Word has reached the Motoring desk of a major move by UAE authorities that will save motorists huge amounts of time and money: service intervals for cars under warranty are to be changed from 5,000 kilometres to 10,000km. That might not affect you, depending on what brand of car you drive. Indeed, for me it will mean nothing except for a continued sense of smugness, because my Volkswagen needs to be seen to every 15,000km. Which is more than enough if you ask me.
This is being viewed as a victory for consumers who have put up with ludicrously short service intervals. Predominantly Japanese and South Korean manufacturers insist on an oil service every 5,000km, yet if you talk to service managers at these companies’ workshops, many have been willing to increase it to 10,000km without invalidating any warranty paperwork. But you need to first sign a waiver that gives them your approval to use higher-quality, more-expensive engine oil.
PR representatives of certain Japanese car companies have told me the GCC is known as an “extreme environment”, and there’s no denying that. But should that ever have been used as a reason for dragging a car in every 5,000km to have the mineral oil drained from its sump and a new filter screwed into place? Of course not. Modern cars are tested to destruction in this country – they cover intergalactic distances in all weathers and every conceivable driving condition, and when they’re fitted with modern lubricants, they don’t need servicing with anything like the frequency these companies have been demanding.
Think of all the environmental damage caused by hundreds of thousands of cars having oil drained and disposed of at the current levels dictated by car companies. Halving that frequency will be a hugely beneficial step for the planet, never mind your pocket; while it might sting the fingers of the carmakers that have been using our “extreme environment” as an excuse to empty our collective wallets.
The lunacy of all of this is that it’s basically an admission by these manufacturers that their cars aren’t really up to scratch. Companies within the Volkswagen Group, which includes Audi, Bentley, Porsche and loads more, are quite proud of their 15,000km service intervals (although after recent revelations, their emissions track record may not be such a source of pride). But 15,000km is still far more frequent than in other parts of the world.
Throughout Europe and the United States, it’s perfectly normal for cars to go up to 20,000 miles (32,187km) between oil changes, and that’s because, quite apart from cars themselves becoming more technologically advanced, oil has too. Synthetic lubricants are incredibly resilient to degradation, and motorists who use them have been known to have their old engine oils tested in laboratories, discovering in the majority of instances that they could have gone on much longer before a change was needed. Mineral oils just don’t pass muster in modern, high-performance engines, yet that’s exactly what these 5,000km interval outlets have been using all this time. Pay a bit extra, use the good stuff and reap the benefits.
Car companies here have until the end of this year to make the necessary changes to the way they operate, and though this won’t affect those who drive European or American motors, it still represents a seismic shift towards a fairer deal for all of us. It’s good to know the authorities have our backs when it comes to certain things, and even if this does nothing more than keep car companies on their toes for a while, it’s surely a move to be applauded.
motoring@thenational.ae
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