[Chop]

disco wrote:

BUMP!

Hello everyone. Got my car serviced today, had two quick questions for you all:

1) At my 90,000km service, the 'air conditioner condenser filter' was supposed to be replaced. I was told by the suzi mechanics that this was unnecessary and there was no reason to ever replace it. They said you replace the pollen filter regularly, but never that one.

2) Am just curious, how angry would you be on a 1-10 if you saw a mechanic having a smoke while sitting on your bullbar?

#2) I'd be happy! Happy you ask? Yes, because he would've copped verbal spray beford he took anothef puff!

[disco]

I asked him to hop off and he did. It wasn't until later I was thought about it and got a bit angry. Obviously they aren't designed for that but it is unlikely anything will go wrong, but it shows pretty clearly they don't give a f---. But I was then wondering if I was being sensitive.

[steve125]

disco wrote:

The creamy goop around the edge of the radiator filler shouldn't be there, it's a sign of engine oil in the coolant (I think).

[Marck]

1 . I had a look at the service manual and I can only see the one filter. That would be the pollen filter behind the glove box. It's a $30 part from eBay easy to replace yourself If you have 2 do you know where the other one is ?

2 . SIting on a strangers car is pretty poor form being a little pissy about it is fair I would be

[disco]

He said it was in a tube, in the AC and sort of looked like a tennis ball case. It was definitely on the check list for the 90000 service.

[losfer]

In an older vehicle it does the same job as the receiver/dryer with the sight glass on top , but it is actually incorporated into the condensor . you would be lucky if a dealer checked your cabin filter let alone the condensor filter.

[disco]

So you're saying that's cool? No worries that they left it off?

[losfer]

No I didnt say that at all but...

to replace the dessicant filter in the condensor , the condensor needs to be removed from the vehicle. To remove the condensor the front bar needs to be removed. then the system needs to be discharged of gas before the condensor is removed , then the filter can be replaced , condensor refitted , system regassed.

If you are willing to pay for all that then ask them to do it.

im pretty sure that it asks for a tappet inspection/adjustment as well at some interval . The process to check and adjust the tappets can be well over a $1000 + job.

Obviously as a workshop they should discuss with the customer the costs involved with such jobs and give them the choice to do it or not.

Would you of been upset when you rocked up to pick your car up to get a $1500 invoice for the service and when you question it they say well your condenor filter needed replacing ?

[disco]

Oh I see.

Yeah well I made them quote the service, my guess is they decided I didn't want it, because they couldn't do it under the quote they had given me.

[disco]

Driving back on Easter I missed a turn off I meant to take for fuel. Got the needle all the way past the E by the time the next petrol station came. Was worried a tad. Filled up with 53 litres, wow I thought that was close...capacity was 55.

So I googled it later and it turns out the 3 door is 55 and the 5 door (which I have) is 66. Which means I had tons of fuel left, and the gauge must be rather inaccurate. Can anyone confirm this?

[greenzook89]

gauge is very inaccurate. I havent run ours down but reports from other NGV owners say the same. Suzuki Fuel gauges aren't exactly the most trustworthy

[fordem]

Suzuki fuel gauges are no more accurate, inaccurate or for that matter, trustworthy, than any other marque - in fact - in thirty odd years of Suzuki ownership mine has never let me down - how can you "gauge" accuracy of an uncalibrated gauge - if the gauge said 30 litres when the tank had 20 or 40, then you could deem it inaccurate. I bet you would be a lot more unhappy if the vehicle had run out of fuel exactly when the gauge said E.

All that's happening here is that Suzuki tanks are never empty when the gauge says they are - there will typically be anywhere from 5~15 litres of fuel left when the needle is on E (consider this your reserve fuel) - larger, thirstier models with larger fuel tanks have more in reserve when the gauge says E and you'll typically get about the same distance on reserve with any Suzuki - none of the Suzukis I've ever owned has had a low fuel light, I've never run of out of fuel driving any of them and it's not unusual for me to be putting just a few litres less than tank capacity - for example 60 litres in a 66 litre tank.

You can also consider it a matter of being familiar with the vehicle and it's quirks - I have a daughter who can look at the needle and estimate to within a dollar how much fuel it will take to fill.

[greenzook89]

Fordem has a point here. Our mazda 3 used to chuck the low fuel light on with 18 litres left in the tank.

[disco]

Yeah cheers guys. The manual says once the light goes on you have 30km. I drove 27 before filling up, so if there was 11 left that would be an extra 100km. I think Shep mentioned it once, said he got 120km when the light came on.

Yeah its true that it beats getting stuck on the side of the road. On the other hand, I would prefer to know 'the truth' of things, after all I was pretty pannicky about getting stuck on the side of the road at 10pm on easter sunday

[disco]

Got the 84 month service today, just wanted to verify this. They told me they don't replace the fuel filter (it said to) as it would be a $1700 job and wasn't necessary. They said they'd have to take the whole engine apart.

Seems weird it would be designed that way. Is that true?

[fordem]

Take the engine apart to replace the fuel filter??? I'm having a hard time believing that one.

[HamiHarr]

I have the exact same vehicle (2.4lt 2010 GV LWB). Last November I was asking my mech about the fuel filter as well. He called around to double check and told me that the fuel filter is not a separate part, it is part of the fuel pump and replacing the filter would entail replacing the whole system, which is in the fuel tank, requiring extensive work to complete. The cost was in the ballpark of what you mention ($1700). In short your experience is consistent with mine.