Polo GTI High Oil Usage - Discussion Thread

[Diesel_vert]

At this stage I am just getting it topped up by the dealer and not doing it myself so it is all on record and I can't be blamed for doing the wrong thing! Counting down the days till it goes in to get fixed, though I'm wondering whether I am going to have other issues such as with the cat converter due to how much it is burning and the deposits covering the exhaust.

Yikes!

Don't worry, it'll be out of warranty by the time the cat expires

Unless you sell the car before the warranty expires, then its someone else's problem.

[Corey_R]

Are you sure it's 4.5 litres?

In another thread, I recall that you ultimately poured in about 4.25 litres of oil (without issue I presume), but can you double check what the owner's manual says?

If it's anything like my Golf R or my mother's Polo 77TSI owners manual, it says that changing the oil is something that should be completed by a qualified mechanic (something to that effect) and so it doesn't tell you the oil capacity of the engine...
Presumably you'd need to go to erWin and download the service manual from there.

[starionx]

Wow... after reading all 11 pages of this thread, I have come to this conclusion. The Polo GTI I was interested in getting, is now a NO WAY IN HELL prospect. I have also noticed a lot of mentions of VWA (and their dealers) actively lying and misrepresenting their products. Basically a company that everyone should stay clear of.
As for their claims that the car should burn oil from new, well that is just pure rubbish. The only cars I've ever had burn oil were my Mazda RX-7's, and that was by design.

Maybe I'll keep my Nissan 370Z after all.

[pologti18t]

Maybe I'll keep my Nissan 370Z after all.

You didn't have the 370Z for long. Bad experience?

[Diesel_vert]

Wow... after reading all 11 pages of this thread, I have come to this conclusion. The Polo GTI I was interested in getting, is now a NO WAY IN HELL prospect.

Well, that's understandable - it does make for rather sober reading, doesn't it?

I have also noticed a lot of mentions of VWA (and their dealers) actively lying and misrepresenting their products. Basically a company that everyone should stay clear of.

All vehicle manufacturers are like that - be it Toyota or BMW, Nissan or VAG, you will have a fight on your hands if they deny any fault (unless it's related to safety).

They are a business, first and foremost - and unfortunately it's the shareholders that take priority.

As for their claims that the car should burn oil from new, well that is just pure rubbish. The only cars I've ever had burn oil were my Mazda RX-7's, and that was by design.

It is normal for all new piston engines to consume some oil during the break-in phase, which should taper off once the engine has some decent mileage on it.

Maybe I'll keep my Nissan 370Z after all.

It's a good thing you don't have the 350Z then - RevUp Oil Consumption TSB and discussion - MY350Z.COM Forums

Like I said, all marques have their issues (a visit to any forum will easily uncover the truth). Just because a vehicle is manufactured in Germany or Japan is no guarantee it will be faultless.

[starionx]

You didn't have the 370Z for long. Bad experience?

Driving experience... brilliant! (although I do miss the turbo boost sensation). As for practicality... I give it a 1 out of 10 (but I guess I kind of new that going in). I was looking at maybe downsizing my financial burden.

---------- Post added at 01:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:33 PM ----------

@ Diesel_vert

You make valid points. I certainly don't believe that VW are that much different to other car manufacturers. I guess I am kind of bummed out that the car I was looking at getting seems to have a serious problem.

Interestingly, the general concensus is that the way to avoid the oil loss issue is to drive it hard (once it is warmed up). The owner's manual states the opposite, so if by driving it hard (within reason) and something was to happen to the engine, wouldn't VWA have a case (once they have a look at the ecu data) for denying any warranty work? It's kind of a no-win situation.

[gavs]

Sorry for taking so long to reply Karly but the owners manual is as Corey says, that it doesn't give capacities because the oil change should be done by a dealership. The capacity is 4L according to the service manual, yes I was incorrect (brain not functioning to crush hot of late) but not about the dipstick, indeed it did take 1L to show full from the bottom of the dipstick.

If you overfill, you will potentially destroy the catalytic converter but as Dav said, with all the burned oil running through it, it could very well already be cactus...

[gavs]

Driving experience... brilliant! (although I do miss the turbo boost sensation). As for practicality... I give it a 1 out of 10 (but I guess I kind of new that going in). I was looking at maybe downsizing my financial burden.

---------- Post added at 01:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:33 PM ----------

@ Diesel_vert

You make valid points. I certainly don't believe that VW are that much different to other car manufacturers. I guess I am kind of bummed out that the car I was looking at getting seems to have a serious problem.

Interestingly, the general concensus is that the way to avoid the oil loss issue is to drive it hard (once it is warmed up). The owner's manual states the opposite, so if by driving it hard (within reason) and something was to happen to the engine, wouldn't VWA have a case (once they have a look at the ecu data) for denying any warranty work? It's kind of a no-win situation.

If VW can prove that you drove it too hard then maybe yes, but good luck proving it and what defines driven hard?

[Euro Remaps]

I would be interested to know also what oil you are topping up the engine with?I know audi used to recomend 0w30 longlife for their tdis a few years back and it was turning out to be too thin so they changed the spec to 5w30 maybe the polo is suffering from the same problem? i would say the polo would take castrol longlife 3 5w30 ..

[Tigga1]

I've just done 10000k in my GTI, checked oil level for first time and oil level is in middle of marks on dipstick...lucky i guess...(-;

[gavs]

Engine is meant to use 5w30 which is what I use but a different brand than castrol.

[Karly101]

Well my engine is probably in 1000s of pieces right now ... timeline has already stretched to 1 week (was told 3 days hah I thought it was optimistic) and I have requested the cat converter be checked - so that it is on record. I doubt I will be keeping this car past warranty now though which is a shame because I do love the car despite its issues! And now I'm driving the 1.4 Golf which is soooo much less fun than my polo.

[Diesel_vert]

... so if by driving it hard (within reason) and something was to happen to the engine, wouldn't VWA have a case (once they have a look at the ecu data) for denying any warranty work? It's kind of a no-win situation.

No, they have no case.

May God rain furious blows on any dealer of any marque that tries to weasel their way out of its warranty obligations.

I would be interested to know also what oil you are topping up the engine with?I know audi used to recomend 0w30 longlife for their tdis a few years back and it was turning out to be too thin so they changed the spec to 5w30 maybe the polo is suffering from the same problem? i would say the polo would take castrol longlife 3 5w30 ..

Longlife II [1999 (?), 0W-30, 503/506] has been superseded with Longlife III [2004, 5W-30, 504/507] for most VAG vehicles.

If it's anything like my Golf R or my mother's Polo 77TSI owners manual, it says that changing the oil is something that should be completed by a qualified mechanic (something to that effect) and so it doesn't tell you the oil capacity of the engine...

... but the owners manual is as Corey says, that it doesn't give capacities because the oil change should be done by a dealership.

Good to see the spirit of obfuscation alive and well!

I've just done 10000k in my GTI, checked oil level for first time and oil level is in middle of marks on dipstick...lucky i guess...(-;

Don't jinx it!

Well my engine is probably in 1000s of pieces right now ... timeline has already stretched to 1 week (was told 3 days hah I thought it was optimistic) and I have requested the cat converter be checked - so that it is on record. I doubt I will be keeping this car past warranty now though which is a shame because I do love the car despite its issues! And now I'm driving the 1.4 Golf which is soooo much less fun than my polo.

Commiserations, hope it gets fixed on the first go.

[Eaglehawk]

Well, the oil consumption test after the first service has come back at 300ml/1000km. Deemed acceptable for now.

[Hooti3]

Second oil consumption test under way. About 2-300kms in.

1st oil consumption test showed excessive usage. Car had the piston rings replaced which took 10 days to install (uh huh yeah right).

Not only that, but apparently I didn't want a loaner car for that 10 days (EVEN THOUGH I SPECIFICALLY SAID YES, so they didn't offer me one and I had to borrow my parents car for that time).

After 1100km's the oil light came on. The oil usage has actually gotten worse with the new piston rings (assuming they actually did anything in the first place), not to mention that they broke the ECU bracket and decided to mount it back with a cable tie after they apparently replaced the piston rings.

This is just adding to my growing list of things to add to my lettter that I will get my solicitor to send to VW Australia.

I can guarantee that if the new engine that will get fitted once this consumption test is done doesn't fix the car, they will be hearing from my solicitor.

I didn't take a loan out on a car that is constanly under going tests and in the workshop. I bought a car to drive and enjoy it.

/rant