Cheapest Oil & Filter Change!

theloft

My car doesn't do a big mileage per annum, so I like to get the oil & filter changed about every 6 months. I have been using National Tyres & Autocare :
https://www.national.co.uk for this and my car is a 2.9 litre Volvo.
Cost for fully synthetic oil & filter change at these people is £21. My wife's little Honda which uses semi-synthetic is even cheaper. It makes sense between services and my friendly mechanic reckons he cannot buy the oil alone at that price.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

wow that is good. I was paying in excess of £30 for my KA ( which I've since part exchanged).

Wonder what their service prices are?

cundall

Damn thats cheap! - not as cheap as the states saw it for $4.99 (with a coupon) and we could not even get a branded filter for that! let alone the oil.

Yeh the oil normally costs atleast 20 pounds for good oil and thats semi not full.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

albertross wrote:

It's probably a loss leader, just make sure they don't stick a screwdriver through your gaiter while they are doing it..

well couldn't you say the same about any garage?

ArsenalFC

I have used national for oil & filter change for the past few years with various cars, their prices are excellent. Used to be £25 for full synt and filter when they are on offer, so even cheaper now.

I would recommend spending a further £6 to get the engine flush if you haven't change your oil in ages or if they are black. Its a detergent which cleans the old oil out of the engine.

mr_accountant

ArsenalFC wrote:

I have used national for oil & filter change for the past few years with various cars, their prices are excellent. Used to be £25 for full synt and filter when they are on offer, so even cheaper now.

I would recommend spending a further £6 to get the engine flush if you haven't change your oil in ages or if they are black. Its a detergent which cleans the old oil out of the engine.

I would not bother with the flush, if the engines is old some deposits may well be helping the gaskets seal any oil leaks, if a flush were to move these deposits the oil may start to leak, anyhow engine oil these day are excellent at cleaning the engine. Also national use Duckhams oil, which are good quality.

Ive used this offer a few times and they do appear to be good, they change the filter (i know i marked by old one) and fill the oil to the right level. The price of all three changes has fallen by £5, and they’ve added £1 for the disposal cost, so net decrease of £4 and still excellent value, better than the £200 oil changes at a main dealer, which once the warranty has expired is not much use anyhow, not to me anyway.

theloft

albertross wrote:

It's probably a loss leader, just make sure they don't stick a screwdriver through your gaiter while they are doing it..

It is NOT a loss leader and I watch them do the oil change !
I have been using them for 3 years now, just for this o & f change. On my Volvo it is more finicky than most as you have to take off the undershield to get at the sump plug!
So I will keep using them as long as their prices are as good. Forgot to mention Tesco Clubcard points included!
PS. They don't actually do services as such, mainly tyres, exhausts batteries, and of course oil changes !!!

bbruce

theloft wrote:

It is NOT a loss leader and I watch them do the oil change !
I have been using them for 3 years now, just for this o & f change. On my Volvo it is more finicky than most as you have to take off the undershield to get at the sump plug!
So I will keep using them as long as their prices are as good.

So they don't suck it out through the dipstick hole?
That's a good sign as quite a bit can get left behind.

Ally

Check out this link.... you can claim Tesco Clubcard points too!

http://www.national.co.uk/main/offers.asp?offer=tesco%2Dclubcard%2Easp

Even if you have had a recent service, you can mail them the details on the form provided and they will add them!

ArsenalFC

A note to add. Last year when I had the o & f and engine flush changed on my bmw, the sump plug broke when they unscrewed it.

They had to go out and buy a replacement so I had to wait almost another 2hours before they changed everything. However, they charged me just £15 for everything instead of the £31.

I used the Greenwich branch in london, they are a friendly bunch.

theloft

albertross wrote:

Just because you watch them, and have been happy, doesn't mean it isn't a loss leader.
I have used one National branch, and they fitted the wrong exhaust....... That particular garage were cowboys.. but the rest may be fine..

Albertross - I can honestly say that during all the 3 + years I have been using the High Wycombe branch of National, they have never once tried to sell me anything else at all. I have asked them for quotes on tyres and exhausts at various times but have gone elsewhere if it was a better deal. As you say I think it depends on the particular branch manager, but I am very satisfied.