Hi.

 

First time posting here and I'm a bit of a cliche.

 

I bought a used 2011 Skoda Octavia Estate, 1.8TSi, 4x4, last year from a dealership. The purchase was made in May 2020.

 

It's got oil problems, which I didn't find out existed on this model until after I bought it. Typical issues - needs topping up far too often, so is burning I guess...

 

I first made contact with the dealer about this just weeks after buying it. They had a look, fobbed me off with some nonsense about it probably being the sensor on the dipstick causing the warning light to come on, then went quiet on me after I tried to ask them to look into it. Only then did I research more and find out about the problem.

 

Now, I'm expecting the worst really. I'm sure the engine is being affected and it's obviously not economical to keep buying oil. This has been going on for almost a year though, so why am I not yet seeing issues with the engine? 

 

So what are my options? A year in, I'm sure the dealer has absolutely no interest/obligation to help me now. It's used and 10 years old so clearly nothing Skoda can do. 

 

Best case scenario? Sell it for the fraction of the £5 I paid for it, to a WBAC website or equivalent? 

 

Thanks.

Hi James, welcome to the forum. A pity you didn't persist with the supplier at the time of purchase. How much oil is it using per thousand miles? Is there significant blue (oil) smoke from the exhaust when accelerating from the overrun?   

Hi Warrior193. 

 

Thanks for the welcome.

 

Yes, I know I should have persisted with the supplier and frustrated that I didn't. I was also moving house and my family at the time so it moved down the priority list somewhat and here we are today.

 

Per thousand miles, I estimate it to be using 5l of oil, which is of course far too much. And that is perhaps an optimistic calculation.

 

Regarding blue smoke - there isn't any clear sign of this. It recently also passed its MOT with emissions not flagging anything.

 

Thank you.

Hi, you need to get your calculator out and do the sums as to either you get the engine replaced/ repaired or you trade what you have in for something else, either way it will cost you some money unfortunately. As it recently passed mot I would seriously consider getting rid tbh as the path of least hassle,  let it become someone else's problem  

Thanks Seriesdriver. Appreciate the advice and completely accepting of the fact that I'm losing money one way or the other.

 

However, I'm not really in a position to spend at the moment; I guess it's easily more than £1,000 to get the engine replaced/repaired? Or the piston rings replaced? And likewise, I can only get around £1,500 for it on WBAC now, because - annoyingly - it's now got a dent too! So I'd have to spend a bit more to get something sizeable and reliable for the family.

 

Taking all that into account - what's the prognosis of the engine with the current problems? Should I expect it to pack in at any moment, or can I get away with keep adding oil, use it as little as possible, save some money and look at a repair/trade in six months' time?

 

Thanks.

Hi James, wow, 5 litres in a thousand! are there any signs of oil leaks? If it's burning it, that car should be laying a smokescreen like a T74!

I know, it's a crazy amount. Which is why I'm so bamboozled by it. There are definitely no signs of oil leaks and the garage had a look to see if it was burning, to no evidential proof. 

 

The only clear signs I have are:

 

1) The warning light coming up after adding about 1l of oil every 200 miles or so. I try and nip this in the bud and just add little and very often instead.

 

2) The engine does seem to omit a smell; perhaps a burning smell, but it could just be me looking for it and it might even just be the normal smell of an engine after driving.

 

3) The dipstick suggests the car needs more oil. Strangely, I can wipe the dipstick clean, put it back, and the warning light has gone when the engine restarts.

 

4) Once, in the earlier days, I didn't top up the oil immediately after the warning light came on (I naively hoped it was just an electrical fault given that the garage had topped it up shortly beforehand!) and the red warning light came on and the engine juddered and made a nasty crunching noise. Never got to that stage again. 

 

I haven't had a leak, blue burning, engine issues (yet). There's a little bit of smoke in colder weather when starting from a standstill but nothing overly remarkable. 

 

Also, another uncomfortable quirk is that the car seems to go through the antifreeze coolant far too quickly too. 

 

Simply, I just wish I could reverse time back to last May and not buy the car! Biggest financial regret I've had.

1 hour ago, JamesBro said:

3) The dipstick suggests the car needs more oil. Strangely, I can wipe the dipstick clean, put it back, and the warning light has gone when the engine restarts.

 

 

That believe it or not is the standard behaviour from what I have read, closing the bonnet resets it, I dont know if it would come on again in the same journey

The Low Oil Warning light or message can stay off for 62 miles. (yellow oil can) symbol) After being opened. Even if nothing is done!

A Low Oil Pressure light might or might not stay off. (Red oil can) symbol)

 

The relevant thread on this subject of oil use and eventually engine failure is pinned at the top of this section.

Edited 12 May, 20215 yr by e-Roottoot

4 hours ago, JamesBro said:

seems to go through the antifreeze coolant far too quickly

If it's eating coolant you should check for a head gasket leak,  Usual signs include an emulsion collected around the oil filler cap, evidence of oil in the radiator water reservoir and/or water droplets on the dipstick,  If it progresses you will gradually lose performance on the affected cylinder.  Check normally via a compression test,

 

Thanks @MikeTheThinker - I'll have a look to double check but I haven't seen any signs of an emulsion coating around the oil filler cap, but will look harder. Nor have I seen water droplets on the dipstick. 

 

If it was the case that it's a head gasket leak, would this be all linked together with the massive oil consumption too? Forgive my lack of knowledge, but does it all go through the head gasket?!

 

@e-Roottoot and @J.R. - that's crazy. I always thought it was because of wiping the dipstick, not that it's just set by the bonnet opening! 

3 hours ago, JamesBro said:

If it was the case that it's a head gasket leak, would this be all linked together with the massive oil consumption too? Forgive my lack of knowledge, but does it all go through the head gasket?!

If  the head gasket is leaking the cylinder gasses (including oil) get pushed out past the gasket and usually into the water jacket - hence the check for emulsion in the radiator fluid. 

On the inlet stroke the vacuum caused by the piston falling in the cylinder may then suck in water via a failed head gasket which can lead to water in the oil and poor running.  This situation is likely to increase oil consumption but I can't see it increasing to the levels you are describing.

 

Could it be that the oil is being blown out via the crankcase breather? Normally, gasses from this should be routed back through the engine - but has someone modded it so that it just blows out onto the road under the car as you drive? This quantity should still be visible behind you though, plus I'd expect to see obvious signs of this under the vehicle.