A Lexus owner says she’s fed up with paying quick-lube shops for oil changes after finding out that her dealership charges around the same price and throws in a full vehicle inspection. Her video on the topic sparked a debate about where drivers should take their cars for maintenance, and whether "Lexus oil" is actually a thing. The TikTok by creator Monay Jaree (@monayjaree) has received over 3,300 views. Her caption sums up her frustration: "Because Jiffy Lube or Take 5 $100 is insane. No thank you!!" ‘Absolutely Not’ Jaree’s argument boils down to value for money. "How much y’all be paying Jiffy Lube or any other place that does oil change?" she asks. "Ain’t no way I’m gonna go to Jiffy Lube and they’re gonna have my car for 15 minutes and put oil and change the visor and then say they’d be done and then they’re charging me $100 and $150. Absolutely not." Her Lexus dealership, she says, gives her far more for less. "Whenever I go to the Lexus dealer they’re gonna do like a complete inspection and tell me about my brakes, tell me about my tires, my air filters. They’re gonna basically go all around the car, and it’s only $99," she says. "And you’re gonna get their Lexus oil. I’m not about to pay Jiffy Lube $100 for no oil change. Absolutely not." She later noted in a comment that her Lexus dealership throws in a complimentary car wash. Is There Really Such A Thing As ‘Lexus Oil’? Jaree’s mention of "Lexus oil" drew some good-natured ribbing. "Lexus oil? It’s all the same cheap oil out of a barrel," wrote commenter journey. RetiredFTO added, "Lexus oil???" with a facepalm emoji. Jaree took it in stride, replying to several commenters that the reference was tongue-in-cheek. "It’s humor! Castrol oil with a Lexus label", she wrote. But the underlying question is real. Jaree owns a Lexus NX 200t, as indicated by the hashtag in her caption and comments. It requires 0W-20 full synthetic oil. That’s the same grade and type of oil available at any quick-lube shop or auto parts store. Dealerships use name-brand synthetic oil that meets manufacturer specifications, but there’s no proprietary "Lexus oil" that you can only get at the dealer. What you do get at the dealer, though, is factory-trained technicians working on a vehicle they specialize in. According to Lexus of Cherry Hill, Lexus oil changes generally range from $60 to $180 depending on model and oil type, and every Lexus oil change includes a multipoint inspection. The Quick-Lube Price Debate Jaree’s frustration with quick-lube pricing was echoed by some commenters. Full synthetic oil changes at Jiffy Lube typically run between $95 and $130, roughly the same as many dealerships. But not everyone agrees that dealers offer more. Commenter jtcaldwell350 pushed back on the idea that dealerships are a better deal, writing, "You know Jiffy Lube does the same inspection, right? They all do, ‘cause it’s an opportunity to upsell you by pointing out the deficiencies of your car." Commenter Tfen was skeptical of the dealership experience for a different reason. "An oil change really only takes 15 min. Dealer just keep your car and check everything to make you pay more to sell you brakes, wipers, and batteries", she said. But kcoopsr wasn’t buying it, posting, "For about the same price, I’m taking it to the dealership." T Man, who identified as a Mercedes-Benz employee, claimed that luxury car service is a different world. "It’s about $1,000 for a glorified oil change", he posted, later clarifying that a Mercedes B service runs about two and a half hours of labor plus parts at dealer rates. Several Mercedes owners pushed back, with Ms.Davis R.T.(R) noting that neither her Service A nor Service B has cost more than $500. Recent posts on Mercedes forums indicate that drivers do receive four-figure maintenance bills, and dealer web pages show that the "Service B" tier starts at just over $500. DIY Or Go To The Dealership? Several commenters suggested skipping both the quick-lube shop and the dealership entirely. "Mobil 1 and filter off Amazon, under $40 and I do it at home," wrote alexsreeftank. RetiredFTO agreed, writing, "The only person I trust with my oil change is me." SoySajor framed it as a time-versus-money calculation. "If I was paying for oil changes, which I don’t because working on my cars is therapy, I would say time is money. 1.5 hours at Lexus vs. 15 min at Jiffy. I don’t know about you but that sounds like value as well," they wrote. Bobby Taylor, meanwhile, had a different take on one commenter’s suggestion to go to Walmart, posting, "I wouldn’t trust Walmart to change the oil on my lawn mower." Whether you choose the dealership, a quick-lube shop, or DIY in the driveway, the main thing is to use the right oil for your vehicle and keep up with regular changes. For Lexus NX 200t owners like Jaree, that means 0W-20 full synthetic. Motor1 reached out to Jaree via TikTok direct message. We’ll be sure to update this if she responds. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team