic neighborhood street of course) drive parallel to the curb, up on a driveway, and slowly (carefully) drive one front wheel up the little ramp until it was up on the curb, and the rest of the car was still on the street. Then you can slide under and drain the oil and replace the filter, without a jack or stands. All you need is a tub to collect the oil. You can buy a tub that will seal so you can easily transport the used oil in your trunk, to the recycle center at UCSB on the weekend! Hope that helps.
COMMENT 83648	2010-06-18 12:44 PM
Most new cars don't need an oil change until you hit 5,000 to 7,500 miles so be sure to check you owners manual. Jiffy Lube still recommends 3,000, of course to rip you off. Since my car can go over 5,000 miles between oil changes, I need to rotate the tires as well. I don't believe I paid less than $85 for the basic service since I have owned my car (5 years).
COMMENT 83651	2010-06-18 01:06 PM
i had the same experience with jiffy lube as 83623P, though i never found my oil cap. i drove around for a couple of days without it until i noticed the burning smell. then a few years later i went there again (what was i thinking?) and got a service that was a special promotional deal where i got a visa gift card back as a rebate. then when i went to use the card i discovered that it had $0 on it. they totally ripped me off! they're the worst ever. i now go to fast lane.
COMMENT 83652	2010-06-18 01:11 PM
83648 - $85!!!! You are getting jacked!! Any decent tire store will rotate your tires for free, assuming you bought your tires from them. And if your car is new, one of the best places to take it for service is the dealer. Nissan, for example, will change the oil and rotate the tires, all for under $50. Plus, if you drop your car off in the morning they will drive you to work and pick you up in the afternoon. But you are correct about the amount of miles you can drive between oil changes. Jiffy Lube et al recommend 3000 miles because they sell oil. A lot of car manufacturers recommend 7500 miles because they sell cars. Seems logical to split the difference and change the oil every 5000 miles. But you'd be silly if you didn't check the oil level at least once a month.
COMMENT 83660	2010-06-18 01:39 PM
83652 - it's all relative to the type of car you drive. If you own BMW or Mercedes, $85 is a steal. I'm not aware of a Nissan worth owning - no offense.
COMMENT 83674	2010-06-18 02:27 PM
Well, 83660, if you need to spend 8 times what I spent on my new car just to impress other people, then have at it. And an oil change is an oil change. Doesn't matter if it is a Nissan or a Rolls Royce. Of course, people like you that are hell-bent on wasting their money and find it necessary to spend at least triple for everything can easily find a garage that will charge $200 to replace a windshield wiper. But it's not my money, it's yours. Have a fun time.
COMMENT 83685	2010-06-18 03:04 PM
FYI $85 is a typical price if you use synthetic oil, maybe that's what #83648 was talking about. Synthetic doesn't need to be changed as often... Do-it-yourself is really the best way if you can manage it - and places like Costco and KMart have decent prices for oil by the case...
COMMENT 83692	2010-06-18 03:27 PM
Meineke on upper state does a basic oil change for $19.95 with a coupon from their website. With disposal fee and tax, it comes out to a total of around $24. They do it by appointment, not sure if they'll accept walk-ins.
COMMENT 83705P	2010-06-18 04:26 PM
I miss Auto Lube Center. They were nice guys and didn't try to rip you off. I would never, ever go to Jiffy Lube or Fast Lane. Fast Lane showed me someone else's air filter once to try and trick me into buying a new one from them. Trouble was, the air filter was a different shape than mine. Oops. I agree with 83660 that some cars ARE more expensive. Doesn't necessarily mean they are worth it in all cases, but 83674, there's not any real reason to assume he bought a car to impress people. Expensive cars can be better to drive, safer and more fuel efficient in some cases. Grow up.
COMMENT 83711P	2010-06-18 05:09 PM
Sears is like 16 something. I got my oil changed while I got new tires and saw the price and it was great.
COMMENT 83737P	2010-06-18 07:47 PM
Years ago, my boyfriend and I used to take my car to Fast Lane on State Street (near HIghway 154) for oil changes. The one time I went by myself, they told me my transmission fluid needed changing. I was suspicious and refused the service. My regular mechanic said the transmission fluid did not need changing. That was my last time doing business with Fast Lane.
COMMENT 83752	2010-06-19 07:34 AM
83737P - People at Fast Lane, Jiffy Lube, et al are taught to prey on women. I remember one time sitting in the waiting room, listening to this one elderly lady ask the cashier "how much?" for her service, and he said "$230." They conned her into an air filter she didn't need, plus a flush of just about every fluid in her car. The only thing that got flushed was her bank account.
COMMENT 83756P	2010-06-19 07:46 AM
Thanks, 83711P. I checked out the website for Sears' oil change service, and it is $16.99. According to their website..."The Oil Change service includes the installation of: up to 5 quarts of conventional oil featuring Valvoline, lube of the chassis if needed, reset of oil light if needed, proper inflation of tires, topping off of the following fluids: windshield washer and power steering fluid. In addition, we perform a complementary check of: lights, brake fluid level, air filter, belts, wiper blades, antifreeze, tires and shocks/struts."
COMMENT 83772	2010-06-19 09:12 AM
Take your car to the City of Santa Barbara. They have the best service and will charge you $300.00. Such a deal!
COMMENT 83782	2010-06-19 09:55 AM
Woolever Tires in Goleta. Been using them for 20 years. I fly planes and maintenance is no joke. At Woolever it is a NO BS situation. Robby, Bob and Dustin will change oil for 25-30 bucks and they will rotate tires for free. They really have helped me with any type of issue I have had with cars whether it is dents to transmission issues. They know the locals shops and can always recommend when they do not have the capability themselves.
COMMENT 83802	2010-06-19 11:33 AM
Thanks for tips !
COMMENT 83805P	2010-06-19 11:44 AM
At Fast Lane it depends on who waits on you. I, a woman, have been given the "you need all new fluids" pitch but also I have been advised that I had too few miles since the last change to need an oil change. Sears seem like the best bet.
COMMENT 83814	2010-06-19 12:47 PM
Lompoc Honda (if your willing to drive there) does any make/model car oil change for like 19.95.... I hear Oreilys autoparts has a deal right now, 5qts of their brand synthetic oil and oil filter for like 17 bucks...