What oil are VW dealers putting in your TDI engine?

[Bob51]

On my last (45k) service by a VW dealer the invoice listed the oil used in my 2010 103kw TDI was 'problend 10w30'. An internet search shows Pro-blend to be a range of oils made by Valvoline and supplied to the trade. As its name implies it is a blend of mineral and synthetic oils. Valvoline does not claim the oil is approved to any VW standards such as 507 which VW insist should be used in the latest Euro5 engines. Maybe Pro-blend does meet the standard but is just not certified.

I drained the oil and replaced it with Penrite Enviro+ 5w30 not wanting to take the risk of running the next 15K on the wrong oil.

Begs the question how many VW dealers use oils which are not 507 approved. Have other Forum members similar experiences?

[Diesel_vert]

For the Octavia:

PD engines (without a DPF) requires 505.01, 506.01 or 507.00

PD engines (with a DPF) and CR diesel engines (with or without a DPF) require 507.00

On my last (45k) service by a VW dealer the invoice listed the oil used in my 2010 103kw TDI was 'problend 10w30'. An internet search shows Pro-blend to be a range of oils made by Valvoline and supplied to the trade. As its name implies it is a blend of mineral and synthetic oils. Valvoline does not claim the oil is approved to any VW standards such as 507 which VW insist should be used in the latest Euro5 engines. Maybe Pro-blend does meet the standard but is just not certified.

I drained the oil and replaced it with Penrite Enviro+ 5w30 not wanting to take the risk of running the next 15K on the wrong oil.

Begs the question how many VW dealers use oils which are not 507 approved. Have other Forum members similar experiences?

What were they thinking?

No lubricant with a SAE grade of 10W-30 has been (recently) approved for either 505.01, 506.01 or 507.00 (and it's not on the approved oil list) so it's almost certain that the dealer has used the wrong oil.

Using an unsuitable oil in a modern European turbocharged DI petrol/diesel engine runs the risk of premature engine damage.

In addition, using an unsuitable oil in a PD engine runs the risk of prematurely wearing the camshaft and related components, due to the nature of its design.

Further, using an unsuitable oil in a vehicle equipped with a DPF runs the risk of premature clogging, which may lead to poor engine performance.

Sorry to hear that you had to fix the dealer's mistake on your own time and money.

[Umai Naa!!]

Before we go any further, it wouldn't too unreasonable to suggest that it may have been a clerical error when costing the bill. A lot of dealer management software have auto-generating terms and phrases that appear on the invoice, based on codes that have been input.

It may have been the case of someone pressing the wrong buttons, resulting you being charged for oil that was probably half the price.

The thing is, the dealership is unlikely to admit any wrong-doing and will insist that they've used the correct oil regardless. Sorry to hear that you've gone to the extent that you have, to regain peace of mind.

At the VW dealership I worked at, the coding for the Castrol 5W-30 504/507 we were using, came up on the invoice with 'TDI' in the phrasing. A few switched-on customers with petrol-engined VWs pointed it out, but once they were informed that it was the same oil, and that it was correct for the car, they were ok with it.

[Diesel_vert]

That's certainly possible, though it's harder to believe a dealer would incorrectly charge less than the usual price.

It's fairer to give the benefit of the doubt, but this time I just decided to assume the worst, lol.

[gldgti]

The thing is - how many services does a VW dealer carry out nowdays where the oil to be used is not 505-507? Maybe a few odd T4 petrols, and mk4 golfs, but surely not much else.

Considering that not only the TDI but TSI and FSI engines all require pretty fancy oil, its hard to give the benfit of the doubt in this case. (Not that I'm for starting a lynch mob, quite the opposite.)

If the OP goes there for the next service, I would be interesting to see if the invoice says the same thing again.

[Umai Naa!!]

Late T4s and early T5s used 506, as well as early R5 and V10 Touaregs.

Most places I've dealt with, use run-of-the-mill 10W30 in passenger vehicle VWs prior to 2005. (1J Golf/Bora, 9C/1C Beetle, 3B Passat, etc).

The problem with 506 is the price of it. It's nearly double most 504/507 oils at retail price. Cheapest I found was around $140 trade price for 5L. Try putting that one over a customer with an early V10 Touareg that takes around 12L. Very hard to convince them that it's justified when Average Joe Mechanical has been putting the cheaper 504/507 in.

[gldgti]

Late T4s and early T5s used 506, as well as early R5 and V10 Touaregs.

Most places I've dealt with, use run-of-the-mill 10W30 in passenger vehicle VWs prior to 2005. (1J Golf/Bora, 9C/1C Beetle, 3B Passat, etc).

The problem with 506 is the price of it. It's nearly double most 504/507 oils at retail price. Cheapest I found was around $140 trade price for 5L. Try putting that one over a customer with an early V10 Touareg that takes around 12L. Very hard to convince them that it's justified when Average Joe Mechanical has been putting the cheaper 504/507 in.

I know what you mean but I reckon a V10 Toureg owner isnt too likely to mind what it costs (or perhaps they REALLY are?)

All I'm getting at is that given the oil the dealer is likely to need to keep a good stock of, if they arent supplying the correct oil for Mr Smiths golf TDI, then it seems like they are probably supplying the wrong oil for every TDI and TSI that comes in for the service (as the OP kind of thought might have happened).

If using oil made by valvoline isnt cost-cutting, I dont know what is . A very good mechanic I used to know used to say something like "Use any oil you want that meets the specification, except Valvoline."

[Transporter]

....it's actually 506.01 not 506
that's where the mistakes happen as well, since many just overlook the 01.

I think many TDI engines worldwide were ruined by wrong oil used, incl. not approved oils falsly claiming to meet VW506.01.

[Diesel_vert]

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?

[Umai Naa!!]

....it's actually 506.01 not 506
that's where the mistakes happen as well, since many just overlook the 01.

I think many TDI engines worldwide were ruined by wrong oil used, incl. not approved oils falsly claiming to meet VW506.01.

Yes, the one I priced up was in fact 506.01 approved. Quite a few are approved both 506 and 506.01 now.

[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.