My mk3 vrs tdi is coming up to a year old, apparently it doesn't need a service for another year.

 

Thinking of changing the oil myself, good idea?

Its not done mega miles but cant help thinking an oil change every year would be a good thing.

 

What oil should I go for?

What oil you should use is pretty much dfined by the manual, and I wouldn't chose anything else. I doubt that the dealer will appreciate if he has to fix something under warranty when you added not "the right" (not necessarily wrong) oil.

I got my car yesterday and first service is in 727 days or 30,000 km. Seems long to me but then my Scirocco didn't have it's first oil change until 22,000km either. From what I understand there is a sensor checking the metallic content of the oil, so I trust Skoda, at least more than my skills of draining the oil, since I was also under the impression that it isn't done anymore by draining from the bottom but sucking it out at the top.

<snip>

it isn't done anymore by draining from the bottom but sucking it out at the top.

</snip>

 

Yes, but this is a bad practice. The dirty, whatever the origin, shall always be collected on the pan.

 

Then we have the marvellous of the EGR and PCV, so the oil gets contaminated by diesel.

 

I have only about 5000Km after 6 months and I'm just starting I should change it. VW507.00 is the spec for my engine, and it's printed on the manual, as TomLux stated.

 

Car shoud be factory filled with Fuchs oil. Castrol should be fine. Motul perhaps even better.

 

HTH

 

P.S:: e.g. http://www.opieoils.co.uk/vsearch.aspx?SearchTerm=vw507.00

Edited 17 February, 201511 yr by Genoa1893

Yes, but this is a bad practice. The dirty, whatever the origin, shall always be collected on the pan.

 

I'm not sure if it comes down to the dealer or not, I thought (while bad practice) it is standard practice. Looking under the cars today with all their protection and soundproofing etc, removing all that for an oil change...no wonder pumping it out wins. I also read (on this forum, if memory serves me well) that most pans are magnetic nowadays so the metallic dirt will stay. Everything else won't of course.

I don't know about the TDI but the TSI undertray doesn't cover the sump and there is a plastic drain plug in there. I expect the diesel tray may be bigger with sound insulation on it to counter the engine clatter?

Agreed it's a common practice, but on my best half's Honda Jazz I prefer to have my after magnetic drain plug cleaned at each oil change.

 

I will do the same with the Octy.

To do the oll change your self you will need the car in the air to get the under tray off and to get to the oll filter and it not the cleanest job to do.The oll from the oll filter runs down the writing be low it apart from that it's not a bad job to do

If the TDI is like the tsi the oil filter has an in built drain.  Unscrew it but have in place for a minute and then lift off and you won't spill a drop.  As already said, the tsi at least, the sump plug is easily accessed. A 2 pence coin is the perfect fit in the slot to unscrew it.

I recently did a mid-service oil change on mine with a PELA 6000 oil extractor. Sure it's not as good as doing a proper full change, but it got 4 litres out which was pretty good going I thought.

 

Certainly better to replace 95% of the oil at 9000 miles than waiting until 18000 for its first variable service!

 

Certainly better to replace 95% of the oil at 9000 miles than waiting until 18000 for its first variable service!

 

Ditto. Anybody into oil specs knows that factory service interval are just plain marketing/advertising.

The tsi vrs holds 6 litres.

In the older Skoda Superb ( MK2 ) the engine oil filter was easily visible and accessible, could be done from the top. Now with the MK3, you cannot even see it from the top. I presume that its an underneath job? Car up on stands, remove tray, and filter should be visible and easy to remove?  Any help appreciated......especially any pics.

Thanks and Regards,

Jim. 

I know this is a really old thread but ...

 

1. It proves the search gets used occasionally

2. I have been quoted £200 for an oil and filter change (ouch)

3. Does anyone do it themselves anymore?

 

 

32 minutes ago, VRS_White_Hatch said:

I know this is a really old thread but ...

 

1. It proves the search gets used occasionally

2. I have been quoted £200 for an oil and filter change (ouch)

3. Does anyone do it themselves anymore?

 

 

 

Yep, still do it myself. I use decent long life oil but change it every 9k miles.

not a vRS but I got 5 litres of Castrol Edge + filter delivered to my front door for £51. 

30 minutes taking it easy to change oil and filter.

 

I should add, I used to be a VW/Audi tech many years ago (although these cars are as easy as it gets to do oil and filter on) and I’m going to run this car into the ground, it’s not on a pcp or lease, won’t be traded in, and I therefore don’t care about a dealer service history.

 

I'm just looking at doing this myself after servicing my insignia at home. The insignia was an absolute arse to do, OSF wheel off, a bit of drain pipe stuck in to help the oil drain out, getting the car up high enough to swing the under tray forward - nightmare. 

 

I've been quoted £119 at a local VAG specialist, i might just let them do it rather than try clean dirty oil from my block paved driveway!

I put some old curtains down doubled over in case of spills then use an old washing up bowl to catch the oil. I use a funnel to stick it back into the oil can when the new oil is in. I let it drain for about an hour while I do a bit of cleaning and spray some oil and grease. By the time I've jacked it up and done the undertray off and on I reckon at least a 2 hour job. Oil and filter probably about £35 so a good saving and I will do it carefully and thoroughly, not many garages will. I'll be keeping the car about 10 years so residual value is buttons with or without a service history. On an old car its what you see is what you get.

 

I do my wife's and daughters cars too when I can. I quite enjoy working on cars.

I service a relatives Astra and it is the hardest oil and filter !

Looks easy, but the filter is always a pain and, as you say, they are low slung.

 

I would like to hang up my car servicing boots, but it’s not about money saving for me, I like to know the car has been serviced properly and have had annoying issues when I pay garages to do stuff.

 

In the past couple of years I’ve had the following garage failures to cars in the Classic family fleet, on jobs I’ve had to take to garages.

 

1. service interval display not reset at major service.

2. Clutch hydraulic pipe damaged during gearbox removal. - Pipe failed the day after new clutch fitted, garage admitted they damaged it and hoped it would be ok. They fitted a new pipe (bought by me 😬) for free

3. Bottom ball joint rubbers split during gearbox removal - same job as the pipe, MOT tester 2 months after clutch job, said the rubbers looked like a ball joint splitter had torn them.

4. Threads stripped out of hub carrier during wheel bearing change. Clearly they had attacked it with a powerful air gun but I had to pay for a new part

5. Astra CIM unit (ecu which controls everything) somehow fried fitting a new wiper stalk. Cost £600 at Vauxhall dealer to put it right.

6. New spark plugs charged for but not fitted at a major service.

7. Same car as (6) “service now” came up up 1500 miles after service, so service interval display not reset.

 

That’s Jan 2018 to now - Hence, I do what I can myself.

Edited 7 September, 20196 yr by classic