So.....over the weekend my service reminder went to "0", indicating the need to get the car's very first oil change performed. I was oddly excited about this, since I've never dealt with a non-VW dealer! hahaha! So I called up a local dealer to see if they had people to work on the car and then I would make an appt.

Well, to my surprise, I was very happy to know that the local dealer (Dambrosio Dodge, Chrysler, etc in Downingtown, PA) did oil changes on the fly. You just show up and get it done. I then asked how much it would cost, to which I was told 100.00. Seemed fairly reasonable for dealer work, so I said I'd be in later in the day.

I went in on my lunch hour and everything was as I was told----except the price. When it got time for the rapage to begin, the guy didn't even use any lube! He just gave it to me straight (maybe "straight" isn't the right word?)---"That'll be 154.00 sir!" Kind of a lot more than 100.00! And then the price was broken down for me. The guy even rechecked the prices for me!

10q of 5w40= ~90.00
1 filter= ~23.00
labor= ~20.00
tax= the remaining sum

Now, I'm still having a hard time sitting down in my office! I'm not sure that the excellent convenience warrants such a hefty repair bill. I may be better off doing it myself next time---as long as it isn't the middle of winter.

So the moral of this story is that no matter how cheaply you can get into a crossfire, unless you do the work yourself, these cars are definitely expensive to maintain. Even simple things like oil changes! I may as well have gone to a mercedes dealer and had the oil change done. At least there would have been more interesting cars in the showroom!

The car does run a little better though and it's a little quieter compared to what came in the car from the factory.

 

What is with 10q of 5w40 when the car takes 8.5 qts. of 0w40? Syn. oil at $9.00 a Qt. Does PA have a .158 tax rate?

 

10 quarts of oil? The car doesn't take 10 quarts! Either he ripped you off or they put too much oil in the car. Either way--- not good!

You paid too much. The most I ever paid was 120 after taxes.

 

Dealer by me gets around the same price of $150.00, I take to Avis Lube they charge $95.00.

 

Yep - European cars, particularly German ones, cost a lot to service.

However, you can save $ on the next one by doing it yourself, or buying the oil/filter and having a lube shop do it:

Oil - Mobil 1 0W-40 on sale for $4/qt. at Walmart. X-Fire takes 8.5 qts.
Filter - $18 (fleece of course)
Labor - Free or approx $20 if you pay to have it done.

DIY total comes to around $60 with taxes added in. Document and keep receipts for warranty!

 

I just paid 300 euros (390 $) for oil change (and I broúght the oil), oil filter and clean air filter. And for what I paid for the Audi TT it seems to me quite OK.... Maybe a little bit expensive but normal.

it is not a cheap car but not he most expensive one´. I wish I lived in the States, seems really cheap overthere...

 

That definitely seems more reasonable doing it yourself. Is the 0w-40 a recommended oil? I thought 5-40 M1 is the european car formula and what carries the recommended MB rating? I know the Napa by me carries all the unusual oil grades that places like Pep Boys (at least around me) do not carry.

I'll have to check the oil when I leave work today to see how much they put in.

 

You might want to check with a Mercedes Dealer. The local one here charges $85 as of last year. That includes the fleece filter and Moble1 oil. The Chrysler Stealer wanted $130.

 

Mobil 1 0W-40 synthetic is the factory spec oil, although a lot of owners use 5W-40. Make sure they used synthetic.

If they put in 10qts., your instrument panel will show a high oil symbol. The dealer should have used the extra oil to lube you for the bill.

 

The Jiffy Lube next to my work charged $76, but I provided the oil filter.

 

I'll have to look into this. There are a couple of MB dealers by me.

 

Wow, now that's expensive! I love doing it myself so I know it's done right and save more than half of what they charged you. Besides, I put in AMSOIL 5W-40 and get a lot more miles out of my oil.

 

How do you know when to change your oil on the car? Have you gotten periodic oil analyses done to determine a more accurate changing interval vs what the car will tell you?

 

Personally, I drive each '05 5-10k miles in the summer and just change the oil before storing for the winter. For both the Chrysler dealer and the indie who does my SRT6, I provide 9 qts of Mobil1 0W-40 and they supply labor and filter - cost is right around $25. It's not worth my dealing with the mess for that kind of coin.

 

It costed me 194 after tax, gotta love dealers.

 

I bought a multiple oil change deal at my Chrysler dealer for $50.00 per change.
Their regular price is $100.00, parts & labor.
p.s.. I see there is another member on this site with the same name as mine.
Hello!
Neil 007 TQI

 

Hummm
I took my 2005 Roadster to a Pittsburgh Chrysler dealer in the North Hills for warranty service - transmission leak, driver seat not heating and radio eating CDs. They replaced the radio, fixed the tranny leak and replaced the driver seat. Took them 10 days. While there I had them do an oil change.

9 qts oil - $92.25
filter - $31.75
labor - $12.95

I do still love this car.

Shoes

 

My dealer charges us $95 and said he is giving us a break. After reading these prices I guess he is. They have been good with warranty work on the coupe and extended warranty on the roadster.

 

You really only need 8 quarts x $6 for 0W-40 at Wal=Mart... .= $48 max
Buy the Mann filters over the internet.....about $15 each........= $15
Take the filter & oil to Walmart.......labor.............................= $14....
Total= $77+tax

 

If you've ever changed oil on any car you can change it yourself on the X/F. There is nothing different in the process except being easier since the oil filter is on top of the motor.
Sooo .....
About 6.25@ qt. at walleymart = 50.00
12.00 filter at Napa
That comes to around 65.00 useing Mobil1.
My change will be due soon so I've been buying a couple qts. a week to ease the cost.
Love this car
Dan