Obviously I have been going to the wrong restaurants. I generally ask and get a current answer. That also works at a garage. Has little to do with my actual point. I really don't trust mechanics who think so little of their service that they will install and be responsible for any random parts the customer shows up with.

 

Well, in this case, it didn't. The OP asked for more details about the oil and filter that would be used at their local Valvoline shop, and that shop didn't give them a detailed answer. OP's main concerns are oil and filter quality, so to satisfy those concerns, it was suggested that they supply their own filter and oil and take it to an independent shop.

 

That's a good price at the Lexus dealer. Another option would be at a Toyota dealership. At either Lexus or Toyota it shouldn't be difficult to find out what kinds of oil and filters they offer and use.

 

In some cases, for simple work like an oil change, Toyota dealerships can do the job, using Toyota-approved filters and oil, for substantially less than a Lexus dealership. I used a Toyota shop when I had my Lexus IS300....I had known the Service Manager for some time, and they were happy to do it for about half what the Lexus place wanted.


And if you think Lexus shops are expensive, be glad you don't own a Mercedes or Porsche.

 

There are LOTS of great mechanics who will install customer supplied parts, thats not uncommon at all. The part itself has nothing to do with the skill of the mechanic, the installation is the skill.

Hell, even the Lexus dealer will use my supplied oil and filter.

 

You may well be right. I, for one, owning/operating multiple new car stores for 40 years, would not. I would not be surprised to be in the majority. But, if a few dollars on an oil change is that important, I am sure you will eventually find one.

 

Its not about saving money at all. In fact, bringing ones own oil usually costs way more in total. Its about knowing specifically which fluids and filters are used. I spent a lot of time researching which oils and filters I wanted to use, and just the cost of the oil alone was more than what my mechanic would have charged me for an oil change using what they had in stock.

Same with parts, I like to select which brakes for instance I am going to use, which rotors and which pads. Its not about saving money at all.

In terms of dealers, I have never had a dealer refuse to use my supplied oil and filter, and thats across multiple brands and different dealers within the same brand. Independent mechanics, I've really only ever used the same one.

 

So, your saying you know better, like on your Mercedes for example, what oil and filter should be used than the dealer does? Interesting…I question that…but interesting!

 

Seeing that most dealers just use no brand drum oil, and not the manufacturer's specific oil, and I like to use the best products available when maintaining my vehicles then yeah, I choose better products than the dealer. The dealer doesn't care about maintaining my vehicle as much as I do, they care about making as much money as they can.

For instance the oil I brought to my mechanic was TGMO Toyota motor oil (which my Lexus dealer does NOT use). The Mercedes dealer uses the Mercedes branded oil, and there's no chance I will keep this after the lease so I don't care as much. If I have my mechanic change the oil going forward in my Mercedes I will bring the Mercedes oil and filter with me.

 

I have always just left it to the professionals at the dealer to care of for oil changes. From what I understand, at Toyota dealers, they plug in the VIN number, and out comes the statistics and specs of what they’re supposed to use. As simple as that. Are oldest vehicles, I do take to an independent garage.

 

They use the right weight of oil (usually, but not always), but most dealers don't use a top quality oil they just use an inexpensive bulk oil. Dealers are volume enterprises, treat em at as much cost and little expense as possible and street em. Not a lot of "professionals" there, certainly not doing oil changes.

Any shop just plugs in the VIN and all the info is right there in their system.

 

I have always taken my Lexus to the Toyota dealer for oil and brakes with a coupon. Same service. Much cheaper.

 

Nothing wrong with that. Smart way to save. And who doesnt like some extra cash in their pocket.

 

Well, here is the problem...much of that is total B.S.! I will give you an example. In our Cadillac store and in the Chevy store we used GM Delco brand bulk oil pumped directly into my unground tanks. We bought the oil supply needed for the models we serviced and worked with GM Petroleum Engineers as to our needs. Instead of the techs continually walking back and forth to the parts department getting cans, we had equipment at the service bays to pump oil by simply calling the parts department who dialed it up and charged the RO..

Often, especially our Corvette customers, would demand we use Mobil 1. This is especially true because of the joint advertising between Corvette and Mobil 1 that has been going on for decades. If not specified, we used Delco Dexos 1 which we bought from GM in bulk. Many of our customers wanted Mobil 1 because of articles written by journalism majors posing as automotive engineers who purported to be experts in the field and explain how dealers were out to cheat the consumer.

Here is the interesting part. Exxon Mobil, maker of Mobil1, has been the exclusive supplier to GM for GM branded Delco oil since 1991. Mobil1 and Delco Dexos1 are produced to the same specification that is given to Mobil Exxon by GM Engineering. Not a trade secret but a fact that will often be debated by those who don't know better.

It would be silly to think dealers are going to use inferior oil to save a dollar a gallon. It is real simple to mark-up two different products to maintain the same profit margin without risking the motor life of the vehicle engine. An engine the manufacturer stands behind for an increasingly long period of time in today's market. It is every owner's right to specify the oil used in their vehicle. Many decades of experience will assure you engine failure is not going to be imminent because of the dealer using inferior oil in your vehicle!

 

The issue isn't it being bulk or pumped into drums, of course its not in bottles, but the fact is these dealerships are not all using the manufacturer's oil in those drums. Not saying your shops did that, but it is 100% a fact that the Lexus dealers here do NOT use TGMO unless you specify it to them, the oil that they use is just a no name bulk oil which is not the OEM branded oil. I have that straight from more than one Lexus master tech.

They 100% absolutely do this. In the end, it likely makes no difference. For the most part, oil is oil. But if you care about using the best quality fluids like I do, then you are NOT automatically getting the OEM oil by using the dealer. Thats a fact. Hence why I supply my own oil, so I know whats being used. It has nothing to do with saving money.

When I pay Lexus $200 to change my oil, my expectation is they use the OEM oil, well thats typically not the case. You have to ask for the OEM oil.