Changing Oil Filter

Last one I bought was $6.83 I think. I bought it for a friendwho has a

Jim B.

Stick with the manual.

Appreciate that, but it doesn't really answer my question...

The manual also says to change the air filter every 15,000 - but I have a K&N so obviously the manual's advice doesn't apply.

The point is - same analogy as the air filter - if I have an extended life oil filter, do I really need to change it at the manual's stated interval?

VW says oil and filter every 5000, filter maker says 15,000. From what I'm told over in Europe the oil change interval is at least 10,000 miles and yes VW over there requires synthetic in the 1.8t. When we were a Porsche dealer the Boxster oil change interval was 1 year or 15,000 miles when filled with Mobil-1. Like you I'm cheap and change my synthetic oil every 7500 miles in my 99 2.8l GLX Passat and only use OEM filters. Just checked and OEM filter for my Passat an it's has 30,000km printed on the can. As for if the filter will last that long, yes I think it will easily go the miles and then some. Would I do it... just to save $10 NO! Remember the oil days when the VW Bug had an air cooled engine and no oil filter and oil change was every

They are referring to an OEM air filiter. You clean and re-oil a K&N air filter, you don't do that with an oil filter, so very poor analogy. Its assinine to not replace an oil filter at the time of an oil change.

I'm not a fan of the K&N filter, more air flow mean less filtering for me, that's my opinion. And guess what happens if that K&N oil gets to the MAF.

If you are still under warrantee, and you fail to follow the maintenance schedule in the manual, you will loose part of your warrantee, no matte what the instructions for the filter suggest.

I might add that using a K&N filter is a good way to loose your warranty as well. It does not meet VW's specifications.

Personally I would not use one. They have been connected with the replacement of a lot of MAS's and many authorities question their effectiveness at cleaning. With today's engines there is little if anything to be gained by using them.

Thanks for your well thought out reply, even though you clearly missed the point... I ask if it's safe to leave an oil filter that's marked '15,000' miles in for more than 5,000 - and you criticize my analogy skills and call me asinine (plus you can't spell).

Hey thanks for the reply. I think we are using the same type of OEM filter - mine also says 30,000 km...

It's not a matter of money at all - it's the oil from the filter removal going all over the assorted wires and harnesses that are directly below the filter. It's just easier to avoid that step. And I do change my filter every 5,000 anyway - it was more 'just wondering' about the filter's stated longevity.

What also got me thinking about this was the fact that our Honda's manual states to change the filter every 20,000 miles (every other change)...

Where did I call you asinine? I called your methods asinine, not you. Its your car, do what you want, since everyone else has recommended always changing it at every oil change, and you continue to balk and capitulate.

Jim B.

Whatever. Balk and capitulate - that's very funny! You spelled it right at least, but you clearly don't know what the words mean!

First, I haven't balked at anything. I asked people what they thought of leaving a 15,000 mile filter in past one oil change (5,000) miles. I never said I thought it was right or wrong - I was asking what people thought. I haven't argued the point of what's right or wrong at all; I only asked what people thought.

If my methods are so 'assinine' (again, I've never asserted what my methods even were), what say you of the idiot engineers who made a 15,000 mile oil filter? Why did they do it? Because they balk at convention? Or because they are 'assinine'?

If I were to capitulate, that would mean I'm doing what people are telling me to do. Which would kind of contradict the act of balking.

Dumbass.

Ahhh. Good point - it's a huge filter that holds a ton; maybe almost a pint. That's reason enough for changing it, whether the filter is still good or not...

I've been reading through this thread, and I'm a little confused. I've heard of only changing the filter if you use synthetic oil, because it doesn't break down nearly as quickly as traditional oil. The rational (I think) is that the filter traps stuff, so thats all you need to change. I've googled around a little, and seen tests where people run large trucks on the same (synthetic) oil for 400,000 miles, with regular filter changes.

Changing the oil without the filter? That seems a little backwards to me. The oil shouldn't be dirty if the filter is doing its job. I guess it makes sense with mineral oil, where the oil itself is breaking down, but not synthetic.

Just my $0.02

Jim B.

I use synthetic in my 1.8T just to baby it. I drive about 30,000 miles a year, and I need this car to last. The Turbo is a little harder on oil than the 2.0, and I think that VW requires synthetic for the 1.8T in Europe.

I still change the oil every 5,000, even with sythetic. I may or may not need to, but again, I'm babying the car. I'm not worried about saving money or time.

Your thoughts on the filter are spot on with what I was thinking. Another poster brought up an excellent point though, that if you don't change the filter with the oil, the old oil in the filter just stays in the engine. The OEM filter I use is huge and holds a lot of oil - so that's a good enough reason for me to change it right there.

Also, to your point, and I'm only going by what I've heard, the 1.8T is harder on oil (synthetic included) in terms of breakdown than the non turbo engines from VW.