I used Comma's "Diesel PD" 505 01 spec oil for my last service. I always assumed that it was perfectly suitable for my vRS - well, it quotes 505 01 on the bottle. However after some research I realised that Comma do not specifically mention OEM approval with regards to 505 01. I wrote to Comma to enquire -

-----------------------

Dear Sir/Madam,

I have used your “Diesel PD†engine oil product in my Volkswagen group (VW) PD diesel engine for the last year. Whilst I have been happy with the product I have become concerned about its suitability with regard to the VW 505 01 specification. VW recommends the use of oil which is approved to this specification. This approval is granted by VW themselves pending satisfactory qualification and testing. However your product is advertised using different language, “Comma recommends this product for applications requiring VW 505 01†and “meets the specification of 505 01†without specific mention of approval. Many other manufacturers of 505 01 products specifically mention approval and their claims are further verified on the official VW list of approved lubricants.

Can you confirm whether or not this product has been approved by VW for use in their engines? If your product has not been approved please explain why Comma feels it appropriate to recommend a product for the above mentioned highly specific application without prior manufacturer approval.

Yours faithfully,

-----------------------

Good Afternoon,

In order to answer this question fully I need to provide a little bit of background as to how approvals for engine oils work so please bear with me.

There are different types of OEM approval when it comes to engine oils. All of our products are based on formulations that have primary approvals from the appropriate OEMs– that is to say that we buy the components and blend them to a recipe that has previously been approved by the vehicle manufacturer. However, because we apply our own brand name to the formulation we are then required to seek a secondary approval from the same OEM if we want to make the formally approved claim. In some cases we do choose to do this but in most cases this simply adds unnecessary cost and complexity to our products which would obviously have a knock on impact for the end user. In all cases our products can be linked back to the original formulation and hence the test data that is generated in order to support the primary approval thereof. That is to say we can always demonstrate that our products are technically suitable for the application for which we recommend them and of an equivalent quality to OEM approved products.

In the case of Diesel PD 5W40 then, this product is based on a formulation which has a primary approval from the manufacturer for the specifications claimed on the label and our particular blend is linked to that formulation by our quality control procedures. This product does not have the secondary approval that would be required for us to make a formally approved claim on the label. It is for this reason that the phrase we use on the label does not make reference to an approval – we are not permitted to make such a claim unless a secondary approval is in place.

This is the common approach of most aftermarket oil producers although in many cases the language used on the label is not as clear as ours and can be misleading. Since the rules and regulations can be quite complicated and in order to provide additional peace of mind to our customers, Comma offer a product guarantee for any of the products we recommend by application which covers the customer in the very unlikely event that damage attributable to the correct use of our products occurs. More details about our guarantee can be found on our website or inside the front cover of our printed application guide.

Not a straight forward answer but hopefully this helps.

Many Thanks

Kindest Regards

--------------------------

In short the oil is not VAG approved. I will no longer be using it!!

Taps fingers and waits for Oilman to arrive

so it meets the 505.01 spec but they haven't paid for it to be "approved", what's the problem?

You pays ya money and takes ya choice!

If you want to pay more for an oil that has the 'extra' paperwork then thats your choice.

I think their explanation is fair and honest, and lets face it I'm sure some companies may be less honest.

It meets the spec. simples!

Their offer of a guarantee to repair any damage attributed to use of their oil is a bit dodgy. Chances are they will want a level of proof that costs too much to produce, or they will try and suggest the damage is caused by another issue. It's a bit like getting a warranty on a car, and everything being excluded under a wear and tear clause - because under most interpretations, pretty much any car part failure, can be explained away as wear and tear - and you effectively got yourself a worthless warranty unless you take them to court.

so it meets the 505.01 spec but they haven't paid for it to be "approved", what's the problem?

Exactly there are loads of Oil`s that are the same, was a thread about it a while ago. It will cause no issues using it.

I wonder if Quantum Platinum have "paid" to have proper authentification to 505.01 or not Either way I'm keeping on using it.

I picked up a bottle earlier, if I could be arsed to walk downstairs to look at the bottle I'd tell you exactly what the wording was. But I can't, so I won't...

I am quoting you though, been having a bit of a "spat" with a local who insists that Quantum is crap and the only oil worth having is Gulf Formula G (which, to his credit, he would have sold me for a pretty good price if I could be bothered to drive to Lichfield). If he doesn't shut up then I'll point out that it's in the mongrel as well as Tom's PD130 Ibiza which are probably in the top 5 most-modded cars in the country so it really can't be as shoddy as he makes out and it'll not cause my commutermobile any problems!

I wonder if Quantum Platinum have "paid" to have proper authentification to 505.01 or not Either way I'm keeping on using it.

I`m 99/9% sure that was one of the biggies being discussed! Dont quote me tho . . . .

I wonder if Quantum Platinum have "paid" to have proper authentification to 505.01 or not Either way I'm keeping on using it.

I use exactly same stuff here.

Quantum long life, on a 10k cycle.

I think its more of how often you change rather than the difference in labels.. tbh i struggle to find significantly cheaper comma oil so I stick with Shell Q7 (?) or Quantum. Only a couple £ difference from what I last looked.

Any oil that has been approved will be on the official VAG list. I thought quantum platinum was on the list, is quantum not a VW brand?

Letting the oil companies themselves take control of what meets the specifications is dangerous - they will bend and relax the specifications as they see fit to suit their corporate requirements. The guarantee that Comma provide is most probably not worth the paper it's written on. In future I will be sticking to oils that are approved, at least that way the quality and standard is maintained.

As far as Quantum brand oils are concerned, I'd hope that they are all fully approved as Quantum is VAG UK's own aftermarket brand!

But there again, these cunning people at VAG UK might just want to rip us off - remember the main dealers will never be using Quantum or Fuchs (I'd guess), instead they will use the UK based suppliers that can supply what they need and handle the waste - but surely that means Castrol etc, so does that not just turn the question back on itself.

I can understand that folk with PD engines are really keen to get it right, but for the rest of us hopefully the stated approval is good enough for our engines.

On the question of any Quantum oils being "crap", I'd reckon that that is a personal thing as said already based on the fact that the person that said that just happens to sell other brands.

For what its worth, I use Quantum Gold - now Platinum, also Fuchs Titan Supersyn. I have used Comma oils in the past with no problems at all - and Comma did put on sale a suitable oil for Ford Zetec engines a long time before Ford got round to it, so I continued to use the Comma product.

The real issue here, and it probably (re)opens a can of worms, is that Comma's response has been truthfull.

One last "shot" at VAG UK, while they sell Quantum branded spare parts, like wiper blades etc, the individual dealer's parts department will still source the correct VAG part if asked to do so - and I tend to buy genuine VAG wipers not Quantum "almost fit anything" ones - but there again I still trust their oils!

Edited 11 January, 201214 yr by rum4mo

On the question of any Quantum oils being "crap", I'd reckon that that is a personal thing as said already based on the fact that the person that said that just happens to sell other brands.

Agreed. I tried to point out that I wasn't saying "Quantum is the best oil for PD engines". Just that it's perfectly adequate for use, even on tuned cars, and it's cheap so for me it represents good value for 99% road use over buying oil that costs twice as much for 5 litres and I'd only see the benefit if I did a lot of track days and other high temp applications.

And assuming you use TPS, everything I've ever bought from there has been correctly VAG branded apart from the oil. Filters, wiper blades, washer jets, sump plugs, caliper return springs, and whatever else I've bought. All in individual bags tagged with VW part numbers. So I can't say I've ever had the problem where I've been given substandard spare parts...

Halfords own brand is actually made by Comma.......... So dont use that either!

I'm really grateful I drive a SDI and do not have this problem.

Isn't the sdi still a pd engine?

I've been using Quantum oil for almost 3 years. I always buy it from a skoda dealer so I can't see why it will do any harm.

Isn't the sdi still a pd engine?

No, it doesn't half make the electrics simpler.

Generally thought a sdi was a none turbo'd pd engine. Learn something new every day.

I bought Quantum at my local TPS. Are people saying its not VAG approved???????

Truth be told, the car runs "ok" on it.....I wont be putting it in again

I bought Quantum at my local TPS. Are people saying its not VAG approved???????

Which Quantum product did you buy?

Quantum PD Diesel 5W-40 and Quantum Platimun 5W-40 are both VW 505.01 approved and are suitable for your car. Quantum Longlife III 5W-30 is VW 507.00 approved and is also suitable.

P.S. I believe that Quantum PD Diesel has now been replaced by Quantum Platinum.

Quantum Platinum is fully VW approved

Been using Comma since first DIY service at 60K. Now 155K and no problems (touches wooden head).

1.4TDI PD engine.

Well I have been using Comma 5W40 Fully Synthetic Diesel PD Oil in my car for the last 80000 miles without any problems.The only thing I do is change oil around 5000 miles like I have done with all my cars.I find price is good and its a quality product, don't particularly care if its not approved but I am sure it would pass all the tests with flying colours.And have used there Xstream G30 coolant again without any problems whatsoever. Comma are not something new they have been blending oils since 1965 if there oil or products were crap I would doubt if they would still be in business today..

Well I have been using Comma 5W40 Fully Synthetic Diesel PD Oil in my car for the last 80000 miles without any problems.The only thing I do is change oil around 5000 miles like I have done with all my cars.I find price is good and its a quality product, don't particularly care if its not approved but I am sure it would pass all the tests with flying colours.And have used there Xstream G30 coolant again without any problems whatsoever. Comma are not something new they have been blending oils since 1965 if there oil or products were crap I would doubt if they would still be in business today..