VAG 1.9 SDI Engine Oil (VW Golf SDI / Seat Inca SDI etc)

The SDI engine is not a pump injector engine. That appliies to the higher output PD engines (100, 115, 130 & 150 bhp)

I would think that using a good quality oil for diesels will be fine. Halfords may be able to match their oil to the VW specifications. You could try calling the VW or Seat customer service line to get the real world oil specification

No idea about the oil filter. Sorry

Dave

There's a lot of confusion in Skoda (and it seems Seat!) as to what oil is acceptable for PD engines and what isn't. Skoda dealer gave me 505.00 when it is explicitly stated NOT to use it in the car manual.

S Gibber ( snipped-for-privacy@thankyou.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

I can't imagine that PeterVanMan(1) would have been *overly* thrilled at being handed 5l of oil decanted out of the workshop bulk tank into a used Tesco carrier bag ...

(1) - We can't call you "AstraVanMan" any more, "IncaVanMan" implies a certain level of human sacrifice to unpronouncable deities, and using your given name has too many negative connotations of pinking fuckwittedness.

"That appliies to the higher output PD engines (100, 115, 130 & 150 bhp)"

not quite true, 1.4 75bhp 3 cylinder polo is not a high output engine and neither is latest lupo pd engine. But SDI engine will take VW 505 00 which can be bought in most places including halfords who i believe do their own version.

I am surprised SEAT dealer did not stock oil, first what do they fill the serviced cars with and also dont dealers usually sell EVERYTHING at over inflated prices!

AstraVanMan ( snipped-for-privacy@WithThanks.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Paging TheMeatballTurboFormerlyKnownAsSkodaPilot...

Well, you do seem to get through vehicles, so keeping your handle up to date would be a bit onerous!

cheers, clive

That's my experience too. Mind you, a local Seat dealer didn't stock the copper washers used to seal the drain plug (despite the service schedule specifically stating it should be changed) and had to order a bag (of

100!!!) to supply one :-)

The whole VAG oil thing seems a bit difficult for a lot of people. In addition to the 505.00, 505.01 etc there's the 506 oils (IIRC) for extended drain intervals (like castrol SLX longlife II) VW and Audi dealers usually know what is what, but others vary. One Seat prts bloke didn't even know what the PD engine was- though this was when the only Seat with a PD was the very new 115BHP Alhambra. Isn't there a sticker on PD engines somewhere? I'll take a look at the Wife's Polo.

There isn't a sticker on mine, other than one with an exclamation mark, the word "Min" and a picture of the handbook. I have no idea what that is supposed to mean!! The handbook has some amusing translations in it too!

The message from Rob contains these words:

Beware of ladies call Bannister, of course.

Yeah, I was surprised at that too, maybe just out of stock of the stuff in bottles (I'd guess the stuff they use for servicing gets pumped into their big tanks).

Peter

Might be a tad messy :-)

ROFLMFAO!!

I could rename myself to MasterVanMan, which I'll have as of Saturday, but I kinda like keeping the original name - then only the regulars (or anyone with access to google) actually knows what I'm currently driving. Funnily enough, a litttle while back, someone sent me an email in response to something I'd posted on a newsgroup, and ended it with "p.s. how's your astra van?" - LOL.

Peter

Just phone up a dealer and find out, all they need from you is your car's reg. number, then their computer will show the oil that they'll use if you take your car in for service.

I phoned them up this afternoon, and was told my 1.9TDi 110bhp needs Castrol GTX Magnetec, and that's 10W-40, I said I picked up a bottle from Halfords the other day, but it hasn't got 500.xx or 505.xx on the tin, but the technician over the phone insists it has!

I'm confuse here, first, the GTX Magnetec is 10W-40 where any of 500.xx or

501/505.xx are 0-w30 right? So, they are different in grade. Secondary, if you lookup the catelogue in Halfords you won't find it recommends you to use the GTX, nor the user manual from VW.

Yep, precisely. I could just go under the handle of "Peter", but that's got a bit of a stigma attached to it these days :-)

Peter

The Seat dealer (SMC Windsor, actually in Datchet) actually gave me a replacment sump plug and washer along with the oil filter, at no extra cost by the looks of things (well it was bound to be included somehow).

Extended drain intervals don't bother me, any car or van of mine gets its oil and filter changed every 5k no matter what (except for when I don't get around to it and it ends up being 8-9k, but generally when that happens I've done lots of motorway miles so no real harm done). I know this has been done to death, but my view is that I'd rather spend the little extra and know it's been kept tip top.

Peter

Never trust a mechanic without checking yourself ie "yeah mate, it needs an engine rebuild" which after checking yourself means its run out of petrol! the worst 2nd car you can buy is a mechanic's car as they know how to keep it on the road for f**k all.

As for not having a bottle of oil in a dealers garage.....not including their own special supply....its just plain stupid. a dealer should really be able to supply most parts etc to keep you on the road and even rare parts should be orderable within days. but for crying out loud, oil. sound like a right bunch to me. with pd engines you really have to educate some dealerships in what type of all must be used. As come the engine failure due to wrong oil after only 20

000 miles the dealer will say "but we did put the right oil in even though your service report says different. one letter to vw and compensation is sorted out!"

i love a good rant ;)

Yeah, true - the best type is one lovingly maintained by someone who knows what they're doing but maybe has a reasonable job and isn't worried about spending decent money where neccessary to keep it properly maintained.

Heh, well the parts guy did seem reasonably clued up - like you say though, it is a bit shit not having bottles of oil in stock.

That's exactly what I hate about garages in general. Kev (Uno-Hoo) had exactly the same problem with his diesel Rover 75 regarding the oil. Dealers seem complacent that the customer won't notice/care, and are relying on nothing going wrong as a result of their numptiness, which they probably get away with 9 times out of 10, but I don't want to take that chance - I'd rather look in the handbook to see what that recommends, ask people on here, etc etc., and make damn sure I am doing the job properly.

Ah, me too!

Peter

I'd sgree, except for where you have to pay the stealership 100 quid to change the oil+filter and kick the tyres once. Like you say, it's been done to death, but I'm still curious about the longlife oil (My A3 is on longlife service ATM). In the past I've always changed oil and filer at about 5K. I'd like to know if anyone has a very high mileage Audi/VW that's on variable extended service intervals. On the same line, does anyone know if changing the oil (keeping with the correct longlife oil) halfway through an extended period will affect how the car measures the service interval?

Agree, but the thing is what should we all do if we want to maintain a full dealer service history?

It's completely stupid to pay over £150 for an oil service with the wrong oil, and then change it yourself straight after.

All the monkey has to do is to type in your reg. number, then the database will tell it to put whatever it says, my service history invoice says GTX magnetec everytime. What can you do about it, eh?

~ Chris

I think Steve Firth mentioned a while back that a friend of his had an Audi Allroad (might have been just an A6 2.5TDI V6) that had something like 197k on the clock and still ran like new, and that had been serviced every 20k (roughly, according to their service intervals anyway).

Peter