Oil Change Costs?

[GDeen]

What is reasonable for an oil and filter change on the Series 60? Local Freightliner is quoting ~$340 which seems a tad high to me.

I am servicing the genset myself, but am not interested at this point in the hassle factor of changing the oil and filter on the big engine.

[Ray Davis]

I think that's a pretty good price. I'm scheduled at ABC Bus to get a complete oil change, chassis lube, filter change etc, for around $450? Same thing priced at Prevost or Marathon was going to be over $800.

[Loc]

Gordon,

I go to B-Line lube, it is a truck oil change specialty shop with locations in west Houston, Odessa and Sweetwater (not terribly close to Austin). It runs $170 for oil, fuel filters and oil filter with a lube. I don't let them do the lube however. Flying J has J-Care service centers (the closest one is Dallas or west Houston). They have an Express Service (oil, fuel filters, oil filter, lube, coolant check, trans check) for $175. There has to be a heavy truck maintenance place in Austin that could get close to that price.

Loc

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Gordon, I have no clue about what the market will charge for anything, but I can tell you hours and material costs.

If all you need is an oil change with new filters, and a lube, plus an inspection of all other fluid levels here is what I use.

(I pump from a drum and don't know the exact amount on oil so I may be off by a gallon or 2) I would check the WalMart price for a gallon of 15W40 oil meeting the Detroit Spec. It changes so I won't even guess. I would figure 9 gallons.

The filters (it takes 2) are about $16 each, some places a little less, some a little more.

I don't know what fuel filters you have but $25 is close enough for them in the context of this SWAG.

Those numbers represent what would be a reasonable price charged to you, since Prevost buys this stuff at substantially lower prices.

To fully lube my coach, dump and fill oil, replace fuel filters, check all fluid levels in the hubs, diferential, power steering, coolant, and windshield washer I take five hours total. Trust me when I say along the way I am looking stuff over, draining air tanks, looking for leaks in hub seals, looking for chafing, worn hoses, cuts in tires, brake pad thicknesses, and anything else I want to look at to verify no surprises on the road.

If I were a shop doing that work to that quality level I would charge you $500 for the labor content plus materials. If however you have someone who is going to drain and refill oil, grease it and not give it the hours of attention I spend doing an underside inspection then the price should be adjusted. The only way to insure the attention to detail is there is to do it yourself or watch it being done. That's the cynic in me talking.

An oil change with filters takes an hour or a little more. I do not check my transmission level other than using the keypad. It is the most accurate way. You can do that yourself.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I should add this is not a case of getting what you pay for. It is a case of you can get it done very inexpensively, which is good as long as you understand that it takes time to really do a quality job under the coach. I just do not know how you can be assured you get that, so maybe the best approach is to go for the cheapest oil and filter change, and have the underbody inspections done separately to a checklist.

BTW, greasing one of these is fairly simple and fast (I have a 120#drum and 40 feet of hose with a grease gun and a pit) but looking for evidence of worn linkages, or any other mechanical issues takes time.

Also.......if you let someone not familiar with disc bake systems grease the coach you can have problems if certain brake components are overgreased such as the slack adjuster pivots or the drum brake shoe pivots if so equipped.

[dale farley]

Jon has pretty much summed it up. I do mine also using gallon containers, and it takes 41 quarts of oil.

[GDeen]

I need to develop a maintenance schedule to look at all the things you are speaking of Jon. I have already done some of it albiet somewhat randomly - checked all the wet hubs fluid levels, checked undercarriage, checked rubber, etc.

The quote was for 1 hour labor and materials and he came up with the $340 estimate. When I told him I would like to hang around during the job, he said make yourself at home, but it may take him 3 hrs. Who knows.

Loc, Ray, thanks for the info. I am wanting to learn to check all the main items needing checking myself, and just want a basic oil and filter change from these guys.

I am going to Jon's house one of these days with coveralls on and notebook in hand.

[hobobimmer]

I am going to Jon's house one of these days with coveralls on and notebook in hand.

If you are in East TN, you could also come to my house for your "under the bus" look. That way Jon won't have to move his bus from his garage. If you come here, you should still ask Jon to drive the one hour 10 minutes from his house to mine, and carry a notebook/pen, and bring coveralls. He will fill you with info.

Jon did a beautiful chart for maintenance on the bus. I modified his a little bit for my bus, and if I can find your email under Members List, I'll send you a copy. It's in Excel spreadsheet program.

Eric Faires
Huntsville, TN

[GDeen]

Thanks Eric. Got the spreadsheet and will work with that going forward.

[michaeldterry]

Jon did a beautiful chart for maintenance on the bus. I modified his a little bit for my bus, and if I can find your email under Members List, I'll send you a copy. It's in Excel spreadsheet program.

Eric - I would love to get a copy of your Excel spreadsheet checklist! If you will, please forward a copy to michael_terry@comcast.net. Thanks!