Community Forums

auto racer13 · 05-20-2021, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coarsegold

Interesting to see the cost of basic service.

I have never paid anyone to do an oil change in any of my vehicles or motorcycles. Mostly it was a hassle to drop it off and pick it up, and a little savings helps also.

$500 for oil/filter change on Ford V-10, look over and generator oil/filter. Dealer lost me forever.

boomdaddy3 · 05-20-2021, 02:52 PM

I had my first oil change done late last summer. I, too, called around to find the best deal. Every oil change place could not accommodate my 22' MH (on a Ford E-350 Super Duty chassis), although one offered to do the change in the parking lot for $80. Called the local RV dealership - they wanted $300 and said they were too busy to get to it anytime soon. They recommended I call a commercial truck dealership, which quoted me $225.

Finally, I ended up using a mobile auto service who came to my home, changed the oil (using recommended synthetic oil) and the filter for $75 and I never had to leave the driveway. I will continue to use them for not only my MH but my Honda Fit & CRV also.

cruizerEd · 05-20-2021, 04:21 PM

As a full timer it really isn't practical to do my own oil. I don't want to carry around an oil drain pan and find a place to dump the old oil. It isn't very safe to work under the coach without jack stand and i don't have space for them either. Most parks won't let you change your own oil or do any significant maintenance. I don't want to carry around a grease gun and a big torque wrench either. I changed my own car oil for 20 years or more and it was as much for convenience as cost. I could do it fast and cheap and safe. I had a garage and had a place for all the paraphernalia and knew where to dump the oil. Now changing my own oil is very inconvenient and spreading the wealth isn't crimping my life style.

JohnLoves2Sk · 05-20-2021, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O Lloyd

Perhaps some of the former RV techs on this forum could comment on this,
but it has been my experience that some RV dealers feel that anyone who owns an RV
has plenty of money and can afford any and all maintenance costs,
regardless of what outlandish price they charge.
YMMV.
O LLOYD

I like to remind them: "I am not rich because I have a fancy RV - I am broke because I have a fancy RV..."

AJMike · 05-20-2021, 05:12 PM

One local RV dealer charges about $330 for a MB oil change, another dealer charges $290 and a local independent shop (where I get some work done, but not oil changes) charges about $350. When I checked with some other shops in the area they told me that they do not change oil in a MB Sprinter because MB is just too picky about how it is done. However the local Ford dealer, who did the oil changes for my Transit based RV, does MB Sprinter oil changes and only charges about $225. I say "only" because it is low by comparison, not because it is inexpensive.

The other side f the coin is that apparently MB only requires oil changes every 20,000 miles unless the RV has seen hard service. Or so I am told, and that is a pretty long period between oil changes. My Transit based RV required changes every 7500 miles so that is almost 3 changes for 1 for the MB Sprinter.

The explosion of camping and RV purchases at work here.

CMWade · 05-20-2021, 05:20 PM

We have the 7.3 Gas in our new E450 Forest River Class C. Walmart sells the genuine Ford filter for less than $4 and some quality oil for about the same price as you mentioned at Cosco. Much easier and less expensive than my Ram 3500 Cummins powered dually!

Charlie Wade
New Carlisle, OH

lenny-shawna · 05-20-2021, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

Well,
A very good friend of mine purchase one of those wazoo, 4WD super tall Mercedes vans about a year or so ago. He HAD to take it to the dealer for his first oil change. The bill came out at $350 for an oil change. And no, it wasn't any thing else, just an oil change. That's the cost of certain vehicle ownership.
Scott

Hi Scott,
Hope all is well as I have not seen many posts from you or Neil C lately.

nyway, my 15 Dutchstar 4366 with the Cummins 450 requires around 10+ gallons of oil. I bought a 15 gal low profile oil pan and I place an old hog hair ac filter on the top which keeps the hot (yes I like to change oil when the engine is hot) oil from splashing out. The pan also has a hand pump making it clean and easy to empty.

Fortunately, my garage at my office makes it both convenient and easy for me to do all the preventive maintenance as I'm indoors with all my tools.

Besides, I actually enjoy doing the work myself. I also have a 16 Ram 2500 diesel pickup and the dealership wants over $385.00 to change the oil, oil filter and both fuel filters. It cost my about $110 which also includes the air filter.

Safe travels,

Joediver22 · 05-20-2021, 07:05 PM

Lenny, would you mind sharing where you found the 15 gallon shallow oil pan?

R.Wold · 05-20-2021, 07:21 PM

Two things here shout “watch out”:

Costco synthetic and $25 bucks.

I would never do that to any engine I cared about.

I do my own maintenance too, but I always use a name brand oil and filters. In my gas RV’s I used Mobil 1. In my Cummins it’s Delo or Rotella. I also cut maintenance intervals about in half. Just sayin....

Also just curious - is the oil pan drain still right over the front axle?

R.Wold · 05-20-2021, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coarsegold

Interesting to see the cost of basic service.

I have never paid anyone to do an oil change in any of my vehicles or motorcycles. Mostly it was a hassle to drop it off and pick it up, and a little savings helps also.

I was “given” several free oil changes when I bought my new F250 PSD in 2017. Free is nice but the wasted half day getting it there and back, and waiting for it, pretty well negated the savings.

R.Wold · 05-20-2021, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckftboy

I change my oil around $100 for oil and filter. I also think $300 would be a fair price for a shop to charge. I do it for 2 reasons. #1 I enjoy working on my coach and #2 its a royal pain to take it to a shop and wait on it. The only issue I have with changing my own oil is taking the waste to a recycle center.

My son burns all my waste oil in his 2006 F250 diesel. Engine oil, gear oil, trans fluid, all of it. I give him about 30-40 gallons per year, thank him, and he thanks me for the free fuel. He says he can burn it at 10% and has a 1000 gal diesel tank to add it to. Works for me, works for him.

waterman480 · 05-20-2021, 07:40 PM

Remember, most dealers do more than an oil change. Did you grease all 7 points on the front end? Check all your lights (Takes 2 techs), wipers, air filters, tire pressure? The service underwriter also spent 10 minutes checking you in and 15 minutes checking you out (or more if there were issues).

Yes, I do it all myself, and I make sure it is all completed and logged along with any issues noted. If I were to chose to have it done, while charging as much as $200-250 for an oil change might make me scream, I can understand why. On the other hand a quicky lube place better not charge more than $80-90 just to change the oil.

Mr_D · 05-20-2021, 07:44 PM

The oil alone for my ISX (912 ci) Cummins isc$300 alone, filter another $40. Shops want $450 and they still have to get rid of 14 gallons of used oil.

lenny-shawna · 05-20-2021, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joediver22

Lenny, would you mind sharing where you found the 15 gallon shallow oil pan?

Here it is but I made a mistake as it's 17 gallons not 15. I have zero complaints with this. The hog hair filter eliminates the splashing as well.

Bestauto Portable Oil Drain Pan with Pump 64L Oil Drain Pan 17 Gallon Low Profile Oil Drain Pan with 8' Hose for SUV Car and Trucks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1