Shell Helix Oil any good?

[Grizzle]

So i want to do an Oil and filter change on the car over the weekend its currently on long life but i was never one for leaving it 20k between changes, anyway i can get the Quantum 5w30 variable service oil for about £25 but i was thinking of sticking in the Helix Ultra Extra 5w30 i like to give it some beans at the weekend or is the 5w30 quantum just as good??

[queeg]

So i want to do an Oil and filter change on the car over the weekend its currently on long life but i was never one for leaving it 20k between changes, anyway i can get the Quantum 5w30 variable service oil for about £25 but i was thinking of sticking in the Helix Ultra Extra 5w30 i like to give it some beans at the weekend or is the 5w30 quantum just as good??

Just used it 2 weeks ago myself for a quick oil and filter change - it's actually recommended according to a leaflet in my document folder. I highly rate all Shell products anyway, so it gets a thumbs up from me

Got it from Opie Oils when they had the free delivery deal on a couple of weeks ago

[m0bov]

We careful about changing the oil when its on variable servicing as it will confuse the oil quality sensing and may void your warranty.

[gadgetman]

If you're on variable, and do your own interim changes, then you may as well go fixed instead.

The main issue is the car is monitoring the oil quality, and if the quality suddenly changes you could find you trigger services much earlier as the car sees bad oil suddenly go good between services.

[Grizzle]

We careful about changing the oil when its on variable servicing as it will confuse the oil quality sensing and may void your warranty.

Ahhh...

[martziniuk]

Does it have an oil quality sensor? I always thought it went on things like how many cold starts, how it's driven from cold, how hard it's driven etc, then it was all calculated by the ECU.

I believe there are also min and max mileage/ time to service settings for when the light should come on with variable servicing???

Or am I talking rubbish

[queeg]

Well mine is absolutly fine, hasn't done a HAL 9000 on me !

[queeg]

Does it have an oil quality sensor? I always thought it went on things like how many cold starts, how it's driven from cold, how hard it's driven etc, then it was all calculated by the ECU.

I believe there are also min and max mileage/ time to service settings for when the light should come on with variable servicing???

Or am I talking rubbish

As far as I was aware the oil quality sensor is nothing more than a temperature sensor which measures the cooling time of the oil when the engine is turned off. The longer it takes the dirtier the oil. It trips when the cooling takes a set time.

[Stoofa]

I find it highly unlikely that adding your own oil etc causes any major issues.

The variable servicing is going to be based on a lot of things and not just the "quality of oil".

What are you supposed to do when the car needs topping up with oil (which any 2.0 TFSI or 2.0 TSI will eventually) - leave it until the service?

Also highly unlikely to void any warranties.

Warranties are usually dependant on servicing in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer.

You aren't going to get the warranty voided for giving your car what is in effect extra services.

[blueR36]

Back to the topic my car a 56 plate has a sticker in the engine bay recomending Shell Helix oil

[Wardy]

The Shell recommendations under the bonnet and in the handbook inserts is just really a marketing tie up. Any brand meeting the required oil spec will be sufficient. I would fill with Quantum if it was me, based on the price info in your first post.

If you're going to do interim changes though, switch to fixed intervals. Simple as that. The only benefit of the variable schedule is you don't have to have it serviced as often, the oil stays in longer etc etc.

[roman.w]

Helix is expensive but in my opinion it is one of the better oils on the market.

[cheezemonkhai]

The quantum LLIII is just fine and the cost difference pays for the filter and new sump plug if you do it.

As for variable/fixed/etc, I have changed the oil on a few cars, and have used a pela pump every 9k miles and then the cars have had a normal garage variable service when it was due and not had a single problem with the "oil quality sensor" as people put it.

The advantage is a full service history in the book, while only paying the full garage cost every 18k miles.

FME the fixed service isn't that much cheaper than a variable and you need them twice as often almost.

[giandougl]

So i want to do an Oil and filter change on the car over the weekend its currently on long life but i was never one for leaving it 20k between changes, anyway i can get the Quantum 5w30 variable service oil for about £25 but i was thinking of sticking in the Helix Ultra Extra 5w30 i like to give it some beans at the weekend or is the 5w30 quantum just as good??

I too use Quantum, listed VW505.01 spec, so ticks all my boxes.

[ednmra]

Tesco has Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 fully synthetic on offer for about £8.50 per 2 litre bottle. Is that any good? How do I find out the VW spec. for it, if any?

[Wardy]

Be careful with the stuff sold in the supermarkets. Worth checking the production date on the bottle too, as could be old/stockpiled stock.

Specs will be listed on the back of the bottle. I did see some in my local Tesco's the other week, and it didn't list the correct VAG spec, only Ford IIRC.

[sparky2]

So long as its the correct spec oil as in VW505.01 etc and states it on the bottle there shouldn't be any problems so buy it wherever its cheapest eg - supermarket and the same with the filter. cheers - Stuart

[CorridaVRS]

I thought the oil for the TFSis are supposed to be vw 504.00? I think I'm going to get a bottle just to keep my engine topped up.

[mrhankey]

my oil light came on this morning after the car has only done 3000 miles from new.

is that right?

been told by dealer to use helix. think it is a bit strange it needs oil already?

[m0bov]

Depends on how you drive it and how often you check the oil. If low oil light came on, damaged already done. Do you check it weekly?

[martziniuk]

I doubt you have done any damage from a low oil light, it just says top up at the earliest opportunity or words to that effect in the manual.

[Wardy]

If low oil light came on, damaged already done.

That's not a certainly, but definitely good if you can avoid it coming on!

@mrhanky - it's a bit concerning to me, considering the amount of mileage you've covered. The engine would have had to churn it's way through a fair amount of the stuff from new, for the light to come on. I'd get it topped up as a matter of high priority, then be asking some questions of your supplying dealer.

[mrhankey]

Depends on how you drive it and how often you check the oil. If low oil light came on, damaged already done. Do you check it weekly?

to be honest no i dont. i have done with used cars but this being just 2 months old i did not think i would have to be topping up as reading other peoples posts they go 16000 miles without topping up. put a litre of castrol edge in today £16 for 1 litre.

called dealer and they said that this is normal to be coming on as soon. called another in the area and they said the same although these 2 dealers say that the horrendous noise form my steering when wet is normal on a vrs.

maybe cause i am younger they are ticking the p#ss.

thanks

[martziniuk]

It's well within spec, for example my Tfsi uses a litre every 1500-1600 miles which is also within VW limits. From what I've read they usually get better with a bit more miles behind them.

The general consensus is they use more oil if they are gently broken in as opposed to giving it more work but obviously not thrashing it.

[Wardy]

to be honest no i dont. i have done with used cars but this being just 2 months old i did not think i would have to be topping up as reading other peoples posts they go 16000 miles without topping up. put a litre of castrol edge in today £16 for 1 litre.

Ah well, there's a difference between checking the level and seeing it doesn't need attention, compared with never checking it. How would you then know whether to top up or not?

Also, that's hugely expensive for 1L of the required spec oil.