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Oil to use?

8K views 27 replies 11 participants last post by  cerisecons 
#1 ·
Gents,
I am about at my last "free" oil change at VW. What do you guys think about finding some cheaper oil than the VW stuff? Any ideas? I can get the dell 15-40 at Costco for pretty cheap.

thanks, steve
 
#2 · (Edited)
That oil is wrong. You NEED to use a VW 507.00 certified oil. These are low SAPS (sulphated ash phosphorus sulfur) oils and are absolutely required for the longevity of you DPF(diesel particulate filter) and the rest of your very expensive emissions system. Any money you save by cheaping out on oil will be a wash many times over when you need to replace a clogged DPF to the tune of a few grand.... The stuff at the dealer is castrol slx professional LL03 and is probably the cheapest you will find it at around $9 a liter. You can also find mobil 1 ESP 5w30 at pepboys or liqui-moly top tec 4200 5w30 at napa. Google vw 507.00 oil and you will find many other choices.
 
#8 ·
Three years or 36,000 miles is included when you buy a new VW in the U.S.

I don't know the service plans outside the U.S. so I can't comment, but if you buy a service plan, then the oil changes are most definitely not free, the price is factored in by the plan provider.

For that matter, I paid for the "complementary" maintenance for 36,000 miles when I bought my (NMS) Passat -- VW factored that into the original cost of the car.

In any case, the OP is past the "free" oil changes, so he's looking for how much it should cost at a reasonable shop -- just like I asked about the cost of the 40,000 mile service (including DSG) since that will come out of my pocket. The comments from that thread will help when I shop around a little for service.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Pennzoil EuroSyn Ultra 5w 40. I realize the Vw 2013 jetta tdi calls for 5w 30 and is 507.00 approved. Is there any harm in putting the higher weight oil in there for the next 2months/10,000 miles? OD is 22,300 but is already out of warranty.

Edit to add: I have been attempting the search function but having trouble on Tapatalk, as well as other resources on the inter webs. Also, asked in my own thread, sorry for double post.
 
#14 ·
Pennzoil EuroSyn Ultra 5w 40. I realize the Vw 2013 jetta tdi calls for 5w 30 and is 507.00 approved. Is there any harm in putting the higher weight oil in there for the next 2months/10,000 miles? OD is 22,300 but is already out of warranty.

Edit to add: I have been attempting the search function but having trouble on Tapatalk, as well as other resources on the inter webs.
The bigger question is "is there any harm in using a higher ash content oil?"

I plan on keeping my Passat for quite a while, so I'm sticking with VW 507 oil.
 
#21 ·
Good day folks:
I have studied quite a bit concerning this conversation of Audi/VW TDi's, and their oil requirements. As an engineer with decades of experience, especially working with Design Engineers, I would suggest anyone wanting to purchase oil for their Audi or VW Turbo Diesel, stick to the official released list of lubricant suppliers (those approved for use by the Audi/VW engineers).

1) There is a vast amount of work and testing the engineering staff at Audi/VW puts into validating proposed oil which is requesting approval.
2) There are factors which become part of the overall decision concerning approved oil, which most users and even DIY folks, never take into consideration (EPA regulations, Safety regulations, risk factors and a host of many other issues).

In days gone past, engines and their emissions requirements were not that sophisticated, however as those requirements become more stringent, the requirements for lubricants were effected, causing specific lubricants to be required for specific applications. When specific lubricant formulation is required, the cost naturally is going to increase. Remember you want to protect that investment you made in diesel technology and part of the protection is sticking with an oil which has been approved by the vehicle manufacturer. Many of the oil manufacturers on the approved list have oil specifications on their web page which can be download as pdf and studied in order to determine which oil meets your specific climatic conditions and daily driving needs.

That said; its best to stick with the OE manufacturers approved list of lubricant suppliers. Venture away from the approved suppliers list and your warranty may be effected as is stated on the Audit TSB released 06 Jun 2011. Each type of TDi has a specific specification related to the oil requirements; each owner will need to acquire that oil specification from their owner’s manual. You are looking for a specification from your owner’s manual (such as VW505.001, or VW506.01), you will then match that to the approved suppliers list and you will have all of the lubricant suppliers Audi-VW recommends. Don’t simply assume all of the older specifications supersede to the latest specification (i.e. VW 507.00) either, as I have discovered that not to be the case, especially since various fuel systems were employed during various model years. That said, if you find an lubricant on the list which is specific for your application and it also appears as an approved lubricant for the later specification (VW507.00) then it’s safe to assume that lubricant will be available for a longer period of time, and therefore usually less expensive.

Audi-VW approved engine lubricant suppliers list
http://microsites.audiusa.com/ngw/0...s/Audi_TechnicalServiceBulletin_1997-2012.pdf

A reference to the Audi-VW oil specifications (note not OE data)
http://www.blauparts.com/vw-oils/vw-oil-specs-vw-oil-specification.html
 
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