Halfords Fuel Service...

[Spinal]

Has anyone used this?

I need an oil change, and can't find KwikFits £25 oil change anymore... but Halfords do this for £50... is it anything else than an oil change + a can of redex?

M.


Fuel Service Plus

Like our "Fuel Economy Service", the Fuel Economy Service Plus cleans the fuel system and engine which will have become dirty over time, so that the engine burns fuel more efficiently. However, the Fuel Service Plus also includes an oil system cleaner, oil change, and oil filter change

Independant tests featured in The Sun (16/09/08) showed drivers of both petrol and diesel engine cars noting improved fuel consumption.

 

[NW_Merc]

Don't use Redex, use Forte products instead, much better for your engine IMHO. I also use their engine cleaner before an oil change and it makes the engine run smoother.

 

[Spinal]

So I thought... let's take the risk and go see what they're like... I'll stand around and see what happens. (I've never left a car at a mechanic, and don't plan on starting now!)

Booked using the online form for next monday, and then noticed that the T&C state:

Oil Change - Brand new oil using Castrol Magnatec 10W 40 part synthetic*
...
*Other oils are available at an additional charge

Not a good start given that the car in question needs 5W30 Fully Synthetic oil... hmm... they're promised a call to confirm the booking, I'll raise it and see what happens...

May just end up changing the oil myself... NW Merc, where do you buy said Forte? and which do you use? Injector cleaner, or Advanced Formula Gas Treatment?)
M.

 

[Scott_F]

Booked using the online form for next monday, and then noticed that the T&C state:
Oil Change - Brand new oil using Castrol Magnatec 10W 40 part synthetic*
...
*Other oils are available at an additional charge

As opposed to second-hand oil ??

 

[Spinal]

As opposed to second-hand oil ??

I'm guessing as opposed to recycled oil... like the stuff sold in drums at Costco...

Still no call... got an email, but no call...

I responsed to the email with my queries - but have no response yet...

EDIT:
This prompted me to call them just now... Was told on the phone that an upgrade to fully synthetic oil carries a £22 additional charge... booking cancelled... Wish I could have gone and reviewed them, but I don't feel like paying £70 for an oil change and a can of redex...

Ordered a can of Forte engine flush and one of gas treatment on ebay for £14 and a K&N oil filter for £6. Will pick up some mobil1 at costco at some point... or maybe just see what fully synth oil costs at Halfords with the trade card... I really do wish they posted trade prices online!

 

[Scott_F]

I'm guessing as opposed to recycled oil... like the stuff sold in drums at Costco...

Still no call... got an email, but no call...

I responsed to the email with my queries - but have no response yet...

EDIT:
This prompted me to call them just now... Was told on the phone that an upgrade to fully synthetic oil carries a £22 additional charge... booking cancelled... Wish I could have gone and reviewed them, but I don't feel like paying £70 for an oil change and a can of redex...

Ordered a can of Forte engine flush and one of gas treatment on ebay for £14 and a K&N oil filter for £6. Will pick up some mobil1 at costco at some point... or maybe just see what fully synth oil costs at Halfords with the trade card... I really do wish they posted trade prices online!

And then get the old washing-up bowl out ! At least you'll have the weather for it this weekend.

 

[Stratman]

And then get the old washing-up bowl out ! At least you'll have the weather for it this weekend.

Or get one of these.. No need to remove the undertray, no armful of oil.

 

[Spinal]

Just did the oil change... I have a K&N oil filter on the way, but planning on driving to snowdon this weekend and Italy the next, so wanted to change the oil before then...

Total cost: about £25...
Halfords oil filter
Halfords fully synth 5W30 oil
both with trade discount...

Not the best quality oil/filter, but I'll do a Mobil1/K&N change once the filter arrives and I have time to goto costco... the probe is known to need changes every 3k miles, so this will work out quite well.

In the meantime, I have some clean oil to get me to snowdon, and I dumped a bottle of HT cleaner in there as they were sticking a bit (common on this model).

Not sure why, but I never liked oil vacuums... I like to know that I've drained all the oil... and that I've then run through the engine some clean oil before closing and topping up...

M.

 

[DITTRICH]

...but planning on driving to snowdon this weekend ...

should that be "up" and not "to"? I see the vauxhall frontera has been up again

 

[NW_Merc]

May just end up changing the oil myself... NW Merc, where do you buy said Forte? and which do you use? Injector cleaner, or Advanced Formula Gas Treatment?)
M.

The Gas treatment is a petrol treatment. There is a diesel treatment too but I dunno if you have a diesel car

I buy forte from ebay from different sellers. I always put the engine flush in before an oil change let it run for around 45 minutes and then drain out the old oil. I think if your car needs the injector cleaner and the rest then put them in according to the instructions, but dont buy what you dont need as they are expensive but good at what they are made to do.

 

[Spinal]

should that be "up" and not "to"? I see the vauxhall frontera has been up again

It was "to" - the up was done by foot I wish I could drive up... My arms are killing me... Brought my puppy with me, but as he's too small to walk more than 20 minutes on his own, I had to carry him up most of the way. The problem is, even though he's only 13 weeks old, he's also about 13kg...

And yes, there was a car at the top with an "ebay adver number" and "for charity" on the bonnet. Looked at it with interest as i would be quite curious to know how to get permission to do that... (edit: just googled it... looks like he didn't have the permission the first time 'round! Wonder why it's back there... I had assumed the owners of the railway had it at the top as their own car...)

M.

 

[Spinal]

and with a little more googling:
BBC News - Man arrested after 4x4 found near Snowdon summit again
BBC News - Criticism as 4x4 is driven to Snowdon summit again

Looks like it's the same car, but a different driver...

M.

 

[crockers]

should that be "up" and not "to"?

I think it all depends where one lives....

All roads towards London used to be called UP (based on the railways UP line being the one to London).

Not sure if this is still correct anymore - but I always found it fascinating that one went down to Leeds from London...

 

[Dieselman]

I'm guessing as opposed to recycled oil... like the stuff sold in drums at Costco...

What a load of cobblers.
Costco sell fresh oil, either Castrol, Chevron or Mobil 1. They don't sell any reclaimed oil at all, though there is nothing wrong with reclaimed oil, the oil never breaks down just the additives, so new additives and it's as good as new and used widely in industry and commercial sectors.

If I could have been bothered to do it years ago I would have fitted a bypass filter to my car and never changed the oil.

 

[Spinal]

What a load of cobblers.
Costco sell fresh oil, either Castrol, Chevron or Mobil 1. They don't sell any reclaimed oil at all, though there is nothing wrong with reclaimed oil, the oil never breaks down just the additives, so new additives and it's as good as new and used widely in industry and commercial sectors.

If I could have been bothered to do it years ago I would have fitted a bypass filter to my car and never changed the oil.

Are you sure? I thought the Chevron stuff in the 20l drums was reclaimed oil? It certainly doesn't look new when you pour it... I quite like seeing golden oil go into the engine, the Chevron stuff in 20l drums seems... well... dark/brown/murky...

M.

 

[Dieselman]

Even reclaimed oil looks clean...because it is.

EcoPower Oil, How It's Made

[YOUTUBE]AK76wEjVx2k[/YOUTUBE]


Look at the figures for how much crude is required to make a litre of engine oil. Incredible.

http://prose.eng.ua.edu/ed/pdf_file/tguide.pdf

 

[Spinal]

Thanks - didn't know...