Who's using what oil in their VAG TDi engines?
I've got a VW Passat 1.9TDi 110bhp (1999), and am about to service it myself. I've come across all this chatter about oils meeting VAG standards (505 00/01 etc), and am a bit sceptical.
Does anyone share my opinion that the whole thing is a ruse designed to get people to have their oil changed only by a VAG dealer? After all, the owners manual does even try to convince you that you shouldn't attempt to change bulbs yourself, so it isn't like they won't try anything!
Spoken to a couple of independent mechanics, and they tell me that anything marked 'for modern turbo diesels' will do absolutely fine.
I can see a general trend towards manufacturers attempting to make cars entirely non user-serviceable. We take some stuff in the owners manual with a pinch of salt (the bulb-changing stuff for instance), so why does the waffle about using the correct £15-per-litre oil carry such weight?
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Try Mobil 1 turbodiesel and change it every 5k if you intend clocking up a mega mileage.Its exactly what i do with my Audi A4 1.9 TDi SE 110.The cars now at 165k and suffered no problems that can be related back to engine wear.Just the usual bust aircon,suspension wishbones,air hoses etc!
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Nothing wrong with a manufacturer specifying what to use: the issue is whether you have to buy the VW dealers oil at inflated prices. You don't: even my local VW dealer, not otherwise helpful, accepted that if I provided the right oil (Millers synth for Turbo diesel) they would be happy to use it and it would met the warranty requirements. No need to change it at 5000 miles: plenty of oil analysis shows that good oil will last perfectly for at least 10,000 miles. Changing early is simply a waste IMHO, unless you're driving really short distances.
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My Octavia 110 bhp was serviced on Thursday at Nationwide Autocentres, 20,000 mile service for £95 plus £10 extra for Castrol magnatec (i think). i say i think because i can't remember. I believe that the previous oil change (£40 at an independent rather than £100 at Skoda) was an off the shelf oil too rather than something exotic the price of malt whisky.
i will start changing the oil twice between the 20,000 services though, as the car has done 103,000 miles now.
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I share you scepticism...
We have no idea whether these specs relate to many other products where the oil manufacturer simply has no reason to pay to have their product approved, even though it may already meet or exceed the test criteria...
I reckon vehicle makers could be saying, "Hey Mr Oilmaker, we'll give you exclusive oil approval code for free and charge others a fortune if you sell us the oil for 70p a litre and guarantee £xxxxx worth of business a year." and such like.
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And it costs how much to use the recommended grade(s) of oil?.
With the latest breed of PD engines it is even more important.
In which case Millers XFE-PD seems a good choice.
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Thanks for all the input people.
Could someone advise me where the best place to buy oil is? Halfords don't seem to stock the Mobil and Miller brands that are mentioned.
What would people think to putting Halfords semi-synthetic 'for modern turbo-diesels' into it? It isn't a PD engine, it's a 1999 110bhp.
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If you or someone you know has a Costco membership you can get Chevron full-synthetic 5w-40 which meets the VAG 500 number specs, 4 litre jug was about 10 pounds. If that is not an option just look on the back of the Halfords bottles to see if the appropriate VW spec is mentioned.
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"Halfords" own (which I believe is Esso?) is perfectly OK.
Just make sure you get the correct SAE rating (like 10W-40).
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Hi
Have a look at what some idiot used in his VW Beetle.
www.newbeetle.org.uk/scripts/justbuggin/Forum16/HT...l
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What would people think to putting Halfords semi-synthetic 'for modern turbo-diesels' into it?
I should think that would be fine, but why not the Halfords fully synthetic 5w/40? From time to time it comes up 'on promotion' but even if you have to pay full price it is worth it imo because it is a very good oil which has often been endorsed here by those who know. Ive been using it in my (petrol) engine for four years.
The only thing which is sometimes mentioned, is if a cheap oil has been used previously and/or not changed regularly, the efficiency of a synthetic can mobilise gungy bits which had settled down in odd corners of the engine, and in the worst case block an important oil feed. I would think that unlikely in your car though.
I'm reading off one of the silver barrels, which holds a full 5ltrs, and it says
"...also suitable for the latest Turbo Diesels.
VW 502.00/505.00
API SL CF
ACEA A3 B3 B4 "
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This topic has been done to death! All VAG (VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat) pdi engines MUST (sorry about the shouting!) use oil to 505.01 specification for normal service intervals (1 year, 10k miles). If the cars are on variable service intervals they MUST use 506.01 spec oil. These engines use very high pressure mechanical injectors that require special additives only found in 505.01 and 506.01 oil. If you put oil other than the above specs in pdi engines then you risk component failure.
Why on earth would VAG devlop these special oils if they are not required? Forget the conspiracy theory which suggests that it's only done to milk the poor unsuspecting motorist. If car manufacturers want to get more money out of you for servicing then they have much easier ways of doing it.
Halford's reference to 'latest Turbo Diesels' does not include VAG pdi engines. The specification 502.00 and 505.00 is only suitable for older VAG tdi engines (about pre 1999) for VW/Audi and a bit later for Skoda and Seat.
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Very interesting - but irrelevant.
The man has not got a PD emgine.
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Not irrelevant - you would be surprised how many people don't know that they have got pdi engines. I agree that most 110 bhp engines were tdi versions but there are some which are pdi - along with 75bhp, 100bhp, 115bhp and 130bhp. You would also be surprised how many non franchised garages (and even franchised ones!) don't know the correct oils to use in tdi and pdi VAG engines.
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Halfords actually stock 506.00/01 oil for PD's now.
I think its Castrol, but not sure now. They have it listed £39.99 for 4 litres....gulp
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