Do main dealers use synthetic oil?

Yes.

It *can* be, but for many applications a good quality mineral or semi-synthetic oil is completely adequate. Depends on the engine, mileage covered, service frequency and so on. If the car gets to the end of its useful life without the engine having worn out, then the oil was good enough.

Main dealers tend to use oil which meets the manufacturers specification, no more or less. In many cases the manufacturer will have a specification which can only be met by a synthetic oil (variable-interval service VAG engines come to mind.) In other cases a lower-cost oil is perfectly adequate. I would far rather buy a car that had regular servicing at a dealer than an unverified service history, whatever oil had supposedly been used.

When my Rover 75 diesel went into the MG/Rover dealership for its' first 'oil service' they used the wrong oil. Fortunately the service included the provision of a litre of 'top-up' oil of the same type. When I got home I checked the hand-book and found that it was the wrong specification. I telephoned the dealership and said, "I think you've put the wrong oil in my engine". "Don't worry" said they - "The use of this oil has been fully approved by both Castrol and MG/Rover". I replied - "According the hand-book, the only engine in the 75 range that can use the oil you have used is the 1.8 petrol." "Don't worry", say they - "the oil is fully approved." So I wrote to MG/Rover and Castrol and guess what? It *was* the wrong oil and the dealership was forced to drain it out and re-fill with the correct oil. I prefer to do my own servicing but when you are forced to pay through the nose for expensive dealer servicing just to keep the warranty going, the least you should expect is for the dealer to use the right oil. Garage servicing is truly appalling.

Kev

depends on the car and the dealer - my Volvo dealer uses Castrol SLX synthetic (and charges 10 quid/l for the priveliedge), vauxhall dealer is a semi-synth.

I completely agree re the usual appalling standards of so-called garage servicing. In my younger, impecunious days, DIY car maintenance was a necessity but I never had a breakdown and took several cars well over 100K. Since becoming more affluent and using garage services, I have problems 90% of the time after their pathetic attempts - overtightened & undertightened spark plugs, a seized sump plug, rattling exhaust heat shields, to name but a few. My car is now only subjected to the tender mercies of the 'professionals' for an oil change and MOT. My next car will not require a 'service history'. Owner maintained by an enthusiast means much more to me. Please don't kid yourself that your car is in good hands in most garages - it definitely isn't.

Terry D.

I work for a Jaguar & Landrover main dealers and we use Castrol SLX aswell, except for the diesels they get GXL. Both are synthetic

Lobby

I used to work for a local branch of a worldwide TV company which manufactured their own receivers, they also produced their own diagnostic and alignment equipment, unfortunately however because of the non-existence of said equipment most of the fault finding and setting up of critical voltages etc was usually achieved by using a not too accurate Avo 8.

Another major shortcoming was that despite them having their own national training college, I seem to recall that the amount of cowboys they employed appeared to outnumber the factory trained technicians by about 5 -1.

Hopefully things are in a better state in the car industry and I therefore assume that if I take my car to a main dealer for say a cam belt to be fitted, that a factory trained mechanic will set it up according to the book, i.e. by using the correct tension meter and tighten the nuts to manufacturers specification with a torque wrench, not Joe Bloggs who adjusts the belt tension by twisting it through 90 degrees and then tightens the nuts until 'they seem about right'.

maybe it's a ford thing!!

Do not think so as my Ford handbook specifies the same oil for petrol and diesel models.

When doing my own change the part numbers for the oil and filter from the main dealer parts dept. are the same as on the invoice from the same main dealers service dept.

Of course someone will post this does not prove thats what goes in, true, but all I can say is it looks the same.

Although twisting it through 90deg is the factory approved method on some vehicles :-(

That's the problem Duncan, although on visual inspection it looks OK, I'd sleep sounder at night if the cam belt on a recently acquired Astra fitted a

I would prefer this to be done by a main dealer with the proper equipment, but if they're only going to do it the same way as I would, then I may as well save the extra cash and do the job myself.

Yes, it is true that you come across as quite naiive.

1. Main dealers use oil to the specification recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Few manufacturers specify synthetic oil for their vehicles but, those that do, get filled with the correct oil when serviced; halfwits permitting.

1. Anyone can claim to service their own vehicles religiously and a high proportion of these may turn out to be liars. The only acceptable service history to many people is one stamped into the book by a recognised service station. Of course this does not mean that many owners service their own vehicles to an even higher standard than going by the book.

2. In many cases low-end synthetic oil may be inferior to high-end mineral oil. If you believe that 'synthetic' is always better than 'mineral' then you are certainly naiive. In fact, all that is needed is 'appropriate' oil changed at appropriate intervals as deemed by the manufacturer. Anything more is likely to make 'you' feel good but your metal lump will just carry on regardless. Unless you are one of the lunatic fringe that believe an engine will 'thank you' for it. LOL.

Huw

someone

included the

through the

Garage

I seem to remember warning you about this at the time. Rover dealers are notorious for doing this with the BMW engine. Whether it was the fault of MG/Rover not alerting their dealers or just that the dealer's service departments were/are a lot of useless tossers, I wouldn't like to say. Sufficient to say that I would not consider my two local dealers fit to service my wheelbarrow.

BMW, Mercedes, including users of their engines, some Vauxhall and all VW engines on the extended and flexible service intervals need very specific synthetic oils. Just any old synthetic will not do.

Huw

When I use a local garage to do major services, I always give them the oil so I know what went in.

John

How do you know they use it?

Fortunately, I use a garage which I can trust, however, they do always give me back the container with the oil they haven't used.

always give

I also do this occasionally. As long as the oil meets or exceeds the manufacturers spec. then it is quite acceptable.

Huw

While we're on the subject, when should I change the oil in my car?

I'm just doing my 36,000 service but the oil was changed just 3,000 miles ago (6 months). On week days (Mon-Fri) I do about 6 miles (twice), usually in heavy traffic, and on weekends (Sat and Sun) I do about 1 mile (twice). It's a 899cc Fiat Seicento.

A service history doesn't mean much to me either, as long as I can see that it has been serviced properly.

It depends on the type of driving, if you are only doing 3000 miles in 6 months, then I would change the oil now, short journeys cause the more oil deterioration than motorway driving.

John