In most cases, you should change the oil in your Maserati about once a year or every 10,000-12,000 miles – whichever comes first.
For the most part, changing your Maserati’s oil is also covered as part of your routine yearly maintenance schedule – which you should follow to maintain the life expectancy of your car and its parts.
However, you might also choose to have your oil changed separately, which will impact the cost. For example, you can expect to pay an average of $1,200 for your annual maintenance check.
On the other hand, the average cost of changing a Maserati’s oil with no other work is about $400. That works out to about $200-$380 at most mechanics. On the other hand, your dealer could charge as much as $600 for the same work – but you will get Maserati-approved oil.
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How Much Does A Maserati Oil Change Cost?
In most cases, there are two major price factors in replacing the oil in your Maserati. These include the cost of the oil and the cost of labor. In addition, you’ll have to choose between having your oil serviced at the dealer or by a mechanic or local technician. Both offer pros and cons but it can significantly impact the total cost of the oil change.
Cost of Oil
Maserati recommends using a low viscosity engine oil to optimize performance and prolong the lifespan of your vehicle and its filters. That normally means spending more on engine oil, which means you can pay a large amount just for the cost of the oil.
For example, Maserati recommends using ACEA A3/B4, API SN, or 0W-40 or lower oil in your Maserati. The vehicle manufacturer also offers its own brand of Shell Helix Ultra 0W-30 oil specially formulated for the Maserati hybrid. These oils can be expensive. In most cases, you can expect these synthetic engine oils to range between $14 and $35 per quart.
Maserati vehicles typically hold around 8 quarts of engine oil. For example, the Maserati Levante takes 8.7 quarts. The Maserati Ghibli holds 7.5.
This means you could pay between $78 and $248 in oil costs alone, before labor.
Dealership vs. Mechanic
In most cases, you can choose to take your Maserati to the dealership or to a local technician. Both options offer pros and cons. However, you can expect the local mechanic to offer rates between $48 and $94 on average (rates can go up to $210) and the dealership to charge between $94 and $175 (Rates can go up to $240).
Here, the dealer may be the better choice if the local technician doesn’t offer the engine oil you want or has no experience with Maserati vehicles. In addition, the dealer may be the better choice if you purchased any kind of pre-paid maintenance plan with the Maserati.
Extra Work
Maserati recommends changing the oil as part of the yearly maintenance plan. That normally means having more work done on your car at once. For example, for year one, you’re recommended to replace the oil filters and inspect all other fluids and filters. For year two, you’re recommended to replace the cabin and engine air filters. And, for year three, you’re recommended to replace the spark plugs as well. Having that work performed on schedule is important for keeping your vehicle in optimum condition. However, doing so can significantly add to the total cost. For example, the year one maintenance costs are estimated at an average of $800, or a range of $500-$1,125 depending on the dealership.
However, having everything performed at once can save you higher maintenance and repair costs if something goes wrong.
How Often Does A Maserati Need Oil Changes?
You’re recommended to change your Maserati’s oil every 10,000-12,000 miles or once a year, whichever comes first. Here, oil changes should overlap with your yearly Maserati maintenance schedule.
That schedule is:
Year One – Replace engine oil and filters. Check all fluids, inspect belts, inspect brake system, inspect the tires and tire pressure, check the lights. Then run a diagnostics.
Year Two – Repeat everything from Year One and replace the cabin and engine air filter. Flush and replace the brake fluid.
Year Three – Repeat everything from Year One and replace the spark plugs
Year Four – Repeat Everything from Year Two and replace the belts
In most cases, the total average cost of yearly Maserati maintenance is around $1200. However, it could be higher or lower depending on the year, your dealership, and your specific Maserati car. In addition, if you check your oil and it’s low or dirty, you should always change it.
6 Signs Your Maserati Needs An Oil Change
It’s always a better idea to change your Maserati’s oil on a routine basis rather than waiting for the vehicle to show signs that you need an oil change. Once you start to have engine problems, you’re almost certainly going to have to pay extra to inspect the rest of the engine, to find the cause of any problems, or to resolve any problems caused by dirty oil. In addition, if the oil is dirty, you’ll have to replace the filter, even if it’s not part of your maintenance schedule that year. Keeping to your oil change schedule is important. That’s about once a year. However, if something goes wrong in the meantime, you’ll notice the following symptoms.
1. Check Engine Light
If something is going wrong with your engine oil, the vehicle should tell you. The “check engine” light should come on. If not, the check oil light should come on. In either case, it’s a good idea to get an inspection to see what is going on. Here, you may need a diagnostic check to see what’s actually going wrong.
2. Oil is Dark or Contains Contaminants
If you pull the dipstick to check fluid levels and the engine oil is very dark, cloudy, or full of particulates, it’s time to change the oil. Fresh synthetic oil is partially clear and amber colored. This may darken if your oil pan is rusting or full of contamination. It may also darken if your engine is running too hot. For example, dark oil could indicate problems in your engine. Therefore, you may want to get a diagnostic check before replacing the oil.
However, once oil is dark or dirty, it needs to be replaced. The lubrication value of the oil will go down as it ages, and replacing it with fresh oil will improve the performance of your vehicle.
3. Smoke
If you’re seeing exhaust smoke, it usually means your engine is running hot. That can mean you have a leak. It might also mean your engine oil is too old and has to be replaced. In either case, it’s a good idea to take your car in for a checkup to diagnose the issue before changing your oil. After all, if you have an engine oil leak that’s causing smoking, replacing the oil won’t be enough to fix the problem.
4. Smell of Burning Oil
If you smell burning oil inside or outside the car, it always means there’s an oil leak or your engine oil is too old or contaminated. Here, you’ll want to inspect the vehicle to ensure that you don’t have a leak and that the car isn’t running too hot for other reasons. Then, changing the oil could fix the issue.
5. Engine Noise
If your engine is grinding, squealing, or making extra noise when driving it could be an engine oil issue. In this case, your engine is also likely running significantly hotter than before. However, engine noise can also come from other issues, like problems with the fuel injection or clutch issues. Whether or not its oil-related can’t be found without inspecting the vehicle and checking for the source of the noise.
6. Low Oil
If your oil is low, you always want to top it up. However, if it’s been a while since your last oil change, you might want to simply replace it instead. Here, you can decide based on how long it’s been since your last change, the condition of the oil, and when you’re planning to change the oil next.
Does Maserati Warranty Cover Oil Changes?
Maserati does not offer a warranty covering oil changes. In fact, none of its routine maintenance is covered by the warranty. This means that you’ll have to pay for new oil, filters, and spark plugs yourself. You’ll also have to pay the $500-$1,400 maintenance costs yourself every single year. While that’s at odds with some dealerships that do offer to cover annual maintenance under the warranty, Maserati never includes it.
However, you can opt into a prepaid maintenance plan. Here, you pay for maintenance including filters oil, inspections, and fluids upfront for X number of years. This won’t save you money on the cost now, but it may significantly reduce the cost over the long term, as it locks in the rates you pay for oil and labor. In addition, it means you’ll get a reminder from the dealership when your car is due for an inspection and maintenance.
Next Steps
Maserati uses a planned yearly schedule of maintenance to keep its cars at peak performance. Following that schedule and taking your vehicle in for maintenance once a year is the best way to keep your car in good condition. However, you may have to change the oil separately. In that case, you can expect rates to average at around $400. Most of those costs can be fluid, because Maseratis require high-end synthetic oil. However, if you opt into the yearly maintenance schedule, you can expect average yearly costs of about $1,200, although that will change based on your location.
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