Self Servicing your Commodore

[Sticky]

I haven't had any real dramas with Holden service except for one really frustrating problem. Everytime I send it in for service I ask them to put Mobil 1 in it. And each time I get it back it comes back with their standard Castrol in it. I don't think they are deliberately trying to rip me off, I think it's more likely to be the actual service mechanic completing the service without even noticing the worksheet having a different oil on it. I can't go back and argue because it is not very easy to prove which oil it is. It is only very subtle differences like the look, smell & amount of valve noise the engine makes. They tell me they use Mobil 1 for the HSV's so it's not like i'm asking for something they can't provide. They charge something like $108 for the oil which is quite a bit more than it costs me to get it myself. Since I always change the oil & filter every 5000kms, this means I am changing in between services aswell.

I wonder if Holden service would allow you to have a service, but leave the oil change to me? I just can't trust them to do it right anymore.

 

[naf33n]

you can supply your own parts for a log book service. then you only have to pay for fitting

 

[Doctor Bob]

Holden Servicing is a joke...
Who services on a Saturday, but doesn't do warranty work on a Saturday?

all non autorised Holden dealers & some authorised ones

Who tries to charge to adjust a handbrake?

lift the car up, remove the wheels, calipers & discs, clean, check & adjust the shoes, put it all back together & adjust the cable in the car... & you want it for free!!

Who overfills clutch reservoir's, to the point of spilling fluid through the engine bay?

usually the customer who does his own servicing

Who doesn't clean up the spilt fluid? And now has to order a replacement engine cover?

see above

Who looses screvit's and doesn't replace them until it's pointed out, and then replace them with incompatible ones?

not sure about incompatible scrivets

Who never seems to have stock of warranty items? Idler Pulleys? Fuel Pumps? Tonneau covers? Screvits?

i dont think anyone could possibly know exactly what parts to hold in stock for warranty, be a bit realistic.

Who drives the car for 30km in a service, but can't explain why?

probably some poor tech trying to find the "fault" you have been listening to for the last 5000km without any useful information passed on.

Who drives the car to feather edges on the tyres?

Your car, you drive it, you check the tyres weekly for pressure & any problems?

Who puts fuel filters in backwards?

usually the owner cutting servicing costs doing it himself

Who overfills, and spills brake fluid in reservoirs?

see above

Who overfills automatic transmissions?

see above

Who says brake pads need replacing, and I get another 25,000 from them?

usually the brake specialst "service centre"

Who says tyres need replacing, and I get another 15,000 from them?

usually a tyre specialist "service centre"

Who charges $75 for 6 litres of magnatec oil?

you ask for premium service items, you pay premium prices

Who can never seem to find the faults I have been listening to for the last 5,000 kms and will for the next 5,000?

usually the people trying do find something that happens "most days" & today isnt one of them...

Two Words... Holden Service...

The same can be said from the other side of the counter.
like i have said before

i had a bad customer once, that must mean all customers are bad.

 

[Sticky]

Here's one more question. I forgot to mention this in my last post. When I recently did my 5000km oil and filter, as I was removing the holden one from the last service I noticed ring marks of paint removed from the oil filter. Marks were consistent with the use of one of those ring-grip oil filter removers. Has anyone ever heard of an oil filter being fitted using one of these tools? I thought oil filters were fitted "hand tight" and only removed with one of these tools?
I have never had to contend with a leaking oil filter that I have hand tightened before?
This makes me worry now that my oil filter has come from another car <shudders at the thought>

 

[kodakmomentz]

Holden Servicing is a joke...



Two Words... Holden Service...

Damn straight...if Technicians/mechanics ever service a car at Holden without just ticking they boxes on their "Servicing list" they are out of a job...this is not just at my local dealer but most of them that i know. If you want a job done then do it yourself unless you know them and can trust them. :whistling

 

[kodakmomentz]

Here's one more question. I forgot to mention this in my last post. When I recently did my 5000km oil and filter, as I was removing the holden one from the last service I noticed ring marks of paint removed from the oil filter. Marks were consistent with the use of one of those ring-grip oil filter removers. Has anyone ever heard of an oil filter being fitted using one of these tools? I thought oil filters were fitted "hand tight" and only removed with one of these tools?
I have never had to contend with a leaking oil filter that I have hand tightened before?
This makes me worry now that my oil filter has come from another car <shudders at the thought>

I'd say it has...dont go back to that place again!

 

[Sticky]

All the things that don't matter quite so much are done well on my car. I mean, they can lose a scrivet or two, spill a bit of fluid here and there, drive the car a little too far, but when it comes to one of the MOST important items on the servicing list, engine oil and filter, please don't be incompetent at this.

 

[binkztarr]

Do the easy stuff yourself.. Oil changes, coolant flushes, plugs, leads, filters (air, fuel), even brakes if you want to..

Take the car in for a full safety check once a year.. It'll cost you about $40, and they'll tell you if there's anything wrong.. Let the professionals have a look once in a while..

well said,,thats pretty much what i do with my car,
for one you know the jobs been done properly because you did it yourself and 2 it saves you about 100 - 200 bucks every 10,000 kms, for me every 5000

 

[Huthy]

Everytime I send it in for service I ask them to put Mobil 1 in it. And each time I get it back it comes back with their standard Castrol in it. I don't think they are deliberately trying to rip me off, I think it's more likely to be the actual service mechanic completing the service without even noticing the worksheet having a different oil on it. I can't go back and argue because it is not very easy to prove which oil it is. It is only very subtle differences like the look, smell & amount of valve noise the engine makes. They tell me they use Mobil 1 for the HSV's so it's not like i'm asking for something they can't provide. They charge something like $108 for the oil which is quite a bit more than it costs me to get it myself. Since I always change the oil & filter every 5000kms, this means I am changing in between services aswell.

I wonder if Holden service would allow you to have a service, but leave the oil change to me? I just can't trust them to do it right anymore.

When I bought my VY I asked about what oil they were using for servicing. I assumed it was Mobil 1, but no its Castrol Magnatec. I was suprised but then told that Holden Australia would not cover any warranty work if a dealer was to use Mobil 1. It's apparently too refined, and creates it's own problems which if there was to be a case for warranty, the local dealer would have to cough up the repair bills! Gotta love the LS1's....

 

[Huthy]

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