Octavia VRS recommended oil and change interval

[ventmore]

Hey guys. Was just wondering what oil you guys used in your VRS, and how often you recommend changing it. Should I just wait until the service intervals or should I change it in between?

Cheers

Ventmore

[Xavier]

With the octy vrs, it depends if you have it set for fixed or variable servicing.

Fixed is every 10000 miles or 12 months. If on fixed, you have to use VW 505.01 spec oil.

Variable, the car tells you when it wants a service. If on variable, you have to use VW 506.01 spec oil i.e. Castrol Longlife 2. It's probably the most expensive oil you'll find

You can tell whether the car is fixed or on variable by looking at the sticker in your service manual or under the carpet in the boot (I think).

GQ0=fixed, GQ1=variable.

Do a search, there have been loads of posts with your kind of question

[pearce_jj]

you have to use VW 506.01 spec oil i.e. Castrol Longlife 2. It's probably the most expensive oil you'll find

Its the only car i've had that the oil is still clear after 4500 miles!

[Andrew]

IMHO. You can't beat Mobil 1. I use Mobil 1 0W 40 and change the oil myself every 6000 miles and at every QG1 service.

Andrew

[ventmore]

Thanks guys...I did a quick search but couldn't seem to find what I was looking for...probably just me being thick :silly:

@DGW

There was a reply from you which seemed very informative, but seems to have disappeared...:confused:

I do around 15,000 miles per year. Is it best to stay on variable servicing with the benefit of better oil, or change to fixed with more frequent services?

Just want to make sure I'm treating my new baby right.

Cheers

Ventmore

[ventmore]

@Andrew

I don't really understand oils, but tfboy said that variable required that you MUST use VW 506.01 spec oil. Is Mobil 1 0W 40 of this spec?

Cheers

Ventmore

[Xavier]

Mobil1 0W40 is not VW approved for long life servicing intervals.

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lubes/PDS/GLXXENPVLMOMobil1_0W-40.asp

[ventmore]

Sorry to keep going on, but have additional related question...

I have always had an oil flush and filter change when I have had the oil changed in my other cars. Is this recommended or not?

Sorry if these seem like daft questions, but I'm not very mechanical. I drive cars, I pay other people to fix them...

Cheers

Ventmore

[DGW]

The 1.8T engine is designed to have oil change intervals of up to 30,000km IF the appropriate LongLife oil is used. An oil flush isn't recommended but a filter change is specified when the oil is changed. The 1.9 PD (diesel) engine in the Octavia and Superb is designed to have oil change intervals of up to 50,000km - and diesels have in the past needed oil changes twice as often as petrol engines. Get you dealer to explain variable service intervals to you and/or read the numerous threads here on the subject. If you feel uncomfortable with variable servicing, opt for fixed service intervals. LongLife oils are 'clever' but cost a lot.

[piv34uk]

Try a search on e-bay for "SLX" i got my vw503 longlife oil for

[pearce_jj]

I have always had an oil flush and filter change when I have had the oil changed in my other cars. Is this recommended or not?

Oil flushes are a bad plan.

In any case most synthetic oils contain no wax or resins, and hence provided the servicing interval is adhered to they shouldn't get particularly gloopy in the first place.

[Andrew]

Mobil1 0W40 is not VW approved for long life servicing intervals.

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lubes/PDS/GLXXENPVLMOMobil1_0W-40.asp

You are quite right, it is not recommended by VW for long life servicing. Sorry to mislead anyone, it is my opinion only.

Andrew

[Smithy vRS]

Castrol RS 0W 40 all the way! Well every 6K that is.

I use Castrol RS on all my race bikes, and when i ride them i ride them hard and last time i stripped the engine out my YZ450F i couldn't see any sign of were, Castrol RS 0W 40 all the way!

[DGW]

Castrol RS 0W 40 all the way! Well every 6K that is.

I understand that it is an excellent oil but which VW specs does it meet?

[usico]

Interesting

Just had my 1st Variable service (18.5k miles in 11.5 months) and on the bill was a charge for... engine flush.

So assuming a flush isn't recommended for synthetic oils, that's me officially confused!

Should I be getting worried or do you think this is this some specific VW flush for their long life oil?

Cheers

Simon

[PUGSYTHEBEAR]

The servicing manual I have for my 2001 Octavia vRS states that the oil used on variable servicing (GQ1) is VW 503 00.

VW 506 01 is used for ATD diesel engines. VW 506 00 is used on all other diesels.

It doesn't state what oil is used on fixed (GQ2) servicings.

Don't know wether they have changed their minds on the spec of oil in the last few years or not, but that conflicts with the advice given earlier.

If you have or know someone with VAG-COM, you can switch between them when you carry out a servicing if you wish, just a case of changing a few numbers from what I remember.

[DGW]

Just had my 1st Variable service (18.5k miles in 11.5 months) and on the bill was a charge for... engine flush.

An engine flush isn't part of the oil change service and inspection service which make up the variable service your car has just had. Ask the garage to explain why they haven't adhered to the specified service schedule for your car. It does sound to me like they might sell Wynn's Engine Flush (or similar) and automatically tag it on to every service like my local Peugeot dealer did. That dealership had a notice on the service reception desk advising customers that the product was used on every oil change and you paid for it by default unless you said no in advance.

[Pepo8228]

I have 68000 miles change oil at 63000 miles is time to change?? Vrs 2009

[SebSeb]

On 19/06/2004 at 10:35, Xavier said:

With the octy vrs, it depends if you have it set for fixed or variable servicing.

Fixed is every 10000 miles or 12 months. If on fixed, you have to use VW 505.01 spec oil.

Variable, the car tells you when it wants a service. If on variable, you have to use VW 506.01 spec oil i.e. Castrol Longlife 2. It's probably the most expensive oil you'll find

You can tell whether the car is fixed or on variable by looking at the sticker in your service manual or under the carpet in the boot (I think).

GQ0=fixed, GQ1=variable.

Do a search, there have been loads of posts with your kind of question

I have bough my Octy VRS MKIII in Jul 2023, and the garage has done a oil change just before... however, I doubt they have used the best oil and my car is set as variable servicing. If improper oil has been fitted, would the car adjust and warn me when oil need to be changed? Is there a sensor in the oil able to detect quality of oil? 

I am a bit surprise that no service is popping up in the dashboard, given that I already had to top up more than 2 litres of oil... especially after a long trip to France. Is that normal?

Thanks for your help!

[PetrolDave]

1 hour ago, SebSeb said:

Is there a sensor in the oil able to detect quality of oil?

No is the simple answer.

 

Variable servicing interval is reduced from the maximum on driving style, not on oil condition which there is no sensor to measure.

Edited 26 March by PetrolDave

[nta16]

21 hours ago, SebSeb said:

I am a bit surprise that no service is popping up in the dashboard, given that I already had to top up more than 2 litres of oil... especially after a long trip to France. Is that normal?

Do not rely on any warning messages or warning lights on the car, often they show when things have got further than is best, be proactive by preventing most warning messages and lights from coming on by keeping the whole car in at least reasonable condition if not good condition.  Warning lights in the past were often known as "idiot lights" sometimes unfairly, but not always.  Cars have complex computer stuff on them now but again many of these these shouldn't be relied on as when to take actions of maintenance (and servicing).  The oil service message is more of a reminder than any real measure.

 

For the engine oil and filter change on a 9-10 year old car you don't know the history of I suggest unless you only do lots of motorway driving that you change the engine oil and filter at the annual mileage (9,400 miles) or time whichever is soonest.  Also bear in mind of course that there are far more important components and systems on the car than the engine, brakes, steering and suspension (all three include the tyres) safety electrics (lights, horn, wipers, etc,) and windows and mirrors.

 

The garage might have used the correct or good quality oil, some do, but certainly not all, some might tell you they have changed the engine oil when all they have done is reset the reminder message.  You could have a look under the engine and see if  there much oil around, gravity usually takes an external oil there, and see if it looks like possibly the oil and filter have been changed, more difficult possibly 9 months later of course.  I personally either change the oil and filter myself or get it done a short time after getting the car if I'm not sure when the oil and filter was last changed and which oil was used, allowing time to discover leaks and/or consumption.  

 

Xavier is joking about the price of the oil, there are loads more expensive and possibly better oils about, whichever oil you use it just needs to be good quality whether in the engine, transmission or elsewhere.  People who buy a model such as a VRS unusually drive them like a model such as a VRS so the cars probably need more servicing and maintenance than other models not less.

 

There are so many beliefs about oil and which to use that you will get multiply views and opinions but for the oil consumption I suggest you ask about that or research on the 'Skoda Octavia Mk III (2013 - 2020)' forum. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/235-skoda-octavia-mk-iii-2013-2020/

 

Good luck.

 

Edited 27 March by nta16
9,400 miles

[Ootohere]

@nta16  You have a typo   '9,400' 

[Ootohere]

@SebSeb   Which engine does your vRS have, Petrol TSI or a Diesel TDI.  

 

VW504 00 / 507 000  For fixed or Variable with a TSI,  but it must be VW504 00 / 507 00 even if a TDI is fixed oil and filter changes.

 

A TSI on Fixed Oil & filter servicing can use VW 502 00.      

[nta16]

6 minutes ago, Rooted said:

@nta16  You have a typo   '9,400' 

 

Thanks, I blame the cheap keyboard, it has sticky keys that often print none or twice, plus the battery died very shortly after that (I can use a battery that's too low for digital stuff and the keyboard will be happy with it for a very long time and wear it right down, bit like my TV remotes) - plus of course I'm a poor (slow, one-finger) typist. 😆