Polo GTI High Oil Usage - Discussion Thread

[brad]

The owners manual recomends that during the initial ownership period you check the oil every 500km or "whenever you fill up with fuel" (which is pretty stupid as the reading will be artificially low due to slow drainback). So in 3100km you probably should have checked your oil 3 or 4 times. Did it only drop the 1 litre in the last 1000km or has it been gradual over the 3100km?

Oil usage isn't unusual during break-in & on cars like these, break-in is anywhere between 5,000-15,000km. Subarus, Alfas & a few others are just as drawn out.

Re: LS1s. Wasn't one of Holdens "fixes" to change the markings on the dipstick & increase the refill capacity from 5L to 6L? I believe this then caused some windage issues which dropped HP & increased fuel consumption. They also advised owners to "give the car a bit more right foot" during the first 5000km.

[alias_vw]

They also advised owners to "give the car a bit more right foot" during the first 5000km.

By which they meant you should kick it.

[pologti18t]

Welcome to VW ownership, they would rather screw their current customers than issue a recall notice that might affect the gain of potential new customers and the associated bad PR.

An exactly what would the recall involve? You would have to do oil consumption tests on EVERY Polo GTI (and Ibiza and skoda VRS) over a significant time period to determine which engines it affects. Otherwise the only why to perform the recall is to apply whatever fix they use on every single car produced with that engine.

If owners have a half a brain and actually do what the owners manual tells them to (check the oil!) then they should bring up the heavy oil usage up with the dealer where it will be dealt with.

[Transporter]

If owners have a half a brain and actually do what the owners manual tells them to (check the oil!) then they should bring up the heavy oil usage up with the dealer where it will be dealt with.

Nooo, that would be too hard, almost impossible for some. It is much easier to complain about it over the internet.


Sent from my Galaxy Tab using Tapatalk.

[VW Convert]

Nooo, that would be too hard, almost impossible for some. It is much easier to complain about it over the internet.


Sent from my Galaxy Tab using Tapatalk.

Agreed!
I can't believe the number of people posting that they drive until the oil light comes on! Given that oil consumption in new engines is common (and has been as long as I've been driving cars) I'm staggered that owners are not checking oil levels regularly. Don't owners care about their new cars any more?

[brad]

By which they meant you should kick it.

it wasn't even that drastic. They just wanted you to get beyond 1500rpm occasionally. Heaps of "traditional V8 buyers" were basicaly idling around town all day like they used to in their old 5.0L. Same people that complained of lack of low down torque.

[BENN0]

I know one make forms are generally full of fan bois, but this is a bit rich.
I cant believe how many excuses there are for a brand new car with a clear design and/or quality fault.

What happens when the warranty runs out on these things?

[brad]

I know one make forms are generally full of fan bois, but this is a bit rich.
I cant believe how many excuses there are for a brand new car with a clear design and/or quality fault.

What happens when the warranty runs out on these things?

I don't think anyone said that it was acceptable to still be burning oil after 3 years. You should monitor the usage & see if oil usage is constant or improving.
The fact is that engines with low ring tensions burn oil when they are new. They tend to either seal up quickly or they take forever. I have mates on my other forum that had the H6 in their Subarus taking 50,000km to fully seal.

It's written in your owners manual in b&w - along the lines of "expect your engine to use oil during the break-in period. You should check the oil level regularly & top-up as required", so I'm not sure why
a) you think that this oil usage is a relevation.
b) you were relying on the idiot lights to tell you when the oil level was excessively low.

Maybe I'm a weirdo but if I've spent half a years pay on something & intend to keep it a few years, I try to do preventative maintenance rather than reactive maintenance.

[Corey_R]

Maybe I'm a weirdo but if I've spent half a years pay on something & intend to keep it a few years, I try to do preventative maintenance rather than reactive maintenance.

I'm a weirdo too! Cause I totally agree

[kaanage]

Get with the consumerist society, guys - things are throwaway after 3 years at best

[readerr0r]

Get with the consumerist society, guys - things are throwaway after 3 years at best

Sign up for the new Polo GTI-S on the 50,000K Cap plan today!

[Karly101]

Well unfortunately looks like I'll be joining this thread... have been meaning to check the oil in the GTI after reading this and last night I did and it was LOW... took it to Barloworld today and it needed 1.2 L! No oil light came on...

At 5,000km that seems slightly excessive to me! Mechanic suggested I ask for oil consumption test at my first service which I booked in for November. I only bought the car at 3,000km so I don't know how it was driven but I wait for it to warm up then I do drive it pretty hard and tend to either stick in sport mode or shift myself as I hate how it tries to get to gear 6 asap in auto mode. Also bought a bottle of oil just in case so I won't get caught out again without oil! Hoping it won't stay at this rate of oil consumption as it's just as much as my old aircooled veedubs!

[prcurrie]

Sign up for the new Polo GTI-S on the 50,000K Cap plan today!

That's gold! Good comment.

[Hooti3]

Well an update on my car.

Did the 1000KMs. The car has been deemed to be using excessive oil. Piston Rings have been ordered for the car but it's 3-4 weeks wait (lame).

[prcurrie]

Well an update on my car.

Did the 1000KMs. The car has been deemed to be using excessive oil. Piston Rings have been ordered for the car but it's 3-4 weeks wait (lame).

Ouch! So what was deemed as excessive? Did they give you a figure?

I'm guessing the piston rings replacement will still mean there is 'higher' consumption and it won't settle it down for good?