Dealer Used Wrong Oil!!!
 

I took my car to the dealer for an oil change. Picked it up after hours and looked at the receipt after I got home. It states that they used 10-w30 oil in the car.

My question is, does driving the car with this oil cause damage to the engine? I have already gotten it drained and refilled with the correct oil. But will there be any lasting damage to my engine?

If so, what should my recourse be?

Thanks,

Neil

wow...that's not what i need to be reading due to the fact that i'm sitting here at the dealership waiting onmy oil to be changed...

10-30 will not hurt anything. In fact everywhere but the US uses it standard for the 8.

Just got an oil change at the dealer and the receipt stated 10w30. I immediately raised this, to which the mechanic (who just happened to be walking by) automatically stated 5w20 was used and that 10w30 comes up standard on the computer. I would check with the dealer before you panic further. If they put the wrong oil in the car, they should give you an oil change for free.

dag

Ahhh??? Time for them to fix the computers!! Smells like B.S. to me.


If the wrong oil is used in mine...I want much more than a free oil change. How about a new engine.

[/QUOTE] If they put the wrong oil in the car, they should give you an oil change for free [/QUOTE]


- Irish :cool:

no worries about any damage to your engine at all

but it does show the quality of your dealer

i think a free oil change would be reasonable under those circumstances

even if you do get a free oil change, would you feel comfortable letting them change oil again, knowing they screwed up the first time around???

i'd go for freebies at the parts dept, maybe a $30 voucher (typical cost of dealer oil change) at parts dept??

really your gas mileage was probably the only thing hurt by the switch in oil

don't fret :)

For future reference, no automotive motor oil is going to hurt your engine. They all do the same thing. If you have a really thick oil and it is below freezing outside, I might be concerned during startup, but otherwise don't sweat it. You can still drive it. If it makes you nervous, change it.

you only have to worry if they replace 5W20 with 0W0. Relax, its ok.

mazda has o.k.ed the use of 10w-30 so what your problem wolf
oil is fing oil

no big deal...glad he is concerned though...not like some of you who never add oil

Yeah, my dealer used 5w-30 according to the print out. I called them on it and they said it was a computer error and it was fixed(BS). Next time my oil got changed they did the same thing(5w-30). I read in a post somewhere else that that is the standard in Europe for the 8s. For what that is worth.

When took the car for oil change I asked the service rep what type oil they used. He replied "Pennsoil" because that's the brand the contract between dealership and oil company stipulates. Asked rep to hold on a few minutes while I went to auto supply across the street. Bought 4 quarts Valvoline 5W-20. Assuming that's what was used as I got back one container with 1/2 quart left.

my first couple changes (at the dealer) stated 10w30 on the RO. Questioned it the first time. The tech who did it was gone, so they drained and refilled twice w/ 5w20 to be sure. Twice, because not all the oil is drained at a change. This past Monday (12/9/04) the RO said 6 qts of 5w20 (had said 5qts of 10w30 before). And they got a glob of grease (not a spot of oil) on my floor mat. Now it smells of tolulene. It's sitting at the office in front of a fan after they 'cleaned' it again today. That's another story though.

Though there isn't anything in the 10w-30 that will damage your engine...it is inferior oil to the standard semi-syn 5w-20 they're supposed to put it. The 10w-30 is the generic oil that comes from the bulk barrels...usually whatever the dealer can get cheapest in bulk. The 5w-20 semi-syn's gotta be poured in from qt bottles (unless the mazda dealership is also a ford dealership), which is a PITA for the tech (compared to the bulk containers), and involves extra work.

In other words, putting in 10w-30 in your car is like the dealership saying..

"I could care less about your car, its not worth my time or energy to make sure everything is to spec."

If you want to continue to use the dealership, bring in your own oil, and ask for the extra oil back (so you know they used it and didn't put it in their personal supply). Almost make sure to use the old sharpie marker trick. Put a sharpie mark on your oil filter before taking it in, then check for the mark when you leave. If the mark's still there (which it will be in 25% of cases), never go to that dealership again.

Btw if you call mazdausa, or write them about the dealership putting in 10w-30, it'll get the dealership in trouble.

On my last oil change my dealer used 5 XO*5W30*QSP Motor Oil 1 Qt Super Prem. They swear up and down that Mazda is telling them not to use 5W20 oil anymore.

Had my oil changed last week. Got the same receipt (10W30) and got the same answer from the Service Mgr. Must be a corporate thing.

Ya, but what if the dealer put in syn and didn't tell you? Would you be happy or not?

got my oil changed recently. invoice said they used bulk oil? 6 qts. the dip stick wasnt too far above the full line. wtf viscosity is bulk oil?

I think this demonstrates how anal we RX8 lovers are (would have said owners but I don't have one... yet ;)).

There hasn't been any internal memo's or MRI's on not using 5w-20 weight oil. The dealerships are just feeding you a line so you stop bothering them. I'm starting to believe dealers are under the impression whatever they say is fact, whether its true or not. I guess cause most consumers know absolutely zilch about cars, and wouldn't dare challenge someone if they spewed out some random word combinations about their engine or oil.

FSM for 05 Rx8 specifes 5w-20 ILSAC certified oil. Non USA specifes SAE 5w-20, API SL, or ILSAC.

You'd think if mazda is telling dealers not to use it, it would have changed in the 05 FSM...as they are updated online.

I suggest emailing mazdausa about any dealership not using the manual specified oil, and mention that you confronted the dealership, and they said mazda said 5w-20 is bad, and your wondering if thats true.

Then post the response in this thread.

my salesman gave me a coupon for a free oil change. the coupon is still in my possession and it will never be used. my 8's oil has only been changed by me. this is the best way i can ensure the correct weight oil is used and the oil change is done correctly.

yamajj

I wouldn't be concerned in hot weather but in cold weather use the thinner oil. I got my first change at the dealer and they put 5 quarts in, overfilled by 1 quart. It didn't hurt though, but I did my own change after that, it calls for 3.7 quarts with filter change. I used 4 quarts and it was right on the full line of the dipstick.

If you jack up the drivers side of the car while the oil is draining you will drain almost an additional quart of the old oil. My last oil change took just a bit less than 5 qts. with filter change. Best to get as much of the old oil out as possible because as much as 2-3 qts. remain in the oil coolers and piping thereby immediately contaminating the new oil with the old. Would be nice to get more of the old oil out, but probably not practical to do that.