Personal Experience

[Miles]

I am posting about my personal experience last week when i was up in the North.

 

My car (a conti make) travelled about 700+km to a northern state in MY without problem. But suddenly started coughing and revv needle moving up and down very unstable in city traffic. moments later, engine died. Tried starting it,... the moment i engaged to D, engine died again. I was frantically try to restart the engine as temperature outside read 39 deg C. ... a lot of cars behind me started honking, on a single lane road. Finally, i managed to get it started and moving. But the car behaved very strangely. But i managed to get to my destination. I stopped the car and let it cool down thinking it could be the heat.

 

I started asking my relatives about the location of the AD's service centre. No one knows where it is. So, i called Singapore AD service centre to ask them to give me the address or at least the phone number of their counter part in MY. To my frustration and shock, they replied me, they dont know and hang up the phone.

 

Finally, one of my relative managed to ask his mechanic who happens to know since he used to buy parts from them, and guide me and my relative there. When we reach there, it was 15 mins to 5pm (their official closing time). But the service desk malay woman was very helpful and got their most experience foreman to look at my car. Connecting the diagnostic tool to my car, he checked and found nothing wrong, but issues with fuel quality. Immediately the foreman asked me, did i pump Shell. I said yes. The last tank i pump was Shell. He told me there are several cars (similar make as mine) in MY having the same issues with Shell petrol.

Immediately, i recalled reading something like this before in the online forum from car club of my conti make, which also had issues with Shell 95 petrol quality in spore.

I was advised to go and pump something else (Caltex, Esso/Mobil or Petronas were recommended) to neutralize the poor fuel quality. Then we went for test drive together for him to test if it happens again. All seems ok. I ask how much i had to pay. He told me to check with the Malay woman earlier,... when she clarified that there was no parts replace or anything done except diagnostics and checks, she told me dont have to pay. I was like... wah, if this happened in Spore, i will sure have to pay at least for labour or minimum charge.

 

The point i wanted to make here is,

1. I avoid Shell now (both in MY and SG).

2. Service of AD of my car in spore did not give me a single helping hand when i needed their help most in a foreign land. It will probably be the last car i buy from them.

3. On the contrary, the service rendered to me, free of charge, was outstanding in MY. They went the extra mile to the extend of working overtime to help me... but didnt charge me a single cent. I will remember them and commend their effort by writing to their boss.

[Nine_eleven]

i think many ppl here would want to know the make of your car... since it concerns local cars as well.

[Mzrmazda3]

I have also heard similar issues about petrol quality from the forums too many donkey months back

 

to these MY counterparts

[DarkLord]

That's the first time I have heard of this.. Interesting.. Considering Shell was the first to up their prices yesterday..

[Qpik]

this doesn't affect conti car but jap car too.

[Blue2]

so u going back to MY to service your car

[Spikedoll]

sis, your new avatar very scary

 

talking abt MY service which I agree..alot are better..drivers also more courteous..today drove in Jaybee at custom, wind down window wave my hand to signal give way..wave back thanks to the MY driver behind..guess wat..both driver and passenger waved back at me ...that was so nice

Edited June 25, 2008 by Spikedoll

[Blue2]

si meh

me still cant see

 

me put DG, Manly MD no response leh

[Miles]

i think many ppl here would want to know the make of your car... since it concerns local cars as well.

 

i do not want to be sued for defamation since it happened before with this AD in another forum. if you really want to know, PM me.

[Miles]

That's the first time I have heard of this.. Interesting.. Considering Shell was the first to up their prices yesterday..

 

To be fair, i was told by the foreman that those who pump V-Power was not affected.

Makes me wonder if Shell is pushing people to pump their higher margin V-Power.

 

Another fact is, i pump the shell from Tapah R&R ... incidentally, the foreman relate another story to me about a client of his having the same problem with Tapah Shell before i told him i pumped at Tapah. So, i wonder if the case is isolated in which Tapah Shell is selling mixed RON petrol (91 + 97), which affected my car in which minimum is RON95.

[Miles]

If i need to drive 700+ km (one way) just for servicing, i'd rather change the car.

Frankly, i am happy with the car... but support from the agent leaves much to be desired. It's ok if they do this to me when i'm here. But what they did to me i will never forget.

I only asked for an address and/or telephone no.... not asking them to mobilize a tow truck for 700km. I was very disappointed.

 

I actually went from workshop to workshop (from Proton, Perodua, Peugeot, VW, Hyundai, KIA, NAZA, etc..) asking anyone possible if they know.

[Sony]

I have heard of it affecting one particular type of car but that's because of the formula they use which have a lot of carbon built up.

[Tunge]

damn i've been pumping Shell 95! ok once i redeem all my shell points i'll switch....

[Blue2]

when u return u should go back and complain ah....

Think usually they bo chap u because $$ in the bank liao.

btw, u got regularly return for service bor??

[Blue2]

91+97 = to what grade??

any expert care to share???

[Sony]

ahh.. henry must be damn sad to know that the car he built century ago have come to such stage

 

so it's the 1.6 or 2L one?

[Sony]

94.. if it's 50%

 

but then, don't just look at Ron unless your car is designed to take 95 and above..

 

anyway, there's the usual knock sensor but prolong use is not desired

[KapitanE]

I will only pump Petronas up north... and nothing else..