My 110TDi is on variable servicing, but likes to drink oil like as if it is going out of fashion. :eek:

I think that in the last 25k miles it has had 3 or 4 litres of oil. So my question is that if I keep topping up/replacing the 'used' oil will the oil that is in the car become 'tired' enough that the car will decide that it needs to be replaced? Or will I just keep topping it up and never changing it?! (obviously not a good idea as I will need to do the filter at somepoint). Or is there a maximum milage that variable will then prompt for a service?

Meantime, mine is still showing signs of using more oil if I checked every week than through "burning oil"!

It will come up on time after 2 years.

It will come up on time after 2 years.

:eek: mine showed up at 15 000 miles in under 1st year. :( came of variable & do it every 10 000 miles now. dont use a drop of oil.

Funny that; as indicated I'm on fixed and don't use much oil either!

Has anyone switched (either way and noticed higher oil consumption on variable? I've got a theory, but would like some data without revealing what it is first.

A different oil is used for fixed servicing, hence less consumption. Diesels do tend to use oil anyway, I have put 2 litres in mine during the last 14K miles.

I know that; I also know why you'd need more stable lubricant molecules and a more stable, longer-lived additive pack in order to roughly double the mileage between oil changes (yes I know someone who works in this field too). Unless the "long life" spec is actively lower viscosity, none of these factors should really affect oil consumption.

I'll just add that I doubled the oil change interval on my ZX when I was running it on Mobil1, without adverse effects on oil consumption.

One of the claimed benefits from using LongLife oil is lower fuel consumption. I seem to recall that the is figure is 3%. The Octavia Mk 1's Owner's Handbook says that depending on the style of driving the (oil) consumption can be as high as 1 litre/1000 km. For the New Octavia the figure is 0.5 litres/1,000 km. 4 litres in 25,000 miles is minimal oil consumption in comparison.

Yes, which is exactly why (good scientific method) I'm asking for actual observed effects of service schedule on oil consumption, without stating my theory first.

I'm on the variable service regime (vRS) and have covered nearly 72,000. The service light comes on at about 18 or 19,000 miles (due soon):(. I have never had to top up between services and the oil level has never got anywhere near the minimum level on the dipstick.

One of the claimed benefits from using LongLife oil is lower fuel consumption. I seem to recall that the is figure is 3%. The Octavia Mk 1's Owner's Handbook says that depending on the style of driving the (oil) consumption can be as high as 1 litre/1000 km. For the New Octavia the figure is 0.5 litres/1,000 km. 4 litres in 25,000 miles is minimal oil consumption in comparison.

I would have thought my driving style was quite gentle for the car (as a general rule). A roads and a bit of dual carriage on the way to work - about

Matt I would suggest topping it up and giving it a bit of a ragging as I am told the long life oil can glaze up on the bores so allowing small amounts of oil past and that this will remove that.

Of course I would suggest this, but I assume your Turbo is still having an off day/week/etc

Given the sort of people who had me formulating the original theory, that sounds quite possible.