One of the most important preventive maintenance items is changing the oil. A knowledgeable person can easily drain the used oil and pour in a fresh one. Other people have to go to service stations and hope that they won’t cheat. After all, as practice shows, machinations at oil changes is one of the most common ways to cheat a customer.
Filling up the fresh oil on top of the old one.
Some dealership workers may assure you that they have completely changed the oil. This kind of trick may be designed for absolute “dummies”. After all, a person, even a little bit versed in the procedure, it is not difficult to check the quality of the filled mixture. It is enough to take out a dipstick, which is used for measuring oil level in an engine, and check its color and quality.
If it is yellow, transparent – then you are fine. Black and cloudy – you have been cheated. In fact it takes at least 2-3 thousand kilometers for the oil to start turning dark. It means you have added a little bit of fresh oil over the old one. At best, they have changed the oil filter.
By the way, you can also check it. You just need to get and look what is installed in your car: the part you have bought and brought or another one.
The most expensive and high-quality oil
Many motorists, coming to the service station, ask to change the old lubricant for the highest quality, even if it is expensive. Naturally, they meet with full understanding of car-care center workers.
Only you will hardly understand what you have been filled. Firstly, if you demand to show an empty container from oil, they will tell you that they took it from a barrel. You will not be able to immediately prove the substitution, because you will need to go to the lab for expertise.
Secondly, if you want to personally monitor the procedure, you may not be allowed to the car. Many auto body shops have a partition that cuts off visitors from the work area. You will have to be content with at best an observation from a distance. Normally you will not be able to see anything.
Well, if you manage to insist on his own, and you are allowed to attend – prepare for higher charges. The matter is that there is a tacit practice in many repair shops: if the owner is present at oil replacement or other kind of repair, they count the payment by 50% more. As they say, for moral expenses.
Substitution
High-quality engine oil cannot be cheap. Many unscrupulous mechanics, in their desire to earn money, may simply substitute the lubricant. For example, you have paid for “synthetic”, and you have been poured a cheap “semi-synthetic”, which costs 1.5 times less. The resulting difference of hundreds of rubles goes into the pocket of the “master.
Unscheduled replacement
Even if you think that everything is OK with the oil, since you have recently changed it, you may be changed. For example, you came to a car service on another matter and the mechanic, after examining the car, said that the oil must be changed urgently, as it is useless. And he demonstrated the greasy film under the cap for persuasion.
Such a “trick” is calculated on the gullible drivers, poorly versed in cars. In fact, the engine oil should be changed in strict accordance with the car manufacturer’s requirements.
On average, the experts advise changing the lubricant every 10 thousand km. The recommended interval for hard vehicle operation in difficult conditions is 8 thousand km. If the mileage after last replacement is less, it is a sure sign of banal “cheating” for money.
It is a similar story with oil replacement in a gearbox. You can be strongly advised to drain the old oil and fill it in with fresh one. However, the lubricant for a gearbox is very different from the engine oil. This is a special gear oil, which is originally designed for a long run. Therefore, it should be changed much less often.
To avoid unplanned expenses, follow the recommendations of the manufacturer regarding the regularity of oil replacement in a gearbox and do not give in to the dubious unscheduled procedure.
Precautions
No person is immune from mistakes, and everyone can become a victim of scammers. However, it is quite realistic to reduce the risk of getting into an unpleasant situation. To do this, follow these tips:
- Change oil in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. On average it will make up every 8-10 thousand km.
- If you rarely drive the car, and the mileage is less than 10 thousand km – still renew the lubricants. At least once a year, as oil loses its properties.
- Constantly monitor the oil level, do not allow its shortage. Otherwise “starvation” will lead to need of major repairs. The optimal variant of control – once a month.
- Always change the oil together with the automatic transmission filter.
- If you want to avoid risks, then bring your own bought oil and filter to the service station. And insist on changing it in your presence.