What oil are VW dealers putting in your TDI engine?

[Bob51]

This place could be a multi-franchise dealership, with a contract with Valvoline (maybe?).

But that shouldn't matter, since Valvoline has an approved 504/507 oil (SynPower XL-III 5W-30) so they have no excuse.

Assuming he used the same workshop, I wonder what was printed on his previous invoices, for the 15k & 30k service. Does it list the same type of oil?

The dealer concerned was interstate when I was traveling -I have not used them before or since. The invoices from other dealers for the 15 and 30k services do not specify the oil used. I hope my experience with the 45k service is a one-off.

[njg02]

I've just been trying to understand VW 'Long Life Servicing'. From what I can make out, if your car is coded for the normal 15k service, then I read that you can almost use whatever oil you want. IF, your car is coded for "Long Life Servicing" then you have to use the correct spec VW oil, and you can go up to 50,000km between changes. This would make me happy because I'm doing over 50k/yr. I just have to have my car recoded. Although, my R5 has QG1 on the data plaque for the car but it still pops up every 15k for a service. Must check the polo and do an oil change each year instead of 4/yr. Google Self Study Pragramme 224.

[Umai Naa!!]

Incorrect.

For Australia, VW specifies 504/507 in everything from mid-2006 onwards. We don't have Long Life servicing here either, regardless of how the car is coded. All services are 15,000klms except for Crafter.

[njg02]

But, we aren't so different to the rest of the world. So what you're saying is that the long life stuff is a phurphy. In the literature they talk about economy etc and the long life stuff is just that. Why should I waste oil if I don't have to? I do the miles to qualify for long life if I use the correct oil. I reckon VW is taking everyone in Aus for a ride.
I might see if I can get the car recoded and see how I go.
Google Self Study Programme 224.

[Umai Naa!!]

But, we aren't so different to the rest of the world. So what you're saying is that the long life stuff is a phurphy. In the literature they talk about economy etc and the long life stuff is just that. Why should I waste oil if I don't have to? I do the miles to qualify for long life if I use the correct oil. I reckon VW is taking everyone in Aus for a ride.
I might see if I can get the car recoded and see how I go.
Google Self Study Programme 224.

One of the main reasons they specify 504/507 LL3 oil is to cover themselves should an engine go bang due to our typically poor maintenance habbits, and we blame them for an engine that can't miss a service or two without destroying itself.

VW isn't taking everyone for a ride, when you can buy the 504/507-spec oil elsewhere, and usually cheaper.

[Ozram]

But, we aren't so different to the rest of the world. So what you're saying is that the long life stuff is a phurphy. In the literature they talk about economy etc and the long life stuff is just that. Why should I waste oil if I don't have to? I do the miles to qualify for long life if I use the correct oil. I reckon VW is taking everyone in Aus for a ride.
I might see if I can get the car recoded and see how I go.
Google Self Study Programme 224.

Oil is cheap insurance. A new filter is $30. I've seen many engines that have had an 'economy' of servicing. They ain't pretty. Sludge like you wouldn't believe. When we changed the turbo on a Mazda CX-5 recently we had to drop the sump to clean the strainer on the oil pick and 1 inch of crap on the bottom of the pan. We also had to flush all of the oil galleries 3 times.

I'm about to do my 3rd oil change at 22,500km.

It's your car man. How long will your engine last if it looks like this

[Transporter]

But, we aren't so different to the rest of the world. So what you're saying is that the long life stuff is a phurphy. In the literature they talk about economy etc and the long life stuff is just that. Why should I waste oil if I don't have to? I do the miles to qualify for long life if I use the correct oil. I reckon VW is taking everyone in Aus for a ride.
I might see if I can get the car recoded and see how I go.
Google Self Study Programme 224.

If your 05 Touareg is TDI then you have to use VW506.01 otherwise you will regret that you'd ever used anything else in it. Your Polo TDI needs 507.00 oil and I'd stick with the VW recomendation as well.

[Diesel_vert]

Technical developments in engine and lubricant technology, combined with changes in fuel standards, allow the oil change interval (OCI) to be extended under certain conditions - a concept utilised and taken advantage of by commercial and heavy industries for years.

Volkswagen's LongLife servicing regime allows ordinary consumers, particularly those who drive under ideal conditions (in Europe), to benefit from potential financial, environmental and time savings from extended OCIs - without the need to carry out a used oil analysis (UOA).



The maximum service interval in the LongLife regime is not a fixed or prescribed interval, but merely the maximum interval allowed, which is only attainable in absolutely ideal conditions.

Depending on how the vehicle is driven and the conditions it's driven in, the (variable) service interval may be significantly less than the maximum interval, but that is for the onboard computer to determine.

Do not assume the computer will let you service the car at the maximum interval.

Do note that the maximum interval differs from model to model. For instance, the maximum interval for your '05 Touareg (R5 TDI, no DPF, using 506.01 oil) and your '11 Polo (CR TDI, w/DPF, using 507.00 oil) on the LongLife regime is 30 000 km/2 years.

Only some of the earliest models (from 1999 or 2000 onwards) on the LongLife regime had 50 000 km/2 year maximum intervals (only SDI & TDI engines using 506.01 oil) but this was scaled back to 30 000 km/2 years for most subsequent passenger vehicles.



Considering that 89% of the Australian population live in urban areas, a fixed 15 000 km/1 year service interval is a reasonable compromise (for most people that is - sorry njg02, you are clearly the exception!).

Should you decide to recode it for LongLife servicing, it would be interesting to see what kind of service intervals would be shown, given your annual mileage of 50 000 km.

[Transporter]

I've switched to LL servicing in my T5 (128kW) and my service reminder came on in much less than 6,000km

I do a lot of short trips though.

[njg02]

I drive just on 1000km /wk in the polo. I'll get in touch with VWAUS and see what they say. I will put to them their own (VWGER) benefits and the regime that my car is run under. I reckon I'm a good candidate. The R5? No, I don't think so.
Thanks for your interest and I'll try and let you know how I go.