Servicing intervals

[NZTiguan]

I would have preferred it if they had changed my oil, but the service guy said that it's a running-in oil that's currently in the engine and it's designed to be run through to the first service.

That's interesting cos they don't run any special running in oil in them in NZ ?? and presumably they come form the factory basically full. My agent put a litre container in the boot as the diesels are known to use a little during their first 10,000k or so but mine didn't need it at all.

[Transporter]

I put my drain plug in the lathe and drill the hole in it for magnet going inside, alternatively you can buy magnetic drain plugs over the internet.

[brad]

I've done oil changes on nearly all my cars at intervals of 5000-7500 (older cars with more km's at 5000) and had very few internal mechanical problems as a result

Surely your lack of mechanical problems aren't purely because you have done more frequent oil changes?

I still don't see why they don't change the oil and oil filter anyway and re-fill it with the running-in oil, but I just accepted it. I would have thought that the chances of there being iron filings from engine wear would be greater in the first few thousand km's and you'd want to flush them out ASAP to prevent long term damage.

A) How much of the engine is Ferrous metal these days.
B) Isn't catching contaminants the filters job?
C) The Magnet would do something, but all that ferrous is already in the filter - why not let it go through to the keeper (the filter material)?

Buggered if I know what all this long term damage is. I used to look after a fleet of 10 Ford/Holden/Chrysler courier vehicles, which did 100,000km a year (then we turned them over). The services were by the book. The drivers didn't warm them up & gave them a hammering. We never had any issues with engine related wear / lubrication issues. Our biggest dramas were auto transmissions, brakes, cooling systems (that's an item that needs a good flush out) & steering components. The same with our 1 tonne ute fleet - engines good, clutches & brakes bad.

[Pullstarter]

Surely your lack of mechanical problems aren't purely because you have done more frequent oil changes?

I didn't say it was solely because of that but it certainly helps, especially with older engines. It's just one part of a preventative maintenance program that will always lessen the amount of mechanical issues you would experience, ask any mechanic. You turned your fleet cars around every 100 000kms so you would be unlikely to see any serious wear issues by then.

The magnetic sump plugs are a better idea than the filter magnet IMO. When the oil settles into the pan when the engine is at rest there's a greater chance of a magnetic sump plug catching someting there than when the oil is flowing through the filter at speed I would have thought. Plus the heavier stuff may not even make it to the filter?

[Transporter]

Brad,
Next time I change my oil in T5 I take a picture of the magnet in that drain plug. Just for the record not all oil is filtered through the filter 100% of time and you know it.
The biggest friction area in the engine is cylinder walls (made of cast iron) scraped by piston rings and that is what get caught on the magnet.

It is a little bit different when the vehicle does 100,000km. In that case you can change oil every 25000km and everything should be allright.

[juv3]

Hi Guys,

just want to get some opinion
my first service was scheduled on 7500km, should i follow that or ignore it and go straight to 15000km or 1 year (i believe that is the service interval for tiguan)

cheers

[Transporter]

It all depends if you drive under severe conditions or not and how long do you want to keep your Tiguan for? I usually keep my cars for long time so I service them every 5,000km - 7,500km.

[juv3]

It all depends if you drive under severe conditions or not and how long do you want to keep your Tiguan for? I usually keep my cars for long time so I service them every 5,000km - 7,500km.

thanks for the reply

at the moment i am only doing drive around city but who knows one day...planning to keep the car for more than 5 years

let see what comment or experience from others owner.

cheers

[Arctra]

I found it a bit of a waste of time. They don't do much more than a fluid check and make sure there are no big problems. It is an optional service, and if you've been keeping an eye on things you should probably be OK.

[PassatB6]

Being diesel mechanic for almost 30 years, I can tell you that in general; how clean is your oil at all the times will determine how long your engine will last.
Perhaps more important for many of us is how it will perform during its useful life, since the wear in engine components will reduce the power output. So your new engine is young and strong for very short time, even shorter with a fewer oil changes especially if driven hard or under severe driving conditions.

I found this nice video from the company that produces decent oils. That gives you some information that is easy to absorb.

LIQUI-MOLY Fuel and Oil Treatments & Additives

I change my oils at no more than 7,500km or 6-8months and never had any mechanical failure in any engine. Also remember guys that coolant in many VW cars is a lifetime fill, but according to German TUV life time of the car is 5years or 120,000km.

Of course, if you change your car as soon as the warranty runs out or earlier it would be a false economy to maintain it more often than your owner's manual says.

So Transporter, are you recommending oil additives?