D.I.Y oil change. What oil are you using?

[Vagophile]

@Borris has set me thinking about an upcoming oil change.
When it comes to selecting oil, the handbook says for all diesel engines with PDF, any service schedule, oil spec is VW 507.00
An internet search for the right spec oil brings up a host of names, a few of which I recognise and a lot that I don't. There are also significant price variations.
GSF has been suggested as a bulk supplier, but they don't come up as stocking the VW spec.
The lowest prices oil is Mannol, from several suppliers, but, on investigation, Mannol seem a bit dodgy.
Brand suggestions and experience in use welcome.

 

[Elmo3]

I buy from Opie oils, often have promotions. Castrol Edge Titanium 5W-30 LL. Change every 10K max or 12 months. Oil is cheap, engines are not.

 

[kurienp]

I buy from Opie oils, often have promotions. Castrol Edge Titanium 5W-30 LL. Change every 10K max or 12 months. Oil is cheap, engines are not.

Another customer of Opie Oils and Castrol Edge 5W30 LL.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

@Borris has set me thinking about an upcoming oil change.
When it comes to selecting oil, the handbook says for all diesel engines with PDF, any service schedule, oil spec is VW 507.00
An internet search for the right spec oil brings up a host of names, a few of which I recognise and a lot that I don't. There are also significant price variations.
GSF has been suggested as a bulk supplier, but they don't come up as stocking the VW spec.
The lowest prices oil is Mannol, from several suppliers, but, on investigation, Mannol seem a bit dodgy.
Brand suggestions and experience in use welcome.

When a company specs an oil should you believe them?. There are lots of oils with 507.00 spec but is it just the big companies that you should trust? I mean big companies wouldn’t lie would they? I mean VW wouldn’t lie to it’s customers would it? There are other makes of oil where their customers have used them for many years and swear by them and cost a third as much as some of the BIG brands. Just need to a bit of googling and away you go.....

 

[Elmo3]

When a company specs an oil should you believe them?. There are lots of oils with 507.00 spec but is it just the big companies that you should trust? I mean big companies wouldn’t lie would they? I mean VW wouldn’t lie to it’s customers would it? There are other makes of oil where their customers have used them for many years and swear by them and cost a third as much as some of the BIG brands. Just need to a bit of googling and away you go.....

Sure. Fuchs is good stuff for example and cheaper. In your very valuable Cali however, it’s a rounding error, particularly when you’re not paying dealer labour rates. Same with filters. I use Bosch, some use the cheapest they can buy.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

Sure. Fuchs is good stuff for example and cheaper. In your very valuable Cali however, it’s a rounding error, particularly when you’re not paying dealer labour rates. Same with filters. I use Bosch, some use the cheapest they can buy.

I too use Bosch filters. A full set on EBay inc oil, air, fuel and pollen is £45 or so. I just looked up oils and you can buy Asda 5-30 fully synthetic 507.00 for under £20 for 5 ltrs. That’s £24 for 7 ltrs. So for £70 or so you can put the best filters and the correct oil in your Transporter engine. Instead of £380 the dealer wants.
A VW fuel filter is £80 on its own and it’s probably made by Bosch anyway.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

I too use Bosch filters. A full set on EBay inc oil, air, fuel and pollen is £45 or so. I just looked up oils and you can buy Asda 5-30 fully synthetic 507.00 for under £20 for 5 ltrs. That’s £24 for 7 ltrs. So for £70 or so you can put the best filters and the correct oil in your Transporter engine. Instead of £380 the dealer wants.
A VW fuel filter is £80 on its own and it’s probably made by Bosch anyway.

Sorry £28 for the oil.

 

[Elmo3]

I too use Bosch filters. A full set on EBay inc oil, air, fuel and pollen is £45 or so. I just looked up oils and you can buy Asda 5-30 fully synthetic 507.00 for under £20 for 5 ltrs. That’s £24 for 7 ltrs. So for £70 or so you can put the best filters and the correct oil in your Transporter engine. Instead of £380 the dealer wants.
A VW fuel filter is £80 on its own and it’s probably made by Bosch anyway.

It‘s so cheap to do basic servicing with top quality parts, as long as you avoid main dealers!

 

[Vagophile]

Just need to a bit of googling and away you go.....

That's the trouble, just as you say below.

There are lots of oils with 507.00 spec but is it just the big companies that you should trust? I mean big companies wouldn’t lie would they?

Given that there are standards, how do you know that the standard is met. Can you trust what it says on the container? In some cases, apparently not.

I just looked up oils and you can buy Asda 5-30 fully synthetic 507.00 for under £20 for 5 ltrs. That’s £24 for 7 ltrs.

I have a friend with a Skoda who swears by Asda oils and, if they meet VW spec, why not?
I am of the school that thinks that regular oil changes are the most important maintenance item for an engine, I owned a BMW 5 that ran to 230,000 miles with Millers XFE 10W40 oil changed every 6,000 miles. (Eventually the petrol tank rusted through). The oil was available in 25 litre drums, which is the sort of thing I would ideally like to have for the Cali.

 

[westfalia]

Mine has this in at the moment from a local independent garage.

English translation is Fox.

 

[kurienp]

View attachment 84413
Mine has this in at the moment from a local independent garage.

English translation is Fox.

and I thought that was *your* garage and was about to ask when I could visit you

 

[Elmo3]

I buy from Opie oils, often have promotions. Castrol Edge Titanium 5W-30 LL. Change every 10K max or 12 months. Oil is cheap, engines are not.

Currently 15% off at Opie with code EDGE15

 

[scottk]

If you are a member at Costco, they often have deals on the Castro’s edge.

 

[campandfly]

what about this one its the only one available in the area we are travelling ??

 

[WelshGas]

View attachment 86714what about this one its the only one available in the area we are travelling ??

Doesn't matter what's on the front, what spec is the oil? Does it meet the spec stated in your Handbook?

 

[campandfly]

Doesn't matter what's on the front, what spec is the oil? Does it meet the spec stated in your Handbook?

I will go back and check. I usually use Edge Synthetic 5 - 30w. I assumed this would be the same. Eg Synthetic 5 - 30w

 

[campandfly]

Ok here is the link to the specs. It seems it conforms to the 507 rating. https://www.mobil.co.uk/en-gb/product/mobil-1-esp-5w-30/

 

[GrahamB]

Can I ask please, those doing an additional oil change between services, do you also change the filter as well?

 

[kurienp]

Can I ask please, those doing an additional oil change between services, do you also change the filter as well?

Yes.

Unless you are out in the sticks and need to change oil because it has been contaminated and need to change it on priority, (EDIT: ) then you can change the filter (and oil) once you return to civilization.

 

[orbital]

I do cringe at the 20,000 mile (2 year service intervals) but surely VW does this for a reason? There are engine sensors to keep an eye on the oil quality. So again, there must be some merit in them? I have a 2 year old Cali that’s just had its first service at 11k miles after the engine management system requested one. I shall follow its suggestions in future unless someone can give me a good reason not to (rather than the usual array of grumbles, fears and phrases similar to ‘oil being cheap and engines expensive).

 

[sidepod]

Buy it from GSF in 20ltr drums. It works out cheaper. Assume you will be doing this more than once?

 

[Gary&Heather]

Silly question but does oil go off if you know what I mean

 

[sidepod]

It’s been in the ground since the earth cooled so, I’m guessing not.

 

[westfalia]

It’s been in the ground since the earth cooled so, I’m guessing not.

Thats okay if your talking about good ol Texas Tea, but modern oils have additives
and I'm not sure that the additives can add forever.
I'd say 10yrs and then use it on the garden gate, but I'm open
to offers.

 

[kurienp]

Silly question but does oil go off if you know what I mean

Technically - No
Chemically - Maybe
Logically - I would go with what @westfalia says - maybe reduce it to 5 years, especially as there are additives.