Oil Change: the cost of oil

[kkerry]

My wife took our 3 year old Ford Fiesta (mid-range 1.6L model) for servicing today. Looking at the dealer service invoice and the cost of 4 litres of oil was 2,059 baht. This is the price for oil only, not the filter or for any service charge, they are listed separately. It's a Fiesta, not a BMW or Ferrari... the price seems very high to me or does a Fiesta really need super premium oil? She was going to get the windscreen wiper rubbers replaced as well but the price quoted was 1300 baht... just for the wiper rubbers, not the metal holders. She asked twice to confirm the price was for wiper rubbers only. Needless to say the wiper rubbers and a replacement battery will be obtained elsewhere.

[Genericnic]

My wife took our 3 year old Ford Fiesta (mid-range 1.6L model) for servicing today. Looking at the dealer service invoice and the cost of 4 litres of oil was 2,059 baht. This is the price for oil only, not the filter or for any service charge, they are listed separately. It's a Fiesta, not a BMW or Ferrari... the price seems very high to me or does a Fiesta really need super premium oil? She was going to get the windscreen wiper rubbers replaced as well but the price quoted was 1300 baht... just for the wiper rubbers, not the metal holders. She asked twice to confirm the price was for wiper rubbers only. Needless to say the wiper rubbers and a replacement battery will be obtained elsewhere.

Welcome to the reason for never having a vehicle serviced at a dealership anywhere in the world. The only time I would ever have a dealership service a vehicle is it is the scheduled service required to keep it in warrant.

David

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[Jitar]

Ford publish the engine oil type and cost for each model on their web site under "Maintenance Service"

http://www.ford.co.th/en/ford-owners/services/maintenance#

Looks like the Synthetic oil Ford recommend for the Fiesta is about 1,000 baht + Filter + labour etc.

There is even a handy pdf you can print and take to the dealer to ask why your car is so special.

[fredob43]

Sorry but you've been done I take my 3lt Toyota for it's service oil, oil filter grease prop + the usual check over cost's 1,500bt including VAT. That's at a Toyota garage.

[kkerry]

Jitar, thank you very much for the link. I've reviewed the items shown for Fiesta servicing. Cross referencing with the invoice and several items are the same price e.g. oil filter @240bt, oil drain plug washer @30bt. Brake fluid was cheaper (maybe only charged for a top-up), air filter 15 baht dearer but the oil 999 baht more expensive. It's only the second time the car has been to this Ford dealer and last time everything was okay. I'm wondering now if it might be an error on the invoice i.e. should have been 1,059 but entered as 2,059. Will contact the dealer tomorrow and see.

[tua2kee]

I think nothing wrong. I paid 2039 baht for Mobilone synthetic oil and oil filter at B-QUIK for my Honda Jazz.

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[VocalNeal]

I buy Toyota Synthetic oil, from a Toyota parts dealer and have a local guy change it. The oil is about 1600 baht for 4 litres.

[Ace of Pop]

Honda Service Oil Change charge 1890 Bht for 5 Lit of Syn. Bout same as VocalNeals Toyota, . Just use your dealer, and stop farting around.

[kkerry]

Okay, so this is what happened. Rang the dealer to be told they used 'special' oil for our car. Liking Jitar's suggestion we asked why our car was so special... they couldn't tell us...

Sent a polite inquiry to Ford on their website feedback link... no reply.

My wife later received a call from Ford HQ to ask if we were happy with the service. She brought up the issue about the oil, why so expensive when the website says it should be 1,060 baht. She was told the recommended oil listed for a Fiesta service on the Ford website is the green label product. The oil used for our oil change was the premium gold label version. They haven't gotten around to update the website yet... again we asked why our car was so special that the recommended oil on the Ford website wasn't good enough... they couldn't tell us... so if you get your car serviced at Ford it seems they will simply use 'special' oil unless you tell them otherwise.

[tua2kee]

Sounds like snake oil to me.

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[mogandave]

Cars 500K+

Fuel is 2K couple times a weeks.

Insurance is 20K a year.

Oil is 2K seaveral times a year.

Yeah, let's cheap out on oil, that makes sense.

[tua2kee]

Could I ask what is the servicing interval for Ford Fiesta? If it is 15000 or 18000km, it may make sense to use better oil. However, I think Ford should give customers a choice.

My wife took our 3 year old Ford Fiesta (mid-range 1.6L model) for servicing today. Looking at the dealer service invoice and the cost of 4 litres of oil was 2,059 baht. This is the price for oil only, not the filter or for any service charge, they are listed separately. It's a Fiesta, not a BMW or Ferrari... the price seems very high to me or does a Fiesta really need super premium oil? She was going to get the windscreen wiper rubbers replaced as well but the price quoted was 1300 baht... just for the wiper rubbers, not the metal holders. She asked twice to confirm the price was for wiper rubbers only. Needless to say the wiper rubbers and a replacement battery will be obtained elsewhere.

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[Jitar]

The standard oil change interval is 15,000 km, or 7,500 km if the car is subject to heavy use which Ford say is:

• Modified to use with LPG or CNG fuels
• Always used in heavy-traffic conditions
• Regularly used to travel short distances (8 km or less)
• Regularly used in smoky, dusty or sandy areas
• Regularly used at high speeds over a long period of time
• Regularly used in rugged & tough terrain, as well as, in towing other vehicles
• Regularly used in very hot or humid areas

Probably a few cars in central BKK would qualify for the shorter interval based on the first 3 points.

The Castrol Magnatec oil Ford specify is already a good fully synthetic oil.

No doubt there are more expensive options but the benefits would be hard to determine.

[kkerry]

According to the Ford Thailand website, Fiesta service intervals are every 15,000 km or every nine months, which ever comes first. Our car doesn't get driven a lot so every nine months. Distance driven since the previous oil change would have been about seven thousand kilometres maybe.

[kkerry]

According to the Ford Thailand website, Fiesta service intervals are every 15,000 km or every nine months, which ever comes first. Our car doesn't get driven a lot so every nine months. Distance driven since the previous oil change would have been about seven thousand kilometres maybe.

[mogandave]

So what does that cost you a year?

[taotoo]

Unless the dealer has reason to believe your car has a hard life, it's essentially a scam. My local Honda dealer tries the same with me. A normal car getting serviced every few months/thousand km isn't going to benefit from fully-synthetic oil enough to justify the cost IMO. I await the backlash...

[transam]

Unless the dealer has reason to believe your car has a hard life, it's essentially a scam. My local Honda dealer tries the same with me. A normal car getting serviced every few months/thousand km isn't going to benefit from fully-synthetic oil enough to justify the cost IMO. I await the backlash...

Perhaps true. If someone changes their ride regular then stick with basic oil, but if like me it must last a long time then the best is synthetic.

[Ace of Pop]

Most Dealerships push Synthetic if the car has been converted to run on rubbish.

[kkerry]

Seems the oil used is Castrol Titanium Edge, the highest quality product available from Castrol. Car is mostly driven around Bangkok, once in a while it gets driven in rural areas. To me, paying the equivalent of $62 or £38 for 4 litres of oil for a small 4 cylinder car is over the top. The oil recommended by Ford on their very own website, Castrol Magnatec Professional, at half the price, is also 100% synthetic.