Car service - How do I know they replaced the engine oil with the correct grade oil?

LordSutch

Just had my car serviced last Wednesday, and I am slightly suspicious of the head mechanic and wether or not he put the correct grade of oil (synthetic or otherwise) into my Diesel engine! I wonder is there a test I can do myself (or have done) to check the grade? On a seperate issue, I am not sure they actually replaced the brake discs as well as the pads!!! they say they did, but there is good reason why I doubt them (they were trying to fit the wrong pads from another model), I guess a free brake inspection at 'Quick Fit' would put my mind at rest re that issue, but the engine oil is bugging me

El Guapo!

Why are you suspicious?
There's no real way of checking if the oil is correct but you can see the discs yourself and it'll be fairly obvious if they're new or not.
In my opinion if you don't trust ur mechanic then switch to someone more reliable.
If you're really worried about th oil then you could always buy fresh oil yourself and change it just to be sure. I know it's more money spent but it might put your mind at ease.

Condatis

I buy the oil myself and give it to him.

Long term using the correct oil is too important to take chances.

colm_mcm

The discs will be obvious enough, old ones will have a ridge around the edge and rust in the centre

LordSutch

Dean09 wrote: »

Why are you suspicious?
There's no real way of checking if the oil is correct but you can see the discs yourself and it'll be fairly obvious if they're new or not.
In my opinion if you don't trust ur mechanic then switch to someone more reliable.
If you're really worried about th oil then you could always buy fresh oil yourself and change it just to be sure. I know it's more money spent but it might put your mind at ease.

I was warned by a friend that my diesel engine needs a specific synthetic engine oil, and when booking the service we clarified that the service would cost more than normal due to the synthetic oil (€20 extra), but then when picking up the car it became obvious that there was a doubt about the type of oil. He mentioned Specialist oil, I said is that the synthetic oil that's required? there was a bit of humming & and quizzical faces, so maybe they did put in the correct grade (maybe they didn't)? Then he told me, "you have very strange discs in your car" I said what? what's wrong with my discs? He said, well you seem to have the wrong ones on your car! Look here he said, so I looked at his brake disc bible and straight away noticed that he was looking at the wrong page and another model of car!!! he was trying to fit discs from another model < this has me suspicious about the whole service.

Needless to say I won't be going there again.

bazz26

Surely the grade of oil will be listed on the service invoice that you got when you handing over the money?

LordSutch

LordSutch wrote: »

........ "you have very strange discs in your car" I said what? what's wrong with my discs? He said, well you seem to have the wrong ones on your car! Look here he said, so I looked at his brake disc bible and straight away noticed that he was looking at the wrong page and another model of car!!! he was trying to fit discs from another model < this has me suspicious about the whole service.............

So were the correct discs fitted eventually?

What car is it?

wonski

Surely, the discs are clearly visible from outside if you have alloys. You can remove a wheel if you are not sure, and you will see if they are new. I would never believe that garage charged for new discs and did not replace them. They would never get away with it. As for oil, there is no reason for them to not to put the right one in. Not saying it is not possible, but i think you are overreacting a little...

I was warned by a friend that my diesel engine needs a specific synthetic engine oil

All cars need specific engine oil, usually recommended by manufacturers, and synthetic one isn't unusual these days...

LordSutch

RoverJames wrote: »

So were the correct discs fitted eventually?

I will get Quick fit to do a free brake check.

RoverJames wrote: »

What car is it?

Think 09 Renault Scenic MPV, 1.6 HDi diesel.

slimjimmc

LordSutch wrote: »

I will get Quick fit to do a free brake check.



Think 09 Renault Scenic MPV, 1.6 HDi diesel.

I tried, God knows I tried but the closest spec I can come up with is the 1.5 DCi diesel or the 1.6 petrol.

Mycroft H

LordSutch wrote: »

I will get Quick fit to do a free brake check.



Think 09 Renault Scenic MPV, 1.6 HDi diesel.

1.5Dci? No?


The 1.6Hdi was a peugeot/citroen motor.

LordSutch

BX 19 wrote: »

1.5Dci? No?

The 1.6Hdi was a peugeot/citroen motor.

Yes its the Peugeot/Citroen 1.6 diesel motor. I said 'think Scenic' meaning MPV size diesle vehicle, but yes it is the 1.6 HDi diesel engined machine. The principal remains though, how would I know if they put the correct oil in my engine, and would the wrong grade do any damage?

LordSutch

LordSutch wrote: »

.............and would the wrong grade do any damage?

Oh yes

coylemj

Condatis wrote: »

I buy the oil myself and give it to him.

Long term using the correct oil is too important to take chances.

Obviously you don't trust him to use the correct grade - how do you know he's not using cheap sh1te in your car and putting the good stuff you give him in his own car? That's what I'd do if I was in the trade and someone insulted me by insisting on supplying the oil themselves.

The Tyre Dude

Truth is unless you do the oil change yourself you wil never know if they used the correct oil. Even giving them your expensive synthetic oil yourself is no guarantee that they won't just help them selves to it. Main deals are far more likely to use the correct grade IMO.

Modern diesel need very particular oil so you are quite right to be mindful of it.

The Tyre Dude

coylemj wrote: »

That's what I'd do if I was in the trade and someone insulted me by insisting on supplying the oil themselves.

.

What a bizarre comment. Thank God you are not in the trade.

no1beemerfan

This is why I do everything myself!

Could you not ask to see the bottle/drum they used as it should say on it what grade etc oil was used? If you can't, for peace of mind maybe get the correct grade and change it.

db330

get a sample of your oil and send it to a place like this http://www.howcleanisyouroil.com/

use google and it will show loads of them. might cost more than new oil but it will let you know it you can trust the mechanic.

Also as said above it should be easy to see if the discs are new, they would have grooves on the face. But how many km's on the car it seems a bit early to be changing discs. I didn't have to do mine until 290,000km's. You could also just take a picture and people here could tell you here if they are new or not.

RED PASSION

i reckon my mechanic put cheap sh1te in my car, €100 for an oil change asked him twice what brand of oil went into it ( expecting him to say Mobil 1 or Castrol) just replied twice with, it is 5w30, asked what brand so if i need to top up what to buy, oooh any brand will do for a top up.

Asked if €100 was the best he could do, said it is a long day and he gave out to another mechanic and he is tired and grumpy other words p1ss off.

what is wrong with knowing what brand was used would not mind paying a little more for better quality. big believer in you get what you pay for, buy cheap asking for trouble.

Nissan doctor

Imo people should be suspicious of any garage that is not happy to show you what brand/spec of oil they are putting in your car and recording it on your bill.

I know, from speaking to one of the major motor oil distributors very recently, that there are only 3-4 garages/garage chains in the Dublin area who keep stocks of all the major modern oil grades for petrol and diesel cars so you'd have to wonder how many garages are ordering in the correct oil for peoples cars if they are not stocking them in bulk amounts.