Is it cheeky to ask a garage to use my oil?
Discussion
Jordan Rich said:
Well, some of our mistrusting customers do it. of course garages make a bit of money on oil, i know it seems to be an offence in most peoples eyes that a garage would dare to try and make a profit... we buy oil in barrels of 600L, if you buy your 7 litres in 1l bottles, lets say it costs you £10 a litre, thats £70. so if it costs the garage £5 a litre and they charge you £7 is that such a bad thing? your usually, if not always going to get it cheaper as part of a service. it will also be the right oil, rather than what you think is the right oil/what the shop your buying it from guesses it is, especially in a specialist garage.
but no, by all means do it if you want to, just make sure you have put the chassis number into your vehicle database to make sure its correct for your specific engine and model year... or let the garage do it. otherwise dont be annoyed if they give it back to you because its wrong, or just use it because you specified it had to be used, despite it being wrong.
I doubt anyone objects to garages making profit on oil, but when they charge twice the price for bulk purchased oil that the customer can obtain it for then is it any wonder the customer feels a little taken advantage of.but no, by all means do it if you want to, just make sure you have put the chassis number into your vehicle database to make sure its correct for your specific engine and model year... or let the garage do it. otherwise dont be annoyed if they give it back to you because its wrong, or just use it because you specified it had to be used, despite it being wrong.
As for labelling customers that supply their own oil as "mistrusting", well maybe some are but can you blame them. Garages don't have the best reputation for honesty thanks to a few bad ones spoiling it for the good ones. Rather than take it personally, give the customer a reason not to have to feel that they should bring their own oil.
Can you really guarantee that every garage would get the right oil for every car? What about cars with modified engines or ones used extensively for track days? How about engine swaps - plugging the chassis number in will help there will it?
That post just feels a tad insulting to the people bringing their P&J to you for a service. A lot of people take great interest in what oil goes in their cars and often have their preferred brands of oil that they trust for whatever reason or rationale, so it's not always just about the money. I wouldn't be happy to then be described as mistrusting or labelled as someone that brings along whatever the shop thought I needed due to my ignorance. In fact I'd be mighty
off.I do my own oil changes; at least then I can put in whatever oil I want without being frowned upon by someone charging me for the privilege.
I've always supplied the oil for my 350Z - I want to know it's a high quality full synthetic in the sump and not the generic semi-synth they use in Micras.
Similarly, part of the air-con on my daily driver packed up earlier in the year. I was able to identify the part number and thus a couple of suppliers using Google. I then went to my local indie and asked them how much for an air-con re-gas and to supply & replace the part and how much if I supplied the part.
I was able to source the part for just over fifty quid less than they could, and they were quite happy to fit it.
Although, I've never enquired about it myself I can understand why a garage may decline to fit customer supplied second hand parts or parts of dubious origin or quality. And I would expect them to refuse to fit parts that are not of the correct specification.
Similarly, part of the air-con on my daily driver packed up earlier in the year. I was able to identify the part number and thus a couple of suppliers using Google. I then went to my local indie and asked them how much for an air-con re-gas and to supply & replace the part and how much if I supplied the part.
I was able to source the part for just over fifty quid less than they could, and they were quite happy to fit it.
Although, I've never enquired about it myself I can understand why a garage may decline to fit customer supplied second hand parts or parts of dubious origin or quality. And I would expect them to refuse to fit parts that are not of the correct specification.
I bring my own because Alfa specialists have their own preferences which I don't necessarily agree with. For example Alfa specified Selenia oil because they had an exclusive deal at the time, but it's not that good and burns off quickly. In another instance Alfa also specified 10w60 rather than 10w40 (the debate rages on), and I would rather use the former unlike some specialists that are happier with 10w40. It also burns a fair bit regardless, involving top ups, so it's natural that I have a fair quantity of the stuff so that top up and oil change are done with the same thing. Not a problem.
It's not a trust issue at all, the garage have serviced the car in the past and put their oil in.
It's simply a case of having 5 litres of the stuff sat in my garage that I now doubt I will use in the future because the car will be sold soon, hence wanting the garages to put it to good use.
It's simply a case of having 5 litres of the stuff sat in my garage that I now doubt I will use in the future because the car will be sold soon, hence wanting the garages to put it to good use.
I owned a Porker 911 for 4 years, and talking to and using Independent garages, and chatting to people over on the PH Porsche forum, supplying your own oil is more the norm than the exception with Porsche servicing, and is never (in my experience) a problem.
Reason being that 99% of 911 owners run Mobil 1 - which can be bought very cheaply from some sources (Costco etc.) or when Tesco or someone does a promotion - I bought four 5 litre bottles of Mobil 1 from Tesco recently for £15 a bottle. According to my Porsche Indy, that's considerably cheaper than they can buy it in for trade.
So that, coupled with people employing all sorts of money-saving tactics in this bloody recession, means that I don't think you'll have a problem.
Reason being that 99% of 911 owners run Mobil 1 - which can be bought very cheaply from some sources (Costco etc.) or when Tesco or someone does a promotion - I bought four 5 litre bottles of Mobil 1 from Tesco recently for £15 a bottle. According to my Porsche Indy, that's considerably cheaper than they can buy it in for trade.
So that, coupled with people employing all sorts of money-saving tactics in this bloody recession, means that I don't think you'll have a problem.
I did it at a main BMW dealer in Blackheath last week - cost £77 for the filters and labour.
They wanted £125 for the oil that I supplied for less than half that amount (same oil) and I'm doing the same with another BMW there on Friday.
I was toying with supplying the air filter/micro filter from euro car parts but have decided to do that all myself - they wanted c. £75 for each supplied and fitted!
They wanted £125 for the oil that I supplied for less than half that amount (same oil) and I'm doing the same with another BMW there on Friday.
I was toying with supplying the air filter/micro filter from euro car parts but have decided to do that all myself - they wanted c. £75 for each supplied and fitted!
Your the customer and you can have them put what ever you like in the car at the end of the day you are still paying for labour. If they do not like this find a Garage who does not have a issue with it. If they are stupid enough to turn away work in this climate that's there problem.
Just supplied my own oil to my local OPC, for a variety of reasons. A I didn't want Mobil 1, B. I didn't want their grade. So I supplied Total Quartz 7000 10W/40 for the Boxster service which I bought at Carrefours in Citie Europe on the way back from Le Mans Classic for £40 for 10L.
It never occurred to me to ask a main dealer to use my own oil (not that I have used main dealers for servicing much in the past but need to at the moment to preserve an extended BMW warranty {which differ from a manufacturers warranty re EU law}). BMW would charge £95 for oil (Castrol Edge) which I have just bought on offer from ECP for circa £27 so it makes sense.
soad said:
CapriV6S said:
Would you go into a chip-shop with your own potatoes and fish??
I'm half tempted to. 
I am tempted to bring in a Mars Bar, as none of my local chippers do deep fried Mars Bars
Edited by MarkRSi on Wednesday 22 August 09:21
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