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You’re in the market for an oil change, but you’re unsure how much it’ll set you back. While I assure you the cost is always worth it to keep your motorhome or RV running, it’s still important to know how much to budget for.
It costs between $100 to $300 to change the oil in a motorhome. The type of oil used, the cost of labor, the age of the motorhome, and the condition of the oil filter are factors that can affect the total cost. Pricing among service centers in the US and Europe can also vary.
Below, I’ll review factors that may affect your motorhome’s oil change price. I’ll also discuss how much you can save by doing oil changes yourself and if using a lower-quality oil is worth it.
Typical Price of RV Oil Changes
An oil change will cost you anywhere from $100 to $300. Suppose your RV is a campervan or a converted vehicle. In that case, the price will be lower, usually the same as what you’d expect to pay for a car oil change, which is around $75. Oil changes for higher-end RVs and larger models cost more.
The price of a motorhome’s oil change can vary depending on the following factors:
- Age and condition of your motorhome: Is your motorhome new and state-of-the-art? Is it old, and has it been passed through many hands?
- Type of oil you use: Some higher-quality oils will cost you more, but lower-quality oils may keep you coming back for maintenance.
- The type of RV you’re driving: Petrol and diesel RV’s oil change prices vary.
- The method of the oil change: Doing your oil changes yourself has high-startup costs (and often high risk!) but costs less in the long run.
RVs take more power to run. Oil is the lifeblood of your vehicle and ensures that all parts and pieces are running against each other smoothly. With so much weight and pressure on your system, you’ll need larger quantities and higher-quality oil, hence the more costly oil change.
However, if you need an oil change because of a leak, this will cost you more because the service center will have to repair the leak unless you want to keep refilling your oil!
Oil Change Costs: Differences Between Petrol and Diesel Motorhomes
Diesel and petrol vehicles can suffer from poor engine performance if the oil is not changed on time. Whether you have a diesel or petrol RV, the price of an oil change will likely be similar, although a diesel engine usually holds more oil and can need more frequent oil changes which can make it more expensive.
The oil in diesel engines gets dirtier quicker than oil in petrol engines and sometimes the recommendations are to change oil almost twice as often in a diesel engine compared to a petrol engine but you need to consult your owner’s manual to see how often you need to do an oil change.
In general, the higher quality oil you use the longer you can go without an oil change so think about that if you don’t use the oil recommended in your owner’s manual but instead chooses a cheaper oil, you might need to change it even more frequently in that case.
How Much Can You Save By Doing Oil Changes Yourself?
Getting an oil change at a service center will always cost more than doing it yourself. Not only are you paying for the oil, equipment used, and so on, but you’re also paying for the labor and expert care of professionals.
I usually pay around $30-40 USD to do my own RV oil change depending on how cheap oil and filter I can find
I want to say that everyone can change the oil by themselves, I always do so and if I can you can too! It is a fairly straightforward process of;
- draining the old oil through a drainage plug underneath the engine
- and unscrewing the oil filter which sometimes can be a bit stuck and might require a special tool that usually costs around $10-30
- screw back the drainage plug
- put some oil on the new oil filter seal and screw on the new oil filter hand tight
- look at your owner’s manual how much oil there should be in your engine as well as what type
- refill the engine with the right type and amount of oil.
If you have never done it before there are tons of youtube videos out there that you can watch before doing it or simply ask a friend to show you because I am certain that you know someone who usually changes the oil by themselves.
You can save thousands by doing your own RV oil changes. However, If you mess something up on your RV while changing the oil, it can cost you more than what an oil change would.
The Price of Using Lower-Quality Oil
Many argue that using cheaper motor oil leads to more frequent changes, making it more expensive in the long run. Still, some shrug this off, saying a cheap oil change is better than nothing. And that’s true! If you have no other option than to use the lower quality oil, it’s better than letting your vehicle run dry.
If I would have a newer RV and by newer, I mean not older than 10 years old I would opt for the more expensive oil and what the owner’s manual recommends but I have and have always had older cars and RVs that sometimes have leaked quite a lot or not being driven so much.
And for that reason, I have always chosen the cheaper oils but maintain to change the oil about once per year although I check my oil almost every time I fuel up to see the level as well as feel the oil to see if it still does the job or needs a change, for example;
- If the oil is gritty or doesn’t feel smooth its a sign that it’s a bit too dirty and time for a change
- If it is really black and thick
- If it feels watery or turns grey/milky you could also have a bigger problem
However, going for the more quality oil is preferable. Higher-quality oil tends to be more expensive, but it also means fewer trips to get your oil changed and fewer problems down the road.
Oil Change Price Differences Between Old and New RVs
If your RV is a newer model and you plan on using it infrequently, you may not have to worry about the cost of oil changes. However, if you have an older model that’s been used quite often, you might be surprised at how much they can cost.
Though you’re taking your RV in for maintenance, an older RV that’s passed through quite a few hands may not have been given the same care. The oil wells and components of the RV may have suffered damage that causes oil changes to be made more frequently. The costs of maintenance can add up.
And that’s one reason why I tend to lean towards the cheaper oils and do the oil changes myself instead of having someone else do it, also it’s much faster to get it done yourself if you have what you need than to book a time at a shop, get there and wait for it to be done and drive back home, I have it done in 10 minutes instead and I can do it whenever I have some time over.
Some parts on older RVs are harder to get and more expensive when they come in stock. If the manufacturer doesn’t make them anymore, it can be difficult for mechanics to find replacements.
The price difference is more significant if an issue under the hood affects your oil or if the oil is leaking. It may be more difficult to find parts for older models, but normally if you have a common brand and model it’s not gonna be a problem.
Conclusion
The cost to change the oil in a motorhome depends on the following:
- Type of motor oil used in your vehicle
- The type of RV you have
- Whether or not you go into a shop to get it done
If you pick a shop and stick with it, your oil change price will only change over time if there are issues with your filter or if there’s a leak.