Recently our long time mechanic bought a brand new car for his wife. (He has no time to fix her old car since he is fixing our car). Since the new car comes with a free service package he sent it in to the dealership for his 1st Free service. After 2 hours he collected the car and drove home. As an experienced mechanic he found the drive back unsatisfying and so decided to drive to his workshop instead to have a look. When checked, the lubricant was not changed and the oil filter also re-used.
Before the next due free service for his new car he decided to put a small coloured mark on the oil and air filter and because he is a mechanic, he could raise the car and mark the bolt that is used to drain the engine oil out.
Went to the dealership for his 2nd Free service and after collecting his car he immediately (in the dealership car park) checked the air filter for his coloured mark and lifted his engine oil dipstick to check the oil colour. The car HAD NOT been serviced at all. He confronted the service advisor and demanded to see the manager in charge.
His car was taken back to the workshop bay, raised on the hoist and when checked underneath together with the service advisor and manager they saw the coloured mark still intact on the engine oil drain bolt. This means his car was not serviced at all and so where did the NEW engine oil can, NEW air filter and NEW oil filter go? Looks like the service crew had been pocketing these items and selling them outside and sharing the booty.
Now this is not an isolated incident and only a mechanic or a hands-on car owner will be able to detect this workshop conspiracy.
Well, lets look at the warranty servicing packages that car manufacturers insist car owners continue to use to keep their 5-year warranty. Does your car really get serviced properly when you sit in the comfortable waiting room with free WiFi, beverages and food?
1. Do you ever take the trouble to walk to the glass panel and watch what is going on with your expensive asset that you will be paying for every month for the next 5-years at least?
2. Do you really think your car was properly serviced with the long line of non-stop customers coming in after you and before you?
3. Do you really think your oil filter was changed or was it just wiped clean to look new?
4. Do you ever check your engine oil after servicing using your dipstick to see if your engine oil is clean and smooth?
5. Do you ever check if you air-filter was changed or was it just cleaned with an air blower and reused?
Think about all this the next time you send your car for service. Meanwhile, the new car dealership in question above is being audited as we brought this issue to their headquarters and they are hot happy with this dealership as in time when their products start giving problems, it is their brand image that is affected not the dealership workshop profits.
NOTE: Pictures in this article are for illustration only and not a reflection of the workshop in question.
Very cheeky of you to use those images…
Errmm.. why are you using proton workshop as example? Are u insinuating that it is proton dealer who did that?
Pictures used JUST for illustration purpose only.
But why chose only proton workshops? there are 4 photos used. if for illustration only, you could have used other brands photos as well. to be fair to. it seems to me you are suggesting that u were refering to proton in the article.
Just happen to have these pictures in my archives. No issue intended.
Will u get into trouble for revealing which brand it is? I felt we consumer hv the rights to know the truth
The Toyota service centre that I go to always gives the empty bottles, boxes and even the wiper that they change back to the customer. This reassures the customer that the work was actually done.