Service Fact Vs Service Fiction

[Woody88]

After going into the murky world of servicing my own Golf, I have found glaring discrepancies between what actually happens at many service centres and what 'VW recommends'.

This youtube presentation exemplifies it. If you look from about 4 min, you will see an experienced service agent explain why the VW procedure for filling DSG gearboxs is not followed. Instead they push in 5L and off you go!

Reasons? There are a couple of good ones
1. 70% of the time the customer is waiting and time is money.
2. They do not have time to wait for the car to cool to below 34C as required.
3. Experienced service workers do not want to change oil.

Now this matched the experience I have had with engine oil overfill ( and thousands of others i have discovered). Had 5L in the GTD, way above the dipstick marks and the volume specified. And what a nice round number 5L is, how convenient, just empty the 5L container into it and off you go. They do this for both engine and gearbox.

So forums like this, as I have now discovered, are full of detailed discussions on these matters with knowledgeable people going on endlessly about fine details when the reality is very different in the commercial world.

Is this an unrealistic finding?

Edit: Perhaps I should have asked ... anyone dispute this?

[Woody88]

After going into the murky world of servicing my own Golf, I have found glaring discrepancies between what actually happens at many service centres and what 'VW recommends'.

Is this an unrealistic finding?

Edit: Perhaps I should have asked ... anyone dispute this?

Sooooo, I'll take that as a ... no.

[Umai Naa!!]

The temperature is not that critical.

[Woody88]

The temperature is not that critical.

I suspect that you are correct. But that's not what VW say.

So you wack in 5L and do up the invoice?

[Umai Naa!!]

Well I can't re-use the excess that drains back out.

[Transporter]

'

I suspect that you are correct. But that's not what VW say.

Hold your horses. Why would they put 5L in the engine, when only 4 or 3.7 are needed? It's not uncommon that the soot accumulated in the engine oil will raise the oil level. So your finding may well be incorrect.

To answer your question why they use 5L of DSG oil when only 4.5 drained out. Filling in more than is actual oil level is necessary, if it's going to be done correctly. Simple like that.

[Woody88]

'

Hold your horses. Why would they put 5L in the engine, when only 4 or 3.7 are needed? It's not uncommon that the soot accumulated in the engine oil will raise the oil level. So your finding may well be incorrect.

To answer your question why they use 5L of DSG oil when only 4.5 drained out. Filling in more than is actual oil level is necessary, if it's going to be done correctly. Simple like that.

The engine oil was not soot laden, still could see through it at the time I discovered the issue. So your assumption may be incorrect. Engine oil comes in 5L containers. I suspect it is too difficult for service agents to manage or dispose of the remainder.

"if it's going to be done correctly", uh huh, that's a big if. I linked a guy saying that he did not do it correctly and why. I supplied a reference that it sometimes is not, maybe all the time. The reasons given were the really important ones, commercial reasons, about money. I was convinced after seeing the video in the OP that the VW method was too time consuming to be followed in the real world, particularly when "lube technicians" do it instead of mechanics. I now find it very hard to believe that the diagnostics system would be used to check when the oil temp was 34 degrees.

There is no dip stick on the gearbox so we will usually never know, unless the owner drains it.

[Idle]

Besides, the dealers help themselves to a tremendous markup on the oil, so the more they put in...

I can have (and have had) the engine oil delivered from interstate for some $40 or more less than the dealer charges (and it comes by courier in 1 litre bottles, not a 200 litre drum or tanker delivery.)

You can't tell me my supplier does it at a loss...

And, if I buy it in for myself, I get the same brand — my current TDI has had two services, a different brand used each time.

[Umai Naa!!]

The VW DSG oil comes in 1L bottles to the dealer. Mark-up to RRP is around 30%. It retails at $55-ish per litre.

There are OEM-spec alternatives from Liqui-Moly, Swag, Febi Bilstien, and one or two others. These usually retail around $25-$30 per liter.

If you're paying for any more than 5L of it at the dealership, you should be asking questions.

[Woody88]

I bought the DSG oil and filter from a VW dealer. The oil was in a sealed box that contained six 1 litre bottles costing $41 each. I had no idea at the time but do now.

BTW. Now it is all done I am really happy that I bothered and took the time.