Engine run in and early oil change

[Mischa]

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=13025

[gregozedobe]

...Do you think a manufacturer will give you an engine that wont last and risk loosing a future customer, or having to re build the engine under warranty for no cost?
Do you think a manufacturer who has years or experience would recommend a high service interval on an engine if it wasn't up to it? Engines can be over serviced, and this can do as much damage as under servicing. I suggest that you do what the manufacturer recommends...after all, they have the experience building the things.

I have to respectfully disagree. I think that vehicle manufacturers will do whatever gives them higher profits, including a choice to deliberately alienate existing customers if this gives them a better bottom line (and economically it is the rational thing to do).

An good example is the early VW 5 cyl TDI motors which came with a high proportion of faulty waterpumps (the plastic impellers fell apart at quite low mileage). VW decided that this problem would impact on their profits with Toureg owners so an "upgrade" package (90D7) was applied to ALL R5 Touregs made in a certain period. VW Transporters had exactly the same motor (with the same problem with faulty waterpumps), but a decision was made that this wouldn't impact on VWs profits as much ("after all, they are only a commercial van, so people won't care so much, will they ?"). So if you are lucky (and know to mention the 90D7 upgrade), VW "might" make a good will contribution towards the R5 Transporter fix, otherwise you (the paying customer), will pay for the whole fix.

As far as servicing goes, would you really be happy to go 30,000km between oil changes on a TDI motor you were intending to keep for 15 years ? I know I wouldn't (but that is the recommended service interval in Europe). Again, they will sell more to fleets etc if the perceived servicing costs are lower over the period the original purchaser is going to keep the vehicle (they don't give a rats @rse about the long term health of the motor).

Just my opinion, others obviously have different opinions. The good thing as that we can all decide what servicing regime we are going to follow.

[Lima]

I am looking at changing the oil at 7,500 km's due to my driving being mainly short distances (2007 Golf GTI). The dealer where I got my GTI said it will void the warranty if I change the oil myself. Can anyone enlighten me on this, true or not?

As well what sort of oil should be used.

Sorry if this has been asked and answered, any help greatly appreciated

DIY.


(Mobil 1 0W-40)


(Also buy a new sump plug/washer.)

Apart from the fact that Mobil can't spell Volkswagen, they (and many competing products) comply with VW's specifications.

[SoVeReIgN]

Thats what the magnets on the sump plugs and oil filters are for...Do you think a manufacturer will give you an engine that wont last and risk loosing a future customer, or having to re build the engine under warranty for no cost?
Do you think a manufacturer who has years or experience would recommend a high service interval on an engine if it wasn't up to it? Engines can be over serviced, and this can do as much damage as under servicing. I suggest that you do what the manufacturer recommends...after all, they have the experience building the things.

Explain over servicing? Changing the oil every few hundred kms?

The recommend long service intervals because they want to bring down the perceived cost of running the car. That is all.

I change the oil atleast once in between 15,000 services, usually twice. (And I'd recommend anyone else with a turbo car do the same)

[datracer99]

Thats what the magnets on the sump plugs and oil filters are for...Do you think a manufacturer will give you an engine that wont last and risk loosing a future customer, or having to re build the engine under warranty for no cost?
Do you think a manufacturer who has years or experience would recommend a high service interval on an engine if it wasn't up to it? Engines can be over serviced, and this can do as much damage as under servicing. I suggest that you do what the manufacturer recommends...after all, they have the experience building the things.

Changing the oil every 7500km is not over servicing, and will certainly not harm anything. Please explain what you think it will damage.
The service interval specified will be adequate to get the car through warranty, but is not necessarily the best thing if you plan on keeping your car for a long time.

I think that vehicle manufacturers will do whatever gives them higher profits, including a choice to deliberately aleniate existing customers if this gives them a better bottom line (and economically it is the rational thing to do).

My thoughts exactly. VW care how your car goes while within the warranty period. Beyond 100,000km the life of the engine is not their concern at all, and is unlikely to be a major factor in new car sales. giving new car buyers a cheaper service interval will effect sales far more.

Explain over servicing? Changing the oil every few hundred kms?

The recommend long service intervals because they want to bring down the perceived cost of running the car. That is all.

I change the oil atleast once in between 15,000 services, usually twice. (And I'd recommend anyone else with a turbo car do the same)

My thoughts exactly.

[Dangerous]

Thanks for all the very helpful replies.

My Dad is a mechanic so if I ask him nicely, he could do the oil change for me.

Damn dealerships I pretty much figured they were full of it, the salesman there even told me that they threw in the floor mats when I got the car, as a nice gesture, when I know full well they come with the car anyway.

Thanks again everyone

I won't trust everything the dealership tells me now

[mikinoz]

My grandfather had a Holden dealership in country VIC in the 50's/60's, he would have never imagined the way things are today!

Trust your dad from the sound of it!

[Transporter]

Thats what the magnets on the sump plugs and oil filters are for...Do you think a manufacturer will give you an engine that wont last and risk loosing a future customer, or having to re build the engine under warranty for no cost?
Do you think a manufacturer who has years or experience would recommend a high service interval on an engine if it wasn't up to it? Engines can be over serviced, and this can do as much damage as under servicing. I suggest that you do what the manufacturer recommends...after all, they have the experience building the things.

Did you heare about engine oil sludge in VW cars in not so long time ago?
They certainly didn't get the servicing intervall right that time, did they?
I recommend you to read this.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/vw_sludge.html

[Lima]

For the 77,500 trouble free kilometres driven in our old Mk4 GTI it was only ever serviced (oil change) every 15,000kms. So, I reckon if you follow manufacturer's recommendations you should be okay.

While we'll be changing the oil at half service intervals on the Mk5 GTI, I don't reckon it's really a necessity, more a case of it's definitely not a bad thing to do, and it's kinda fun getting your hands dirty every now and then.

[gregozedobe]

For the 77,500 trouble free kilometres driven in our old Mk4 GTI it was only ever serviced (oil change) every 15,000kms.

If you'd said 277,500 or 377,500 trouble free kilometres I'd have been impressed 77,500 is still 22,500 less than the factory warranty distance (3 years/100,00km), of course it is going to last at least that long

And yes, some people do keep their cars for more than 3 years. My daily driver is due for replacement after 18 years of faithful service (Octavia RS wagon on order)

[Lima]

At the time warranty was only 3/60K. So, I was already 25% over that period.

But I take your point, I wasn't making a claim that the car would last forever, just making the point that for the kilometers and time we had the car (3 1/2 years) we had no problems following the VW schedule. Mind, if the Mk4 was as good as the Mk5 then we'd never have moved on from the Mk4 in the first place.

[gti]

What are the pros and cons of service at 7,500km? I'm tossing up whether or not to get my GTI serviced at 7,500 or wait until 15k?

Do the GTIs have 'run-in' oil and do they change the type of oil used when the car is serviced?
Hope that makes sense. I'm not very mechanical and don't really know how the nuts & bolts etc really work and whats best for them.

[gregozedobe]

I believe it depends very much on what sort of driving you do.

If you do lots of short trips where the engine isn't fully warmed up, or drive hard much of the time or have serious engine mods (eg remap) then I personally would recommend you change your oil every 6 months or 7,500Km (whichever comes sooner).

On the other hand if you mostly do long trips and drive gently on the highway with an unmodified car then I'm perfectly happy to suggest 12 months/15,000Km as appropriate.

In between those two extremes is a large grey area where you need to decide what you want to do.

The GTI supposedly comes with an initial fill that is supposed to suitable for both running in AND the first 12 months/15,000Km.

I have an Octavia vRS (with the same motor as the Golf GTI), I ran it in vigorously and changed the oil at 1,000km. Due to it being driven almost exclusively on short trips I will change the oil at 6 months, even though it will probably only have done a further 3,000Km in that time.

Some people will say I'm crazy and am wasting money and (very good) oil, and while I respect their right to have a different opinion to me, it is my car and my money and I'll do what I think is best in my circumstances (NB I tend to keep my vehicles for decades, not years, so I have a longer term perspective compared with people who keep a car for only 3-5 years).

[Transporter]

What are the pros and cons of service at 7,500km? I'm tossing up whether or not to get my GTI serviced at 7,500 or wait until 15k?

Do the GTIs have 'run-in' oil and do they change the type of oil used when the car is serviced?
Hope that makes sense. I'm not very mechanical and don't really know how the nuts & bolts etc really work and whats best for them.

@7,500 there should be no cons. I would do it earlier than 7,500km.
I've always done it @1,500 or 2,000km and never had any problem 4 MB Vito and one Subaru Forester had oil changed earlier than 2,000km and all run in well. Carbon particles build up in oil could ruin the engine seals and cause premature oil leak from engine - since the engine seals are lubricated with engine oil by splash lubrication.

[gti]

Thanks for the tips. Will probably get it serviced at 7,500.