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Official Malibu Dealer service dept not using correct oil


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I had my 01 Malibu winterized last year by the Malibu dealer in SW Michigan. My owners manual says Pennsoil 15w 40 marine engine oil. I assumed thats what I was getting. Here's how I found out thats not what I got.

I decie to winterize it this year myself and go to the same deer and get supplies. They are no longer a Malibu dealer now, but same people. As I'm buying the supplies, service manager bring out 5 qts of some knock off Parts Plus somthing or other oil and sets it on the counter. I ask if thats what was put in my boat last winter and he replies yes. "It's made by Valvoline" he says.

Whaaaat?!?!??!!! Are you kidding me? Then he suggests Quick Silver 25w 40. "It's the same thing" he says. No it isnt. If it were, it would say Pennsoil 15w 40.

When i take my Ford into the Ford Dealership, I expect and get Motorcraft parts, filters, oil, ect. John Deere, Harley Davidson same thing.

Not following the service manual AS THE MALIBU DEALER is shameful.

I was bummed that they dont have the franchise anymore but with service like that I am glad they dont. They will never get another cent from me.

I should have paid with Monopoly money. "It's the same thing right?"

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I had my 01 Malibu winterized last year by the Malibu dealer in SW Michigan. My owners manual says Pennsoil 15w 40 marine engine oil. I assumed thats what I was getting. Here's how I found out thats not what I got.

I decie to winterize it this year myself and go to the same deer and get supplies. They are no longer a Malibu dealer now, but same people. As I'm buying the supplies, service manager bring out 5 qts of some knock off Parts Plus somthing or other oil and sets it on the counter. I ask if thats what was put in my boat last winter and he replies yes. "It's made by Valvoline" he says.

Whaaaat?!?!??!!! Are you kidding me? Then he suggests Quick Silver 25w 40. "It's the same thing" he says. No it isnt. If it were, it would say Pennsoil 15w 40.

When i take my Ford into the Ford Dealership, I expect and get Motorcraft parts, filters, oil, ect. John Deere, Harley Davidson same thing.

Not following the service manual AS THE MALIBU DEALER is shameful.

I was bummed that they dont have the franchise anymore but with service like that I am glad they dont. They will never get another cent from me.

I should have paid with Monopoly money. "It's the same thing right?"

I would not sweat it...Actually there is no bad oil to put in your boat, car, anything, ie maybe the wrong viscosity/multi-weight, but oils are sooo refiined and universal, you can't buy bad or cheap oil..ANd I am sure there are only a few companies that actually make their own oil...Same as buying Sears tires, well Sears did not make the tires, someone made them for Sears using their specs for that tire.

Just like going to Walmart to buy oil...Walmart does make the oil, someone does for them and puts Walmarts label on it, or into a Walmart jug.

You'd be surprised how many products are like that, specially in the electronics field....You never see Flextronics on a laptop, PC, or anything, yet they make LOTS of stuff.

Same way a few years ago when Tige was getting started, they were made at the Ski Centurion plant in Merced, until they had enough sales and capital to build their own plant in TX, I think...great way for start up companies to generate sales while developing their reputation...Charlie Pidgeon was a very smart man.

Folks often neglect it, but your oil filter is just as or more important that the oil you use...Look on youtube...there are several videos about FRAM filters being a POS...NAPA and WIX filters are some of the better oil filters out there...your baby deserves the best??

And it is also why I do all my own work, change the oils, filters, etc. When I had the 20 hour service done, I get to the dealership and some 17 year pimpled kid is changing the oil.. DId the 20 hour just to satisfy malibu, and I'll take care of the rest from now on.... Pay $170 for an oil change, that costs me $35 to do, and I don't have to drag it an hour + to the dealer.

Edited by jkendallmsce
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I went to the Toyota dealer for a free oil change after I bought the 07 Camry new (hybrid). So when they were done I asked what oil they used they said 10w-30. So I popped the hood and showed them it said 5w-30. Yes they fixed it but I wasn't happy. What if my wife would have brought the car in. After the free one yes I do all my own work but hey it was free. lesson learned. Don't trust anyone with your things not even the dealer.

  • Like 3
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Ummm...parts plus oil is packaged by penzoil/quaker state and valvoline (ashland oil).

I think you may be overreacting a bit.

FWIW - my dealer run's mobil 20w50 in the boats and they are one of the largest and long standing dealers in the country with numerous service awards.

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Im sure the engine is fine with the oil they put in but it's a principle issue. The authorized dealer should follow the manufacture specs, and give the option of other oils, filters etc to the consumer. Not just take it upon themselves to save a buck by substituting whatever they see fit.

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Pretty sure that this is a common occurrence. I purchased a Yamaha WaveRunner from an on-the-water Yamaha dealer

up at the lake where I slip my boat. They've been selling Yamaha for like twenty-five years and regularly service hundreds

of them.

End of first season, I had them change the oil and filter (4-stroke engine) . . . for like $140! End of second season, having

noticed in the owner's manual that, for whatever reason, Yamaha recommended oil filter change only every-other oil change,

I decided to save money and do it myself (I already had a vacuum pump for the oil and tranny fluid changes on my Malibu).

I went over to the Yamaha dealership to buy the requisite Yamalube that the owner's manual expressly called for. And,

of course, not only did the Yamaha dealer not have any, they weren't planning on getting any in the foreseeable future!!!

Instead, they offered to sell me some cheap off-brand stuff that I could have purchased at any auto parts store [and I'm

certain that, despite the $8 per quart that they'd charged me for the previous year's oil change, was the exact same stuff

that they'd used]. Lesson learned.

Bought all my oil from Walmart from then on. And, I learned quickly how to change that darned oil filter myself as well (though

I still had to either buy that from the dealer or order on-line). The whole process, oil and oil filter change, was a leisurely

30 minute job, including engine warm-up time, that I could do myself for less than $30.

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Ya dude you are getting a little tooooo excited. My dealer uses a different brand and its 25w40 Merc oil. There is no issue with using a different brand and slightly different grade. I would however suggest to keep with a Marine type oil and they apparently have different additives.

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What are peoples thoughts on oil filters. When we got our boat 4 months ago the seller included 2 fram filters. Currently, there is a mercury in the engine. Which one?

Take a few minutes and look on youtube...there they open up several oil filters to show how they work, check valves, number of pleats, different types of filter media, glued or stapled, etc. showing the quality of some and lack of for others...FRAM is/are some of the worst/cheapest, and Pennzoil filters are made by FRAM too. There is one showing a hole the size of a pencil (FRAM) that would allow all oil to entrirely bypass the filter media. Have never seen any info on the Merc filter. BUt I am certain someone makes them for Merc....just gotta do some research.

Or just go online, I found a study by some really anal retentive folks, comparing several oil filters. I linked it here some time ago, so you may be able to find it. Cliff notes: there is a huge difference in the quality and filtering ablility of oil filters...FRAM just advertises the most....so you're most folks are more familiar with them.

I use WIX filters on the bayliner.

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Thanks for your concern regarding oils we use. Every year our Indmar Certified techs do research on this, and keep coming back (16 years now). The brand oil The Edge chooses to use in all oil changes is the exact oil from Valvoline, bottled under a different brand. Both brands come from Ashland oil in Kentucky. Using this oil, (with Indmar's Blessing) we are able to pass along a small savings per boat when it comes to winterizing and oil changes (which typically nobody has complained about). Also it is much easier for us to get our hands on, as the distributor is very close by. Not everyone stocks Pennzoil. In the Indmar Owners Manual, http://www.indmar.co...ual_1.sflb.ashx it states that Pennzoil is their recommended brand whom they've teamed up with. (no different in that they recommend boaters insurance) but the emphasis is on the certification, The Ashland oils meet or exceed each of these certifications.

Some customers prefer using synthetic, so we will in turn special order them Mobil 1, and use that (with a small increase in costs, of course)

The Edge is simply not "cheapening out" on our choices. Rest assured that our choices in products are quite informed, ranging from fuel additives, oils, filters, plugs, and other commonly generic parts.

I'm sorry you feel misled. Not our intentions

Zach

Edited by edgeski1
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Zach,

I accept responsibility for not verifying what was going into my engine. Assuming that the dealer was using the exact items specified in the owners manual was presumptuous on my part. That mistake won't happen again. I will verify prior.

Saying "it's the same thing" could be replaced with an explanation as you have provided above. I get the fact that your service people are busy. So are the consumers that keep them busy and spend money at your dealership. If the oil is adequate, meets specs, and supported by Indmar, could it be put on the shelf for sale so the consumer could share in the savings?

I applaud you for continue to monitor and participate on this site even though the Malibu brand has left and even more, for addressing this very professionally.

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Thanks for your concern regarding oils we use. Every year our Indmar Certified techs do research on this, and keep coming back (16 years now). The brand oil The Edge chooses to use in all oil changes is the exact oil from Valvoline, bottled under a different brand. Both brands come from Ashland oil in Kentucky. Using this oil, (with Indmar's Blessing) we are able to pass along a small savings per boat when it comes to winterizing and oil changes (which typically nobody has complained about). Also it is much easier for us to get our hands on, as the distributor is very close by. Not everyone stocks Pennzoil. In the Indmar Owners Manual, http://www.indmar.co...ual_1.sflb.ashx it states that Pennzoil is their recommended brand whom they've teamed up with. (no different in that they recommend boaters insurance) but the emphasis is on the certification, The Ashland oils meet or exceed each of these certifications.

Some customers prefer using synthetic, so we will in turn special order them Mobil 1, and use that (with a small increase in costs, of course)

The Edge is simply not "cheapening out" on our choices. Rest assured that our choices in products are quite informed, ranging from fuel additives, oils, filters, plugs, and other commonly generic parts.

I'm sorry you feel misled. Not our intentions

Zach

Ok, Im not trying to bust anyones bubble but he also said its not 15w 40 its 25w 40 that part is't cool. Yes, I will agree most oils meet and exceed so that parts not a big deal also Valvoline is a great oil one of the best. But if you are putting 25w 40 in a boat that calls for 15w 40 people should know that up front. Thats not cool. I really don't mean any disrespect I just feel strongly about the subject.

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A (non Malibu) Indmar authorized repair facility on my home lake used the wrong viscosity oil in my boat. When I complained, the tech said they use the same velocity oil in every boat they service. I said "so you screw up the viscosity on at least some of the boats you service?" He replied "the velocity of all oil is the same." I said "do you mean viscosity? He said "no."

I'll bet if there was a warranty issue with the engine the use of the wrong viscosity oil would certainly come up.

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A (non Malibu) Indmar authorized repair facility on my home lake used the wrong viscosity oil in my boat. When I complained, the tech said they use the same velocity oil in every boat they service. I said "so you screw up the viscosity on at least some of the boats you service?" He replied "the velocity of all oil is the same." I said "do you mean viscosity? He said "no."

I'll bet if there was a warranty issue with the engine the use of the wrong viscosity oil would certainly come up.

I am a Fluid Engineer/Company Man in the oil field it matters.

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After looking at over 100 Wakesetters in the past 36 months, most claim they have had service done by Indmar certified, and actually have receipts, it baffles me to see how many different automotive grade oil filters that are being put into Malibu boats. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME! 29 our of 30 boats that have been serviced do not have the right filter- WHY

Any shop that is not willing to put exactly what Indmar has listed can only be (in my eyes) attributed to saving money. I only use Pennzoil PZ3 and PZ52 filters and Pennzoil HD marine oil, WHY because that’s what is specified by Indmar.

I am not a believer that a service update would suggest a cheap replacement or inferior non branded oil is just the same. But to save $2 on a filter and what $5 on oil, come on- just do the right thing.

Makes you wonder what transmission fluid they used.

DIY it is super easy and you know what you are getting AND you save HUNDREDS

ASK any Crew Member that does there own service how easy it really is, with the money you save you can buy new boards for next season.

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IT's funny that no matter what motorized vehicle forum you go to, one of the top three contentious topics is oil.

My favorite oil for all my engines is Castrol Synthetic. Synthetic absorbs less moisture and has better and more consistent start up viscosity. I will not run Pennzoil, too many bad test reports. But in reality, you are splitting hairs over which oil is better than others these days.

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without getting into a huge oil discussion (because I probably wouldn't be able to hold up my end of the conversation) the way I understand it is the viscosity of 15W40 and 25W40 are both SAE 40 at operating temperature (officially 210 F, I believe, but the 160 F my engine runs at is close enough). The fact that the winter viscosity may be a little thicker in the 25W doesn't bother me because when I'm boating in Michigan it's rarely that cold.

Here's the important part, I bought my boat from The Edge and have had all my service performed there. They have been around the area for a long time. In short, I trust them with my boat and also trust they would not do anything to harm my boat. If they did, then they would be held accountable. I would think paying for a huge repair would cost more than saving a few pennies on a brand of oil.

If you're not happy you have every right to take your boat someplace else, but in my opinion you won't find a much better service department.

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Ya know I buy the cheap milk at the store. It all comes from the same dairy.

Just like that cheap knock off oil, meets the same standard as the penzoil.

In fact in my camp for years and years I was preached to that penzoil was absolute garbage. My dad was a tech for 40 years and he hated the stuff for good reason. Now days I am pretty sure penzoil has improved because the standard has improved.

Now I am not saying that the cheap oil is just as good as penzoil as different companies do different things with additives. What I am saying is it most definately is nothing to lose sleep over.

Hope this helps.

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so two different marinizers who start with the same gm 5.7L long block recommend two different viscosity oils for the same engine internals? What's next, dogs and cats living together?

All this means is that Indmar is in bed with Penzoil. It is a business agreement nothing more. This is precisely why Shawn points out here that two marinizers that use exactly the same long blocks require two different oils. They are business agreements. Its a way for Indmar to get their oil at cost and a way for Penzoil to sell oil.

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