Does Costco Do Oil Changes And Tire Rotations? [Answered]

Oil changes and tire rotations are important car vehicle maintenance procedures you should always consider. The chances are you would consider finding the nearest service shop such as Costco to help with ensuring the car is in good condition always.

It is worth noting that Costco does not offer oil changes to vehicles, but it does offer other maintenance services. This includes tire rotation (completely free for its members), tire balancing, nitrogen conversion, flat repair, and nitrogen inflation.

Why Costco Stopped Offering Oil Changes

Oil changes are excluded from Costco because they get frequently discounted from the normal service center rates. So, you may go ahead and have the oil change done by another company and just get the tire rotation done at Costco.

Costco has a business model of selling its products in bulk and at low prices rather than doing the service part. As much as it might not always be ideal for some customers, there are more reasons to keep using Costco services.

When should you consider changing your oil? It is advisable to consider changing your oil at around 5000 miles for regular oil and 10,000 miles for synthetic oil.

Expect the oil change to cost from $35 to $75 depending oil type and other factors. Synthetic oil can sometimes cost up to $120 inclusive of the oil change labor. Consult the car manual to see which type of oil works best for your vehicle.

Now that it is not possible to get an oil change from Costco, where else can you get such a service? We recommend trying out;

• Jiffy Lube
• Walmart
• Pep Boys
• Meineke
• Midas .etc

Can You Buy Oil from Costco?

Costco has a wide range of oil types for your vehicle. Even though it does not do the oil changes, customers can get themselves the different oil types without a problem.

The top oil brands the company sells include Kirkland Signature and Mobil. So, if you find yourself in need of quality oil, Costco has you covered.

The best part is you can get quality oil for as low as $39.99. Depending on time, sometimes there can be offers to consider still. All-in-all, you can enjoy quality oil important for your car to run smoothly.

How to Save More on Oil Changes

By now, you already know the importance of changing your oil as per recommended timeline by the car manufacturer. However, you may sometimes need to save more money on your oil change. How would you do it?

• Bring your own supply

If you have the extra time, resources, and space, you can change the oil at home, but most people do this to save money.

Think about it, each time you go to change the oil at a shop, you have to buy more stuff including the oil, filter, and so much more. Having your own oil can save you money.

When you buy oil, be sure to get a filter too.

• Take advantage of oil deals

From time to time, your favorite shop is likely to have deals on oil changes. Because of such, we recommend that you frequently check their websites for such deals.

One big secret is that you do not have to do oil changes at a dealership. Go ahead and do it at other shops around. That is where you can also expect deals too on their services.

Keep in mind that there is a need for sourcing from proper service shops too. As much as there can be deals on oil changes, the last thing you need is to have the car handled by an inexperienced technician.

• Consider a lifetime reusable oil filter

Yes, there is the option of getting a reusable oil filter. This type of filter is made of metal which can be cleaned and reused again compared to what you get right now as the common oil filter.

The only reason not many people use it is because of the upfront cost. The reusable oil filter can cost as much as $130 for passenger cars. It is even more for the trucks.

• Use synthetic oil if possible

If the car manufacturer recommends using synthetic oil, then we recommend that you use it. It may be more expensive, but it can be worth every penny in the end.

Also, you will not have to keep changing the oil as you would with conventional oil. It can still save you in the long run the number of trips needed to change the oil.

Other Important Tire Maintenance Tips

Taking good care of your tires is important to ensure that you do not have to replace the tires all the time. Below, we look at more tire maintenance tips other than tire rotation and balancing.

1. Keep the tires inflated correctly

To the surprise of many people, they did not know that it is important to check their tires more often. You should consider checking the tire pressure once a month when the tires are still cold.

The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada report claims that;

• 17% of the vehicles on the road have over-inflated tires by more than 15% of what the manufacturer recommends, thus the reason there is excessive tire wear.
• 70% of the vehicles have at least one tire that has an inflation problem
• 23% of the vehicles have a tire that is underinflated by more than 15% which also leads to reduced tire lifespan and increased fuel consumption.

So, you can see that you should not overinflate or underinflate the tires. Make sure they are in the right range as the car manufacturer recommends. Most passenger cars will need 35 PSI for the best tire wear and tear.

• Inspect the tires regularly

Inspecting your tires visually can help you find some of the problems before they become a big deal. A good example is being on the lookout for bulges, cracks, and other objects that might be lodged into the tire.

Some objects can cause uneven tread wear and punctures if not removed.

• Use the right tires for the season

Different seasons demand the correct tires. Like in the US, you are advised to use summer tires when it is summer and winter tires for winter. However, you can have the all-season tires which save you the hassle of changing the tires all the time.

The reason for using the right tires for the season is that you want to save on tire wear. The tires are designed differently to handle the driving conditions. So, using winter tires for summer is not recommended at all.

• Do not mix tire brands

It might seem cost-effective to buy different tires at low prices, but that is not advisable. When you have mismatched tires, you may experience rapid and uneven tire wear. This could also lead to potential mechanical issues too.

Here are more tire tips to keep in mind

How long do Costco tire rotation and balance take?

Research shows that tire rotation is what you need to save your tires from premature wear. As such, you can visit the Costco tire center for help on tire rotation.

The service team is likely to take 20 to 40 minutes to balance and rotate the tires. So, it should not be something that takes too much time out of your schedule.

With so many people not rotating their tires, what would make them consider this service?

One thing about tire rotation is how it can prolong the tire’s tread life. Rather than having the tires on the front axle all the time and wearing them out fast because of the engine weight, rotate them for even wear.

Also, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported that there are over 11,000 tire-related accidents simply because the owners did not care about their tire conditions. So, you should take more time to learn about the tire condition through rotation and only use quality tires.

Tire rotation should be done every 10,000 to 12,000 km. The tire rotation pattern would vary depending on the vehicle setup. Well, leave that to the experts to handle.

The same safety standards are applied to tire balancing. You may have not seen it being emphasized as much as tire rotation, but it is equally important.

So, when should you have the tires balanced? We recommend tire balancing each time you have a tire replaced. Also, when you experience vibrations in the steering wheel meaning the tires also need balancing among other reasons.

Here is a video explaining the importance of tire rotation, alignment, and balancing.

Is alignment included with new tires at Costco?

Unfortunately, Costco does not offer wheel alignment even after new tire installation. One of the biggest reasons this is the case is the expense that goes into buying the alignment machine. Still, the company needs trained staff to carry out the service.

So, where can you do wheel alignment if it is not offered at Costco?

We all know how wheel alignment is important to avoid vibrations while driving and also promote even wear. As such, it is important to have the wheel alignment done properly.

We recommend the following for tire alignment;

• Firestone Complete Auto Care
• NTB
• Any other tire service center close to you with a tire alignment option

If you are interested in tire alignment, how much will it cost you? Typically, most companies can charge from $50 to $100 for tire alignment.

Why Buy Tires from Costco?

So, even if Costco does not do tire alignment, there are other reasons why you can still consider buying tires from Costco. Here are some;

• Costco beats its competitors in pricing

If you look at different companies selling tires, you can easily find that Costco beats them all. According to Consumer Reports, over 50,000 subscribers claimed to have bought their tires from Costco because of their price.

We did not consider online sellers such as Amazon or TireBuyer as they do not include their installation prices.

Here is a table comparing how tires are sold at different stores in relation to Costco.

• Scheduling a tire change is easy

Sometimes thinking about getting to the shop for a tire change and there being a queue sucks.

However, Costco makes it easy for you to schedule a tire change appointment online and get to the shop when it is time for your appointment. No wasting time at all.

• Quick and professional tire change

Many people spend 20 to 40 minutes at the Costco tire center. This is not too much time. So, if you are in a hurry, you can still get a quick tire change.

Also, its tire change process is above board. You will find it professional to get you coming back for more. Also, you get the chance of filling the tires with nitrogen which is not bad. Nitrogen can stay in the tires for longer compared to compressed air.

FAQs

What is the Costco Auto Program?

The Costco Auto Progam is all about finding new and used cars in the market at the moment.

The company lists cars from trusted dealers so that you can get actually good deals from various dealers in the market. It also offers you access to quality parts with discounts too.

What is Costco Advantage?

This is a membership plan you get from Costco. This membership comes with several perks including the installation package. Under the package, you can experience free lifetime maintenance services including balancing, tire rotations, flat repairs, and more.

Do you need a Costco membership for tire Center?

No. Costco membership is not the only way to get tires or any other services from Costco. As much as membership has many perks, not having one should not limit you from trying out what Costco has to offer.

How much does Costco charge to balance tires?

Costco charges from $18 to $21.99 for a tire rotation, balancing, and nitrogen inflation as a package. It is not common to find people only doing tire balancing at Costco. As such, we recommend going for the package to get all the benefits from the same company.

Takeaway

Costco can help you find quality auto parts including different types of oils, tires, and other services. As much as you may not oil change was done at Costco, you can enjoy its other services including nitrogen filling of your tires. Give it a try to see how well the company can help you keep the car in good condition.