4000 mile old air filter...

[RobCrezz]

jamieboy said:

Doesn't set a great tone for the whole episode, though:

"Can I have the old bits back, because I don't trust that you'll do the job properly"

Ask at the end.

All the good garages ive been to give me the old parts without asking.

Moral of the story, find a good garage.

[irodger]

I've only ever used a main dealer once, years ago on my old C230K. I enquired as to why the service was more expensive than the advertised price and was told "It's because it's a Sports car, sir. They cost more than the standard models."

Erm, that's the first time I've ever heard a C-Class, a non-AMG one at that, being called a sports car. And other than possibly using decent oil instead of normal sludge, I couldn't see where a fluids, filter and inspection srevice could possibly cost more than a C180/200 or whatever.

The sort of thing above and the additional posts just reaffirm my view of main-stealerships.

[y2blade]

nope..that looks like it has seen at least double that mileage

this is exactly why I only let people I know to work on my cars (jobs I don't fancy doing myself) ...I work on my bikes myself


none of my cars have EVER seen the inside of a main dealers W/shop..and it will stay that way

[5678]

jamieboy said:

Doesn't set a great tone for the whole episode, though:

"Can I have the old bits back, because I don't trust that you'll do the job properly"

I've got an Inspection due in April and will be asking for the old parts back. I'm not especially bothered if they don't like it.
Got the car going in for some headlights to be replaced under warranty. I'll be asking for the old ones back then too.

[irodger]

TheEnd said:

Are you certain the airfilter was to be replaced?

They have quite a long interval, and are increasingly harder to get to these days.

Lots of modern cars have variable service intervals, dependant on what the individual car's ECU thinks. ie. Lots of small journeys in a short period of time could mean a different requirement to an identical car with a few long motorway journeys in the same period of time.

As far as I'm aware, an air filter should be checked at every service. While it may not actually be deemed to require replacement at every one, I think anyone who had a quick squiz at this one would have thought it needed replacing!

[jamieboy]

5678 said:

I'm not especially bothered if they don't like it.

And that's fair enough - I just think it maybe starts a sort of "them and us" mentality.

Much better, as someone said above, just to find a good garage. If you can't trust them to do the stuff you can check, then I'd be worried about the stuff you can't.

[y2blade]

jamieboy said:

And that's fair enough - I just think it maybe starts a sort of "them and us" mentality.

Much better, as someone said above, just to find a good garage. If you can't trust them to do the stuff you can check, then I'd be worried about the stuff you can't.

very well said

[TheEnd]

They end up looking like that pretty quick, but it's not considered need for replacement.

These newer types are like a cotton wool which quickly goes black, but replacement is on INS 2, which is approx 24,000 mile intervals.
Checking the airfilter isn't done on Ins.1, so make sure your mate knows this before going in with all guns blazing!

[redtwin]

Whenever there is any doubt, there is no doubt.

Unless you do it yourself or stand there and watch them do it, then it has not been done.

Of course we don't even know if the stamp in the service book was even put there by a dealer.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Gotta love the immediate assumption of dealer incompetence/neglect. Where's this vehicle been for it's last 4,000 miles and over what period of time?

I fear this thread may be like the ones which go "I only had new tyres last month but I've got a puncture already". It must be the fitter's fault.

[RV8]

That filter will have been quite restrictive by that point, still, with a new filter he'll think it's been chipped.

[JM]

5678 said:

Got the car going in for some headlights to be replaced under warranty. I'll be asking for the old ones back then too.

I'd be surprised if you get the headlights back, unless it is a common problem, the manafacturer might be wanting them back.

[Deva Link]

5678 said:

Got the car going in for some headlights to be replaced under warranty. I'll be asking for the old ones back then too.

They won't give you those back.

[5678]

Deva Link said:

They won't give you those back.

Why not?

[JonnyFive]

RobCrezz said:

jamieboy said:

Doesn't set a great tone for the whole episode, though:

"Can I have the old bits back, because I don't trust that you'll do the job properly"

Ask at the end.

All the good garages ive been to give me the old parts without asking.

Moral of the story, find a good garage.

Ask at the end and there is a notice that the sign in the reception says ask before the job, or else the parts go in the big bins, and no one wants to be climbing inside the big bins to get them out.

[philmots]

5678 said:

Why not?

If there's something wrong with them, they'll want them back to find out what it is exactly.

[Fartgalen]

JonnyFive said:

Where as my air filter hasn't been changed (I check it every time I check the oil) in about 15,000 miles and its still as clean as when it came out of the box.

Are you checking both sides ?

[redtwin]

Also to prevent them being fitted to another car. If they have some sort of fault that could lead a to a safety issue or hazard (electrical short causing a fire etc) then the manufacturer won't want to leave themselves open to the risk.

[JonnyFive]

Fartgalen said:

JonnyFive said:

Where as my air filter hasn't been changed (I check it every time I check the oil) in about 15,000 miles and its still as clean as when it came out of the box.

Are you checking both sides ?

Yes

I actually took it out the last time and hit it on the floor to see if all the dirt was hiding inside it.. Nope!

[5678]

philmots said:

If there's something wrong with them, they'll want them back to find out what it is exactly.

Already been established. They tried to reject the warranty claim which I have then successfully appealed against.