3rd Service - Dealer has used Magnatec 5w40...

[mafri]

I have just got off the phone to the dealer - who insist that the 5w/40 is the correct oil. They reckon I am on time and distance (although the book says they used longlife last time, and I though I was on a longlife regime -how do I check?). They say there are still different oils for T&D and longlife, and that 5w40 is definitely right for me.

In those circumstances I couldn't really push it further without ammo - does anyone have something I can point out to show the spec and/or the technical bulletin about longlife?

Thanks

[Saint Steve]

I went to Peter coopers this afternoon to pick up a as it turns out a complementary bottle of longlife oil

There are two oils on their shelf, one is castrol SLX 5-30w oil (longlife III) and 5-40w Time and distance which was in a green bottle. Yours should of been the Castrol SLX stuff, which is the correct stuff, if you specified it on your service.
How much were you charged for your oil change?

It should be near £50 AFAIK for the longlife oil.

[Russ_leeds]

sound cheers mate yeah it is t&d, but thats more suited to me

[Gene Hunt]

My mate who works for VW got me a top up bottle yesterday & it's Castrol SLX Longlife III 5-30w & on the label is a sticker which has '' Volkswagen recommends castrol''.

[mafri]

Well I'm still confused - I thought that the dealer changed me onto Longlife at the previous service (and they also ticked longlife oil in the service book), but this time both the service book and the sticker they've put on the windscreen indicate it's T&D.

Is the oil they've put in ok for T&D? I'm not sure how much (if) to kick up about this, if it doesn't make a material difference with the sort of mileage I do (two 9 mile journeys each day, typically, plus some mixed personal stuff) then I might leave it. Failing that, is it worth phoning VW customer services to get chapter and verse about which oil they should have used?

Martin

[Mako V12V]

Mafri - how did you get on with this as my stealer has just done exactly the same!

[icenutter]

It goes like this; longlife oil is definately higher quality, that's why it lasts longer.  For T&D servicing you can 'get away with' cheaper oil, and that's what VW recommend.

If you are happy with T&D servicing, then in theory your car will be just fine with the standard oil. But if you want 'the best' for your pride and joy, then you might want to spend more on the better oil.

Personally speaking I do about 6,000 miles a year, so am a classic T&D candidate.  But to save confusion at the dealer my car is on longlife and I book it in once a year for a 'longlife' service.  I'm sure someone will come along and tell me I'm wasting money, but I'm happy with that.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

That's right - VW issued a technicl bulletin approx Feb 2009 IIRC stating that even cars on Time & Distance schedule should be filled with Longlife oil.

The bulletin was actually released about September 2008 - with the instruction to be implemented from December 2008.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

I have just got off the phone to the dealer - who insist that the 5w/40 is the correct oil.

Technically, they are correct - but ONLY for services carried out by DIYers, home mechanics, independent workshops, etc.  But for all official VW franchised workshops, they MUST only use LongLife3 oils, even when the car is on T&D.

They reckon I am on time and distance (although the book says they used longlife last time, and I though I was on a longlife regime -how do I check?).

Hmmmm . . . . double check your service book.  IF they ticked the LongLife oil box - that doesn't necessarilly mean you are on the LongLife service regime.  The easiest way to tell what you WERE on - is simply to count back the time and/or the distance between the previous services.  If it is more than 10k miles, or more than 12 months - it is LongLife servicing regime.  But 10k miles or less, or 12 months or less - then it is Time and Distance regime.  OK, if it say 13 months, or 11k miles - then there is usually a period of 'grace' - that could mean that it was on T&D.

To check what you are on now - read this post: http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,13502.msg285802.html#msg285802

They say there are still different oils for T&D and longlife, and that 5w40 is definitely right for me.

As above in this reply - yes, there ARE different oils for T&D and for LL - but the STEALER is ONLY allowed to use LL - even if your car is on T&D.

In those circumstances I couldn't really push it further without ammo - does anyone have something I can point out to show the spec and/or the technical bulletin about longlife?

Read this thread: http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,17940.0.html

[Teutonic_Tamer]

It goes like this; longlife oil is definately higher quality, that's why it lasts longer.

Correct

For T&D servicing you can 'get away with' cheaper oil, and that's what VW recommend.

NOT correct.  VW will 'allow' 502.00 oils to be used - but when the car is serviced at a VW workshop - then ONLY LL oils are to be used.

If you are happy with T&D servicing, then in theory your car will be just fine with the standard oil. But if you want 'the best' for your pride and joy, then you might want to spend more on the better oil.

Huh - the T&D service regime is considerably better for your car than the LongLife service regime.

But T&D oils are worse for your car than LongLife oils.

The best overall for your car is T&D service regime, but with LL oils - and I think most peeps on here know that.

Personally speaking I do about 6,000 miles a year, so am a classic T&D candidate.  But to save confusion at the dealer my car is on longlife and I book it in once a year for a 'longlife' service.  I'm sure someone will come along and tell me I'm wasting money, but I'm happy with that.

You ARE wasting money - you are paying to have a 2 yearly 20k mile 'inspection service' every one year.  What you should be doing, is to be put on the T&D regime - then one year you just pay for the much cheaper 'oil change service', then the following year, you have the bigger inspection service, and repeat for the next two years.

ETTO, though.

[Rob GTI]

I'd definately use the LL oil considering you will be remapping in the next week or so. Read TTs post in the stickies on the "other" forum:-

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=65779.0

[richtung]

Ive recently had my car serviced at Gilbert Lawton Manchester -Im on a T&D regime. The service was a 20k Service.

I checked the service book and in the column "long life oil" its ticked "NO"... If they have indeed used the T&D oil, does this contravene their own guidelines?

Cheers folks

Richard

[Mako V12V]

Richard, what spec of oil was used and the one litre top up you should've received, is it VW 502,503,504 or 505?

[richtung]

Richard, what spec of oil was used and the one litre top up you should've received, is it VW 502,503,504 or 505?

top up oil? i didnt get any.. i wasnt aware i was entitled to a 1 litre top up. I went and got a litre of Castrol Edge afterwards 

[AnSGTI]

It would seem the majority of steelers put 10W40 in if the car is on time and distance - my car currently has 10W40 in it and it should have 5W30