…ignore the numbers and just make sure it's long life, fully synthetic and for diesel :S

So we're about to go on holiday to Gower from London and I check the oil to find it's just below the grid bit. I think, no problem, just pop to Halfrauds and pick up half a litre. I know that my servicing garage puts the variable oil in, even though I get it done once a year, because he says it's better quality oil.

Anyway, I check the manual and it says it's VW spec 506.01, or, if none is available, VW spec 505.01 will work, but only half a litre. Halfrauds don't have any of the above spec, only 505.00 (petrol engines) or 507.01 (diesel engines from 2005 onwards – mine's a 54 plate TDI PD130).

Knowing how important the right oil is to these engines I start panicing and phone the Skoda garage, where the lady there confidently tells me to ignore the spec numbers ("They're more trouble than they're worth.") and advises as above in the first sentence.

I have to get oil and I've tried Sainsbury's, the BP garage and now Halfrauds.

I settled for the 507.01 spec long life for VW, Audi, Skoda and Seat diesel engines from 2005 onwards, and put half a litre in. Everything seems peachy but why couldn't I get 506.01 spec? Is 507.01 the new 506.01?

Can anyone guide me through the VAG oil code minefield?

Cheers

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/c-1012-skoda-50601-oil.aspx

The dealers solely use 507.00 spec for diesels as this supersedes older standards!

Cheers Mike B.

The site says the 507.00 is for PD engiens with a DPF but I don't have the DPF, although I guess that doesn't matter

In a PD if the car has a DPF then only 507.00 can be used, if like yours it doesn't then either 506.01 or 507.00 is fine

507 is fine, it's low ash (for DPF) and 5w-30 instead of 0w-30.

VW longlife III is 507, long life II is 506.1 and can still be got. the VW506 oil is more expensive than the 507 (by a couple of £).

If you really want the vw506.1 go and buy the quantum LL II from the dealer.

The VW507 is fine in most PD engines, with the exception of a few of the larger capacity W and V engines I think.

Edited 15 November, 201114 yr by cheezemonkhai

Thanks everyone (better late than never)