Reading my car's manual before visiting a service center saved me around Rs. 7000
I visited a service center for my car's first-year service. My car had done only around 4,000 km in the first year. The manual suggested a basic service including an engine oil and oil filter change. However, the service agent added extras like an air filter change, antimicrobial air filter treatment, and wheel re-balancing. The total bill came to ₹9,000.
Fortunately, I had read the car's manual and online forums the night before and was aware of what was actually necessary. The official Hyundai app quoted around ₹1,930 for an engine oil and filter change. Because I knew better, I declined all the add-ons and stated that I simply wanted the basic service.
The engine oil they wanted to add was 5W‑30, costing approximately ₹4,500. But the car's user manual recommended 0W‑20 oil, which costs around ₹1,800. Both are recommended by Hyundai, so why should I pay more for a higher-priced oil (meant for turbo engines) when a lower-priced option is also suggested by Hyundai? I explained this to the service agent, but they insisted on 5W‑30, claiming it was the "only" recommended option.
The agent also said they didn't have 0W‑20 oil available and that Hyundai recommends the particular oil they were offering. I called up my previous service center on the other side of the city, and they confirmed they had 0W‑20 oil. I had moved across the city, therefore didn't go to the previous service center in the first place; this is also where I bought the car from.
Because I had done my homework, I chose not to proceed with this service center. walked away and will schedule an appointment at the other location for some other weekend.
Lesson learned: Always read the manual and forums first. Don't blindly trust service advisors.
Note: Left the same review on Google about the same, can't mention the place to avoid doxxing.