Polo GTI High Oil Usage - Discussion Thread

[gavs]

Just checked my oil at exactly 1000kms, still in the "Do Not Fill" area on the dipstick...

[gavs]

Just as a follow up, how and when are you all checking your oil by chance?

[broxigar1983]

Just as a follow up, how and when are you all checking your oil by chance?

7500 hard kms on the clock and never checked :S

[gavs]

Issue of extra high consumption at this point is limited to the Gti....

[triode12]

I suppose most new POG owners haven't done more than 10K kms yet. Oil consumption should come down as the engine breaks in.

VW apparently fill their engines with mineral oil to aid breaking in the engine which is why the oil gets used up alot (that is the explanation I received from the dealer) and have notified dealers not to change the oil till the 15K kms service. You can get free top ups but I am not sure that the dealers top up with mineral oil... I suspect that they just use Castrol 5w/40 synthetic oil instead.

The best practice would be to do an oil and filter change at 5K or 7.5K kms at an independant mechanic using a good synthetic oil like Mobil 1.

[Transporter]

Just as a follow up, how and when are you all checking your oil by chance?

Every 2 weeks in my garage, level floor 10-20 min after engine shut down. Never top up to the full mark when engine is cold or when the car is not leveled. If you need to add the oil, first, use a clean rag to clean the area around the oil filler cap before you remove it then add 1/4L max and recheck, so you don't overfill the sump. If you're using funnel, keep it in the sealed box (8-10L or so storage box with the lid from Bunnings does a good job), so you don't contaminate the oil. Use only VW approved oil. Keep the record of how much of oil you put in, I write the km and date on the oil container that I have for each car, Tiguan is a special one it has its own 20L Mobil1ESP.
Also make sure that the oil in the sump doesn't get very old - we all buy cars that are at least 3-5 months old in some cases even older, go by production date, if you wait for the 12 months.

triode12, I wouldn't bet 1c. on that VW use mineral oil for run in period.

[triode12]

Transporter - you would probably be right.

I was just repeating what the dealer said but the part about the VWA directive of not changing the oil till the 15K service is true as it was repeated by a few dealers (they all gave the reason as being that it was mineral oil that was used to break in the engine for the first 15K).

I had called them asking to perform a 7.5K oil change. All of them refused to do it - they just said to bring in the car if it needed a top up. I had to resort to getting the oil and filter changed at Derek's place.

[Gambit]

Yeah just do the oil change yourself if any dealer is unwilling to do it. You only need mineral oil for the first 5000'ks only IMO.
Its piece of mind i guess.

[Tension]

I've done a tick over 3000kms in my GTI (only had it for a month). It's not used any oil, but it is getting a bit dirty. I've waited until she's warmed up, then given her some stick. Up hills, i put her in 7th and let some speed drop off before planting the foot so she labours, then I overrun going down the hill. I've run her up to the redline plenty of times and basically just driven her hard. It's been great! Average L/100kms is currently on 7.0 over that 3000kms, without driving for economy. Most of my driving is in manual mode, except for when I'm in stuck in traffic, when I use D. Only ever used BP Ultimate 98. Tyre pressure has also remained constant.

[brad]

labouring is not good

[GTI JOE]

labouring is not good

Agree, loading is better Hard to believe that you haven't used any oil at all after 3k. I've done pretty much the same breaking in as you and I have used about 1/4 of the oil at 1.5K. Luck of the draw I guess

[Tension]

Labouring/loading... probably done both, but definitely more loading than labouring. Yep, barely used a drop at 3000km. If its down to luck of the draw, i'll take it.

Based on my experience, I am surprised that you've already used a quarter of your oil. Odd.

[GTI JOE]

Yeah, based on forum responses and experiences. Seems like this engine does use oil to various degrees.

[Transporter]

Labouring/loading... probably done both, but definitely more loading than labouring. Yep, barely used a drop at 3000km. If its down to luck of the draw, i'll take it.

...and, if that would be a case, then for 99% of Polo owners these engines should be run in strictly as per manufacturer's recomendations. Which, IMO indicates that these with high oil consumption either gave to a new engine too much of the stick or let the engine idle for too long (even waiting in the traffic could be bad, I switch the engine off when I know it will idle for +3min, if already my driving is only in the city traffic with a lot of waiting at the lights).

[gavs]

...and, if that would be a case, then for 99% of Polo owners these engines should be run in strictly as per manufacturer's recomendations. Which, IMO indicates that these with high oil consumption either gave to a new engine too much of the stick or let the engine idle for too long (even waiting in the traffic could be bad, I switch the engine off when I know it will idle for +3min, if already my driving is only in the city traffic with a lot of waiting at the lights).

I know of 3 cases of new pistons and rings being installed in the UK after the "manufacturer's run in" proceedure was used and now 1 case of a whole new engine. 9/10 Transporter, I agree with you mate (because generally 10/10 times you're right!) but when I have been told from all over the world, even the service manager of the dealership when I picked up the car (though, based on experiance with that dealership, I shouldn't believe anything that is said there) that the best way to run the engine in is to "drive it like you stole it.....once the oil temp is up to temp", I would say that this is just a case of VW's graphics department doing good old copy - paste out of their owner's manuals text.