Why am I paying £72 for four litres of oil for my Honda Civic when it is serviced?
I drive a Honda 1.6 Civic CVT automatic. This car is 13 years old, goes very well and has some 67,000 miles on the clock. The Honda has been serviced from new by Inchcape Honda and has only required a new alternator and brake pads, but at the annual service I am charged £72 for four litres of oil. This oil is priced at £9.00 per half litre. I have requested a price per 4-litre can, but Inchcape Honda stated that their customers “preferred” to purchase oil by the half litre. The oil is listed as ZL Helix Bulk 0.5L Ultra. I am sure that this is some sort of con, but how do I get the garage to put four litres of oil in at a reasonable price?
Asked on 5 February 2011 by BH, Felsted, Essex
Answered by
Honest John
If you believe that you'll believe anything. But, of course, you don't. You might ask the dealer to see the empty half litre containers. There won't be any. The invoice gives the game away by describing it as ‘BULK’. It will all have come from a bulk tank and simply been charged as half litres. Garages load oil prices even more than restaurants load wine prices.
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