Your whole life you dreamed of owning a chic, comfortable, luxury class vehicle and the day has finally come where you find yourself rolling out of the dealership’s driveway in your new wheels. Your car is more than transportation, it’s an investment and you want to keep your ride in peak condition so that it will last many years and maintain a certain value. When you purchase a luxury vehicle, you’re buying so much more than the sleek exterior. You’re purchasing a sophisticated machine that was assembled with the finest workmanship and operates with superior quality parts.
To maintain your fine machine, do you need repairs and maintenance completed by the dealership? Not necessarily.
If your luxury vehicle is still under the included factory warranty, any repairs that are covered under the warranty including drivetrain and other major systems should be performed through the dealer. However, it is not necessary to bring your vehicle to the dealer for maintenance services such as oil changes, brakes, and fluid flushes. Most after-market automotive repair centers have the same equipment and employ knowledgeable technicians that are capable of servicing all makes and models of vehicles.
What is the difference between a luxury vehicle’s oil change versus a regular oil change? Not much actually. For most vehicles, with exception to celebrity level luxury vehicles, the oil change process is the same.
Sun Devil Auto is the dealership alternative serving the Phoenix metro in Arizona for a reason! We carry superior quality oils, hire experienced ASE-Certified Technicians to perform maintenance and repair services, at a price that is often less than the dealer.
Why Does a Luxury Oil Change Cost So Much?
Whether you drive a tiny, four-cylinder basic car or a superior quality V-8 luxury machine, both require fluids to maintain their ability to operate optimally. Oil changes in particular are essential to any vehicle, but why does an oil change for the tiny four cylinder cost considerably less than a luxury oil change that can be as much as seven times more costly?
Time
Depending on the kind of luxury vehicle you’re driving, the time involved to complete the service can take much longer in comparison to a conventional oil change. Secondly, the fluids used in a luxury vehicle are often high performance fluids engineered to support the demands of a superior quality engine and other mechanical components. European vehicles, for example, require a specialty oil and are not interchangeable with a conventional motor oil.
Materials
European oils differ from most other oils based on the strict emissions regulations imposed by the European Union that are more stringent that the EPA’s standards in the United States. As a result, European vehicles were designed and produced with diesel-powered engines as early as the 1990s to help reduce carbon dioxide levels entering the environment. Throughout the years, European vehicles have incorporated technologies to reduce emissions even more by using specialty particulate filters and catalytic converters. In order to accommodate for these changes, specialty oil was necessary to avoid the potentially negative effect on the vehicle’s emissions systems. Standard motor oils that contain sulfated ash, sulfur, and phosphorus are simply not acceptable in the European vehicle’s engine. Oils made for European vehicles have lower SAPs levels and contain specialty additives to protect the emissions system.
Where Can I Get a Luxury Car Oil Change?
It’s a common misconception of new vehicle owners of sedans, trucks, SUVs, sports cars, and luxury vehicles that you are required to return to the dealer for service.
Is it true that if you take your vehicle to an independent repair facility it will void their manufacturer’s warranty?
Absolutely not.
You have the freedom to choose where to have maintenance and repairs performed. Automotive service centers, like Sun Devil Auto, possess the same high quality equipment, tools, and certified Technicians qualified to perform any service. However, repairs that can be covered by the manufacturer warranty can only be performed by the dealer.
Why Should I Choose an Independent Automotive Repair Shop for Oil Changes?
Many new car dealerships rely on the repair side of their business for revenue and often sell new vehicles at near losses in hopes that purchasers will return for oil changes, repairs, maintenance services, and tires. By choosing an independent service center, you’re getting the same quality, faster service, and often a better value.
- Same Training: Many independent service centers are owned and run by highly skilled technicians with years of experience. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has developed tests and standards for all technicians for certifications. That means a technician, whether employed through the dealership or an automotive center, must possess a certain amount of knowledge, skill, and work experience in order to receive certification.
- Same Products: The dealership may tell you that your vehicle requires a specialty oil, which is likely true, however, it’s not proprietary to them. Automotive service centers have the ability to obtain the same fluids and OEM parts as the dealership.
- Same Service Recommendations: It’s a myth that only the dealership has access to the service guidelines of your vehicle. In fact, most independent service centers have access to the same program that outlines the maintenance schedule for every make and model on the market. Additionally, the details of your service recommendations are listed in the vehicle’s owner’s manual.
Is there a Luxury Oil Change Center near me?
Sun Devil Auto carries superior quality oils, hire experienced ASE-Certified Technicians to perform maintenance and repair services, at a price that is often less than the dealer. You’ll be impressed by the ease of scheduling an appointment online and once you arrive for your service, the oil change will include lube, oil, and filter along with a check and top off of fluids, multi-point inspection, tire pressure check and rotation in about an hour. Your car will be handled with the utmost care and returned to you in the same or better condition. Value, superior service, and friendly staff with a location in your neighborhood? That’s Sun Devil Auto!
