A C8 Corvette Owner Says One Chevrolet Dealer Wanted $150 for an Oil Change While Another Charged Just $16 – She Adds, “Guess Who Just Got All of My Business?”

The mid-engine Corvette was supposed to democratize the exotic experience, not introduce owners to boutique-car service pricing. Yet that tension sits at the center of a recent discussion in the C8 Corvette Stingray Owners group, where one owner discovered that the cost of something as routine as an oil change can vary wildly depending on which Chevy dealer answers the phone. What should have been a straightforward first service turned into a small case study in modern dealership economics.

Buffy Boudreaux Smith’s experience reads almost like a punchline with a setup and a payoff. The closest Chevrolet dealer quoted $150 plus tax for labor alone to perform the first oil change. No oil, no filter, just the privilege of having a technician touch the car. 

That number alone was enough to raise eyebrows, especially for an owner new to the realities of C8 ownership. But the real surprise came from a second dealer, roughly 25 miles away, who charged just $16 plus tax for the same labor. No caveats, no awkward corrections. When asked if the price was a mistake, the response was a shrug and a casual explanation: “They say we are the cheapest in town.”

“I had mine changed today for the first time, and I have to say, I was shocked.  The dealer closest to me quoted $150 plus tax just for the labor. The other dealer, 25 miles away, actually charged me…$16+tax! When I asked if there was a mistake, she shrugged and said, “They say we are the cheapest in town.” Guess who just got all of my business?”

That contrast says more about dealership strategy than it does about the Corvette itself. The C8’s dry-sump LT2 V8 requires a specific service procedure, including bringing the engine up to temperature and checking the oil level while running on a level surface. This is not the quick-lube special of old, and owners are right to care about whether it’s done correctly. As one commenter quickly reminded, dry-sump systems reward precision and punish shortcuts. In this case, the owner confirmed the job was done properly, using 7.5 quarts and verifying the level under the correct conditions.

Chevrolet Corvette C8: Democratizing Mid-Engine Performance

• The Corvette C8 is the first production Corvette to use a mid-engine layout, placing the engine behind the driver instead of under the hood.
• Despite its supercar-style proportions, the C8 still offers usable cargo space with both a front trunk and a rear storage area.
• The low seating position and wide doors contribute to a true sports car feel, though entry and exit can take some adjustment.
• The C8 is built in the United States and remains priced well below many mid-engine competitors with similar performance.

The conversation quickly widened beyond one invoice. Another commenter noted that if labor rates had truly tracked inflation, $300 per hour would be the norm, making $150 seem almost charitable. Others pointed out that many dealerships treat oil changes as loss leaders, a way to get customers in the door and keep them coming back for more profitable work later. From that perspective, the $16 charge is less shocking than it first appears. It is not generosity so much as long-term customer acquisition.

Still, the spread between those two numbers is hard to ignore. A $134 difference in labor for identical work highlights just how fragmented dealer pricing has become, even within the same brand. Geography, local competition, shop overhead, and management philosophy all play a role. One commenter mentioned a New Jersey dealership charging $350 per hour for labor, a figure that feels almost surreal until you remember the real estate and staffing costs baked into it.

What makes this discussion resonate is that it cuts against the assumption that performance cars automatically require premium service pricing. The Corvette may now sit closer to Ferraris at Cars and Coffee, but it is still sold and serviced through the same Chevrolet network as a Silverado or Malibu. That creates opportunities for owners willing to shop around, ask questions, and occasionally drive a little farther to be treated like a long-term customer rather than a captive audience.

There is also a quiet lesson here about the ownership mindset. The original poster plans to use a free oil and dual-clutch transmission filter coupon at the 7,500-mile service, a reminder that savvy ownership is as much about paperwork and relationships as it is about horsepower. The car may be capable of 190 mph, but the real wins sometimes come at the service counter.

Ask for quotes. Verify the work. Reward the dealer who treats you fairly. And when you find one that charges $16 for labor and gets it right, you do not just save money. You have found something rarer than a C8 allocation: a reason to keep coming back.

Image Sources: Chevrolet Media Center

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.