Rising motor oil prices could soon make your next oil change more expensiveWKYCAmaya WardUpdatedTue, September 15, 2026 at 10:05 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleRising motor oil prices could soon make your next oil change more expensiveA Cleveland auto shop says the price it pays for motor oil has jumped about 25%, although customers there have not yet seen that increase reflected in the cost of an oil change.Terry's North Coast Auto Repair stocked up on motor oil before the latest price spike, allowing the shop to continue using oil purchased at lower prices. The increase comes as synthetic motor oil faces pressure from some of the same global disruptions that have recently pushed diesel prices to record levels.Mike Goulder, a supply chain expert at Case Western Reserve University, pointed to the war with Iran, restricted oil supplies and damage to refining capacity in the Persian Gulf as factors affecting the market. He says high diesel prices could also be playing a role, and that some refineries may choose to produce more diesel rather than the highly refined base oils used to make synthetic motor oil.AdvertisementAdvertisementAt Terry's North Coast Auto, general manager William Robinson says the shop can still get the motor oil it needs from suppliers, but buying it now would cost more."It can be quite difficult, and an oil change is not the highest profit margin. We try to limit our profit margins to stay competitive with an oil change," Robinson told 3News. "So if the prices do continue to increase and we can't ride out that, then of course small shops like us would have to hand the price down to a customer."For now, the shop is absorbing the increase and relying on the oil it purchased before prices climbed. If those higher costs continue and the shop eventually has to pass them along, Robinson estimated customers could pay about $10 more for an oil change.Goulder says other retailers could also follow recent price increases at Costco, which has raised prices on some motor oil products and limited how much shoppers can purchase. He expects additional pricing changes could happen quickly as retailers respond to higher costs.How long elevated motor oil prices will last remains uncertain. Some refining capacity damaged during the conflict still needs to be rebuilt, a process that could take time.