Audi A4 1.9TDI Long Life Service which Oil to use?

[kaleems]

Hi Guys,

Some advice please..

I have had my A4 1.9TDI (B7-2005) serviced 3x within 2 years. Each time I do ask for a Long Life Service but the car keeps saying a service is due within 8-9k miles.

I have had the car serviced from a local independent x2 and from a Audi Garage x1 and it was the same result.

When questioned the garage/dealer they both used Mobil 1 Fully Synthentic 5W30 Long Life Oil.

Is this the correct oil to use? As I was under the impression on a Long Life service I should be able to get up to 20k miles inbetween servicing?

I wouldnt say my driving habits are bad, average about 10-12k miles per year.

Any advice is appreciated..

Thanks & have a great Xmas/New Years.

[Roly]

Hi..

The long life oil was introduced for several reasons:

emissions
environmental disposal
sales aid
less internal friction to aid fuel economy

No two cars are alike in actual day to day running.
Diesels need an oil change every 5k or 10k at the most.
If the car tells you it need an oil change do it.

[Crasher]

Emissions - Bovine rectal emissions more like!
Environmental disposal - Cods wallop!
Sales aid - The real reason
Less internal friction to aid fuel economy - The coefficient of friction of PD oil and Longlife 3 is virtually identical.

The only reason was to sell more cars to fleet users-period.

Use VAG UK Quantum Longlife 3 and change it every year or 10K miles.

[Roly]

Hi
I knew the environmental stuff was going the wrong way when VW made the sump plug with a sealing washer which was part of the plug.....so at each oil change you needed to use a new sump plug. The waste bin was full of sump plugs on a one way ticket. A total waste.

The replacement cores of oil filters was also introduced for environmental reasons. All in all between sourcing stuff from the former E bloc countries, the odd clutch design disaster, and diesel engines that constantly crap their own pants... VAG have done very well indeed.

VAG has pulled off a master stroke in marketing. Just how long the public will be statisfied has yet to be seen.

[danclyon]

Hi Guys,

Some advice please..

I have had my A4 1.9TDI (B7-2005) serviced 3x within 2 years. Each time I do ask for a Long Life Service but the car keeps saying a service is due within 8-9k miles.

I have had the car serviced from a local independent x2 and from a Audi Garage x1 and it was the same result.

When questioned the garage/dealer they both used Mobil 1 Fully Synthentic 5W30 Long Life Oil.

Is this the correct oil to use? As I was under the impression on a Long Life service I should be able to get up to 20k miles inbetween servicing?

I wouldnt say my driving habits are bad, average about 10-12k miles per year.

Any advice is appreciated..

Thanks & have a great Xmas/New Years.

Mobil don't make "Mobil 1" that meets the VW spec, so either they mean they have used Mobil SHC Formula V 5W-30 which is approved to Volkswagen 504 00 / 507 00 or they have used the wrong oil.

Crasher has already said it - use the Quantum. I can't imagine why the dealers would be using anything else now anyway as they pay peanuts for it compared to the stuff in a Castrol bottle and certainly every dealer I've been to has either used the Quantum stuff or the Shell that is certified to the same VW standards.

Hth,

Cheers,
Dan.

[Roly]

Hi..my local VW dealer uses what he buys at the best price. If you are nearby Pulman in Durham city you will see Elf drums outside the parts dept.

[danclyon]

Hi..my local VW dealer uses what he buys at the best price. If you are nearby Pulman in Durham city you will see Elf drums outside the parts dept.

That doesn't mean that it goes in every car. My little independant that I used to use when we had our Mitsubishi had huge drums of Shell oils for "most cars" - but they always used to check the book and had a modest supply of other types for cars that weren't suited to the "general" stuff.

They always used to open fresh packs for my car as it needed something different to the Shell stuff, and would give me whatever was left - though they had many of the oils in 2.5l containers which were just about right for 2 containers - the 2nd one gets mostly used and rest goes in the boot of the car for me....

Mind you - they could be sticking it in every car and following the logic that by the time the damage using the wrong oil can do is done you are out of warranty and will need expensive repairs....

Not that I'm suggesting that is normal practice....

Cheers,
Dan.

[Roly]

I betchya that was a Shell Helix 10W40 Semi Syn. Wonderful stuff.