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HOW YOUR FAMOUS FIVE STAR VEHICLE SERVICE STATION IN SRI LANKA, CHEAT YOU / RIP OFF. a. Filter Px : They insist on using their Filters. ie. Oil, Air, Fuel. If you challenge it, they will say that, there Filters are the most reliable & they will take the responsibility. But, the truth is that, there is no way for us to prove that, THE BREAK DOWN OF YOUR VEHICLE IS DUE TO THE QUALITY OF THE FILTERS. Therefore, even if you use Service Station Filters or any other parties filters or Authorized / Sole Agents Filters, the result is same. The Px of their Filters are aprox. Rs. 1,000.00 - 3,000.00, more than the Filters available in reputed Spare Parts Shops. As the service stations are highest users / bulk users of Filters, they should charge less than the Spare Parts Shops. But, the Service Stations charge very much more. Pl. get the DISCOUNTED Pxs of the Filters from a reputed Spare Parts Shop & compare with the charges given in your next service bill. If you do not have a reputed Spare Parts Shop, check with G.S. AUTO SPARES (PVT) LTD. TEL. NO. 4542666 / 3136977 / 0773404497 - This is where I buy it. SOLUTION : ALWAYS BUY YOUR FILTERS FROM A REPUTED SPARE PARTS SHOP, AT THE HIGHEST DISCOUNT. b.Filter lifetime : Each type of Filter has a lifetime for usage. It is given by the manufacturer. eg. Oil Filters - 5,000 kms ; Air Filter - 10,000 kms ; Fuel Filter - 15,000.00 kms. When the vehicle is handed over to the Service Station, they will fill up a check list & get your signature. They will always put it to your mouth saying that, we will change all Filters & it will be marked in the check list. Specially, if you are sending the Vehicle through a Driver / Employee, they will do so. At some Service Stations, a tip is given to the Driver / Employee, based on the value of the service bill. The truth is that, at 5,000 km service, you have to change only the Oil Filter & the other two Filters are still usable. But, they will change all Filters & if you challenge, they will show the check list signed by you. They replace all the Filters & keep the Fuel Filter & Air Filter (which is still usable) with them. They will clean your Filters & use it to another Customers Vehicle & charge him for new Filters. Therefore, even your Vehicle will get used Filters & you will be charged for new Filters. SOLUTION : ASK FOR THE LIFE TIME OF EACH FILTER (OR READ THE LIFE TIME GIVEN IN THE BOX) & CHANGE ONLY THE EXPIRED FILTER/S. AT LEAST, BE PRESENT, WHEN CHANGING THE FILTERS. c. Extra Labour Charge : The Service Stations doing the above will ask for an extra Labour Charge, if the Filters are brought by the Customer. There are enough normal Service Stations, which will fix the Filters brought by the Customers, without an additional charge. In case of the so called five star Service Stations, even if you pay the extra Labour Charge, you will have a saving & you are sure that, your Vehicle has a new Filter. SOLUTION : SELECT A SERVICE STATION, WITHOUT SUCH EXTRA LABOUR CHARGE. d. Cost of Engine Oil : The Cost of Engine Oil should be cheaper at the Service Stations (in Drums) than the Spare Part Shops (sold in sealed Cans), as the Service Stations use Oil in bulk on Drums & the usage is very much higher than the Spare Parts Shop. However, the Oil Price is higher in Service Stations than the Spare Parts Shop. The reputed Spare Parts Shops give a discount of min. 15% per 5 litre Can for cash purchases. In case of promotion times, a litre is given free, as well. If you do not know a place, contact G. S. AUTO (CONTACT DETAILS GIVEN ABOVE). Pl. get the DISCOUNTED Px of the Engine Oil from a reputed spare parts shop & compare with the charges given in your next service bill. It is best to buy from a Spare Parts Shop than an Oil Mart, to ensure that, the Cans are not adulterated. SOLUTION : BUY YOUR ENGINE OIL IN CANS OF 5 LITRE, AT THE BEST DISCOUNTED PX. e. Volume of Engine Oil : The five star Service Stations use a pump to fill the engine oil, from their large Drums. There is no guarantee that, the engine oil in these Drums are not adulterated. They will pump it to a 5 Litre Oil Can & you can not see how much they fill to the Can, as the Can is not transparent. ie. it is a black Can. Therefore, you will not know how much Engine Oil is filled. They will fill only 4.0 - 4.5 litrs & charge for 5 litrs. In some cases, they will put 4.0 - 4.5 ltrs from the 5 litr Can & then another 0.5 Litre will be filled to a litre Can & charge for 6 litrs. As per manufacturer of the Vehicle, the empty engine could hold only 4.0 - 4.5 litrs. SOLUTION : BUY YOUR ENGINE OIL IN CANS OF 5 LTRS & ASK FOR THE CAN TO BE GIVEN TO YOU TO CHECK WHETHER THERE IS ANY REMAINING OIL. ALSO, ENSURE THAT, YOU ARE PRESENT, TILL THE OIL CHANGE IS COMPLETED. f. Extra Labour Charge : The Service Stations doing the above will ask for an extra Labour Charge, if the Oil are brought by the Customer. There are enough normal Service Stations, which will use the Engine Oil brought by the Customers, without an additional charge. In case of the so called five star Service Stations, even if you pay the extra Labour Charge, you will have a saving & you are sure that, your Vehicle has right quantity & good quality Engine Oil. SOLUTION : SELECT A SERVICE STATION, WITHOUT SUCH EXTRA LABOUR CHARGE. g. Additional Work : As said before, they will add at least one more Job (eg. change of Auto Transmission Oil, Cleaning of Engine, etc), in the same manner given in (b) above, for each Service, which is not required. SOLUTION : BE ALERT FOR SUCH SUGGESTIONS & IMMEDIATELY INSIST ON BASIC SERVICE ONLY. ALSO, READ THE CHECK LIST, BEFORE SIGNING IT. h. Incentives on Profit / Turnover : The five Star Service Stations employees / Managers adopt all this to show Profits & Turnover, as they get a daily / weekly / monthly commission, based on Turnover & Profits. SOLUTION : SELECT A PROPRIETOR OWNED & PERSONALLY RUN SERVICE STATION. I. The worst is that, when the above is exposed to the Manager & asked for the contact details of the Chairman / M.D., the Manager accuses the Customer of scolding him & misbehaving / taking it up at the reception. He goes to the extent of black listing the Customer, saying that it is done with the blessings of the M.D., who was abroad. In addition, he inform all Branches not entertain the Customer or provide contact details of Chairman / M.D. When asked to show the CCTV footage of the incident, it is refused as well. So, you are left at their mercy, after getting cheated. Please read this, too. https://www.facebook.com/ken.vijayakumar