VW now requires Synthetic Oils for the Turbo 1.8 liter 4 cylinder engine

I own a 2000 Passat with the turbo motor. VW just sent me a notice that
explained they were increasing my engine warranty to 8 years from the
vehicle's original in-service date without a mileage limitation. The reason
is engine failure related to sludge build-up. This is in engines that were
following the manufacturers oil change interval of 5,000 miles. From this
point onward the require the use of only synthetic oil that meet's VW's
standard. They actually sent a list and not all synthetic oils are on it.
They will be adding additional oils to the list.

This fits right in with the posts above. I had never used syn in my Passat.
Even though I knew turbos could cook the oil and choke, accumulate sludge
etc.,I thought that I had enough of a margin of safety because I change the
oil every 5,000 miles. I don't run at high rpm in the heat under load
except perhaps for a few seconds at a time once in a while.

Evidently VW had thought so as well, which is why the NEVER required
synthetic oil. Until now. Engine failures out of warranty from good
customers who were not using their engines outside of their design
intentions. Note that VW has not reduced the oil change interval, and it
has not said that if you use regular oil and change it every 3,000 miles.
Regular oil is now outside the warranty. And those who did use regular oil
and can show that they changed it every 5,000 miles have an eight year
warranty on their pre- new oil standard purchased cars. Note that the car
came new with regular oil and that is what VW dealers put in during regular
oil changes.

So now I will switch. But my 1997 T&C van with 136,000 miles will continue
to run on dyno oil.

 

I own a 2003 Passat with the 1.8 turbo. I just took it in to the
dealership for a brake issue and, as long as they had it, asked them
to do an oil change. Without telling me, they changed the engine out
to synthetic oil. When I got the bill, it was twice as much as a
regular oil change. It was only when I asked that they explained the
issue (as noted below). My other car is a 2000 Audi A4 1.8 turbo. So,
I'm getting hit double. My new lesson -- never again will both my cars
have the same engine.

So, in order to get my warranty, I now have to pay more for my oil
changes? The cost of oil maintenance now just DOUBLED for the life of
the car. Since it's *their* problem, shouldn't it be solved at *their*
expense?? Does anyone have any suggestions or remedies? (I'm just a
little ticked off).

Libby

 

Skip going to Starbucks for a week so you can afford the $30 for an oil
change.

 

Thanks, jocko. Your response would have been oh-so-helpful if:
1.) affordability was an issue from my post. I can afford $12.50/qt.
oil -- I'm just not in the mood to pay to cover a manufacturer's
mistake -- especially while both vehicles are still under warranty.
b.) I actually spent money on overpriced burnt coffee. Seems both
Starbucks and VW have sludge issues.

 

OK couple things.

First of all, learn to do your own oil changes. It's not hard, and you buy
the
oil on sale. I use Dyno oil and I get the stuff for under a buck a quart.
Sometimes
even 50 cents a quart, depending on who's the rebate of the week. I've seen
plenty of rebating going on with Synthetic oil as well. Oil changing is
easy to do
and once you get the proper tools only takes about 15 minutes and if you
know
what your doing you don't get dirty. I've changed oil in my driveway in the
morning in 20 minutes when I've been wearing a business suit without a
problem.
I don't recommend doing it like this but I know it can be done without
ending
up looking like the Creature from the Black Lagoon. If you use a good tall
strong floor jack, keep your tools clean, use rubber gloves, and a shop coat
over your clothes, you can do it.

Second, 5,000 miles is too long a change interval for regular oil for a
non-turbo
car. You should go 3K miles for regular oil and 6K miles for synthetic.
(too
bad VW's engineers set it at 5K for synthetic but they were obviously
panicing)
No longer. These extended drain interval recommendations are coming from
the
marketing departments trying to sell cars to people who use a slide rule to
figure out the total cost of oil changes over the life of the car at the
time of
purchase, and by adjusting the drain interval you make the total
maintainence
bill come out lower, so they buy your car.

Third, you never use regular oil in a turbo engine. I cannot believe that
in 2000
v-dub's engineers were stupid enough to spec regular oil. By then the
problems
of coking up dyno oil in turbos was known by everybody and their dog and
monkey. If I had bought your VW in 2000 I wouldn't have ever used regular
oil in it. Just one more marketing baloney spec to adjust the maintainence
totals
downwards

Last, chill out. Use some math and calculate out the total cost of oil
changes
over the life of the car. It's insignificant. Your going to pay more than
that
in fuel costs due to unforseen fuel cost increases over the life of the car.
Why
is it that VW owners all feel the world owes them something? VW did you
a big favor. After about 4 changes with Synthetic the inside of your engine
will be cleaned out with little to no lasting damage.

Ted

 

Mobile 1 costs $4.50/quart at any autoparts store.


-- I'm just not in the mood to pay to cover a manufacturer's

 

Mobil 1 no longer meets VW's oil requirements (as noted in the
technical bulletin they mailed).

Libby

 

I am curious to know which synthetics VW recommends. I used to buy a
synthetic made by Chevron, until it was no longer available. It was
$3.99 a quart. More recently, I have used a synthetic sold under the
NAPA name, that is manufactured by Ashland, which produces the
Valvoline brand. It was $3.49 a quart.

Mobil 1 seems to be popular with this group. Most places charge $4.99
a quart from what I have seen.

What makes one synthetic better than others?

-Kirk Matheson

 

Ja, it iss necessary to use only fine prezishun Churrman syntetic oil, not
dis cheap domestic *scheisse*.

-DS
On the road of life, there are drivers, there are passengers, and there
are dead VWs in the breakdown lane.

 

Go to Wal-Mart. Mobil 1 5qt container is under $20.00 in various viscosity
groups. Mobil uses a synthetic base and synthetic additives. It is a proven
product. This is not to say others are not as good.

Richard.

 

What do you do with your old oil?

DAS
--
For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
---

[............]

 

Pour it back into the bottles your new oil came in and take it to your
local recycle center. In some states local gas stations that do oil
changes are required to take used oil.