[latentpotential]

Originally Posted by Gansan

^^Suzuki is the service dealer here! MSM is owned by Suzuki. The other MASS are accepting the oil. But I prefer MSM's service standards.

Anyway next oil change is one year away! Let me see at that time!

Originally Posted by rr_zen

If MSM is so insistent in not accepting oil being provided by the customer, it is better to get only the oil change done outside at a local and competent garage.

My MSM is Thanawala Motors in Thane. They are always happy to use the oil provided by us and change it.

They also make it a point to do the oil change in such cases in front of the customer, since it makes the process very transparent. On request, they did a engine oil flush with a STP can provided by us, before one of the oil changes as well.

Charges are same as the standard labour charges for oil change, and the filter is also replaced during the process as is to be expected.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by saket77

Since oil change is not too technical job, you may opt for FNGs for the purpose. Just get a good filter like purolator or suzuki from outside shops and get your preferred engine oil. I too use Magnatec for my car and my oil change will be due in a few months or about 1K kms, whichever comes first. Will update how it goes with the MASS at my place.

I realize that.

Even the Shell station in my area does the oil change for free, if we buy the oil from them.

But whatever oil change we do outside will not be updated in the service history of our cars. I took a friend to MSM yesterday for some trouble shooting of his Wagon-R. He bought it used six months ago at the Capital Honda showroom at Meenambakkam. They gave it to him after a complete service and oil change, of course.

He wanted to enroll it for the AMC programme of MSM while we were there. They checked the service history and refused to accept it, saying "the last oil change was done two years ago". Incidentally the last recorded service was done at MSM!

[sgiitk]

@Gansan; Who cares about their records as long as you have the paperwork with you.

[creative420]

What do you guys prefer? To be there during the oil change or not?

I've given my Ritz ZXi for the 2nd free service. The car has done about 8K. I got a call from the service centre that the car is due for an oil change. They're charging me 3000 for 3 litre of Castrol Synthetic 5W-30 and 700 for some oil filter. Labour charge is free. Is this price right? Secondly, should I be there for the oil change?

EDIT: Just got a call and they've already changed the oil. In just 2 minutes from writing this post. :P

[Car_Freak_911]

I'm giving my Honda Dio for service tomorrow.
I was planning of switching over to synthetic oil. I'd like to know what difference will it make and if it is advisable to do so.

Thanks

[ToyotaFan]

My toyota fortuner Jan 2013 model has covered 19.5k kilometers in the last 19 months and is now due for its second service. I continued with mineral oil at the time of first service (10k kilometers) and now am contemplating whether to shift to synthetic oil or continue with mineral oil. I read all the advantages and disadvantages which has confused me even more. Any advise from fellow members would be greatly appreciated

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by ToyotaFan

My toyota fortuner Jan 2013 model has covered 19.5k kilometers in the last 19 months and is now due for its second service. I continued with mineral oil at the time of first service (10k kilometers) and now am contemplating whether to shift to synthetic oil or continue with mineral oil. I read all the advantages and disadvantages which has confused me even more. Any advise from fellow members would be greatly appreciated

Enough has already been said about the two oils and there merits and demerits. Finally it comes to price I feel. Since Toyota still officially sticks to the mineral oil and the oil change interval is 10k kms, I tend to stick to that. My own Innova has been doing fine for the last 1.35L kms on mineral oil and hence I see no reason to change.

[ToyotaFan]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Enough has already been said about the two oils and there merits and demerits. Finally it comes to price I feel. Since Toyota still officially sticks to the mineral oil and the oil change interval is 10k kms, I tend to stick to that. My own Innova has been doing fine for the last 1.35L kms on mineral oil and hence I see no reason to change.

Yes my innova has also run 90k kms on mineral oil that's why am also not too keen to change. Toyota ASS did give me the option in the first service but considering the amount of oil the car takes it does lead to a significant cost advantage. I better stick with mineral oil and save some bucks. Thanks for the help.

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by Car_Freak_911

I'm giving my Honda Dio for service tomorrow.
I was planning of switching over to synthetic oil. I'd like to know what difference will it make and if it is advisable to do so.

Small cc air cooled engines would not benefit to the extent which a liquid cooled engine will benefit from synthetic oil. But there are members who have used fully synthetic oil in the Dio and reported very good results compared to mineral or semi-synthetic oil. The major differences reported as compared to mineral oil is smoothness in operation and freely revving engine. At the end of the day its a cost to benefit ratio which you have to evaluate and take a call.

[PatienceWins]

Originally Posted by Gansan

I realize that.

Even the Shell station in my area does the oil change for free, if we buy the oil from them.

When I checked with the guy changing oil at Shell, they change the oil without changing the filer. This is not right.

[Gansan]

^^Only if they don't have the filter for our car in stock. It is always better to go with our own filter.

[gopa99]

Originally Posted by Gansan

^^Only if they don't have the filter for our car in stock. It is always better to go with our own filter.

I guess thats the reason why branded oems are not doing any counter sale for oil filters at their dealerships. When asked for my hyundai, the store person said politely that oil filters cannot be sold to customers. When asked for a set of wipers, I got them readily

Originally Posted by abhinav.s

Small cc air cooled engines would not benefit to the extent which a liquid cooled engine will benefit from synthetic oil. all.

Hi Abhi, just curious, why do you think air cooled engines wont benefit that much from synthetic oil? And are you specifically referring to any car that has air cooled engine?

[sgiitk]

@gopa99; Air cooled engines have a higher thermal stress, hence a synth will benefit them.

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by gopa99

Hi Abhi, just curious, why do you think air cooled engines wont benefit that much from synthetic oil? And are you specifically referring to any car that has air cooled engine?

Well the question was not about car engines but the OP asked about the benefit of synthetic oil in Honda Dio (scooter). The statement is based on my own experience of using synthetic oil in Pulsar150, RTR160, RTR180 & TVS Wego. It isalso based on the seat of the pants feel and not any hard data/research. The engine with the synthetic oil in the above vehicles felt no different than when they are run on mineral oils (Sometimes engine note felt harsher on synthetic). Only the TVS Wego benefited from semi-synthetic oil.

I do understand that synthetic oils hold their properties over a wide variety of temperatures compared to mineral oils and personally use it in my car. But for Indian manufactured, air cooled, small capacity engines, I have personally felt no benefit with synthetic oil in terms of engine smoothness, gearshift quality, NVH levels etc.

[gopa99]

Originally Posted by abhinav.s

Well the question was not about car engines but the OP asked about the benefit of synthetic oil in Honda Dio (scooter). The statement is based on my own experience of using synthetic oil in Pulsar150, RTR160, RTR180 & TVS Wego. personally felt no benefit with synthetic oil in terms of engine smoothness, gearshift quality, NVH levels etc.

thanks abhi. very nice inputs for air cooled engines and food for thought too.