[shravank30]

Hi

Thanks for accepting my membership.

I got my Chevrolet Beat serviced at the MyTVs workshop instead of the Authorised workshop as they were jsking for Rs 5,000 for the 18 month servicing for a car which has run only 5000 kms, which in my opinion was not justified.

Anyways, everything was well except that the mobil oil which is good and does not need replacement, only needs a topping up of about 500 ml.
I did not ask the workshop to do it as I wanted to be sure that the mobil oil they use would blend well with my existing oil.

As per Chevrolet Booklet, the recommended mobil oil is 5w30 api sm gf 4

I shall be grateful if you could recommend which Mobil Oil I should use & secondly even if the existing Mobil oil is good enough as per the TVS people, should i drain the entire mobil & refill new as the mobil oil has not been changed even once ?

I am based at Bangalore so please recommend a brand which is available locally.
I dont mind buying a costlier mobil if its VFM

Thanks for advising

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by shravank30

Hi

Thanks for accepting my membership.

I got my Chevrolet Beat serviced at the MyTVs workshop instead of the Authorised workshop as they were jsking for Rs 5,000 for the 18 month servicing for a car which has run only 5000 kms, which in my opinion was not justified.

Anyways, everything was well except that the mobil oil which is good and does not need replacement, only needs a topping up of about 500 ml.
I did not ask the workshop to do it as I wanted to be sure that the mobil oil they use would blend well with my existing oil.

As per Chevrolet Booklet, the recommended mobil oil is 5w30 api sm gf 4

I shall be grateful if you could recommend which Mobil Oil I should use & secondly even if the existing Mobil oil is good enough as per the TVS people, should i drain the entire mobil & refill new as the mobil oil has not been changed even once ?

I am based at Bangalore so please recommend a brand which is available locally.
I dont mind buying a costlier mobil if its VFM

Thanks for advising

Oil degrades over time irrespective of the mileage. So if your engine oil had not been changed for the last 12 months, the replacement was correct.
Is your car petrol powered or diesel?
If petrol, you will get 5W30 API-SM grade oil from (that I know of since the recommended oil for SX4 is same)-
1) Shell HX5 AZ 5W30 (Rs 1048 for a 4ltr can at Shell bunks. Should be cheaper at JC Road)
2) Castrol GTX For Modern Cars 5W30 (not sure of the price)

Also, changing of mineral oil should not warrant a bill of 5k as this would be a free service and labour charges would not be applicable. It would be better if you could post your invoice.
Also, why did you get it serviced at non authorized service center. If your car was under warranty before this service, it would not longer be under warranty.

[shravank30]

Its a petrol version. Sorry to have missed it.

Chevrolet Beat only 1st 2 warranties are free & 3rd servicing onwards (18 months) its all chargeable. I was quoted an approximate bill of 5k when I wanted to book the servicing.
As such the question of bill does not arise.
Also I have seen from my past experience the final bill in the garage is invariably very close to the estimate given when giving the car.
So decided against it. The car is in 100 % percent good condition so I didn't mind foregoing the balance 6 months warranty. (Total 24 months).
Moreover at some point I would have to move away from Chevrolet servicing as wasting fuel for 75 kms return trip to Kalyan Nagar & Rs 300/- for the drop & pickup charges was just too much
The nearest is Kropex on the way to Electronics City, buy I was extremely unsatisfied with their servicing which I got done there last time.

Anyways, TVS did not recommend an oil change after checkup (although it is 18 months old) after examining the viscosity & color with their fingers. Only asked to do a topup of 500 ml.
The total change was my personal query.

So if you recommend a total change, should I get it done at a nearby Castrol Pitstop ?
Also do the Shell Petrol pumps do an Oil change if the oil is bought from their pump ?
In that case I can get it done at the Lalbagh Bunk

Thanks for advising

[zoombiee]

This is what I would recommend. Open the car owners manual. Check what all things need to be done at 20k kms. If it involves only fluid changes, you could get it done at Castrol pitstop (they use only Castrol fluids). If gear oil, brake/clutch fluid changes are recommended by the manual, you will need to check on the recommended grades (also provided in the manual). Call up the pitstop and see if Castrol makes those grade fluids. If not check with them if you could source those fluids by yourself.
If there are other mechanical works recommended in the manual, its better you visit a proper service center as Castrol Pitstop may not do those. Alternately, you could get your fluids changed at Pitstop and other work done at the Service Center. Dont get the paid service done at Service Center. Thats a total rip off.
Service center would charge quite a bit more on fluid costs + labour. Concorde charged me 1.5k labour for engine oil + Air filter + fuel filter + oil filter changes.
Also, dont get Wheel Allignment and Wheel balancing done at the Service Center. They over charge for these and never share the results with you (unless you are stubborn). Better to get allignment/rotation/balancing done at good tyre shops. I have used Tyre Empire at HSR and Tyre Professionals at Basavanagudi. TP was a better experience and their charges were slightly lower.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by shravank30

Anyways, TVS did not recommend an oil change after checkup (although it is 18 months old) after examining the viscosity & color with their fingers. Only asked to do a topup of 500 ml.
The total change was my personal query. So if you recommend a total change, should I get it done at a nearby Castrol Pitstop ? Also do the Shell Petrol pumps do an Oil change if the oil is bought from their pump ?
Thanks for advising

You get 5w-30 in the Shell Helix mineral range - only that it is an approved oil for Maruti Suzuki cars, not Chevy. But that should not matter. Shell petrol pumps can do the oil change for you but make sure you get an original filter from the car dealer, if possible, as car dealers do not permit over the counter sales. You may also need a 'crush washer' that fits on the drain plug and needs to be replaced every time the plug is removed. This washer locks the drain plug in place and is key for engine safety.

Rubbing oil between fingers to gauge its viscosity and suitability for continued service is like checking tyre pressure by banging your hand on the tyre side wall or pressing it in - a highly inaccurate method putting it mildly. Oil and its additives degenerate the day it is poured into an engine - thats why we have mileage AND time intervals, whichever occurs earlier, for replacements.

Please check your manual for this info and stick to the recommended intervals. Oil and filter changes are key to your engine's performance and long life.

[shravank30]

Originally Posted by R2D2

You get 5w-30 in the Shell Helix mineral range - only that it is an approved oil for Maruti Suzuki cars, not Chevy.
=========
Oil and filter changes are key to your engine's performance and long life.

Any idea on procuring the original Oil Filter & the crush washer ?
I doubt if the Chevrolet *** would be selling these items & also if they did driving 75 kms to buy the same would be headache.
Any idea if they are available on J.C. Road ?
Any alternative solution to the original filter & crush washer ?

Thanks for advising

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by shravank30

Its a petrol version. Sorry to have missed it.

In that case I can get it done at the Lalbagh Bunk

Thanks for advising

Lalbagh bunk does not have HX5 AZ. They have only HX5 which I think is 15W30 and not suitable for your beat. I have visited 4-5 Shell bunks and none of them have HX5 AZ. Best bet would be to try at JC road. Or you could ask the Shell chap if he could source it for you.

[shravank30]

Originally Posted by zoombiee

Lalbagh bunk does not have HX5 AZ. They have only HX5 which I think is 15W30 and not suitable for your beat. I have visited 4-5 Shell bunks and none of them have HX5 AZ. Best bet would be to try at JC road. Or you could ask the Shell chap if he could source it for you.

Thanks for the information.

BTW does Castrol Magnatec also suit my needs ?

http://www.castrol.com/castrol/secti...tentId=7037323

If Shell is the best then, I have heard that JK Automobiles in JC Road keeps a wide variety of spares & oils & can even source it if not available readily with him.
Is he trustworthy or any other dealer/shop from where I can get the matching filter & crush washer also ?

Thanks for advising

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by shravank30

Any idea on procuring the original Oil Filter & the crush washer? Any idea if they are available on J.C. Road ?
Any alternative solution to the original filter & crush washer ? Thanks for advising

shravank30, if getting it from a dealer is not possible, I suggest you just give it a try at a well known and trustworthy auto parts store in BLR. I am not very familiar with BLR so BLR based BHPians should be able to advise further.

Filter brands like Purolator and Elofic are pretty well known. But using an after market filter can be risky. Better to use a good quality after market filter like those mentioned above rather than a cheap no-name fake. Please be careful of what you buy. Your engine's health depends on it.

The crush washer is not present on ALL cars - I highlighted this because it is a small & insignficant looking part that shoulders a big responsibility, something you could easily miss. This washer will be visible only once you place the car on a jack and look at the drain plug. Some cars do not have replaceable washers - the one fitted on the plug from the factory is all that is required. Please have the mechanic inspect the drain plug.

If nothing works - go to a Castrol pitstop or similar aftermarket service centre like Carnation for this job. They may have original or equivalent parts and stock the recommended grade of oil

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by shravank30

Thanks for the information.

BTW does Castrol Magnatec also suit my needs ?

http://www.castrol.com/castrol/secti...tentId=7037323

If Shell is the best then, I have heard that JK Automobiles in JC Road keeps a wide variety of spares & oils & can even source it if not available readily with him.

Thanks for advising

There is nothing like 'Shell is Best'. In 5W30 mineral grade I have been able to find out two brands which seem easy to procure. If they are 5W30 and API-SM certified which they both are pick then one that is cheaper.
Castrol Magnatec is also 5W30 but its a semi-synthetic oil and would cost more. If your pocket is happy go for it.

Edit -

Magnatec is SG+ which predates SM. If your owners manual states 5W30 SM grade I dont think you should use SG.

[shravank30]

Originally Posted by zoombiee

There is nothing like 'Shell is Best'. In 5W30 mineral grade I have been able to find out two brands which seem easy to procure. If they are 5W30 and API-SM certified which they both are pick then one that is cheaper.
Castrol Magnatec is also 5W30 but its a semi-synthetic oil and would cost more. If your pocket is happy go for it.

Edit -

Magnatec is SG+ which predates SM. If your owners manual states 5W30 SM grade I dont think you should use SG.

If I finally go for Castrol, I will go for GTX as correctly analysed by you.
I was under the erroneous impression that Magnatec is better in quality.
Just waiting for a filter shop recommendation from some Bangalore BHPian to go ahead & complete the job.

[deutscheafrikar]

Originally Posted by shravank30

I got my Chevrolet Beat serviced at the MyTVs workshop instead of the Authorised workshop as they were jsking for Rs 5,000 for the 18 month servicing for a car which has run only 5000 kms, which in my opinion was not justified.
As per Chevrolet Booklet, the recommended mobil oil is 5w30 api sm gf 4

Originally Posted by shravank30

.
So decided against it. The car is in 100 % percent good condition so I didn't mind foregoing the balance 6 months warranty. (Total 24 months).
Moreover at some point I would have to move away from Chevrolet servicing as wasting fuel for 75 kms return trip to Kalyan Nagar & Rs 300/- for the drop & pickup charges was just too much
Anyways, TVS did not recommend an oil change after checkup (although it is 18 months old) after examining the viscosity & color with their fingers.

I owned a chevy once for 4 years. Sold it at 90k km in April. I've found the cheapest place to get your oil changed is at the chevy dealer. Compare the price of oil at a shop outside and the price per lt of oil at your chevy dealer and you will understand. You will get original oil filter too at the dealer. As for the drop and pick up charges chevy dealers have a quick service with prior apointment where you get you r car in 2 hours. Find another dealer if you aren't happy with the one you went to. If you don't get good service you can complain to the local GM person. You will find his name and email at the workshop.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by deutscheafrikar

If you don't get good service you can complain to the local GM person. You will find his name and email at the workshop.

+1

Frankly and IMHO, the best place to get an oil change done is the dealer simply because they use the correct oil, filter and any other parts. And the main advantage is that they take ownership for their work. Any complaints will be attended to quickly.

Since an oil change is once in 6/12 months I believe it may be worthwhile to travel there. I go take my car to the ASC once a year for service and oil change. It is a round trip of 70 kms.

On the other hand, a local guy or aftermarket agency will give you the run around should something go wrong. And the dealer will blame you for having had it done by an outside agency - so no help there either.

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by R2D2

+1

Frankly and IMHO, the best place to get an oil change done is the dealer simply because they use the correct oil, filter and any other parts. And the main advantage is that they take ownership for their work. Any complaints will be attended to quickly.

This is not true in general. There are lot of ASCs who do not know what goes on their shopfloors. Most ASCs run beyond capacities and SAs do not attend to your car unless you stand through the service. Also, with most ASCs do not own up to issues (when car is out of warranty) and make you pay a lot for pretty simple work.
Ex- I went to a SA and ask him why more expensive 10W40 oil was used for my car service when its not recommended. He fought with me tooth and nail saying its the recommended grade, even going to the extent to say my owner's manual was incorrect. I asked him what 10W40 grade is and he did not have a clue. The same SA claimed gear oil change is not required at all. He says the owners manual has a mistake when it states gear oil to be changed at every 30k kms. - This was with the biggest TASS in India
A MASS setup billed me 1.5k for wheel bearing replacement when they actually did not do it. I asked them to show me the old part and they then said it had been thrown away. I got the bearing checked out and what I was told that its not new. Morever they charge 1.5k as paid service and I am not sure what that covers since everything they do is charged seperately.

I think one needs to understand his/her car through owner manual and get all the work done themselves.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by zoombiee

This is not true in general. There are lot of ASCs who do not know what goes on their shopfloors. Most ASCs run beyond capacities and SAs do not attend to your car unless you stand through the service. Also, with most ASCs do not own up to issues (when car is out of warranty) and make you pay a lot for pretty simple work.
Ex- I went to a SA and ask him why more expensive 10W40 oil was used for my car service when its not recommended. He fought with me tooth and nail saying its the recommended grade, even going to the extent to say my owner's manual was incorrect. I asked him what 10W40 grade is and he did not have a clue. The same SA claimed gear oil change is not required at all. He says the owners manual has a mistake when it states gear oil to be changed at every 30k kms. - This was with the biggest TASS in India
A MASS setup billed me 1.5k for wheel bearing replacement when they actually did not do it. I asked them to show me the old part and they then said it had been thrown away. I got the bearing checked out and what I was told that its not new. Morever they charge 1.5k as paid service and I am not sure what that covers since everything they do is charged seperately.

I think one needs to understand his/her car through owner manual and get all the work done themselves.

While I agree with a part of what you say I cant agree with everything. My family and I have had nightmarish experiences with aftermarket 'experts' who used the wrong or sub-standard parts, short changed us, and to top it off ripped us off with sky high bills. When I asked them about the wrong parts, the refrain was that it is not available in the market and he put in a substitute. That's for critical parts like a spark plug and brake pads. For my Toyota I go only to the ASC. To me Toyota represents the gold standard of after sales service and this is from a person who strongly believes in DIY and who washes/waxes his car himself. Toyota's Pune dealer has won my trust over time.

In the past 12 years we have purchased 2 Maruti Esteems, 1 Tata Safari, 1 Honda City, 2 Toyota Corollas & 1 Fiat Palio 1.6 GTX. My experience spans 5 manufacturers. The worst is Fiat, rather non existent service due to their tie up with Tata. The best is Toyota and Maruti and Honda fall somewhere in the middle with Tata and Fiat bringing up the tail end.

The only reason that I suggested that the OP approach the GM ASC is I heard they are far better than the likes of Fiat, Tata and others. The issue is about ownership for a piece of work that is critical to the life of the car. This is even though the OP doesn't care too much about the remaining warranty period.