daniel_finn

Hi! I was travelling by car around Europe and in Spain, at Euromaster Sagunto shop (Miguel y Hijos) I decided to change the oil. Mea culpa - didn't check his work on the site, but next day (some 40km after the service) when I stopped to check the oil level it appeared to be black. I thought that the master just stole my money and did nothing, but apparently he put inside some unsuitable oily liquid, since on my way back to repair shop (200 km after the service) the motor died. It was a turbodiesel VW Passat, 1996 with only 185.000 km on odometer. So, what can be done? Are there legal ways to force Euromaster to repair the car? Is there something like official expertise for car damages?

Thanks!

missile

a brave man/woman

Domino

with plenty of money and time on his hands....

big wheels

How do you know the mechanic "Killed" your car?

Diesel motor oil usually turns black in absolutely no time at all. It's totally normal and it's a fact of life with a diesel engine. Especially a turbo model with more than 100,000 miles on the clock.

VFR

These types of outlets suck the oil out via the dipstick hole with a probe for speed, and as such will leave a portion behind that will quickly turn the new oil black.
So what exactly happened to the engine.
How do you know the wrong grade of oil was installed.

Rosemary

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Fredbargate

Regardless of the method used to remove the old oil some will always remain and colour the new oil.

Rotor

"Motor died" tells us nothing , what exactly has happened ? If you want to sue this garage you will need an engineers report ,make sure they are spanish with recognized qualifications or you are wasting your time, I personally doubt its the fault of the garage.

painterhombre

Hi. I would make sure it is the garages fault by taking the car to a reputable garage, getting them to identify the problem and they will tell you if its the oil was the issue or not. And yes diesel oil does turn black very quickly.

Rotor

If the original mechanic is dodgy he will laugh in your face , you need a perrito / engineer to verify this.

agoreira

Perito. An "expert, loss adjuster" will do you more good than a little dog! Sorry, couldn't resist, appealed to my sense of humour.

Dick Dasterdly

Actually from whats been said up to now about the only thing I can see doing any good in this case is a Perro Grande, preferably a hungry Rotty slavering at the mouth and howling for the mechanics blood.

Barbara Red lips

It's life car engines die ... are you sure it was the mechanic ... or the oil?
A quality test on the actual oil is your only line of protection.
Failing that .... one in the cap for later .

VFR

Of course some will remain, my point however is (obvious IMO) that using the probe method there will be a good deal more that will discolour the new oil very quickly.

My method.
Drop the oil while hot & leave to drain while I attend to other service items/checks.
At least half an hour later I pop a cupful of new oil in and let that also drain through.
Once drained clean and replace the sump plug & then move onto the filter.
Fastidious I know, but the new oil will remain clear for a good few hundred Km's.

Rotor

Peritos are engineers who identify the damage done to a vehicle but on an old banger like this one will cost more than the cars worth ,it also unlikley the problem is caused by the oil , more likley a broken cam belt or blown head gasket , not the responsibility of the mechanic who was only asked to change the oil....as far as we can guess.