Polo GTI High Oil Usage - Discussion Thread

[Hooti3]

Well my car goes in for the oil consumption test tomorrow.

Should be interesting to see what happens after 1000kms.

[gavs]

Gavs
Would be interested to see a scan of the relevant page of the manual to see how the oil recomendations are evolving.

In my EA888 block 1.8TSI 502.00 is good to go. They even give the green light to lower spec oils with some caveats but as transporter says, long term & for the small premium you may as well use 504.00

Personally, I let the workshop use 504.00 & dump it after 10,000km & refill with 502.00 for the remaining 5,000km. No technical reason except I have a few bottles of Edge Sport on the shelf that I want to use up.

No worries, shoot me a PM as a reminder tomorrow, teh scanner has already been shut down here and can't be bothered waiting for 15 mins for it to fire up

[gavs]

Ok, straight from the manual, in reference to the GTI, unless someone at a different dealership can confirm or deny, but the 2 I have deat with have both said that in australia, ALL vehicles are on long-life service schedules so they MUST run the approved oil, being 504.00

[brad]

Gavs
NO passenger vehicle in Australia is on long life service schedule. We are all on fixed (15,000km/12months) service intervals.

Long Life service is actually a variable service interval. It means that the "Service now" indicator will come on anywhere between 15,000-30,000km or 12m-24m. read this - they are pretty keen on long life in the UK

Non-long Life is 12m/15,000km

So you are right - if you run your petrol engined car under the Long Life regime (which we don't do in Australia) then you have no choice but to use 504.00. but if you are on fixed service intervals (non-Long life) & for some reason want to save a few dollars or feel 502.00 is suitable for your driving style then you can drop back to 502.00.

in summary, as I keep on discovering, the service personnel in Australia still haven't grasped the finer points of VW servicing.

[gavs]

in summary, as I keep on discovering, the service personnel in Australia still haven't grasped the finer points of VW servicing.

I think that comment sums it all up TO confirm though, the GTi is a long-life service vehicle, as shown by the following 2 images out of the service schedule:






Now, to be truthfull, i cannot confirm 100% because I do not have the mandatory confirmation cross in the box on page 3 because I haven't had my first service yet, though, based on having the specified code in the book, I'm lead to believe that this particular GTi is a long-life service vehicle. Not that it bothers me, because I for one will most likely be chosing my own oil anyway

[brad]

Gavs
Mine is the same. came as QG1 (or QG0 or 2 or whatever it was) and even had the service computer set to long life/730days/30,000km but we simply don't do Long Life in Australia. ie: there is no difference in the basic construction of a QG1 engine compared to the other engines. QG1 has a couple of sensors to monitor oil quality. I think one measures viscosity by measuring the pressure difference across a restrictor (could be wrong on that one) & the other measures the colour (soot, suspended solids, etc), plus the other stuff such as number of starts, etc.

Why? Because
a) our Service Centres can't come to terms with such long periods between service.
b) the owners aren't any better
c) depending on what part of Australia you are in, our conditions are a fraction harsher than Europe - eg: dust plugging, excessive humidity over prolonged periods, extremes of heat over long periods, crappier fuel, etc.

[gavs]

Makes sense brad, it does. Not like one of these could last that long anyway

[Diesel_vert]

To confirm though, the GTi is a long-life service vehicle

That statement is incorrect (though you did correct yourself later on).

It would be more accurate to say that your particular vehicle can run on the LongLife service regime.


Because, not every vehicle that is capable of running the LongLife regime (i.e. most VAG models built from 2000 onwards) can actually run it (due to absent or different parts, sensors and whatnot) so these vehicles will be set up to run on the Time and Distance service regime.

Additionally, vehicles on the LongLife regime may also be reconfigured to be on the Time and Distance regime at the owner's request, but obviously not vice-versa.

Mine is the same. came as QG1 (or QG0 or 2 or whatever it was) and even had the service computer set to long life/730days/30,000km but we simply don't do Long Life in Australia. ie: there is no difference in the basic construction of a QG1 engine compared to the other engines. QG1 has a couple of sensors to monitor oil quality. I think one measures viscosity by measuring the pressure difference across a restrictor (could be wrong on that one) & the other measures the colour (soot, suspended solids, etc), plus the other stuff such as number of starts, etc.

Why? Because
a) our Service Centres can't come to terms with such long periods between service.
b) the owners aren't any better
c) depending on what part of Australia you are in, our conditions are a fraction harsher than Europe - eg: dust plugging, excessive humidity over prolonged periods, extremes of heat over long periods, crappier fuel, etc.

If your vehicle is set up to run on the LongLife regime, there's no technical reason preventing you from running it in Australia or whatever market (unless it is explicitly forbidden and/or unless LongLife oils aren't available). In fact, it would probably never go above the minimum interval of 15 000 km (maximum interval being 30 000 km), which basically ends up being the same as if one were on the Time and Distance regime.

As I keep on discovering, service personnel in Australia still haven't grasped the finer points of servicing for any European marque.

Fixed for you.

[Hooti3]

Took my car in yesterday for an oil consumption test and asked them to look at a couple of rattles I have been having, rattles are still present but I got a couple of free presents from them.

Nicely Trashed Right front rim



Broken front Drivers Side Power Window Control



Let's just say I was not impressed (expletives thrown around).

I have already contacted them about both issues. The Service manager will call me on Monday.

[Corey_R]

*sigh* Wow Hooti3, that's very disappointing. I would say that I can't believe this type of service, but I've had it happen to me whilst I was standing in front of the person... (not at a VW dealer though).

[Hooti3]

*sigh* Wow Hooti3, that's very disappointing. I would say that I can't believe this type of service, but I've had it happen to me whilst I was standing in front of the person... (not at a VW dealer though).

Brand new wheels as well.

I was gutted (much like the wheel).

[brad]

If your vehicle is set up to run on the LongLife regime, there's no technical reason preventing you from running it in Australia or whatever market (unless it is explicitly forbidden and/or unless LongLife oils aren't available). In fact, it would probably never go above the minimum interval of 15 000 km (maximum interval being 30 000 km), which basically ends up being the same as if one were on the Time and Distance regime.

I left mine on LL to see what would happen by the time I got to 15,000km (9 months in my case). I can't remember the exact figures but it was near enough 13,000km or 440 days. I'm the first to admit that I drive under almost ideal conditions for LL servicing.

I have also had the 504.00 oil analysed after 15,000km and it tested almost like it had just come out of the bottle. So that's a 2nd tick in the box if I wished to do LL service intervals.

The reason I don't is:

• My previous vehicles have been 5,000km service intervals, so psychologically, I'm doing pretty well to stretch to 15,000km
• I dont think the next purchaser could get their head around it. Therefore they'd say I hadn't maintained the vehicle properly.
• There's a definite increase in fuel usage beyond about 13,000km and it comes good once the service is done.
• I think LL/Variable is promoted by VW to attract the fleet buyers with a reduced service cost spend. Fleet buyers don't give a fig about vehicle longevity beyond the 3year lease period.
• Have heard enough on BriSkoda about LL/Variable service vehicles that are up to their 6th service / 180,000km and it doesn't sound pretty

[brad]

The wheel would have made me cry.

[Frostee]

Took my car in yesterday for an oil consumption test and asked them to look at a couple of rattles I have been having, rattles are still present but I got a couple of free presents from them.

Nicely Trashed Right front rim



Broken front Drivers Side Power Window Control



Let's just say I was not impressed (expletives thrown around).

I have already contacted them about both issues. The Service manager will call me on Monday.

So sorry to hear of your damage. My car is at the panel beaters at the moment thanks to a keying

I can understand how your wheel got damaged but how do you explain the window control?

[Hooti3]

So sorry to hear of your damage. My car is at the panel beaters at the moment thanks to a keying

I can understand how your whell got damaged but how do you explain the window control?

Well that's why I am trying to figure out why they were taking that off in the first place.

It definitely wasn't damaged when I left with them.

So whatever they were doing with it will be interesting to hear.

It's safe to say I will never be taking my car back there again for any type of service.