Have I been fleeced??

[Martyn_n]

The wifes Citroen went in for a main dealer major service today (I know we are a merc forum but this is not make specific!!).

When I eventually got the car back (we had to argue over the cost / level of servicing) there was an advisory that the o/s cv gaiter clip had come loose, spewing grease over the brakes, and required replacing ASAP. As I'm quite capable of doing this I took the car away and set about the repair myself. (I have little doubt, but little evidence, that they tampered with the clip as the ammount of grease was pretty consistant with my drive home). Anyway I set about putting a temporary clip on this evening and was surprised to find that the wheel was seized on and required a few firm taps with a mallet to get off. Once I had done the job I also noted that the brake bleed nipple appeared not to have been touched even though I had paid for a fluid change. Suspicions aroused I tried the other front wheel and found that was also seized on and once again the bleed screw looked untouched (though there was some fluid in the rubber cover of it. I then looked at the brake reservior which did had new fluid in to a level about 5mm above the max level. When I dipped the oil it was jet black, but at the correct level. Oh and they forgot to change the air or fuel filters.

My questions are this; would you expect the wheels to have been removed during a major service and brake fluid change? Would you expect the bleed screws to show evidence of being loosened if the fluid had been changed? And finally (and I may sound a bit thick here) but does engine oil go black within 5 miles on a diesel engine as It certainly doesn't on my petrol cars!

 

[Deleted member 11979]

That all sounds rather suspicious to me. I'm not entirely sure about the oil going black but my petrol 500SL used to be clearish for months after an oil change. Suppose it depends how much of the old oil was retained in the engine after it was drained (or not)

Bleed screws always show signs of being removed in my experience, not to mention brake fluid being present in the area (always a bit of dampness when I do mine on the Land Rover anyway) You can bleed brakes without removing the wheels esp if you have a lift and I have so little faith in garages that I'd expect nothing less than them leaving the wheels on for a major service unless they are trying to fleece you for new brake discs /pads etc.

I'd ask for an explanation.

 

[Dieselman]

Diesel oil will go black almost immediately depending on how much was left in after draining and whether the engine was flushed after draining.

If the brake pads can be seen through the wheels don't automatically expect the wheels to be removed, but also if they are tight on the spigot they will go back on tight.

It's quite possible that the bleed nipples are accessible with the wheels on, especially from under the car.
The only way to tell if the callipers contain new fluid is to bleed a bit out and check to see if it's clean.

 

[martyz]

Did they change the oil filter?not sure if fuel filter is changed on major service,air should have been,if they changed brake fluid they would have done it on the lift,evidence of fluid would be found around bleed nipples,and nice clear fluid in reservoir to the max .loose cv boot ,cable tie is all you need to secure.(why did they not do that) very poor service,oil sounds suspect too.

If I was you I would go back and let the service manager Know you are not happy.

 

[Martyn_n]

Did they change the oil filter?not sure if fuel filter is changed on major service,air should have been,if they changed brake fluid they would have done it on the lift,evidence of fluid would be found around bleed nipples,and nice clear fluid in reservoir to the max .loose cv boot ,cable tie is all you need to secure.(why did they not do that) very poor service,oil sounds suspect too.

If I was you I would go back and let the service manager Know you are not happy.

Cannot tell about the oil filter as it is not a "steel can" type, I can see the housing has drips of oil around it so I'm assuming it has been changed. I ran through the schedule that I had paid for (It was a citroen on-line offer that was different to the regular servicing) and he agreed that I had paid for the fuel filter to be changed but it hadn't.
They didn't cable tie the cv joint as I told them I wasn't paying 60 quid for them to do it just like I wasn't paying them 20 for two indicator bulbs!

The more I think about it the more certain I am the brake fluid has not been changed, maybe I'm just a messy worker but I have ALWAYS left evidence of fluid around the bleed screws!! I'm tempted to belled one caliper to see what the fluid is like but that will destroy some evidence. (though it will get the level down to the max level!!)

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

I have only ever had one oil burner, a VW Phaeton. I changed the oil and filter on that, drove for a few miles and then checked the level, it was as black as a very black thing. I thought there was something it, however, as DM says..its normal.

 

[nick mercedes]

My questions are this; would you expect the wheels to have been removed during a major service and brake fluid change? Would you expect the bleed screws to show evidence of being loosened if the fluid had been changed? And finally (and I may sound a bit thick here) but does engine oil go black within 5 miles on a diesel engine as It certainly doesn't on my petrol cars!

How they change the brake fluid:

How to operate a Wynn's Brake Flush Machine - YouTube

 

[Martyn_n]

The things people put on youtube never ceases to amaze me, if you have one of those do you really need to resort to youtube to know how to use it??

I would still have expected a degree of fluid to be left near the nipples, for the faces of the nipples to show some sign of having a spanner applied and for the rust around the bottom of the thread to be disturbed. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.

Thanks all for the input.

 

[JOB-BLACK-RAT]

Maybe not fully fleeced

 

[markjay]

As DM said...

And also - an A service on MB cars does not include removal of the road wheels... they only get removed on a B service.

 

[Martyn_n]

Thanks for that, I'm clearly just an untrusting soul.

I still intend to bleed one of the front brakes to see what lurks in there.

 

[mauno]

no it does not go black that quick.check with viscosity tester (visgage). then go back and ask for refund

 

[silver_star]

no it does not go black that quick.check with viscosity tester (visgage). then go back and ask for refund

Yes it does on a diesel, it will have gone black after a very short period of idling prior to checking the level after the fill.........or at least it has every time I have changed the engine oil in a diesel.

 

[BaldGuy]

I'd personally be going back to the service manager for explanation of your findings.... On a major service I'd expect the wheels to come off for a proper brake inspection and also track rod etc inspection.
Explain everything you're not happy about and if the explanation from him comes back clean all it's cost you is a trip there and your time.... Oh and piece of mind....

 

[voy2age]

Cannot tell about the oil filter as it is not a "steel can" type, I can see the housing has drips of oil around it so I'm assuming it has been changed. I ran through the schedule that I had paid for (It was a citroen on-line offer that was different to the regular servicing) and he agreed that I had paid for the fuel filter to be changed but it hadn't.
They didn't cable tie the cv joint as I told them I wasn't paying 60 quid for them to do it just like I wasn't paying them 20 for two indicator bulbs!

The more I think about it the more certain I am the brake fluid has not been changed, maybe I'm just a messy worker but I have ALWAYS left evidence of fluid around the bleed screws!! I'm tempted to belled one caliper to see what the fluid is like but that will destroy some evidence. (though it will get the level down to the max level!!)

it may spound like a silly question (you may have to take the car in to keep the warranty etc),

but why did'nt you do it yourself?

my mother took her volvo in a few weeks ago (just a 12000 miles service)..cost £450..

if i do a full "A" on my car and so long as there is no problems, buying fully synthetic oil in bulk, buying filters on-line etc, plus gearbox and rear axle oil
i can get the cost down to around £50 ish.

plus i know the job has been done right.

just a thought..

 

[grober]

(It was a citroen on-line offer that was different to the regular servicing)may explain a few things?

 

[Martyn_n]

(It was a citroen on-line offer that was different to the regular servicing)may explain a few things?

It was different in as much as it had all the items listed on the citroen schedule plus the air and diesel filters. So in theory they should have been more thorough. The flip side is that it was such a good deal (compared to their original quote) they probably resented me taking them up on it.

It has still got to go back for the filters but I think it may be it's last visit to this particular dealer.

 

[Martyn_n]

it may spound like a silly question (you may have to take the car in to keep the warranty etc),

but why did'nt you do it yourself?

my mother took her volvo in a few weeks ago (just a 12000 miles service)..cost £450..

if i do a full "A" on my car and so long as there is no problems, buying fully synthetic oil in bulk, buying filters on-line etc, plus gearbox and rear axle oil
i can get the cost down to around £50 ish.

plus i know the job has been done right.

just a thought..

I do my own servicing on the merc but the wife is quite attached to her FSH!!