Hi folks,

 

So I was checking through my paperwork the other day and looked at the invoice from the last service it had at Kwik Fit (before I bought the car- previous owner).

 

The TTiD engine is only specified to use 0W-40 engine oil- no other oil is listed as being compatible according to the Saab workshop manuals.

 

Kwik Fit have used 5W-30 oil!

 

Although the oil does conform to the correct GM-LL-B-025 specs it is the wrong viscosity. It's not even that 0W-40 is recomended but 5W-30 can be used just that 0W-40 is the only oil to use.

 

Is the wrong viscosity oil used grounds for getting in touch with them do you think? It is the Sunderland branch which complicates things but perhaps they will let me take it to the York branch?

 

Failing that I will buy the right oil myself and change it and send them the bill!

 

Any advice greatly received.

 

Phil

And here's the info from the workshop manual. Mine is the bottom one Z19DTR:

 

When did it have the service done?

 

I'd simply start by ringing their customer service line to see what they say as a first port of call.

It was June 2016 and 72,986 miles (now on about 78,000).

 

Yes hadn't thought about ringing the general Kwik Fit customer services.

 

Thanks

The engines of today are becoming almost to demanding for non dealers to cover all requirements ........that's just my attitude

Yes I know what you mean. In fairness to them it is a minefield with oil grades. And it does state that the oil must be GM-LL-B-025 and the Titan S-Syn G 5W-30 they used is specifically for GM. But they then unfortunately missed that all expect the twin turbo can use 5W-30 oil!

 

Will give their call center a ring and see what they say.

So spoke to customer services. They initially said I should speak to the garage directly which I agreed with and did.

 

What a snotty horrible response I got!

 

"I think you have used the wrong grade of oil in my car"

 

"Not possible!" was his response! Literally he just said that... cue long pause as I wasn't expecting such an abrupt response.

 

He said they check the oil against the reg number and the computer won't let them use the wrong oil!

 

Told him I am looking at the Saab workshop manual right now ad it states only 0W-40 oil to be used in that engine. He said they don't go by that and information is changed/updated and they go by their online manual so it's not possible they've used the wrong oil (typical "computer says no" response).

 

Said thank you, goodbye and rang service center back who have passed my details on to the regional manager to look into!

 

I'm tempted to ring a couple of Saab specialists and ask what oil they think should go in it.

Edited 12 January, 20179 yr by Phil-E

Get the SAAB specialists to email the requirements over to you, and then forward that onto customer services so that you have it in writing. Nothing can be lost in translation then.

 

Pretty much the response I was expecting you to say from Kwik Fit though.

Get the SAAB specialists to email the requirements over to you, and then forward that onto customer services so that you have it in writing. Nothing can be lost in translation then.

 

Pretty much the response I was expecting you to say from Kwik Fit though.

 

Good idea.

 

And yes I secretly expected a response like that... but I had hoped they may redeem themselves! Will see what the regional manager says.

Are you not in the SAAB Owners Club?  I would have thought that their membership would have a "safe" collective idea on which oils can be used on that engine.  To me this is slightly a strange one as I did not expect anyone to be stipulating the use of an 0W-40 oil as long ago as when that car was built, but SAAB have always gone their own way so maybe this is one of these times!

Although I sympathise with you I would advise playing it softly with Kwick Fit and relying on their goodwill (if they have any). As the service was done before you owned the car the contact is between Kwick Fit and the previous owner not you. Have you had a look on their website to see whether any guarantee is transferable to a new owner?

 

Also have you asked a Saab specialist what damage may have been caused by the wrong oil?

I remember around 20 years ago Porsche specified 0W 40

So you can get better than a Quack-Fit fitter! ;)

Just checked with #1 son, he's a Saab trained technician, and works in a Saab specialist garage.

Answer is 180 hp dtr twin turbo 16 v uses 0W-40 oil, they use Mobil 1.

Edited 12 January, 20179 yr by Kenny R

Just checked with #1 son, he's a Saab trained technician, and works in a Saab specialist garage.

Answer is 180 hp dtr twin turbo 16 v uses 0W-40 oil, they use Mobil 1.

 

Thank you.

 

I also phoned up the closest Saab specialist to me and he said the exact same and quoted the same Mobil 1.

 

Asked if any other grade can be used such as 5W-30 and he said absolutely not!

 

I'm going to play it cool with them. I'm not one to shout and loose my temper as I know that achieves bugger all!

 

Just providing them with the info and see what they come back with.

 

Either way the oil will be getting changed asap! Don't want to run it any longer with the wrong oil in and if it comes to it I'll be picking up a bottle of Mobil 1 from ECP at the weekend and doing it myself.

 

Thanks for you help guys.

 

Will let you know how I get on!

As a double check of computer systems generated oil spec by registration, just try the Halfords online system and see what this generates for you.

It doesn't go into that much detail. Just says this:

 

Our Full Service is ideal as an annual maintenance programme for your car. We recommend your car receives a Full Service every 12,000 miles or 12 months, whichever is sooner. Our Full Service comprises a full range of vehicle safety checks including a full ‘wheel-off’ brake inspection plus the following replacement parts:

• Replacement spark plugs (petrol vehicles)
• Replace fuel filter (diesel vehicles)
• Replacement air filter
• Drain and replace engine oil with recommended oil for your vehicle (includes synthetic and specialist oils) - I guess this is where they have messed up!
• Replacement oil filter
• Check fluid levels and top up coolant, screenwash and power steering fluids

I do have a contact though who used to work for them in York and he's still friends with the manager there.

 

I've asked if he could look up my reg and see what details it brings back.

What kind of muppet gets their car serviced at 5hit Fit?  :peek: 

Toyota iQ 1.0 & 1.3 euro 4 used 5w 30 Full Synthetic, then the Euro 5 engines were fitted late 2010 with 5w 30 fs

 

Then when there were more complaints that MPG's were worse (The EGR Valves were sorted though) Toyota changed to 0w 30 FS.

It was done because it helped them get the engines to sometimes get better MPG, that was the only reason for the change Toyota Technicians told owners.

Toyota iQ 1.0 & 1.3 euro 4 used 5w 30 Full Synthetic, then the Euro 5 engines were fitted late 2010 with 5w 30 fs

 

Then when there were more complaints that MPG's were worse (The EGR Valves were sorted though) Toyota changed to 0w 30 FS.

It was done because it helped them get the engines to sometimes get better MPG, that was the only reason for the change Toyota Technicians told owners.

 

To add to this: In an Auris 1.6 auto I was servicing a few years ago, the owner's manual stated that the correct grade was 0W30 however if this was unavailable, a 5W30 may be used. The next oil change must be of the 0W30. Or else!!!

 

To add to the original topic, the Kwik Fit will have looked up the oil to be used in the car, found they didn't have any or their supplier doesn't do that kind so thought "Oh it's just a Vauxhall 1.9. 5W30 will do."

After personally witnessing two examples of Kwik fit work, I'd not trust them with a childs tricycle. One was a potentially lethal fault where they re-fitted the brake pad return spring incorrectly leading to almost zero braking and the second time an exhaust which failed and dropped down into the road,pogoing the back of the car up in the air. Oh,and years ago they damaged my friends Alfa 164 by jacking it up in the wrong place.

What on earth was the previous owner thinking?

To add to the original topic, the Kwik Fit will have looked up the oil to be used in the car, found they didn't have any or their supplier doesn't do that kind so thought "Oh it's just a Vauxhall 1.9. 5W30 will do."

 

I think you're probably right! But in fairness all the places I look up the oil for it suggest the wrong oil!!! ECP recomend at least a 0W40 oil but with other 5W30s showing up too. But then none of them meet the GM Dexos 2 requirements.

 

Halfords suggests exclusively 5W30 grade oils even though they do stop Mobil 1 ESP 0W40 meeting the Dexos 2 specs. So I'm thinking that all the listsings are incorrect... but if you look it up in the Saab manual it explicitly says 0W40 so there's no getting away from the fact that the wrong oil has been used.

 

What on earth was the previous owner thinking?

 

I know... thing is I saw the service receipt and MOT was done there with no advisories so I assumed that maybe they had happened on a decent branch... but maybe they are a decent branch with incorrect information on the computer.

 

If they want me to take it into the York branch I will be asking to see the oil personally!

I sometimes supply my own if I have a brand preference.

In this instance I'd certainly doing it

I'll tell them to get to Halfords next door and buy a bottle of Mobil 1 ESP 0W40 oil! Apparently this and GM's own Dexos 2 are the only oils that meet all the requirements. Castrol Edge Titanium 0W40 apparently does but I can't find this information anywhere. First car I've owned with such limited oil options! The old Octavia 1.9 PD105 was happy with anything as long as it met the VW requirements and there was plenty to choose from.

 

Will see how it plays out. Just playing it cool at the moment and giving them time to (hopefully) rectify it and prove me wrong.

Edited 13 January, 20179 yr by Phil-E