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Maintenance & Repair Oil change/fiascos
1297 messages, Last post on Sep 07, 2009 at 9:29 AM
You are in the Maintenance & Repair Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright
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Replying to: craign (Dec 02, 2004 9:14 am) So, that leaves either the dealer or and Indy. If your indy works regularly on VW's and Audi's, that would be a good choice. For now, I'm using my dealer for oil changes (I opt not to fight for warranty coverage later, should there be a problem). Which ever way you go, since you've just bought the car, I'd ask the tech to make sure that all of the fasteners are in place on that belly pan and to replace any missing ones. It's not fun to have the thing drop down onto the road surface while travelling at interstate speeds!
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Replying to: altair4 (Dec 02, 2004 10:35 am) I am really enjoying the Passat wagon(knock on wood). On a side note, I recently changed two bulbs(headlight and directional) and couldn't believe how easy the access was to them.
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Replying to: craign (Dec 02, 2004 11:42 am) If you are going to the dealership, consider bringing your own synthetic oil with you. I do and my dealer doesn't mind. They charge about $15 for the labor, plus the filter, oil disposal, etc. All told, my last oil change was about $45, using approved synth oil. You can find a list of VW-approved oils here: www.vw.com/SP/pdf/oilchart.pdf But be warned, some of these oils are not readily available (I've never seen Elf or Total oil in the US). You should be able to find Mobil 1 0w-40 at some Walmarts and some auto parts stores. You should be able to find Valvoline Synpower 5w-40 at NAPA stores (you can order it - Part #966) And finally, Valvoline's website DOES NOT show VW spec 502.00 approval for Synpower 5w-30, despite it being included on the approved list. Good luck! PS: If you have the 1.8T engine, there has been a recent TSB that has changed the oil filter to a larger one (formerly used only on VW diesel engines). Make sure you get the larger filter. |
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Dealers were partly responsible for the recent 1.8T woes, since they were using 5-30 non-synthetic oil even though the manual calls for 5-40 VW spec oil (but fails to add that this is, by default, full synthetic oil). So I second the last poster's recommendation to take in your own oil (or at least insist on the Castrol Syntec 5-40 that is available to dealers - this usually bumps the oil change price to $90). And I also second the recommendation to remind the dealer about the TSB that upgrades the filter size. It's amazing how many dealers (or at least the service advisors) don't keep track of these changes. Call me paranoid, but until enough time has elapsed for all dealers to wake up to the importance of the manual's requirements, I'd double check them. My own humble Golf 2.0 requires 5-40 oil. When I asked the dealer, they said 5-30 is ok too. Fortunately I used Mobil 1 full synthetic, which although it doesn't satisfy the weight range requirement, isn't going to have sludging problems (and of course the normally aspirated engine is easier on the oil than the turbo versions). So obviously there has been a disconnect between what VW puts in its manuals, and what the dealers have been doing. Which surprises me.
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I thought I would share this short story. I was at Walmart looking at their Mobil 1 oils and couldn't find 0w 40. A Walmart associate came out and asked if I needed any help. I advised him that i was looking for a specific oil for my car. He inquired about which car I own and said they didn't carry 0w40. But he did say that a Bently Rep (My VW dealer is also a Bentley dealer) came to Walmart the other day and bought up all of his Synthetic oil in a certain grade. Does it seem odd that a BENTLEY dealer is shopping for their oil at WALMART????
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Mobil 1 in Walmart is the same Mobil 1 in Auto Zone or anywhere else. Krzys PS I would imagine buying bulk would be even cheaper.
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Replying to: fish8 (Dec 02, 2004 12:27 pm) |
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1000%  Krzys |
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| middle of THAT transaction! | |
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Do not, I repeat, do not take your Passat to any Jiffy Lube or quick lube place. In addition to the VW spec synthetic oil that your car needs, it also requires the factory Mann oil filter as well. The filter contains a check valve that not only acts to regulate your engine's oil pressure, but also prevents dirty engine oil from going back into your engine once you turn off the ignition. The oil filters these quick lube places use (Fram, Purolator, etc) are basically junk as far as your car is concerned, and should be avoided at all costs. |
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