Oil worries on Fabia VRS

[MartynVRS]

Nice. 15k already. What's the highest mileage vRS so far? Bet yours is one of the highest

[ukdiceman]

I've had mine a month now.

At 954 miles I put 1 litre in and that didn't bring to the full mark. Didn't check the level on delivery so not sure what it was after PDI. I've driven it normally (its a compnay car!) from 6 miles on the clock.

[sharkrider]

update: now 14500 and it seems I'm due my first top up since the service, dipstick about halfway between min-max.. however this is on my driveway, and I find it reads less than when parked more level at work, so will check it again tonight! will update if it needs topping up, I suspect 250mil will be going in tonight ... not too excessive for 4500 miles I think... if I left it, it would probably make it to the next 10k service without a top up, but I will of course keep it near max

update: just parked it the other way on my drive, and oil is at max, so I'm leaving it! lol.... no top up in 5 k

[SJFISHER67]

My Fabia has done 7k miles and has managed to get through 3 litres of oil in that time. I didn't granny it whilst running it in. Just let the oil get to over 80 degrees before I gave it some pasty. It feels faster than it did when I got it and the mpg is around 37mpg (calculated manually each week).

[pipsyp]

Ours used about 1/3 litre in 1700 miles which I dont suppose is too bad.

[Scooby2FabVRS]

I guess that if I can accumulate enough speeding tickets it will reduce my oil consumption one way i.e no car. Isn't this rather ridiculous that in these so called modern times, we are discussing the fact that we are using more oil in 10,000 miles than we used to use in the life of most 20 year old cars bar oil changes and that includes what used to spew out onto the drive as leaks! I actually think VAG should be ashamed of themselves for suggesting this is acceptable when it isn't something a potential buyer even dreams of asking when buying a car.

[tonyfvrs]

I guess that if I can accumulate enough speeding tickets it will reduce my oil consumption one way i.e no car. Isn't this rather ridiculous that in these so called modern times, we are discussing the fact that we are using more oil in 10,000 miles than we used to use in the life of most 20 year old cars bar oil changes and that includes what used to spew out onto the drive as leaks! I actually think VAG should be ashamed of themselves for suggesting this is acceptable when it isn't something a potential buyer even dreams of asking when buying a car.

Ah, but 20 years ago, did we get 180bhp, 0-60 in 7secs and 140mph from a 1.4 litre engine?

[russybvrs]

I have put about 1 an 1/2 litres in mine and done 3500 miles, think the best bit of advice i have seen on this tread it keep checking it wud of thought it will settle down as you put the miles on

[nockmeister]

Ah, but 20 years ago, did we get 180bhp, 0-60 in 7secs and 140mph from a 1.4 litre engine?

ahem...

Displacement 1.496 liter / 91.3 cu in

Bore / Stroke 72.4 mm (2.9 in) / 45.4 mm (1.8 in)

Compression 12.0:1

Valvetrain 2 valves / cylinder, DOHC

Fuel feed Lucas Fuel Injection

Aspiration Naturally Aspirated

Power 200 bhp / 149 KW @ 9750 rpm

Torque 159 Nm / 117 ft lbs @ 8000 rpm

BHP/Liter 134 bhp / liter

Graham Hills 1962 BRM...pretty sure it went faster than 140mph too :p

[Scooby2FabVRS]

And thats because these days you need 180BHP in these new cars to pull all the extra weight. Pity you didn't compare the weight of the two vehicles, I bet that would highlight a real shocker! Please don't mention all the safety stuff, heavens knows how we survived without it

PS you will find a lot of cars with similar or better specs i.e.

1987 Renault 5 GT Turbo

Information Summary

Body: hatchback

Length: 3589 mm

Weight: ONLY 855 kg

Engine Capacity: 1397 cc

Cylinders: Inline 4

Max. Power: 119.6 PS / 118 bhp / 88 kW @ 5750 rpm

Max. Torque: 165.0 Nm / 122 ft.lb / 16.8 kgm @ 3750 rpm

Acceleration: 0-60 mph in 7.30 seconds (With only 118 bhp!!!)

I know a little off topic but has more than one person actually got 7.3 secs and 140 MPH out of their STANDARD Fabia VRS. The figures for the Renault were not rolling road figures that we have to accept as truth these days.

Edited 23 August, 2011 by Scooby2FabVRS

[Mike Wrightson]

ahem...

Displacement 1.496 liter / 91.3 cu in

Bore / Stroke 72.4 mm (2.9 in) / 45.4 mm (1.8 in)

Compression 12.0:1

Valvetrain 2 valves / cylinder, DOHC

Fuel feed Lucas Fuel Injection

Aspiration Naturally Aspirated

Power 200 bhp / 149 KW @ 9750 rpm

Torque 159 Nm / 117 ft lbs @ 8000 rpm

BHP/Liter 134 bhp / liter

Graham Hills 1962 BRM...pretty sure it went faster than 140mph too :p

Alternatively, 1985 F1. Ford engine in the Benetton, 1.5litre V6 turbo. 1500bhp in qualifying "hand grenade" boost, close to 1000bhp in race boost.

[pipsyp]

I know a little off topic but has more than one person actually got 7.3 secs and 140 MPH out of their STANDARD Fabia VRS. The figures for the Renault were not rolling road figures that we have to accept as truth these days.

Believe Skoda's figures are quite conservative. Someone on here had their standard hatch timed to 60 in 6.5 secs. Auto express also timed a standard estate to 60 in 6.8. Think its quite reasonable to suggest all standard vRS's can crack 60 in less than 7 secs in the right conditions. Book figure of 7.3 is to 62mph anyway. Again top speed is probably a little conservative by a couple of MPH too but someone on here might be able to say for certain.

[Scooby2FabVRS]

Believe Skoda's figures are quite conservative. Someone on here had their standard hatch timed to 60 in 6.5 secs. Auto express also timed a standard estate to 60 in 6.8. Think its quite reasonable to suggest all standard vRS's can crack 60 in less than 7 secs in the right conditions. Book figure of 7.3 is to 62mph anyway. Again top speed is probably a little conservative by a couple of MPH too but someone on here might be able to say for certain.

Have you got the link for the autoexpress test, it sounds interesting. Probably explains why I bought my VRS in preference to the Corsa VXR which felt a little slower and was murder for a headache when I test drove it due to such hard suspension. Still feels subatantially slower than my 208bhp Scooby but definitely the next best thing if you want significantly better fuel economy (just don't mention the oil!)

[KenONeill]

ahem...

Displacement 1.496 liter / 91.3 cu in

Bore / Stroke 72.4 mm (2.9 in) / 45.4 mm (1.8 in)

Compression 12.0:1

Valvetrain 2 valves / cylinder, DOHC

Fuel feed Lucas Fuel Injection

Aspiration Naturally Aspirated

Power 200 bhp / 149 KW @ 9750 rpm

Torque 159 Nm / 117 ft lbs @ 8000 rpm

BHP/Liter 134 bhp / liter

Graham Hills 1962 BRM...pretty sure it went faster than 140mph too :p

And the engine also needed stripped down and fully rebuilt about every 1_000 miles, if it made it that far. Also, a 1962 F1 car weighed slightly less than a fag packet.

[KenONeill]

Alternatively, 1985 F1. Ford engine in the Benetton, 1.5litre V6 turbo. 1500bhp in qualifying "hand grenade" boost, close to 1000bhp in race boost.

According to Benetton personnel, that engine never made more than 800bhp race, 1_000 in grenade form, even on toluene base fuels. Your power figures might be for a Honda V6 or a BMW straight 4. Any way, a MTBF of 100 miles for a race engine and 10 miles for a qually engine might be regarded as unacceptable for a daily driver.

[Confide]

Believe Skoda's figures are quite conservative. Someone on here had their standard hatch timed to 60 in 6.5 secs. Auto express also timed a standard estate to 60 in 6.8. Think its quite reasonable to suggest all standard vRS's can crack 60 in less than 7 secs in the right conditions. Book figure of 7.3 is to 62mph anyway. Again top speed is probably a little conservative by a couple of MPH too but someone on here might be able to say for certain.

It sure does 140+ mph given enough space (i.e. a LONG and WIDE road).

Ah, but 20 years ago, did we get 180bhp, 0-60 in 7secs and 140mph from a 1.4 litre engine?

About 0-62, you have old Civic's doing 0-62 in almost 8 seconds dead (think it's 8.2 or 8.3 seconds) which isn't as quick, but from a 1.6 NA-engine!

Pretty sure those cars had better fuel/oil-economy aswell x).

[Bullyboy]

Just an update to the original thread on this.

Now have 3,100 miles on the clock and had to top up a little again. Oil usage has now been just been over half a litre at this mileage.

Hope this may help others.

[MartynVRS]

I've used just over a litre in 3k and asked my friend who works in Audi was it normal. He said given it was still running it that it was excellent considering VAG see 1ltr in 600 miles as normal. His BMW 520 uses oil and he said it was normal. His uses about a litre in 3 months which is about 5000 miles. Thing is oils we use today are thinner so will burn more readily. Correct me if I'm wrong but don't they have to be because of the turbo bearings?

[sharkrider]

update from a high miler... last oil change was 20k, now 23k and no oil used.

[Cambridge29]

My car has just turned over 9000 miles and is still using alot of oil. O have just had the car serviced at the Skoda Garage in Cambridge, and they have advised me to come back in 500 miles, and they will do an oil consumption test. They have advised me that it might need a new engine, on a new car i said? They explained that this is an issue with the 1.4 vw engine and its to do with the value seals been the wrong size. Not very good in a new car!!!

[FOX1429]

Ive had to top up 2 1/2 lts in 6000 miles of driving (over 9 months).

Checked the oil 2 weeks ago and level was midway on the dipstick. Checked again following 250 mile round trip 3 days ago and level was below minimum level.

Very frustrating having to check/top up oil so regularly in a £15000 car when the wifes 2 yr old carsa has never needed a top up between services.

I know it is 'apparently' a known issue with the engine but if it keeps going this way think i need to let Skoda know come service time.

Perhaps this amount is within 'acceptable' boundaries. Who knows!!!

[sharkrider]

some engines must have issues.. for comparison to the high oil usage some are suffering here's my record..

first 10k 1 litre of oil added, 10-20k just 250mil (and thats because I was being careful, was still above halfway on dipstick in that 10k so would have made 10-20k without a top up easy...) 20-23k no oil used....

bedded in properly now I think !

the light oil users, I wouldn't worry about ( a litre every 5-10k ect) the high ones at a litre every 1k, I would push for an engine rebuild (or a new engine)

I doubt mine will use oil at all between services now....

[JerryT]

I've used just over a litre in 3k and asked my friend who works in Audi was it normal. He said given it was still running it that it was excellent considering VAG see 1ltr in 600 miles as normal. His BMW 520 uses oil and he said it was normal. His uses about a litre in 3 months which is about 5000 miles. Thing is oils we use today are thinner so will burn more readily. Correct me if I'm wrong but don't they have to be because of the turbo bearings?

The oils we are using (Castrol Edge in my case) are fully synthetic and therfore have a far higher thermal tolerance, that is, they are not as volatile as the same viscosity grade mineral based oil that we would have used some years ago.

In relation to oil consumption, i am now starting to have some concerns. Upto the first srvice (9400 miles) i added something like 1.5 litres, since this service and having covered a further 5000 miles i have added a further 3 litres, almost a complete oil change (3.8 litre oil capacity irc). still below VW possible expected usage but a complete change on an engine that should be settling down.

[jonny boy]

Interesting reading, but what's VW / Skodas view on all this ?

[sharkrider]

The oils we are using (Castrol Edge in my case) are fully synthetic and therfore have a far higher thermal tolerance, that is, they are not as volatile as the same viscosity grade mineral based oil that we would have used some years ago.

In relation to oil consumption, i am now starting to have some concerns. Upto the first srvice (9400 miles) i added something like 1.5 litres, since this service and having covered a further 5000 miles i have added a further 3 litres, almost a complete oil change (3.8 litre oil capacity irc). still below VW possible expected usage but a complete change on an engine that should be settling down.

I would have concerns if i was you, but that is my personal opinion, as my car has used just a tiny smidge (250mil) in the last 13,000 miles...

however it still seems to be withing tolerances

big tolerances, and all engines are different...

I dont know. my opinion would be to push for some action on it if you are unhappy... the main reason I love my car is because its been the best car I've owned so far (bar maybe my lancia thema turbo) and nothing at all has gone wrong...

if I was feeling unhappy, and uneasy though, and things were bugging me, i'd push for something to be done.