Manual says 5W-20, dealers use 10W-30 ??

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I have a 2007 Rav4 and my daughter has 2008 Sonata. Manuals say use 5W-20. I went to dealers for the first oil change and two different dealers used 10w30 and Hyundai used BG oil additive. Why, can't they read?
 
Originally Posted By: Jerryb
I have a 2007 Rav4 and my daughter has 2008 Sonata. Manuals say use 5W-20. I went to dealers for the first oil change and two different dealers used 10w30 and Hyundai used BG oil additive. Why, can't they read?


I've been talking a lot about this lately and maybe it's just confined to the over populated North East, service/customer service is so bad anymore.

5w30 would have been a more ideal mistake
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but it doesn't matter. It's just for fuel economy. People are idiots.
 
10w30 in bulk is about 30 to 40 cents a gallon cheaper than 5w20 and dealers will ALWAYS buy on price.
 
They just want to carry one oil to simplify inventory. They added the BG to make an extra $20 off of you. That's why during the winter when I don't feel like crawling under the cars I take them to the dealer and I take my own oil. I physically stand there and watch them pour it in. Had a dealer last week change my ATF with their factory product but they also added a Valvoline cleaning agent and conditioner to the service and wanted to charge me an extra $30. I made them re-flush the transmission and us ATF only. You have to watch them like a hawk.
 
I'd find a dealer that really cares enough to provide the best service. 10w30 wont hurt a thing, but it is just a small indication that the dealer just wants to cut corners and make as much $$$ as possible.
 
Originally Posted By: jarvk22
10w30 in bulk is about 30 to 40 cents a gallon cheaper than 5w20 and dealers will ALWAYS buy on price.


My Mazda dealer where I bought my 6i, and the Ford dealer where I bought my Escape 4-banger, both only use MC 5w20 unless specified otherwise. Both dealerships also have great customer services and know how to make a person feel welcomed and appreciated.
 
If you want to tick the dealers off, contact the mfg and ask them why their dealers are not putting the recommended product in your cars and why are they adding additives that the mfg does not recommend. That will get their attention.
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny
If you want to tick the dealers off, contact the mfg and ask them why their dealers are not putting the recommended product in your cars and why are they adding additives that the mfg does not recommend. That will get their attention.


If it would only be this easy, but we can only try.

It's a sad fact that many (not all) dealers know that their customers don't know squat about oil and never ask what is used. Because of this many choose to buy the cheapest house blend swill they can find (minimum API licensed or not). 10w30 is by far the cheapest viscosity. This tells me about the character of the dealership. I'd spread the word to friends/neighbors.
 
10w30 over 5w20, They do it, because its cheaper and "It wont hurt a Thing". You can call the manufacture and dollars to donuts they will tell you that 10w30 wont cause problems. Why does everyone think 10w30 is soooo thick, I just want to mention all the cars that made a million miles, did it on 10w30. The dealer did you a favor.
 
I am a DIY person but, I expect the dealer to put the recommended fluids in my vehicle. That is supposed to be one big reason that people pay premium dollars to dealers so they get expert service and recomended maintenance i.e. fluids. I am sure that if I put the wrong fluid into my car and had motor problems for whatever reason the warranty could or would be voided.
 
at my dealer, we keep MC 5w20 blend, MC 5w30 blend and MC 15w40 in bulk. we have MC Mercon/Dex 3 currently going out in bulk due to Ford's updated specifications, and have MC Mercon V in bulk. we always used what is specified. we have any other trans fluids or MC synthetics in bottle in parts. we use Wynn's products for induction and coolant services. although the techs prefer to juse use straight MC fluids.
 
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Originally Posted By: Jerryb
I have a 2007 Rav4 and my daughter has 2008 Sonata. Manuals say use 5W-20. I went to dealers for the first oil change and two different dealers used 10w30 and Hyundai used BG oil additive. Why, can't they read?



That's pretty funny. The only time I ever had a dealer change my oil, I asked them to use 5w30 instead of 5W-20. The tech called me and went into the whole "invalidates your warranty" routine (which is another thread entirely).

DIY - always.
 
One of our commercial accounts has a lot of Fords, which nominally "require" 5W20. The commercial account does not want to pay extra for 5W20, so they contacted Ford directly (they are a very large account), and were told that 5W30 and 10W30 are OK, and would not void the warranty.

So, we use 5W30 in their Ford vehicles, and have for over two years (and a lot of miles) with no detrimental effects whatsoever.

Of course, we're in SoCal.
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I usually change my own oil with PP synthetic. Thanks to you guys, I have a stash. These were both new cars with less than 4,000 miles so I wanted the dealer to do the first change. I may need them later on so I wanted to see how they do the simple stuff. My wife brought both cars in. Hyundai used 10w30 and Toyota was going to use 10w30 and she told them to use 5W=20. They did and gave her the remaing 1/2 quart of the Toyota oil.
I'll do future oil changes and keep records.
 
Actually several years ago I did contact Toyota and informed them the dealer was not using the recommended weight of oil and in fact did no even carry it in stock. Soon after that they sent a newsletter to all customers that they now stock the recommended weights.

I agree, report the dealer to the manufacturer!
 
This is one of the many reasons that I hate taking my car to the dealer. They don't make enough $$$ selling cars and they have to pay for that fancy showroom, waiting room, 'free' coffee, etc... so they stick it to you every chance they get.

I also agree that 10w30 won't hurt a thing (except maybe your MPG) especially with warmer weather on the way.
 
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Wait till you bring your car in with your own (expensive, boutique) oil for a change, find the lube tech dumped in cheap bulk oil and the put the good oil in the trunk of his car. Then the dealership service writer (not the one who originally wrote it up) tries to charge the car owner for the oil and deny he brought his own oil in (on the tech's sayso). It all fell apart because, a) the car owner saw the tech carrying his oil out of the shop, and b) the service writer who wrote the original ticket wrote "use customer supplied oil." In the end, it was a pretty embarrassing event for a Toyota dealer, the lube tech went job hunting, the second service writer had some of his rump surgically removed (for being a complete dumas, I suppose) and the car owner (a friend of mine in California) was given a bunch of free service coupons.
 
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