[Mad Max]

Hi All,

Just left my Fiat Palio Stile 1.6 Sport for the second "free" servicing with Manipal motors, Airport road, Bangalore. (nearing the 7500km mark)

The technical advisor guy is charging me 1500 Rs for the oil change (he brought it down from 2000Rs after I argued with him). I am a little concerned if the amount is right, since I thought that the "free" service included the oil change. But I guess only the labor is free and the material (in this case, oil) is not. Is it true that motor oil costs 1500 Rs for the Palio?

I am a little irritated with this whole "free" but not so free approach. But as the wise men of TBHP say "nothing is free in the world of car servicing!"

Please advise.

Regards,
Prem.

[Seeler_Rebeiro]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

Hi All,

I am a little irritated with this whole "free" but not so free approach. But as the wise men of TBHP say "nothing is free in the world of car servicing!"

Please advise.

Regards,
Prem.

Only labour is free. Materials (including oil) will be charged during the "free" service periods.

[simply_sunny001]

Free services normally mean only Free labour charges and all the consumables are to be paid.

And regarding Rs 1500 for oil change,it all depends on what oil they are using and how much quantity of engine oil is needed in palio.

Being a small car it should be in whereabouts of 3.5-4 Ltrs.

All in all,Rs 1500 is lot too much in case they are using a mineral oil.

[anurag_p80]

You are going for a mineral oil? Should not cost you more than 500 bucks (4 ltrs.). They will use the recommended oil, cost ~110 or so per liter. I just did my second service with Concorde here in Hyderabad, Oil Change cost was 446 Rs. They will charge 500 odd extra if you want flushing, though. Check with your Service advisor.

[finneyp]

Prem, ask the Service Advisor what engine oil they'll be putting in your car?

If it is normal mineral oil, as Anurag stated above it shouldn't cost more than Rs.500/-.
And if it is Castrol Magnetec, it will cost you around Rs.1000/-.

[kapilsharma80]

mad max, if they are adding penzoil mineral oil then the total cost of oil change would not be more than Rs 600.

add another Rs 250 for fuel and engine oil filter.

that makes it Rs 850 for 2nd free service. don not let them flush your engine or add engine oil additive. it's not recommended by Fiat at the second service for 1.6 /1.2/1.1/1.3.

labour, washing is free.

[KSM-Vtec]

@ Prem

Cost for 4 lts of Engine Oil from Castrol -

Castrol Mineral - 500
Castrol GTX - 750
Castrol Magnetic - 1200
Castrol Synthetic - 2400

It all depends on which one you want to go for. I have taken the middle path (Magnetic) since there is a debate about the whole issue.

They should not be charging you for labour.

[Rahulkool]

engine oil change in second service is 600rs and ~90rs for the oil filter ....

[Mad Max]

Its Castrol Magnetic they are using and they are adding the additive which is an extra 400Rs. (The service advisor guy said that it would be required to increase the viscosity.. which I thought was bulls**t anyways since they could just put a lower viscosity oil than 15W40.

Would there be any problem if the additive is already done? Think they have already done the work by now.

They are not charging me for labor.

I'll be screaming my head off when I get back there!

Thank you guys for your quick responses. I've saved this webpage just in case someone debates this with me.

[nitrous]

4 litres of Magnatec should cost around Rs.1000 in retail with Free Ambipur.
These A.S.Ses get them in 210 litre barrels wholesale.
Today, EVERY garage/workshop "recommend" additives of all sorts. They do this to hike up their profits since additives usually have great markups. And the'd be making about 50% of the MRP.

[Mad Max]

I guess the fuel filter was also changed and hence the overall price was 1990 including tax. [Stupid 12.2 VAT grrr.. ]

I am seriously considering going back to my wrenching days. Get a couple of jackstands, an oilpan and a fuel filter wrench, get the oil I like and go for it! Anyone in BLR want in as a Saturday afternoon project once in 6 months? We could grab a bunch of beer and go for it and be done in a few hours.

[phamilyman]

Nitrous, well said. Its madness at bike dealers with the Bardahl buggers having flooded. You change an engine oil in 190 bucks, spend 110 more for bardahl but only 150 for the service where a human actually spends some time and washes.

clearly its free cash - the small bottles dont need space

[jav]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

I guess the fuel filter was also changed and hence the overall price was 1990 including tax. [Stupid 12.2 VAT grrr.. ]

I am seriously considering going back to my wrenching days. Get a couple of jackstands, an oilpan and a fuel filter wrench, get the oil I like and go for it! Anyone in BLR want in as a Saturday afternoon project once in 6 months? We could grab a bunch of beer and go for it and be done in a few hours.

Im in as even i want to put the oil of my choice in my car

[RedMM340]

Just want to add: DO NOT DO AN ENGINE FLUSH. It can damage your engine.

If you want to really take good care of your engine just change the oil more frequently and use the highest quality oil possible, preferably full synthetic.

[techn0l0gist]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

I guess the fuel filter was also changed and hence the overall price was 1990 including tax. [Stupid 12.2 VAT grrr.. ]

I am seriously considering going back to my wrenching days. Get a couple of jackstands, an oilpan and a fuel filter wrench, get the oil I like and go for it! Anyone in BLR want in as a Saturday afternoon project once in 6 months? We could grab a bunch of beer and go for it and be done in a few hours.

hmm you can come over to my place with the fuel filter wrench and an oil pan. I have the jack and stands ;-) we can go grab a beer or two with the $$ we've saved