Why don't garages????

jase1

My garage also states the grade and type (semi-synth etc) on the invoice. Any garage that "doesn't know" (i.e. doesn't care -- I refuse to believe that a decent mechanic genuinely doesn't know) is to be avoided IMO. Brand is less important.

societys_child

Ah yes, the big drum of oil.
I bought a 10 year old 2.5L Nissan diesel with just over 90k on the clock.

Some service history showed it had been regularly serviced by a small garage. There was a dirty gallon can in the back full of clean unused oil so I supposed the previous owner used to beg or buy a gallon from the garage.

First run out, about 230 miles it used a pint of oil. Once I'd used the gallon, I changed the filter and filled it with cheap supermarket oil. That was 13 years ago (yes, it is 23 yrs old)
Thing is, it doesn't use any oil between changes now, which suggests, the oil from the "big drum" was really cheap n nasty.

Kilty_2

societys_child wrote: »

Thing is, it doesn't use any oil between changes now, which suggests, the oil from the "big drum" was really cheap n nasty.

Or just the wrong grade for the engine - big difference.

jase1

Not necessarily.

It used to be a well known trick on old bangers that lost oil to put in thicker stuff, which gummed up all the seals and stopped the leaks. I did this myself on an old Vauxhall (20W50 carp when the standard was 15W40) and it sorted the car out. Never seemed to do the car any harm either. It was an old wreck though lol.

societys_child

Kilty wrote: »

Or just the wrong grade for the engine - big difference.

That had occurred to me, but as I say, I use cheap supermarket stuff without much thought about the correct grade ... you don't get much choice in places like lidl ... "suitable for diesels" - that'll do

Although last year I was getting some parts from my local motor factors and bought a gallon of the "correct" stuff while I was at it - £23 :eek: ... Back to the supermarket next time:rotfl:

Kilty_2

You probably inadvertently did what jase1 suggested

societys_child

Noooo .. 15W40 from the supermarkets, and the expensive stuff that's in now is 10W40. It just burned the original oil from "the big drum"
Have to admit I've had a few old bangers that got the thick gungy treatment but this 2.5 Nissan still runs sweet .. touch wood (I don't work for Nissan);)

dzug1

knightstyle wrote: »

Tell you which oil they have used when they service your car???
You need to know so you top up with the same!!!

In my experience they do

hartcjhart

knightstyle wrote: »

Tell you which oil they have used when they service your car???
You need to know so you top up with the same!!!

I suppose you could always ask?????

knightstyle

Well, I did ask but surely it should be in the service book or on the checksheet? I have always done my own servicing but now we have a fairly new Auris I asked for a service when it had to go back for a recall. The previous service was done by a Honda garage who didn't say which oil was used and the Toyota one didn't either. With so many oils out there that shouldn't be mixed surely they should?