Oil Change Intervals?

Hey Everyone,

The preamble: 2015 Golf Sportwagen, bought April 2017 new - one of the held back models until the legal stuff was organized.

Had oil change completed at dealer January 2018 at 11000km. Dealer puts sticker on car - oil change due June 2018 - 23,000 km.

Car has as of today July 2018- 18,000km on car. Get a call from dealer today... "Car need to come in for 6 month oil change".

As far as I'm concerned I have 5000 km to go before oil change & will do that this month within summer trips.

VW Canada... suggests 15000 km between oil changes.

SO... What do I do? I feel the dealer is just playing me.... ( had a few issues last service oil change)

But most importantly, what is the best for my TDI... And am I missing something?

A few local VW garages can also give me some good service in lieu of the dealer.

thanks...

Aivars

ps ... worked on all my mk1\2\3\4 Vw Diesels. Wanna play the new car game... but to what extent?

There are many here far more expert than me, so take this for what it's worth.

A trusted friend who was a service manager at a VW dealer (trusted friend *before* VW SM) told me that the recommended intervals (10K by the book, iirc) was just to get the car through the warranty period. In other words, too long.

But the 3K that the oil change places recommend is too short (yeah, you're being played).

What I settled on is every 5K - oil change and tire rotation. To me, it's a realistic and not overly ambitious interval, addresses both oil and tire rotations, and is painfully easy to gauge/remember (every 5K on the odo).

As I said, it's advice worth exactly what you paid for it. But it works for me/us.

Good luck!

I disagree with the above post.

Looking at the used oil analysis' that have done on cars with a a 10k mile (15k km) interval showed the oil has held up perfectly fine and in many cases could be extended longer. I've seen no reason to doubt VWs suggested interval.

In Canada that is every year or 15k km, whichever comes first. I think the dealer is trying to take your money.

I agree that the 10k mile oil change is okay as long as you use the correct oil/filter. I don't use the factory fill class lll Castrol. I went to an actual 100% synthetic that is 507 approved. Ravenol. The Castrol may be ok but I like the extra peace of mind using a true synthetic.

Find the used oil analysis thread on here somewhere. A bunch of people including myself send off samples to get checked out. Most every case they say everything looks great and can actually go past the 10k mark.

aggressive for the dealer, i usually get the fliers for sales for tires/brakes/wipers and stating i'm due for XX service at their guesstimate.

Stick to 10K miles of 15K km, you'll be fine.

Maybe the dealer was assuming you do 20K miles or 30K km a year, which every good TDI owner should be doing if not more.

360gtracer said:

There are many here far more expert than me, so take this for what it's worth.

A trusted friend who was a service manager at a VW dealer (trusted friend *before* VW SM) told me that the recommended intervals (10K by the book, iirc) was just to get the car through the warranty period. In other words, too long.

But the 3K that the oil change places recommend is too short (yeah, you're being played).

What I settled on is every 5K - oil change and tire rotation. To me, it's a realistic and not overly ambitious interval, addresses both oil and tire rotations, and is painfully easy to gauge/remember (every 5K on the odo).

As I said, it's advice worth exactly what you paid for it. But it works for me/us.

Good luck!

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The Tortoise said:

I disagree with the above post.

Looking at the used oil analysis' that have done on cars with a a 10k mile (15k km) interval showed the oil has held up perfectly fine and in many cases could be extended longer. I've seen no reason to doubt VWs suggested interval.

In Canada that is every year or 15k km, whichever comes first. I think the dealer is trying to take your money.

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THIS ^^^

OCI of 10k miles is perfectly fine especially with the minimum grade (that's what I call the Castrol LL03) 507 oil. It's typically cashed right at the 10k mark. 5k mile is far too often and you are wasting money changing it that fast. Oil Analysis will show this to be true, as it has been shown over and over.

Ooga said:

Find the used oil analysis thread on here somewhere. A bunch of people including myself send off samples to get checked out. Most every case they say everything looks great and can actually go past the 10k mark.

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Yup, same here. I ran two 10k mile UOA on the Castrol LL03 for a good baseline and then switched to a better oil, Schaeffer's 8008 and sure enough, recommendation on the first UOA was run longer, there is plenty of life left.

The dealer cares about its revenue stream. The 11,000km change was premature. 16,000km or one year would be the manufacturer's requirement, as indicated in the cluster reminder.

I also bought a GSW with 375 miles on it in April, 2017. It now has 9,400 miles on it. Haven't changed the oil yet, will do so at 10K (soon). I'm not worried in the least about the oil being in there for over a year.

Thanks for the replies! I figured that it was a $$ grab with any validity behind it.

Will give them a call, just to see what their take on this is...

The dealer I got my 2011 from did something like this as well. 8000km or 6 months intervals was what they programmed into the car and the service reminder. I told them to change that to the manufacturer's recommendation and that I would not be coming twice as often. 165000km later when the car was bought back last month, no issues with the engine, no leaks, no bad seals.

Homerjj said:

Thanks for the replies! I figured that it was a $$ grab with any validity behind it.
Will give them a call, just to see what their take on this is...

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No, don't call them. Their "take" on this is you need to follow their recommendations and not the manufacturers and they might even tell some made up nonsense to support their position. Take the money they are trying to fleece out of you and put it in your children's college fund.

sloinker said:

I agree that the 10k mile oil change is okay as long as you use the correct oil/filter. I don't use the factory fill class lll Castrol. I went to an actual 100% synthetic that is 507 approved. Ravenol. The Castrol may be ok but I like the extra peace of mind using a true synthetic.

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When would you not use the correct oil and filter? As long as the oil meets the VW 507 spec and is the recommended weight, your good, blend or synthetic.

Peace of mind? I'll let you know at 400K miles.................

10,000 miles is conservative. No need to go shorter at all. Here is my car on Castrol (10K service), Castol (20k service), Total (30k service):

Thanks... And happy Friday!!!

Believe the MANUFACTURER and not the DEALER.......

TDI smile said:

Believe the MANUFACTURER and not the DEALER.......

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Well, I'm not supporting the dealer here but the manufacturer has proven themselves to be a liar, a cheat, and a thief. They have sold VW customers a lot of junk and BS too!
That being said this community has proven over and over again that the 10k OCI is the way to go with absolutely no issue.

At least they haven't killed people like GM! Ignition key fiasco. VW have been extremely generous and I think my 2015 TDI is one of the best cars I've owned.

Bellman said:

At least they haven't killed people like GM! Ignition key fiasco. VW have been extremely generous and I think my 2015 TDI is one of the best cars I've owned.

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VW was extremely generous because a court of law demanded it. They did not do that out of the goodness of their heart.

Bellman said:

At least they haven't killed people like GM! Ignition key fiasco. VW have been extremely generous and I think my 2015 TDI is one of the best cars I've owned.

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You really cant beat the feel of a VW. They feel sturdy and well made.

MichaelB said:

Well, I'm not supporting the dealer here but the manufacturer has proven themselves to be a liar, a cheat, and a thief. They have sold VW customers a lot of junk and BS too!
That being said this community has proven over and over again that the 10k OCI is the way to go with absolutely no issue.

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I'm on my 23rd VW and none left me stranded along the Highway and VW never cheating me. My 2002 is at 470,xxx km and just broken in!!!!I have my Oilchanges done between 15,000 and 20,000 km.....

I love reading UOA, I swear those guys at blackstone also do horoscopes, so eloquently worded.

I will have to learn my Ross-Tec. My 04-2015 Jetta TDI say oil change at 7500 miles or 12070 km. I need to change to 10000 miles, or 16093 km. Funny the Dealer or the Shop I go for Service say not a WORD.

And I have read the oil is good to 15000 to 20000 miles or 24140 to 32186 km.

Up to 30k miles with a sensor IIRC in Europe.

I just had my 2015 GSW serviced at a new dealer. I noticed when I left that the service interval on the window sticker was 5000 miles. I called and asked about this and one of the rational they gave was the German cars (Audi, VW) tend to use oil and that one should never wait the full 10,000 mile service interval. I pointed out the "using oil" is not considered to be a good thing. I'm not a long time VW owner but between my 2014 JSW and now my 2015 GSW I have been through 5 10k service appointments and no one up to now has suggested that I deviate from the manufacturers service guidelines. This particular dealership had mostly glowing reviews online but after this first experience I am now leery about using them again.

Ignore that. As I'm sure is stated above, service writers are compensated when they generate revenue for the dealer. If any engine is going to use oil, it's unlikely that shortening the change interval will help.

Many of us here have had excellent luck running the recommended 10K interval, and may go longer. My son's '02 Golf just passed 380K with no engine work and it may consume a half liter in 10K. My Wagon at 100K miles on its engine uses no oil. TDIs do not tend to consume oil, and yours won't either. Stick with the 10K interval.

The Tortoise said:

I disagree with the above post.

Looking at the used oil analysis' that have done on cars with a a 10k mile (15k km) interval showed the oil has held up perfectly fine and in many cases could be extended longer. I've seen no reason to doubt VWs suggested interval.

In Canada that is every year or 15k km, whichever comes first. I think the dealer is trying to take your money.

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Yep. I ran mine 15k between my first change (bought it at 25k, went to 40k), sent the oil in and they said it could probably go 5k longer and was completely fine.

fdizz said:

Yep. I ran mine 15k between my first change (bought it at 25k, went to 40k), sent the oil in and they said it could probably go 5k longer and was completely fine.

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Bought a 2014 with 14,888 on the odometer, I don’t think it had ever been changed