[Ghumman]

In light of some recent events, I believe that VW Chandigarh Workshop run by Swami Group are overcharging us for engine oil. I have a late ’11 Jetta 2.0 TDI which was serviced at VW Chandigarh. Before Anything Else, Please have a look at what they charge for Engine Oil in a regular service followed by an excerpt from my (Dad’s) conversation with the dealership’s Customer Relations Manager(CRM, hereafter):

Dear Sir,

Greetings From Volkswagen Chandigarh!!!

In reference to your query regarding the engine oil , I want to inform earlier engine oil packing was supplied in 4 liter & 1 liter
where 4.3 liter is used and remaining is handed over to customer .

It is our constant endeavour to keep our customers delighted.

Looking forward to serve you again.

With Regards,

SHYAMA ANIL
Manager CR-After Sales

Volkswagen Chandigarh,
Swami Automotives Pvt. Ltd.
Plot No. 72, Phase-1,
Industrial Area,
Chandigarh - 160002.
Mobile : 0XXXXX-XXXXX
Landline : 0172 - 3066666

Evidently, they charge for 5L of engine oil and have gone on record to claim that they return the leftover 0.7L of engine oil back to the customer. I’ve been there for oil change twice and NEVER have they returned me any leftover engine oil.

I contacted a friend of mine who owns a polo and has been there very few times verified that it wasn’t only me. Service interval for VWs is 15k kilometres and both of us are under 30k. On the bizarre off case that both of us were accidentally duped 4 times collectively, I inquired a friend of mine who owns a vento which has run close to 1,00,000 kms. This is where it gets interesting, he informed me that he has been returned the leftover engine oil only a few times. This makes perfect sense if you’re running a scam, don’t do it with every one just in case you need people to back you up.

I’ve presented my strongest facts here and my “testmonial”. Has any other member who’s used this service centre fallen victim to it? How can I survey a large customer base of VW Chandigarh? They won’t share any customer details with me, obviously. It’s illegal for them to. Moreover, ever since the CRMs reply informing me of returning leftover oil to customer, he’s put me on block list on his cell. They’re not willing at all to resolve my concern.

[Jaggu]

Our Polo TSI had one change and we have received the can back with oil. I guess it is upto the customers to ensure that they go through the bill in details and demand explanation before paying and taking delivery.

Having said that, this is a great opportunity to make some easy money. Honestly how many of the owners have gone through the manual to know what is the oil capacity. Forget that, the 100 Rs pouch windscreen cleaner trick

The dealers with automatic dispensers are better off that way.

[veedub89]

Hi Ghumman,

I got my Jetta serviced earlier this month by VW Chandigarh and have been charged with 4.3 litres of engine oil only. In fact I had clearly told my SA that all the fluids and filters that will be changed in my car need to be changed in front of me or I am not gonna pay them a penny.

VW Chandigarh has a automatic engine oil dispenser which is essentially a huge tank filled with engine oil dispensed through hoses straight into the engine bay. While dispensing I could see that the oil was new as it was green in colour. Maybe they have moved to this system recently. Could you tell me how long back did you get your car serviced?

Also from my earlier visits I remember getting back my 0.7 litre of oil in the original Castrol can. Maybe I got lucky!

Though I do admit the service offered by these guys has been utterly pathetic in the past. So I am sure the issue you have been facing would be faced a lot of people.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

The dealers with automatic dispensers are better off that way.

Agree. Every time I get billed for 4.2 and 3.2 liters respectively for either car of ours. But in this case, the extra oil that should be provided to customers can always be used for top ups whenever required.

I guess there is foul play within the mechanics and not the dealership themselves. 700ml oil saved per car can fetch them nearly 500 bucks a day if they take it home and use it elsewhere. As long as the dealership is using oil from 4L and 1L cans and not a barrel, they will be billing it the same way.

From next time, do take the oil can home. Even for my Dio, each time I change oil I am left with 300ml of it and since it is fully synthetic oil, I carry it home and dont leave it with the mechanic. I guess it is upto the owner to ensure that they bring home what they are billed for, be it oil or spare parts or anything. Dont consider it a waste and leave it at the service center.

[nik hill]

In my opinion there is no reason for company and service centre to charge for 5 ltr when the vehicle needs only 4.3 ltr.
What will a customer do with the balance oil even if they return it.
As an big consumer they can easily negotiate a deal with any oil company to provide packing size as per actual requirement and ask the customer to pay only for that.

[chncar]

This is total BS. Most dealerships get consumables like oil in bulk, probably in drums of 50 or 100 liters or more. At least the Maruti ones do.

If the VW dealerships are buying 4 liter and 1 liter packs, then they are even more incompetent than they have a reputation for being.

[sgiitk]

Maybe this is the reason Honda use 100ml units in the billing of semi-oil. So i pay for 32 units of oil for my Brio, which takes 3.2litres.

[Ghumman]

Jaggu, for some unknown reason, Jetta's owner manual doesn't specify the engine oil capacity of the car. I'm certain that polo's does but Jetta's doesn't. VW Chandigarh spent good time going through my copy only in vain. Also, had I been there myself, I would've ensured everything myself but at the time, my father was in possession of the car.

Veedub89, this specific receipt is from late 2012, the first service. There's an identical one from 2013 as well. My father had the car back then. VW Chandigarh is a group of roadside Mechanics under the VW shed. There is no sophistication to their work whatsoever. I haven't been there since 2013 for servicing. If I do it myself, it costs me about 70% of what they charge even after using Mobil Delvac engine oil and Bosch filters. This one time when their mechanic was changing my diesel filter he spilled diesel from the little reservoir all over the engine bay. Diesel eats away rubber and he couldn't care less quoting "it'll evaporate". Good thing I was there.

Audioholic, it is certainly ours, the consumer's responsibility. There is no rational explanation to leave behind good synthetic oil.

chncar, with all due respect this isn't BS. VW Chandigarh didn't get consumables in bulk until very recently. They installed the reservoir earlier this year or late last year. CRM told me himself.

Team-bhp is community of car enthusiasts who are more than aware thanks to the community itself. I highly doubt if any of us can be duped. I for myself haven't. I believe that it's the unsuspecting buyer that becomes the victim. I have seen people just look at the total amount and pay without a second thought. That's your perfect patsy.

If anyone else can share their experience or inquire their close ones for their experience and share them, I'd really appreciate it.

[sajusherief]

I checked the manual and I could no where find the engine oil capacity of Polo in the manual. Not even in the vehicle engine bay area where I expected a marking. Have raised an issue with Volkswagen after my third service and I got the response from Volkswagen that the engine oil capacity is 4.3 liters and it's not mentioned in the service manual or vehicle manual. I was told 4 liters for engine and .3 for oil filter ! Related post in Polo maintenance thread.

Originally Posted by Ghumman

Jaggu, for some unknown reason, Jetta's owner manual doesn't specify the engine oil capacity of the car. I'm certain that polo's does but Jetta's doesn't.

Even I too got the oil back, but have you ever cross checked the returned quantity, thats's hardly 200ml

Originally Posted by veedub89

Also from my earlier visits I remember getting back my 0.7 litre of oil in the original Castrol can. Maybe I got lucky!.

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Our Polo TSI had one change and we have received the can back with oil.

Also Never knew that a 2.0 Liter Jetta also uses the same qty of engine oil as a 1.2 liter Polo !

[Carpainter]

During my time of ownership of Polo, they used to return the unused engine oil and in the next service I could adjust the billing accordingly. So in my opinion if they are billing for 5L oil, that is absolutely fine provided they give you back the remaining oil. If not, you should demand it from them and they are bound to return. You've paid for it.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Our Polo TSI had one change and we have received the can back with oil. I guess it is upto the customers to ensure that they go through the bill in details and demand explanation before paying and taking delivery.

Having said that, this is a great opportunity to make some easy money.

+1

As a practice, VW bill by the litre and hand over the extra oil back to the user. As a practice, yes, being billed on a usage basis is no doubts a far better practice than what VW uses, but "overcharging" "scam"? Turning out quite the habit out here to go out on all limbs crying foul over everything, isn't it?


A quick visit (or maybe just a call) to the VW dealership GM might get you the remaining oil (or a free bottle). The same has been done for me in the past, case in point being the windshield liquid (bottle). Although it's a different matter that I found the original bottle lying in one corner of the boot a few days later


A lot depends on the owner as well as the service advisor, especially the former. I have had experiences where the extra oil has been handed over to me, and in most of the scenarios, the extra oil, old filter(s) and any replaced parts being put in the trunk!!!


Mods, I'd say the topic heading might need some re-wording. There are several scams actually happening across the country across dealerships, and quite a few possibly with VW. But this ain't one I'd presume. A bad practice, definitely yes!



Btw what is interesting to me is the OP isn't concerned about the 540 odd rupees charged for washing but is crying foul over 500 bucks of un-returned oil! P.s. VW Pune (BU Bhandari) doesn't charge for washing, and rightfully so!

[Ghumman]

Originally Posted by Carpainter

During my time of ownership of Polo, they used to return the unused engine oil and in the next service I could adjust the billing accordingly. So in my opinion if they are billing for 5L oil, that is absolutely fine provided they give you back the remaining oil. If not, you should demand it from them and they are bound to return. You've paid for it.

I had to generate a request with VW India who further passed it to my local service centre who mailed me the information. It took quite a lot of days for that. This is the effort it requires to get informed about the engine oil quantity. Had we known the quantity at the time of the service, we surely would've asked. We assumed that it's 5L since we were of the impression that they use reservoir not oil cans.

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

+1

As a practice, VW bill by the litre and hand over the extra oil back to the user. As a practice, yes, being billed on a usage basis is no doubts a far better practice than what VW uses, but "overcharging" "scam"? Turning out quite the habit out here to go out on all limbs crying foul over everything, isn't it?


A quick visit (or maybe just a call) to the VW dealership GM might get you the remaining oil (or a free bottle). The same has been done for me in the past, case in point being the windshield liquid (bottle). Although it's a different matter that I found the original bottle lying in one corner of the boot a few days later


A lot depends on the owner as well as the service advisor, especially the former. I have had experiences where the extra oil has been handed over to me, and in most of the scenarios, the extra oil, old filter(s) and any replaced parts being put in the trunk!!!


Mods, I'd say the topic heading might need some re-wording. There are several scams actually happening across the country across dealerships, and quite a few possibly with VW. But this ain't one I'd presume. A bad practice, definitely yes!



Btw what is interesting to me is the OP isn't concerned about the 540 odd rupees charged for washing but is crying foul over 500 bucks of un-returned oil! P.s. VW Pune (BU Bhandari) doesn't charge for washing, and rightfully so!

Please read the OP. I'm not saying that charging by the litre is the "scam". If they return us the leftover oil, it can't possibly be a scam. I'm claiming that they do not return the leftover oil, at least not always or to everyone. They didn't to us twice but the forum members seem to have completely different experience. As for the washing price, it's ridiculously priced and average at best. There's no attention to detail at all. I'd have cried foul over it but the price is told upfront. It's exorbitant charging not overcharging.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by sajusherief

Even I too got the oil back, but have you ever cross checked the returned quantity, thats's hardly 200ml

No but will check, it was more than 200 am sure from the way the can weighed. But won't rule out this ^^ possibility also as a practice.

[GTO]

At 800 bucks a liter, they're effectively making off with nearly 600 bucks. But WAIT!

- All dealers buy engine oil by the barrel. These are typically 50 - 100 liter barrels. Gives them bulk pricing and also the ability to use only the amount required.

- Oil is a high margin product for dealers (and petrol pumps). Along with this 0.7 liter theft, their net profit is fat on each oil change.

Shame on VW & its dealers to cheat their premium car customers in this manner. As if the 20 lakhs worth of business when buying a new car wasn't enough.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

I guess it is upto the customers to ensure that they go through the bill in details and demand explanation before paying and taking delivery.

I agree. But then, what's the difference between a company authorized service center and a local roadside mechanic, if you need to be careful at both to not get conned?

We being automobile enthusiasts are always interested in the work that is being carried out on our cars, and hence, scrutinize the bill carefully. An average joe doesn't. He expects the company to do what's best for him and in turn pays them. But I guess, it's too much to expect an honest dealership in India - brand notwithstanding.