—Motorcycle and auto DIY mechanic since teenager here—
I brought my 8 month old vehicle in for 5000mi oil change and tire rotation deal that was gifted to me by a friend.
Prior to dropping off, I placed a small mark on two of the wheels. When I came to pick up the vehicle, the marked wheels were in the same position on the vehicle.
I thought, perhaps they simply forgot to rotate the tires, so I went back into the office and asked the proprietor if the tires had been rotated. He looked me straight in the face and said, “Yes…”
Now, I’m wondering if the oil was really changed, and if so, was it truly full synthetic (more expensive) oil ??? I just checked the dipstick (3 miles later) and when wiped on a paper towel it is amber color with grey around the edges.
Can anyone verify that this is new, full synthetic oil?
Moral of the story: Caveat emptor and life is full of disappointment
Amber oil sounds new to me, but then I don’t know how long you’d gone since your last oil change. If it’s been a year, but you’ve only driven a few hundred miles, then the old oil will also look new.
5000 miles driven prior to this “oil change.” I left the mechanic’s parking lot and drove 3 miles to get home and then wiped the dipstick on the paper towel to get the stated results…
Are you saying the local dealership will not change the oil if you pay them money to change the oil?
That doesn’t make sense.
I agree with @weekend-warrior . It’s probably new oil, but you do not know what kind of oil it is. I’d take it to a place I trust and have them change it. It’s not like you’re out money.
When we get a new vehicle we use the dealer until the warranty expires just for the record keeping . The price difference is just not that much at the dealer. Also what does your manual call for on this mystery vehicle - xxxx miles or xx months .
Then you should find a different dealership.
I still use the dealership from which I bought my car more than 10 years ago. But, their price for an oil change is equal to–or lower–than what local indy competitors charge.
I recommend that you phone other dealerships w/in a reasonable radius, and ask what they charge for an oil change.
This oil change / tire rotation deal was a groupon gift from a friend. I was initially planning to visit the dealer where they will accept about $60 for an oil change…
The main issue here is the dishonesty. Perhaps, this concept has become less meaningful in recent years. I recently moved to the area and had to leave my former very honest mechanic of 20 years…
I’m also assuming the oil filter wasn’t changed because I don’t think this place keeps an inventory of these in different sizes, etc. The Groupon voucher did not mention the words “oil filter.”
You don’t have to have changes done at the dealer. You could establish a relationship at a local independent much as you did with your former 20 year mechanic. I’d save the receipts in case any warranty issues crop up with the car.
This (edit… thanks, VDCdriver) shop has already proven they can’t be trusted with a simple tire rotation.
If you re-read the OP’s various posts, it doesn’t sound like he went to a dealership.
The dealership would surely have the right filters in stock, and I think it’s fairly obvious that the place where he went for service was not a dealership. Perhaps the OP can clarify for us whether this was a franchise joint, or an indy establishment.
This sounds to me like those coupon books for restaurants featuring “two for one” dinners.
Over the years, I learned (the hard way) that these places were on the brink of bankruptcy, and their coupons were essentially a Hail Mary Pass attempt at survival.
None of the restos that I patronized with those coupons were still in business the following year, and some of them were so bad that I regretted having been enticed by their coupons.
You seriously think 60 dollars is too much for an oil change? That’s a very fair price and no one is making money at that price point.
Ever thought about what’s going to happen if this facility you used (fast lube, indy shop, etc) manages to botch something on your new car during an oil change? You can kiss your warranty goodbye and trust me on this; it happens quite often.
