Examples of current inflation - add yours!

My first Eliquis for the year (90 days) cost about $8/day now (up from about $6/day first of last year.) With the various weird insurance reimbursements, it was $3/day at the end of '23, but I expected it to jump in January. BUT from $6 to $8/day was more than expected. I realize that pharmaceuticals are a whole other class of inflating prices - not always tethered to real costs but to our desire for even better drugs in the future. In essence, we're paying up front for (let's hope) a cure for heart disease, or cancer or Alzheimers Disease. If one of those comes out in pill form, my pharma inflation will be well worth it. I guess we'll see.
 
Not all my oil change receipts go into the glove box, but I had one from 2020 for $23. That was using a coupon, as I recall, and I knew it was a good deal. But I went today and they wanted $85 for 4.2 quarts of conventional. I just couldn't do it. I can certainly afford it, but something in me just wouldn't allow it. My car is a salvage title and isn't worth much. It doesn't burn oil (yet). I can't believe I did this: got 5qt synthetic and a filter off Amazon for $25. For delivery tomorrow. I haven't changed my own oil in 20 years!
 
I put an inquiry thing into Yelp and got a response from many shops that confirm there's a lot of shops that want $85 or $90. But one, "Grease Monkey" said $50, and if you join the VIP program, you buy 3, the 4th is free. There's also a $10 coupon, but not sure if that would work with the VIP program. Now I wish I hadn't bought the jug of oil.
 
WalMart charges like $25 for a simple oil change, if you don't select any "extras."
 
I sometimes get a coupon for a $20 oil change at Car-X. I used one a while back, and I think the total out of pocket with taxes and other fees was still under $25. That included tire rotation and inspecting various things like brake pads and testing the battery.

But I don't have a coupon now, so it would probably cost me more like $50.
 
sengsational said:
Not all my oil change receipts go into the glove box, but I had one from 2020 for $23. That was using a coupon, as I recall, and I knew it was a good deal. But I went today and they wanted $85 for 4.2 quarts of conventional. I just couldn't do it. I can certainly afford it, but something in me just wouldn't allow it. My car is a salvage title and isn't worth much. It doesn't burn oil (yet). I can't believe I did this: got 5qt synthetic and a filter off Amazon for $25. For delivery tomorrow. I haven't changed my own oil in 20 years!
Click to expand...


Yeah, my last syn-oil change was over $100 at one of the quickie places. So, a theoretical extension of the life of my vehicle goes up against another $100 (PLUS!) just because the year has clicked over to 2024 (aprox. anniversary of last change.) Only about 2000 miles on the oil. I'll live with it for another year. YMMV
 
I don't go for the absolute cheapest on oil service but instead we have a local shop who is usually so busy I have to book two weeks in advance. They spend over an hour on our truck greasing, inspecting, filling and the charge is around $90 for full synthetic.
 
CaptTom said:
WalMart charges like $25 for a simple oil change, if you don't select any "extras."
Click to expand...
I'll keep that in mind for next time. I did the oil change and except for unscrewing the old filter, I didn't mind the process. But if I could get it done for anything close to $25, I'd jump at the chance!
 
Koolau said:
My first Eliquis for the year (90 days) cost about $8/day now (up from about $6/day first of last year.) With the various weird insurance reimbursements, it was $3/day at the end of '23, but I expected it to jump in January. BUT from $6 to $8/day was more than expected. I realize that pharmaceuticals are a whole other class of inflating prices - not always tethered to real costs but to our desire for even better drugs in the future. In essence, we're paying up front for (let's hope) a cure for heart disease, or cancer or Alzheimers Disease. If one of those comes out in pill form, my pharma inflation will be well worth it. I guess we'll see.
Click to expand...

I think you're looking at your cost after Part D insurance. Right now, Good Rx says that the retail price for Eliquis is about $600 for 30 days or about $20 a day. I take Xarelto and it's about the same. Of course what I pay, like you, varies with whether I'm in the deductible stage, the covered stage, the donut hole, blaah, blaah, blaah.
 
sengsational said:
Not all my oil change receipts go into the glove box, but I had one from 2020 for $23. That was using a coupon, as I recall, and I knew it was a good deal. But I went today and they wanted $85 for 4.2 quarts of conventional. I just couldn't do it. I can certainly afford it, but something in me just wouldn't allow it. My car is a salvage title and isn't worth much. It doesn't burn oil (yet). I can't believe I did this: got 5qt synthetic and a filter off Amazon for $25. For delivery tomorrow. I haven't changed my own oil in 20 years!
Click to expand...

What's your plan to dispose of the used oil? That was always my favorite part of changing my own oil!
 
I have always done my own oil changes. In CT, the auto parts stores are required to take used motor oil. So I always take mine there.
 
Hit the Bojangles drive thru the other morning, Early start for a Dr appointment, and the DW wanted a plan buttered biscuit. Now just 2 years ago I would sometimes stop and grab a Steak biscuit combo and coffee on the way into work.... $4.25
Today added DW biscuit.... "I'll give you the price at the window"''''
Pull up.... $9.86.... I damn near told them to keep it....
 
youbet said:
What's your plan to dispose of the used oil? That was always my favorite part of changing my own oil!
Click to expand...
It's going right to the $85 place, whether they like it or not.

And I had a brainstorm for simplicity I'll share. We have some huge old zip locks, so old we don't trust them for food. I lined a cardboard box with one, and was going to deliver the oil in that, but didn't trust it would hold up. So I put a drain hose in one corner and taped the end higher than the lip of the box. Then I put the hose in the original 5L container and let it drain. Minimum paper towels and just a oil coated plastic bag and a few oil soaked paper towels in the trash.
 
youbet said:
What's your plan to dispose of the used oil? That was always my favorite part of changing my own oil!
Click to expand...

Spray the driveway to keep the dust down, and use whatever's left as flea dip for the dogs. :eek:

Okay, I was just kidding, but disturbingly, once upon a time, that was the norm!
 
Speaking of oil changes... I hate that you get 5 qts of oil and a filter deal. .. $28-36 at my last change. Both vehicles require 6 qts.... and its $6-9 for the extra Qt. Ya I get another 5 qt jug.
For waste oil I have a 5 gallon pail that originally held floor polish. The large cap screws off and my drain pan spout fits in perfectly stand and drain. When it gets full our landfill has a recycle tank for it.
 
I changed my own oil for many years but don't anymore. The ramps were taking up too much room in the garage and I seldom used them for anything else. And my geezer body just got too old and stiff to slide underneath on the creeper without the car being up on the ramps. (I know you flexible youngsters don't have this problem!)

And I got tired of the clean-up. There I'd be, proud of myself having drained the old oil, changed the filter and added the new oil. Then I'd look at the dishpan full of dirty oil needing to be emptied into containers and transported to some drop-off place, wipe out the pan with paper towels and store it, back the car off the ramps and store them, blaah, blaah, blaah .......... and I got over the charm of DIY!

These days I let my regular independent mechanic do the job. Yes, it costs more than DIY or Walmart, but he knows my vehicles and we both look around while they're up on the lift to check for any issues and he also throws in rotating the tires, checking the brakes, etc., etc. And he welcomes me being right there with him.
 
Andre1969 said:
Spray the driveway to keep the dust down, and use whatever's left as flea dip for the dogs. :eek:

Okay, I was just kidding, but disturbingly, once upon a time, that was the norm!
Click to expand...

:LOL: Yep!

Back in the day while I was temporarily living in a very rural location in southern Indiana, I knew guys that would drive out on a desolate dirt road and change oil there. They just drained the oil onto the ground and left the used filter and empty cans laying there. :facepalm:
 
Last edited:
youbet said:
:LOL: Yep!

Back in the day while I was temporarily living in a very rural location in southern Indiana, I knew guys that would drive out on a desolate dirt road and change oil there. They just drained the oil onto the ground and left the used filter and empty cans lying there. :facepalm:
Click to expand...

That still seems like the disposal method of choice for fast food cups, beer bottles and cans.
 
Since this has somehow morphed into an oil changing thread...

They sell oil drain pans with both a spigot for pouring it out, and a plug for the drain hole so it can be stored until you can get to one of the thousands of places which take used oil.

As for the mess, invert a plastic bag over your hand and then pull it up around the filter as you remove it. Or, punch a hole in the bottom of the filter and let it drain before unscrewing it. It's really no big deal.
 
For those that change your own oil and don't know where to dispose of it. Most of the "National" chain parts store have a recycle tank to take the oil for free. Autozone, Advance,Orielyes ,ect. Most have a limit of 5 gallons per person but I know for a fact that a lot of people-independent garages,used car lots ect. bypass this by leaving it in the back of the store at night.
 
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