Losing Faith...

[ccap41]

Originally Posted By: Benito
Originally Posted By: ccap41
Just to clarify I have/had no intentions of being rude to the employee at all, just inform him.

I said I'd sound like a ****(possibly) because questioning people can come off sounding like a **** without any intent. People don't like to be questioned, especially at their place of work where they are the "professional".


I seriously wouldn't bother. Even if they acknowledge the mistake, I can't see any meaningful change to the underlying problem.

Worse, you might give your girlfriend the impression that this was a one off incident, while the actual lesson to learn is to not expect actual expertise and knowledge from the average worker.


I didn't even bother telling them. She told me the his name who helped her and he wasn't there(that I could see) and I just figured I would have looked like an [censored] returning something and trying to correct them at the same time. Not a big deal.

 

[ccap41]

Originally Posted By: Red91
The one quart of 5W-30 would not have hurt a thing. It would have been fine. You guys are way too anal. End of the day, a Mercedes engine is still an engine very similar to the ones calling for 5W-30. You could run 5W-30 conventional oil as the fill for 4K-5K OCI's and yield the same results as running 0W-40 synthetic for 10K-15K. Again, way to anal.


You are correct. It would have been just fine most likely, VERY likely. But it was the part where the employee suggested that oil which was incorrect(and would have been wrong for any and all MB and BMW made in the past 15 years) is the more bothersome part. I know they aren't experts on EVERY [censored] vehicle that people ask them about, that's unrealistic to ask of them.

Also, we are all here on this kind of website because we are anal. We aren't normal when it comes to oil and filters otherwise there would be no point in this site.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: CT8
You can buy a pricey car but you can't read the manual.


Maybe the OP finds girls that are automotive inept more attractive. Who knows?

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: CT8
You can buy a pricey car but you can't read the manual.


Maybe the OP finds girls that are automotive inept more attractive. Who knows?

It woks for me.

 

[Merkava_4]

I'm just the opposite. Girls that can turn their own wrenches are HOT!

 

[dblshock]

5/30 is synthetic, counter guy saved you $10.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I'm just the opposite. Girls that can turn their own wrenches are HOT!

AMEN to that one my brother!!

 

[Red91]

There is virtually no one working in auto parts stores who knows the first thing about motor oil, including the people who actually know what they are doing. Ditto for auto repair shops. How do I know? I work in auto repair, and know the commercial account guys who know what they're doing, and they know little to nothing about motor oil. My own knowledge was based upon a slightly ignorant view of motor oil before I came here, and I went through the BITOG motions. Turns out, my limited knowledge of motor oil then and my current expanded knowledge of motor oil now have a lot in common. I've come to the same conclusion I had before my BITOG initiation; oil really is oil to an extent, Quaker State is great stuff, and over thinking the subject of motor oil is asinine. Your girlfriend's Merc will survive on much "worse" oils than synthetic 0W-40. A top off of something "lesser" will lead to nothing catastrophic whatsoever. I'm just astounded at the additudes some of the posters have had regarding this scenario.

 

[spackard]

Originally Posted By: ccap41
Believe it or not, I couldn't find the specs in her manual. Once I saw the oil I didn't want the hassle of buying more and returning the old stuff so I was hoping to find something on either spec or weight and I looked under every page that had "oil" or "engine oil" listed in the glossary and nothing. Even the "specifications" page only said "Mercedes spec only". I never came across a manual that didn't list oil weight or anything.


Every so often I try to re-enact BITOG problems, usually without posting anything because it would add nothing to the thread.

With your post, I tried the store's website but that didn't recommend any specific oil.
Next, I tried reading a G500 owner manual. For the type of oil it says you should read another manual, the Factory Approved Service Products manual. Wierd. Oil cap won't say what type either. Wierd. But, I've bought Japanese cars for awhile.

 

[ccap41]

Originally Posted By: spackard
Originally Posted By: ccap41
Believe it or not, I couldn't find the specs in her manual. Once I saw the oil I didn't want the hassle of buying more and returning the old stuff so I was hoping to find something on either spec or weight and I looked under every page that had "oil" or "engine oil" listed in the glossary and nothing. Even the "specifications" page only said "Mercedes spec only". I never came across a manual that didn't list oil weight or anything.


Every so often I try to re-enact BITOG problems, usually without posting anything because it would add nothing to the thread.

With your post, I tried the store's website but that didn't recommend any specific oil.
Next, I tried reading a G500 owner manual. For the type of oil it says you should read another manual, the Factory Approved Service Products manual. Wierd. Oil cap won't say what type either. Wierd. But, I've bought Japanes
e cars for awhile.

Thank you! I did the same exact thing and got nothing! I've owned a 06 C350 and when doing my research for that found that ALL Mercedes used the same oil and filter otherwise there wasn't a legitimate answer to the question. The manual only said "Mercedes specification oil" but didn't even list the spec number(MB 229.5 or whatever the newest one is as an example).

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Most of those clerks in parts houses don't know squat about auto maintenance. Not only that, they don't give a big rat's a** about much but closing time. I wouldn't ask any of our local Auto Zone help anything about vehicles. I saw what AZ was hiring when the store was coming up on grand opening and it wasn't pretty. And the new store didn't have much to bring me back. AAP and NAPA are better choices here.

 

[MinamiKotaro]

At Advance, they've started actively discouraging us from giving any kind of advice to anyone. Liability, presumably. The only thing we're supposed to say is "You need to take it to a shop and get it looked at."

 

[ryanschillinger]

You're losing faith in oil recommendations from a parts store, but not your girlfriend's lack of knowledge in such an expensive vehicle she was given? Maybe she should be driving a corolla or something. Nobody behind the counter of that store drives a g wagen. They probably make 50 cents over minimum wage and work hard. If her parents can afford to give her that car, then she should spring for dealer maintenance if she doesn't know anything about it. I always thought it was funny when I worked at a tire shop when I was younger and people would bring very new Benz and bmw and stuff for the $11 oil change. Honestly, what does the oil cap say? If you can't figure out the spec, how could they? Is 5w30 really that bad as a top off? I don't think so... My opinion.

 

[ccap41]

Originally Posted By: ryanschillinger
You're losing faith in oil recommendations from a parts store, but not your girlfriend's lack of knowledge in such an expensive vehicle she was given? Maybe she should be driving a corolla or something. Nobody behind the counter of that store drives a g wagen. They probably make 50 cents over minimum wage and work hard. If her parents can afford to give her that car, then she should spring for dealer maintenance if she doesn't know anything about it. I always thought it was funny when I worked at a tire shop when I was younger and people would bring very new Benz and bmw and stuff for the $11 oil change. Honestly, what does the oil cap say? If you can't figure out the spec, how could they? Is 5w30 really that bad as a top off? I don't think so... My opinion.


You magically assume that she wasn't the one who purchased her own vehicle? Maybe stop assuming that because she owns an expensive vehicle that she didn't buy it for herself. Even if it were a Corolla and she went to the store and they suggested the wrong stuff it would turn out to be..the same exact scenario.. Probably nobody behind the counter drives a C Class either but they're affordable used and take the same oil and filter. You don't have to drive a G Wagen to know what oil it takes..the same as any and all other Mercedes..or BMW..or probably VW and Audi as well.

The oil cap does not list a viscocity.

If they couldn't figure it out they shouldn't have suggested something. You don't have to get paid well to be an honest person and say "I'm sorry I don't know the correct stuff..but.." and then suggest something. That would have been completely different. But he "looked it up" and went and got it for her.

Yes, any motor oil would have worked just fine as a top off. 0-20 would work as a top off, 20-50 would work as a top off. But that doesn't mean it is right.

 

[SilverC6]

The only thing with the top off is you have an opportunity, with a little knowledge, to get it right.

So why not do that?

It's like all these would-be chemists around here with their Frankenbrews, 1 qt. of this, 1 qt. of that, a pinch of oregano, etc. to create the perfect 2.5W-45 semi-synthetic.

It's just too easy to go to the store and buy the right oil for the application and call it good.

Of course, you have to understand the main thing these guys are railing against is convention.

 

[bbhero]

That pinch of oregano REALLY does wonders for oil though.. Helps keep TBN higher even after 7k miles.

 

[Mauro]

The OP simply needs to sit down with his girlfriend and introduce her to the Owner's Manual and show her where all the relevant maintenance information can be found. That way in the future, she can make a much more informed decision on her own and not depend on some minimum wage clerk. If that is too difficult, tell her to go to the Mercedez parts counter and ask them.

 

[ccap41]

Originally Posted By: Mauro
The OP simply needs to sit down with his girlfriend and introduce her to the Owner's Manual and show her where all the relevant maintenance information can be found. That way in the future, she can make a much more informed decision on her own and not depend on some minimum wage clerk. If that is too difficult, tell her to go to the Mercedez parts counter and ask them.


I'm not trying to be a ****, but if you can find it in here let me know. This is identical to what I saw in her manual.

G500 Owner's Manual

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: ccap41

I'm not trying to be a ****, but if you can find it in here let me know. This is identical to what I saw in her manual.

G500 Owner's Manual


I must admit, it's a pretty useless manual when it comes to vehicle maintenance. There is all sorts of details about various electronic features and how to use/program each, but very little on basic maintenance.
No wonder it's so hard to find a used one that was properly maintained.

Still I do not think it's an excuse. At the very least the owner should realize that it is a luxury vehicle and not some run of the mill econobox. So the first step in seeking advice should be Mercedes themselves, the phone number was provided in the manual, and not a local auto parts store.

 

[ryanschillinger]

Did I not read an earlier post saying it was given to her by her parents? And there is nothing wrong with a Corolla. We have a 2013 and it's a nice little car. My point about the Corolla was more about the simplified maintenance and whatnot. It's 710 cap still tells you what oil to use, 0w20. But seriously, if you can't take care of such a nice vehicle, maybe you shouldn't be driving it. Or you can take charge and take care of that stuff yourself. Problem then is when a problem comes up, who are her parents going to blame? The boyfriend who insisted on fiddling with their daughters Benz. Even though you're trying to help...