Warranties are a huge part of vehicle ownership, and many people rely on them to keep their cars running. A proof of warranty oil change is one way to prove to the manufacturer that you have kept up the regular maintenance that the warranty requires. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous individuals are taking advantage of unsuspecting customers by providing fake receipts for proof of warranty oil changes. In this article, we will discuss the signs to look out for when examining a proof of warranty oil change and how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud.
Is the oil change receipt from a certified mechanic?
No, a fake oil change receipt for warranty would not be from a certified mechanic. It would likely be from a non-certified mechanic or a fictitious company.
Has any other maintenance been performed on the vehicle?
No, no other maintenance has been performed on the vehicle other than the fake oil change that is listed on the receipt. The warranty only covers the oil change, and any other maintenance will not be covered.
Was the oil filter replaced during the oil change?
No, the oil filter was not replaced during the oil change and is not listed on the fake oil change receipt for warranty.
Is the oil change receipt from a reputable mechanic shop?
No, a fake oil change receipt from a mechanic shop cannot be used to validate a warranty. Only a receipt from a reputable mechanic shop that provides the oil change services can be used to validate a warranty.
Are the details on the receipt accurate and up-to-date?
No, the details on the fake oil change receipt for warranty are not accurate or up to date. The receipt is not from a real mechanic and does not reflect any kind of legitimate service. As such, it does not meet the requirements of a warranty provider and should not be used for any warranty purposes.
A couple of weeks ago I got an email from Faith Kropiewnicki of Glen Lyon, who said in she and her husband, Robert, had bought two brand-new Kias, a Sportage and a Sorento. Two months ago Robert was driving the Sorento to work when the engine made a noise, the oil light went on and the car conked out. The Kropiewnickis had the Sorento towed to Ertley Kia in Moosic, where they had purchase both cars in After a month or so of going back and forth, Robert was asked to produce oil-change receipts. The Kropiewnickis came up with four receipts from a local garage where they say some of the oil changes were done. They had no receipts for the products Robert had used when he changed the oil himself. A day later, the dealership called the Kropiewnickis. There was nothing the dealership could do. Over time, oil not only loses its ability to neutralize acids, but it can absorb contaminants and become saturated with the stuff, which remains in the engine and causes corrosion. Faith insists that her husband changed the oil on schedule. But you do have to be able to prove it. Takes about 10 minutes. I did it myself just yesterday. Have you been wronged by a business? Have you been the victim of a scam? Christine Young, our Consumer Watchdog, is here to help. To reach Christine, email email protected. She can be reached at email protected. Her column appears weekly. Thursday, June 16, View E-Edition. Log In. My Account. Need to Sell? Click here to place a classified ad. Special gift card options for new subscribers. Click here! Click here to submit a news tip or submit an event. Home Business Consumer Watchdog A warning about oil changes and vehicle warranties. Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience. Click here to subscribe today or Login. Christine Young Consumer Watchdog. Consumer Watchdog Message to mortgage company yields results for Duryea couple. Consumer Watchdog Working some magic to make things right. Exclusive Subscriber-Only Content. Subscribe Jobs Classifieds.
So we all change our oil and filter regularly at 3K or so. Has anyone had an experience where the motor goes boom, auto is under warranty reg or extended , and the mfg sez You did not change oil or were negligent or whatever! Warranty voided! Must we supply proof that the oil and filter was changed at such and such an interval, like service station or dealer receipts? Has anyone had an experience in these matters? LWS hou2d! The answer is yes, you must supply proof — but the nature of that proof may depend upon the people with whom you are dealing. My brother is the claims mgr. In most cases, the only documents necessary are the receipts for the oil and filters not consecutive transaction numbers from the same store, or all on the same date and a vehicle log not still shiny-new, or with all entries written by the same pen showing the dates of the oil changes and the mileage as of that date. Also, be sure the receipts are for sufficient quantities of oil and filters to substantiate the number of oil changes claimed. A quick look at the condition of the filter itself and sticking my finger into the oil drained from or still in the pan was usually enough. A car that has 10k miles on it, and the original filter, is a dead give-away — as is a blown engine with a brand-new filter, oil which is still amber, and a layer of black sludge on the bottom of the pan. I buy my oil and filters when theyre cheapest, too, and do all my own PM. I guess the best advice I can give beyond Keep changing the oil every 3k miles is to tell you to call the people who will decide YOUR case, should it become necessary. All I wanted was a Pepsi! Jonathan Hue And she wouldnt get it for me! On the other hand, a motorcycle I owned Suzuki GT had two mating pairs of transmission gears fail detected by glitter in the trans. In this case, the bozo rep insisted that the transmission had been run with a low oil level. He was unable to explain why the rest of the transmission was ok! I had the gears hardness tested and the failed ones were much softer than the others by about 10 points on the Rockwell C scale. Suzuki then decided to honor the warranty. The best part about this is that I was the mechanic at the Suzuki dealer involved. The factory didnt know this until I sent them the soft gears along with my personal opinion of their rep. Stuart Wilson Convex Computer Corp. How do you prove an oil change? Reply to author. Report message as abuse. Show original message. Either email addresses are anonymous for this group or you need the view member email addresses permission to view the original message. Actually , the burden of proof rests on the dealer to prove that you didnt change the oil! As a former GM tech , I saw a lot of cases where it was questionable whether proper maintainance had been performed. In all of these cases , the warranty repairs were made without fuss.
