All engine oil lost driving home from service

[Trek]

How about this ! not me but someone I know

Sprinter van goes into local mercedes benz commercial francise ( the one I use eek! )

Driving home on motorway dashboard warning lights up

Top up engine oil with one litre


He continues to drive home and as he is reversing he notices engine oil on road


Shuts off engine oil everywhere


Calls dealer who sends someone out

Leaking at oil filter, not done up properly, no oil showing on dip stick

Mechanic sorts out oil filter fills it back up with oil and drives it back to dealer to clean up mess


As a goodwill gesture they offer a free service


Think i would want a new engine

What do you think ?

 

[mark61]

New van?

 

[SimonM]

I’d want an investigation and an independent report on what could go wrong with the motor now that it’s finally got oil in it.

I definitely wouldn’t accept being fobbed off with just a “free service” as I’d think twice about going there again.

 

[Trek]

Turbo also could be affected by oil starvation

 

[mark61]

A bit late now I know, but any idea how much oil was added?
Was filter removed to be sorted, how much oil did they take out, stuff like that, etc.

 

[trevskoda]

Depending on how much oil was lost or if low pressure then down the line bearings and turbo may be knackered,this happened to a chap i know with a merc and they replaced the engine,not by goodness of there hart but by court order after mths of arc-ng about.

 

[RichardHelen262]

Sprinters hold almost 11 litres of oil so the chances are it only lost a couple of litres so I am sure everything thing will be fine, had it lost too much the dash would have lit up like a Christmas tree with warnings and gone into limp mode, so I would not be concerned

 

[tonybvi]

I had similar with my last van, a Sprinter based Frankia. Luckily for me though there was only a smallish leak that I noticed as a stain on our drive. Phoned the garage who came out, tightened the filter and put in less than 1 litre of oil. I was lucky.

 

[Obanboy666]

How about this ! not me but someone I know

Sprinter van goes into local mercedes benz commercial francise ( the one I use eek! )

Driving home on motorway dashboard warning lights up

Top up engine oil with one litre


He continues to drive home and as he is reversing he notices engine oil on road


Shuts off engine oil everywhere


Calls dealer who sends someone out

Leaking at oil filter, not done up properly, no oil showing on dip stick

Mechanic sorts out oil filter fills it back up with oil and drives it back to dealer to clean up mess


As a goodwill gesture they offer a free service


Think i would want a new engine

What do you think ?

Reminds me of my brother last year at his local main Audi dealer.
Took his wife’s TT in for its 2nd service and as it needed a part he booked it in for the part to be fitted the next week.
The next week whilst the car was stil at the garage he got an email and text from the garage which included a video showing The engine oil level overfilled to the extent it was halfway up the dipstick, regardless of what a car is in for they apparently do an inspection of levels etc. When he called them up they attempted to blame him explaining it had probably damaged the engine !
He then informed them it had been serviced the previous week which included an oil change and he hadn’t touched under the bonnet.
To cut a long story short they became all apologetic and informed him they would investigate who had carried out the oil change etc. He had the service charge refunded and will get the next one for free. He won’t have it done at that dealer lol.

 

[Wully]

When I had sprinter vans for my work I used a Mercedes main dealer who I thought weren’t doing the servicing properly so I put a tiny x scrape on the filters using a nail got the van back charged on invoice for new filters and oil. When I checked it still had the old filters with the small x mark scrape I put on them since then I do this every time Same thing offered free service but told them to stuff it stoped the cheque and now use a local guy.

 

[St3v3]

I would be surprised if it's been damaged if the oil pressure warning didn't come on.

I'd want a refund though, and free service is ok - but you'll stand over his shoulder watching lol

 

[SimonM]

About 30 years ago I was working in a franchise dealership and a car came in for a service with similar tell tale markings on most of the parts. The customer was asked if we should repaint the new parts fitted the same way ?

 

[tapfitter]

A few years ago my wife's car was in the garage overnight for repair. One of our friends saw her car at gone 11.00 pm having been pulled over by the police. Apparently they use customers cars in the evening to save their own petrol. They had to admit they took the car out as we had to take our MOT and insurance down to the police station. I always wondered why a car in a garage for a service would clock up 20 or 30 miles or more!
Never used the garage again, and I always try to do my own repairs now.

 

[trevskoda]

When i bought my latest car last year it came with 5 service stamps,few weeks later back wheel brg packed in,took a look at both and the other side had no grease cap and wheels were bonded on and im sure never of from new.
So i did a complete service finding things like spark plugs rusted and gaps twice the rec ,oil like tar,air filter inlet missing.
I always do my own work and would never let any one touch something i have to break the speed of sound in.

 

[Wully]

That’s nothing one of our Vitos about six month old went in with a water leak was told it was a punctured radiator was quoted £280 so needed the van fixed and working told them to go ahead when I picked the van up I asked for the old radiator as I wanted to see where it was punctured a young apprentice went to get it when he brought it out the radiator had the plastic seal that meets the copper had came away with a small brown tag hanging off with the reg chassis number and a warranty code on it. So they were charging me and claiming it on warranty so that’s why next van that went in had the filters scraped it’s terrible that you have to resort to that but Mercedes are the worst for it there mechanics are trained to up sell and if they don’t meet targets by 2pm they are pulled into a room and told pads and discs meaning every car is to have the brakes done that’s why they leave it till the afternoon phone customers and tell them brakes need doing shower of shite.

 

[wildebus]

I had my car serviced last week. Maybe I should go and check how clean the bits are??

(I usually write the date of fitting on the filters as a record when I fit them rather than just making a scratch)

 

[SimonM]

My new VW is now telling me it wants its first service. I know that means an oil and filter change only, 2 local dealers both want £179 to do it.

So, it’s going into a local VW indie specialist I know well. They will use VW filters and Quantum oil, so I can argue the toss with VW if at any time they don’t like it. They will charge me £110 for the same parts to be fitted.

I hate main dealers and their pricing structures and so don’t use them and always (apart from the next couple of services) do all of my own maintenance.

 

[2cv]

My new VW is now telling me it wants its first service. I know that means an oil and filter change only, 2 local dealers both want £179 to do it.

So, it’s going into a local VW indie specialist I know well. They will use VW filters and Quantum oil, so I can argue the toss with VW if at any time they don’t like it. They will charge me £110 for the same parts to be fitted.

I hate main dealers and their pricing structures and so don’t use them and always (apart from the next couple of services) do all of my own maintenance.

Just make sure that the work done is exactly as required and is fully documented Article

 

[wildebus]

Just make sure that the work done is exactly as required and is fully documented Article

Can't deny I stick to the main dealers for in-warranty servicing. That way you don't need to try and argue the toss if there is a problem as there is only 'one throat to choke'. The cost savings are not worth it.

Last Service I had done on my LT I provided all the parts for the [independant] garage to use (oil, oil filter, fuel filter, coolant) bought from TPS (VW Trade) with 'Employee and Family' discount

 

[SimonM]

Just make sure that the work done is exactly as required and is fully documented Article

No worry on that score I’ve been telling everyone I meet all the time about how the Block Exemption Regs means garages cannot renege on warranty because they didn’t service it. What you have to prove is the parts meet the relevant manufacturer requirements and that the person doing the work can prove relevant industry ability to do the work. Back street Bob may not have the ability ?

As a purchasing manager for a major motor factor I had ample opportunity to do comparisons of spares and oils meeting manufacturers specifications. The difference in prices being charged for “exactly” the same parts from different suppliers was on occasions astounding.

The average consumer is unaware that motor manufacturers don’t actually make a lot of the components they fit to the metalwork that they actually do make. They buy in from specialist companies, lights, starters, alternators, pumps, filters, suspension springs & shocks, clutches, gearboxes, axles, wishbones, gauges, injectors etc.etc.etc.
They don’t even design their engines some of them, just buy them in, Ford using Mazda or Volvo engines.

If you want a component for your car or MH do not just go direct to the dealer, you may get a far better deal from a motor factor, and generally a better deal from a local independent who will invariably be a part of a buying group who can negotiate better prices direct from the manufacturers.