Mechanical Repair
Oil change near you
Oil change with a new filter and fresh oil to your manufacturer’s specification, plus a quick fluid, tire and light check and the service reminder reset.
- Time at the shop
- 45 min
- about
- Mobile service
- Available
- at your address
- Shops in Canada
- 6
- doing this work
- Your price
- You set it
- shops bid on it
You set the budget
Shops near you send their bids
6 shops in Canada do this
Mechanical Repair
What an oil change is
An oil change drains the used oil from your engine, replaces the oil filter and refills with fresh oil of the grade in your owner’s manual. Oil lubricates and cools the moving parts and carries off combustion residue; as it ages its additives wear out and the filter fills with debris. The technician lets the warm oil run out, fits a new filter and drain plug seal, refills to the right level and runs the engine to check for leaks.
A short inspection usually comes with it: tire pressures, wiper blades, lights, other fluid levels and a look at the air filter. The oil-life monitor or service reminder is reset, and the date and kilometres go on a windshield sticker or your invoice so you know when the next change is due. The visit usually takes 30 to 45 minutes, and the used oil and filter go to a recycler.
- For cars, vans and trucks
- Takes about 45 min
- Can be done at your address
What does an oil change cost?
It depends on your vehicle and the shop. Post a job with your budget and compare the bids shops near you send.
Get bids
Name your budget. Shops near you bid.
6 shops across Canada do oil change.
What to expect
Oil change, step by step
What the job normally covers, what to mention in your request, and the signs that it is time. Every shop says what its bid includes.
The job
What’s included
- Old oil drained from a warm engine until it stops dripping, and the drain plug seal replaced
- New oil filter fitted with its rubber seal lightly oiled and tightened to specification
- Fresh oil poured in to the manufacturer’s grade and quantity, then the level checked after a short run
- Drain plug, filter and the underside of the engine looked over for leaks after the run
- Tire pressures set, and wiper blades, lights and washer fluid checked
- Coolant and brake fluid levels checked, and power steering fluid on vehicles that still use it
- Engine air filter and cabin air filter inspected and shown to you if replacement is advised
- Oil-life monitor or service reminder reset, and the date and kilometres recorded on a sticker
Checklist
Before you post
- 01Check your manual for the oil grade (for example 0W-20) and quantity, or give the shop your engine size and year
- 02Ask which oil the price covers; many turbocharged and direct-injection engines require full synthetic
- 03Confirm whether the price includes the filter, oil disposal and any environmental or shop-supply fee
- 04Ask for a new drain plug washer and a torque wrench on the plug: a loose plug leaks and an overtight one strips the pan threads
- 05Mobile visit: park on level ground cleared of snow and ice, with room to work, and ask how the used oil and filter are taken away
- 06Ask the shop to reset the oil-life monitor, or show you how, so the next reminder is accurate
Signs
When you need it
- The oil-life monitor or maintenance reminder on your dash says a change is due
- The kilometres or months in your owner’s manual have passed, whichever comes first
- Oil on the dipstick feels gritty, looks sludgy or smells of fuel
- You drive mostly short winter trips, sit in heavy traffic or tow, which counts as severe service
- A long highway trip is coming up, or your used vehicle has no record of its last oil change
Sound familiar?Tell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.
Get bidsHow it works
Get an oil change done in four steps
You set the budget and choose the shop. Posting is free, and you pay the shop you hire once the work is 100% done.
- 01
Post your job
Choose the service, describe the job and your vehicle, and set your budget. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.
- 02
Shops compete
Nearby shops that do the work see your request and send their best offer: price, when they can start, what is included.
- 03
Accept the best offer
Compare bids, ratings and distance, then hire one shop. The others are told, politely.
- 04
Talk and get it done
Your conversation with the shop opens right away to agree on the day. You pay only after the job is complete.
Keep exploring
Related services
Maintenance & Servicing
Scheduled maintenance service
Scheduled maintenance service to your owner’s manual: oil and filter, rotation, fluids, plugs and an inspection, with a dated record for your vehicle.
Tires & Wheels
Seasonal tire changeover
Seasonal tire changeover: winter tires on in the fall and your summer or all-season set back on in spring, on your own rims or remounted, wheel nuts torqued.
Auto Electrical
Battery replacement & testing
Car battery replacement with the battery and charging system tested first, a matching battery fitted, registered if needed and the old one recycled.
Wiper blade replacement
Wiper blade replacement for front and rear glass, matched to your vehicle and fitted in minutes, with winter blades that keep clearing ice and slush.
Mobile Mechanics
Mobile mechanic
A mobile mechanic comes to your driveway, workplace or parking spot with tools, a scan tool and common parts to diagnose, service or repair your vehicle.
Questions
Questions about oil changes
General answers for drivers in Canada. The shop you hire confirms the details for your vehicle.
How often should I change my oil?
Follow your owner’s manual: many allow 8,000 to 12,000 km between changes on synthetic oil, and 5,000 to 8,000 km when your driving counts as severe. In Canada, short winter trips, long idling, stop-and-go traffic and towing usually do. Most manuals also set a limit of six to twelve months, whichever comes first, and an oil-life monitor already accounts for all of this.
What does 0W-20 mean, and can I use a different oil?
In 0W-20, the 0W rates how freely the oil flows when cold (the W stands for winter) and the 20 is its thickness at operating temperature. A lower first number helps the engine turn over on a January morning. Modern engines with tight clearances and variable valve timing are designed around one grade, so use the grade and specification printed in your manual, not a thicker oil chosen out of habit.
Is full synthetic oil worth the extra cost?
Yes, when your manual specifies it: then synthetic is a requirement, not an upgrade. Turbocharged, direct-injection and many newer engines are built around it. Where either type is allowed, synthetic flows better on a cold start, resists breaking down under heat and lasts longer between changes, which offsets part of the higher price. An older, low-kilometre engine on conventional oil is fine as long as you keep the interval shorter.
Do I really need a new filter every time?
Yes. A used filter holds a few hundred millilitres of dirty oil and the debris it has trapped, so leaving it on puts old oil straight back into the new. A clogged filter also opens its bypass valve, and oil then circulates unfiltered. The filter costs little next to the engine wear it prevents.
What should I do if the oil light comes on?
Pull over at the first safe spot and switch the engine off: a red oil-can light means low oil pressure, not a service reminder, and running on can wreck the bearings within minutes. After a few minutes, check the dipstick. If the level is low, add the correct oil and restart; if the light stays on or the level is fine, have the vehicle towed. A ‘service due’ or ‘maintenance required’ message is only a reminder.
Something else to ask? Once you hire a shop, you talk to it directly in your request’s conversation.
Ready when you areTell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.
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