GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The war in Iran is hitting drivers in more ways than one — not just at the gas pump, but now at the oil change bay, too.
Patrick De Haan with GasBuddy said nearly half of the base oil used to manufacture synthetic motor oil is produced in the Middle East, and the flow of that supply is currently being disrupted.
"Those more manufacturer-specific types of lubes and motor oils are likely to be more impacted by a price increase of anywhere from 20 to 40%," De Haan said.
De Haan said those increased costs could last up to 18 months. He also said if you can afford to change your oil a few hundred miles early, do it, as prices will only continue to go up as we move through this summer.
"I would say that 90% of where the market's going is heavily influenced by any developments between the US and Iran, whether good or bad, and like we've been experiencing for the last three months, that is going to be continuing to drive prices, whether up or down," De Haan said.
Gas prices in the Grand Rapids area dropped nearly 30 cents to start the week. If you can fill up now, do so, as prices are expected to cycle back up at the end of the week and into early next week.
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