Quick Lubes - Again

[OVERKILL]

I normally help my sister out with her little Jetta. Swapping her snows, changing her oil...etc. Last OCI was last year with M1 0w-40.

Well, this year we couldn't get together to get her tires on over the holiday due to schedules not lining up and so when she popped by the house today I noticed she had her snows on and was curious as to who put them on.

I texted her this evening to inquire and she proudly proclaimed that she had got the tires installed, the car aligned and an oil change. I asked if she had visited the dealer and she responded "God no" at which point I was thinking "uh oh...." and she continued "Canadian Tire". I asked if they used the right oil and she said "they looked it up" and then "I think they used 5w-30".

Canadian Tire doesn't carry any 5w-30 that I know of that has a VW 502.00 approval on it unless they've just started carrying M1 ESP 5w-30 (which I have never seen there despite it being listed on the website). The available choices for that car here are basically M1 0w-40 or Castrol 0w-40. They apparently used neither of those.

I've asked her to find the receipt and see what it shows. Otherwise, it looks like I'll be re-doing her oil change as I doubt she's going to go back to them about it if it is wrong.

 

[Joe_Power]

 

[HangFire]

"We've had great luck with this oil. None of our customers have complained before. We do VW's all the time. OUR SYSTEM lists it as a compatible oil. That spec is just to get you to go back to the dealer. The OIL COMPANY says it is compatible, even if the spec is not listed. You're really overthinking this."

Did I miss anything? Have your answers ready.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
I've asked her to find the receipt and see what it shows. Otherwise, it looks like I'll be re-doing her oil change as I doubt she's going to go back to them about it if it is wrong.


It's 36 F in Ontario right now.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
I've asked her to find the receipt and see what it shows. Otherwise, it looks like I'll be re-doing her oil change as I doubt she's going to go back to them about it if it is wrong.


It's 36 F in Ontario right now.

I'd be going back, owners manual in hand, and demanding a correct oil be installed.

 

[OVERKILL]

This is my sister, she isn't confrontational so I'm doubting she's going to do that. She'll swallow the price of the oil change and chalk it up to a learning experience. Funny thing is, she's always bought the right oil to keep on hand for top-up (M1 0w-40). The problem was the assumption that the person doing the work knew what he was doing. Now that we've got that out of the way I doubt that car will see another quick lube.

 

[dishdude]

It's not like the Jetta is some rare car...you'd think any shop could do a proper oil change on one.

 

[silverrat]

When I worked at a popular quick lube chain in Ontario I tried using proper 502 oils in VWs and 0w40 Mobil 1 in MBs and similar, but my manager insisted we use Mobil 5w30 in the cars that specced synthetic. Apparently it cost them something like 50 cents less per litre. Even if they know it's not correct they will do it anyways because "we haven't had any damage claims".

Needless to say I will never use a quick lube again after working at multiple locations for that chain over a span of 5 years.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
It's not like the Jetta is some rare car...you'd think any shop could do a proper oil change on one.


The hard part seems to be wrapping one's head around manufacturer's requiring an approved product. They bring up the list, see 5w-30 on it and don't read any further, despite that 5w-30 not even being in their inventory and the appropriate product being a completely different grade because the grade is irrelevant, they should be looking at the approval.

I had a similar scare when I bought my M5 (which turned out to be nothing) when I saw they (the selling dealer) put 5w-30 in it on the invoice. I was on the phone to them immediately and was told that they used BMW 5w-30, and I was welcome to come see the bottles they used. They ordered the oil and filter directly from BMW (despite having M1 0w-40 on hand) because that's what BMW told them (they actually called) to use.

THAT is a smart dealer. Don't know? FIND OUT!!! But that's not what we are dealing with here from the looks of things.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: silverrat
When I worked at a popular quick lube chain in Ontario I tried using proper 502 oils in VWs and 0w40 Mobil 1 in MBs and similar, but my manager insisted we use Mobil 5w30 in the cars that specced synthetic. Apparently it cost them something like 50 cents less per litre. Even if they know it's not correct they will do it anyways because "we haven't had any damage claims".

Needless to say I will never use a quick lube again after working at multiple locations for that chain over a span of 5 years.


And that's just sad.

 

[silverrat]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: silverrat
When I worked at a popular quick lube chain in Ontario I tried using proper 502 oils in VWs and 0w40 Mobil 1 in MBs and similar, but my manager insisted we use Mobil 5w30 in the cars that specced synthetic. Apparently it cost them something like 50 cents less per litre. Even if they know it's not correct they will do it anyways because "we haven't had any damage claims".

Needless to say I will never use a quick lube again after working at multiple locations for that chain over a span of 5 years.


And that's just sad.


Even sadder is that corporate required us to stock multiple special oils like Motul for 505, 507, or M1 ESP Formula M for vehicles that require it. They just sat on the shelf so when corporate did their surprise store inspections we would have the minimum quantity on hand that was specified by head office.

 

[Rolla07]

Not sure what VW charges for an oil change but my Toyota dealer does them for about the same as any toil chain or CT. (I do realize my car doesnt need to meet a certain spec of oil) but might be handy in case she needs another change without being able to meet you to do it.

 

[Superflop]

One of my coworkers has been buying vw for a while now. He gets his oil changed at the dealership I want to say it's in the 30-50 range and they wash and vac the car too which is a pretty decent deal.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I'd be going back, owners manual in hand, and demanding a correct oil be installed.


Aren't you like 6' 7'' and 270 lbs or something? You'd be scaring the guys half to death.

 

[Garak]

Overkill, the dealers in Canada have historically had enough of a difficulty discerning the difference between a conventional ILSAC 5w-30 and an A3/B3 A3/B4 5w-30. Canadian Tire staff will be royally confused.

 

[Turk]

The correct oil should be put in no matter what.

If she loves the car & wants to keep it a long time, it's probably best you perform her oil changes.

 

[bowlofturtle]

No one wants to fully depend on another person they dont see often to service their car. I completely understand wants to do things on your own.

I have friends that do that and i encourage them to because i dont have time for everything.

Now that the OP's sister knows they used the wrong oil, she can go fourth and find a good shop that can meet the car's needs.

 

[Koz1]

If it was Mobil 1 ESP 5-30 I wouldn't worry.
504 507 is a much harder spec to meet.
ESP is in the 1 Liter bottles. At CT

 

[Andrew1972]

It won't kill the car to drive a shorter OCI.....

 

[simple_gifts]

You needed to have "the talk" prior to your sister making this mistake. lol