Imagine it's a nice sunny day and you decide to take your Porsche out for a joy ride. You start the car, and suddenly, the dreaded service light appears. So, you do what most people would do – call up your local dealership or mechanic and schedule an appointment. Before you know it, your oil has been changed, the car has been checked over, and your wallet is now considerably lighter, with a bill close to $1000 for a simple oil change.
Unsurprisingly, this scenario is not unique to Porsche owners. Many car dealerships have a tendency to overcharge for seemingly simple tasks like fluid changes. Moreover, the costs of the fluids themselves can vary significantly. For instance, 6 quarts of 10W-40 oil might set you back nearly $60, while the same amount of transmission fluid could cost around $80.
Take, for example, a full fluid replacement (excluding coolant) for a 2016 BMW X5. The total cost of fluids for oil, transmission, and rear differential, along with some miscellaneous bolts and washers, comes to roughly $450 after tax. Your local mechanic could charge you upwards of $1500 for the same job, including labor and parts, and a dealership might set you back over $2000. To the average person, these savings might sound appealing. However, replacing your fluids is as straightforward as draining them and refilling them. The easiest way to do this is with a lift and some guidance, which you can get by renting a full day at DIY Auto Labs for just $180 (I'm using pricing available for Oct, 2023, which might be slightly different at present, check here). Add in the necessary fluids and parts, and you're looking at a total cost of $630, making it three times cheaper than your local mechanic or $1370 less than a dealership. Now, those are some incredible savings!
Another great way to save money on a DIY project is by tackling your own brake job. In today's world, especially with modern cars equipped with electrical emergency brakes, replacing something as seemingly simple as brake pads can be surprisingly expensive. Luxury brands like Infiniti, Audi, and Mercedes often charge upwards of $800 per axle just to replace the pads. If you want to replace both pads and rotors, you could be staring at a bill of over $1250, and since your car has two axles, that amount doubles.
Consider a 2020 Mercedes Benz C300. The parts for the pads alone will set you back around $100 to $150 per axle. If you shop around, you can find kits priced at around $500, which include all the necessary hardware. The job requires about 8 hours to replace all four corners, so by booking a full day appointment, your total expense comes out to $650. Given that brakes are a vital safety component of your vehicle, it's crucial to ensure that all parts are installed correctly.
For added safety, you can also hire a mechanic to assist you for 2 hours at $99 per hour, helping with one corner in the front and one in the back. This brings your total expenses to $848. Compared to the $2500 that a dealership would charge for the same job, you'll be saving well over a thousand dollars by doing it yourself.
Yet another fantastic way to achieve substantial savings is by replacing suspension parts. Since suspension is critical for safety, many shops and dealerships tend to charge a premium for replacing even the simplest parts, like your link ends and shocks. For example, the cost to replace the end links on a 2004 Dodge Viper can reach up to $800, with the parts accounting for only an eighth of the cost and requiring just half an hour of labor. By booking a half-day appointment for $95, adding in $200 for parts, and guess what – the rest becomes your savings.
It's important to note that above savings can vary depending on your car and the complexity of the job. However, by combining these tasks or managing your time efficiently, you can significantly reduce your expenses by taking a DIY approach to auto repair. Now, let's summarize the cost comparisons including parts and materials in a table for a quick reference:
Repair Job | DIY Costs | Local Mechanic Charges | Dealership Chanrges |
Fluids Change | $630 | $1500 | $2000+ |
Brake Change | $650 - $850 | $1200 | $2500+ |
Suspension | $295 | $800 | $1400+ |