Hi , can anyone advise on what spec of brake fluid I ought to use in my 2006 vrs and engine oil( I want to use the best available)

I have looked in the service book and the build sticker says its a QGO service interval -every 12 months or 15,000km.

The owners manual was missing when my son got the car so I sourced a very good condition (luck) with the date of 08.04 so might not be relevant for the 06 model but things contained within look same.

Brake fluid change every 24 months and spec -FMVSS 116 DOT 4, engine oil, it in hand book refers you to technical hand book which is original but nothing specific mentioned, I can only see VW 505 01.

I am assuming that this 14 year old booklet fluid specifications has been superseded.

Any clarification would be much appreciated as its as clear as mud to me.

Thanks

Martin

I have in the past only ever used VW Group DOT4 but recently have bought TRW DOT4 ESP from ECP it seems that while there is "DOT4" without any other comments being added into the description, and some brands sell it, the preferred brake fluid for cars with ABS etc is actually an improved version of DOT4, and most brands also sell it as well at a slightly higher price, and normally include "for use with ABS systems etc, which is why I have chosen TRW DOT4 ESP for this year's fluid changes. 

 

I'm not going to argue about just how critical it is to only use the "improved" versions of DOT4 - remember the fluid that VW Group dealerships are selling right now will be the improved version and might always have been, I'm just playing safe.

Any DOT4, and Quantum Platinum for the oil.

 

Edited 3 June, 20206 yr by Wino
Dodgy link removed that was cheap for 5 litres, except it was actually just 1 litre

38 minutes ago, Wino said:

Any DOT4, and Quantum Platinum for the oil.

 

 

Wino, probably neither of your cars have ESP, but I'm thinking that a VRS would have ESP and if brake fluid brands now recognise that a slightly different spec of fluid is advised for cars with ESP, why not accept that advice and use it st least on cars that have ESP ? 

 

As I said, I'm not going to argue the case for/against using ESP spec'd brake fluid, but if it is available why not buy and use it if that car has ESP.

2 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

I'm thinking that a VRS would have ESP

Dunno; OP can confirm/deny.

1 minute ago, Wino said:

Dunno; OP can confirm/deny.

 

As I said in my first posting to this thread, I had up until recently always used VW Group fluid, so never knew or needed to know anything about there being 2 versions of DOT4 being available and why - then someone on a Polo forum got told by his VW dealership that all VW Group dealerships had stopped stocking VW Group brake fluid and they all had been advised to start using other fluids like TRW DOT4 ESP, now this came from someone that used a London dealership so I took that comment as maybe being true - which I later discovered it was not at all.

 

So this guy not onto checking the current spec on that VW Group branded brake fluid - and discovered that the original spec had been revised to include its use on systems that have ESP - I checked this out, and sure enough it was true, and then discovered that while every man and his dog sell DOT4 most of the cheaper ones only sell to the older spec and all the rest sell both variants, obviously the later ESP spec'd one is slightly more costly - so as soon as that initial question was asked, I answered it in that way including what, until 6 months ago, I did not know existed.

12 minutes ago, Wino said:

Dunno; OP can confirm/deny.

Hi it has an ASR button, is that the same?

Not same, but not sure of specifics.

1 hour ago, Wino said:

Any DOT4, and Quantum Platinum for the oil.

 

Hi Wino, I followed your link and thought it was cheap until I noticed 1 litre, no worries.

Martin

Didn't buy it did you? 

12 minutes ago, kentdale said:

Hi it has an ASR button, is that the same?

 

In this context yes, as anti slip regulation comes via the operation of the ABS pump and engine speed limiting, I should not have mentioned ABS in my first posting , I should have said ESP although it is the rapid action of the ABS system had performs the regulating task along with the engine speed control/limiting.

Edited 3 June, 20206 yr by rum4mo

@kentdale

 

ASR / Anti Slip Regulation  so   TC  / Traction Control.

 

ESP Electronic Stability Programme. (ESC Electronic stability control.)

505.01 has been superseded by 507, there is no 'best' oil, just get whatever is the best value that meets the spec. you'll be throwing it away after another 10000 miles.

Any fresh DOT4 fluid is ideal, fresh is best because it deteriorates over time.

Don't get hung up on branding, concentrate on changing these fluids at the recommended intervals.

7 hours ago, Wino said:

Didn't buy it did you? 

No,being a Yorkshire man I had palpitations when I saw the price/quantity

1 hour ago, kentdale said:

No,being a Yorkshire man I had palpitations when I saw the price/quantity

 

You'd have bought it if it was called 'Yorkshire Oil' though, amirite?

On 03/06/2020 at 13:37, kentdale said:

Hi Wino, I followed your link and thought it was cheap until I noticed 1 litre, no worries.

Martin

kentdale- looking at your post on locking nuts, and any future posts, perhaps you and other new members might like to reflect n. It's on WINOS SIG "Knowing your car's engine code (and maybe putting it in your profile or signature so people can see without asking) is a fantastic way of helping others to help you with your car. It's listed on the data sticker on the boot floor (and there may be a duplicate in the service book). If you can't work out which letters are the relevant ones, just pop up a photo of the sticker (obscuring the VIN if you're shy) and someone will tell you.". I have owned a 1.4TDI for a lot of yrs and what I've found out WRT this model I try and share. I'm ot an expert, just an old bloke who's driven for 50+ yars and worked on cars for a similar time .