This woman must have ignored endless warnings of service due and low oil levels. Why the hell would you skimp on a service after spending £50k+ on such a vehicle?
Maybe she needs to go to Specsavers or should have used Slick 50 ;)
To be honest, on a 50k vehicle I would have expected the engine managment to have phoned in and got the dealer to contact her and eventually shut down if the oil level became too low before damage occured.
I can never understand why modern cars dont use dry sump lubrication, bypass filtration in addition to fullflow and have a large oil reserve adequate to go the distance. I know, cost....
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I don't see why the ordinary car user has to worry about dipsticks and what oil to pour where in between services in 2013.
The vehicles should all say when they want oil and people can choose to do it theirselves or go to Halfords or In&Out or Kwikfit or the dealer.
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If people choose to own a machine that needs oil and water ect it's there responsibility to check it ignorance is not an excuse.
Edited by dan86 on 17/10/2013 at 11:15
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That's like saying if they buy a PC they should know how to edit registry keys to keep it working, or should know how to attenuate a magnetron to use a microwave. I love checking my oil, but would a retired old lady? Cars these days are £10k upwards sophisticated machines, not cheap crude thing like ride-on mowers.
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Cars these days are £10k upwards sophisticated machines, not cheap crude thing like ride-on mowers.
Sophisticated enough to tell you when they need a service or oil. Even my old 1995 Vectra would tell me when a service was due.
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That's like saying if they buy a PC they should know how to edit registry keys to keep it working, or should know how to attenuate a magnetron to use a microwave. I love checking my oil, but would a retired old lady? Cars these days are £10k upwards sophisticated machines, not cheap crude thing like ride-on mowers.
I don't think either the PC or the Microwave analogy realy work, nobody's suggesting drivers replace parts or adjust complex settings. Oil, like washer fluid, is a consumable item and needs checking and topping up. Every driver should know that and how to do it It's even covered in the test these days.
If people are too lazy or ignorant to do those checks AND/OR heed warning lights then frankly they have it coming and it's no fault of the manufacturer.
EDIT - I agree however that finding information on correct oil spec is too difficult. A chart showing sun/snow and a list of viscosities does not really cut the mustard. I've still to find the right spec for my new Berlingo (1.6 HDi 115PS).
Edited by Bromptonaut on 17/10/2013 at 12:27
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Confused? Common sense seems to be a quality sadly lacking today.
This woman must have ignored endless warnings of service due and low oil levels. Why the hell would you skimp on a service after spending £50k+ on such a vehicle?
Case in point from my office this morning: one of the women here has a newish Audi TT petrol. She started describing the 'nightmare' she's had with it. I asked what was up.
She said: "Every couple of months the oil light comes on so I have to get some oil and fill it up. The last couple of times it's needed more than a bottle to make the light go off. Last night it came on again but the bonnet release broke, so I had to drive it to the garage to get it fixed."
I asked if she'd ever considered checking the oil level fortnightly, and keeping it topped up rather than waiting for the light to come on. She just looked blankly at me.
If her car survives, I feel sorry for the poor unsuspecting next owner. They'll have no idea that their new pride and joy has been repeatedly driven with the oil light on.
(by the way, this is not a diatribe against 'women drivers'. My MD is equally ignorant when it comes to cars. He has misfuelled several times, and knackered the engine in one of his cars by doing a 150 mile motorway trip with the oil light on. He thought the warning light was just advising that it needs filling up soon, like a windscreen-washer fluid warning)
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My MD is equally ignorant when it comes to cars. He has misfuelled several times, and knackered the engine in one of his cars by doing a 150 mile motorway trip with the oil light on. He thought the warning light was just advising that it needs filling up soon, like a windscreen-washer fluid warning)
And that points to the root cause of the problem - the car industry. Indeed on some cars an oil light might mean "oil level low" on other "low oil pressure" - Why on earth, when LCD (maxidot type) displays cost pence, why cant they just use plain english and stop the engine in the case of imminent damage?
If people choose to own a machine that needs oil and water ect it's there responsibility to check it ignorance is not an excuse.
There is an excuse if the manufacturer doesnt bother to inform the consumer. A sticker on the dash might help. And dont start on about the manual, nobody reads them until after a problem.
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TBH the types we're talking about would still probably ignore such warnings, mañana,mañana...
Edited by A3 A4 on 17/10/2013 at 11:52
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TBH the types we're talking about would still probably ignore such warnings
No sympathy for them at all. Reap what you sow and all that.
If we all had the ignorant and "Meh, it'll be alright" attitude the roads would be chaos!
Hope their 'chilled out laid back' (Lazy) attitude helps while paying off the repair bills or waiting for the train...
As for the original post, if they really don't understand the pop-up book that is modern owners manuals, is taking the owner's manual into a local parts store, mechanic, or even Halfords for someone experienced to do the brain work so they just have to hand over the cash really that hard?
I wouldn't expect people to immediately understand the publications of my trade (Electrician) even those written in plain(er) English than the regulations, but I would expect them to ask for clarification if needed. All it takes is an ask!
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It is now part of the driving test to show the examiner under bonnet in the show me tell me part of the test. I had to do it when I took my car and hgv test. Maybe they should make it a mandatory part of driving lessons on how to check oil, coolant ect.
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Comma did a survey some time ago and they listed the cars and costs of repairs from drivers who had neglected to check their oil level.
They also have a specific website for it at www.checkyouroil.co.uk with the finding of the survey and other information for drivers.
I remember Fifth gear going around a supermarket car park asking people how often they checked their oil and offering to show them how to do it and to top it up for free and many said they never checked it and also declined having it checked and topped up for free.
Alot of people just do not realise the importance of the oil in an engine and often think, That just like fuel you can fill it up if it runs out and just carry on as before.
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It is now part of the driving test to show the examiner under bonnet in the show me tell me part of the test. I had to do it when I took my car and hgv test. Maybe they should make it a mandatory part of driving lessons on how to check oil, coolant ect.
It has been part of learning to drive and the preparation for the driving test since 2002.
https://www.learnerdriving.com/driving-test/show-me-tell-me
Retests for all full licence holders anybody?
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There is an excuse if the manufacturer doesnt bother to inform the consumer. A sticker on the dash might help. And dont start on about the manual, nobody reads them until after a problem.
If they won't read the manual, they won't look at a sticker - you can only go so far to providing information, after that it's down to people's stupidity, or otherwise.
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If they won't read the manual, they won't look at a sticker - you can only go so far to providing information, after that it's down to people's stupidity, or otherwise.
I know of someone who had a car with a multifuntion display and warning system that told them and alerted them to no oil pressure and to stop immediately - They continued to drive until the engine ceased.
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I know of someone who had a car with a multifuntion display and warning system that told them and alerted them to no oil pressure and to stop immediately - They continued to drive until the engine ceased.
:-D m0r0ns.
Edited by mss1tw on 17/10/2013 at 13:09
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If they won't read the manual, they won't look at a sticker - you can only go so far to providing information, after that it's down to people's stupidity, or otherwise.
But, most people don't even know they should check the oil. The dealers dont inform the owners when they sell them a car, neither do the manufacturers. In fact the only information I'm aware of on a car is a warning on the engine not to overfill it.
Its not ignorance or stupidity, its lack of education. Same applies to checking tyre pressures, brake/coolant fluid levels.
Gearbox oil levels anyone? ;)
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But, most people don't even know they should check the oil. The dealers dont inform the owners when they sell them a car, neither do the manufacturers. In fact the only information I'm aware of on a car is a warning on the engine not to overfill it.
Its not ignorance or stupidity, its lack of education. Same applies to checking tyre pressures, brake/coolant fluid levels.
Gearbox oil levels anyone? ;)
Might be lack of education but I'm not convinced it's down to dealer or manfr to provide that education. All cars need oil and all cars need the level checking regularly.
Dealer should include opening bonnet and pointing out dipstick and other fluid check points as part of handover. Perrys in MK did just that handing over our new Berlingo last month. Not quiteright though. I couldn't see a power steering fluid reservoir and asked if PAS was electric - answered in affirmative.
In fact the PAS is conventional but the reservoir is buried low in engine compartment on left hand side.
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But, most people don't even know they should check the oil. The dealers dont inform the owners when they sell them a car, neither do the manufacturers. In fact the only information I'm aware of on a car is a warning on the engine not to overfill it.
Its not ignorance or stupidity, its lack of education. Same applies to checking tyre pressures, brake/coolant fluid levels.
Gearbox oil levels anyone? ;)
If the gearbox had a dipstick I'd check that too! Getting the jack and axle stands out, removing a wheel, wheel arch liner, and undoing a plug and seeing how much if any falls out, is a touch more involved and getting into routine maintenance rather than simple checks.
At least gearbox oil leaks tend to be noticable where the car has been parked up. If an engine is burning oil you might not know until the light comes on.
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At least gearbox oil leaks tend to be noticable where the car has been parked up. If an engine is burning oil you might not know until the light comes on.
You can have dripless loss without it being burned too. My Xantia was spraying it round the inside of the cambelt cover where it coagualted into a thick goo - not a spot on the drive.
Edited by Bromptonaut on 17/10/2013 at 18:43
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It would help if the oil companies themselves got their facts right instead of trying to flog the incorrect (no doubt higher profit) products.
Out of curiosity, I followed the link to Comma's site posted earlier. Entering the details for a car I own which has a handbook recommendation for 10/40 semi-syn, Comma recommends a 5/30 fully synhetic. Comma isn't alone in doing this, I've had similar results from other oil brand sites in the past.
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How old's the car and have things changed since the handbook was printed?
I've exactly the same situation with my car, but I stick with the cheaper 10W-40.
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2002 and the last time I checked with the main dealer (it's a Honda) the recommendation hadn't changed. A 5/30 kinda sorta works from the handbook but it isn't the prme recommendaion. Unless you are trying to flog expensive oil, that is...
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you have to remember that the car manufacturer recommended oils are specified when a car is new, With time better and perfectly suitable products come along.
These days I can buy a good 5w30 fully synthetic cheaper than 10w40 Semi.
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Most petrol cars are pretty insensitive to what oil you use as long as it's not so thick it'll overwhelm the pressure bypass in the filter or cause damage to the oil pump drive mechanism, diesel DPFs on the other hand can be very sensitive to how much ash is produced as a by-product of burning the a small amount of the oil on the cylinder walls. For the most part if the oil is roughly the right spec it'll be fine. With modern diesels you have to be a little more careful.
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If you are paying more that that for a semi-syn you must have an awful lot of spare money going begging.
As for 'better and more suitable' products cning along - maybe. Personally, I'd prefer to stick to the manufacturer's recomendations, using the grade the negine was buil tto work with.
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If you are paying more that that for a semi-syn you must have an awful lot of spare money going begging.
I think £10 for 4 litres of Fully synthetic is OK , sure it is a hydrocracked oil but, It's better than mineral anyday!
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But his link was to an Amazon "offer" of a Comma synhetic at £42.55!
Hence my evbrows crawling over tthe top of my head...
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Whose Link? the Link I posted was for Comma's survey on people checking their oil.
The handbook for my car lists 10w40, 5w40 and 5w30 but, Now 5w30 is much cheaper than it used to be and much more widely available at a sensible price i'll use it. Since it's first oil change I have used 5w40 fully syn.
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