I know I should check my oil level regularly, and top up when required, but in reality I tend to rely on the dash warning light coming on as a reminder.

So what was the reason for your last top-up?

Edit: I've done a public poll, just to see who else is lazy like me!

The oil light on my instrument panel doesn't turn on when cranking, replaced the bulb so suspect it doesn't work. Didn't come on after oil and filter change neither. Going to swap the instrument panel soon anyway due to faulty mileometer. I guess on the older cars like mine it's more important to check the dip stick every-so-often.

I do a high enough mileage with a lot of motorway miles so it pays to keep an eye on it as pulling back out from the hard shoulder isn't my idea of fun.

If i could read the damn dipstick..........black shiny plastic dipstick, black shiny oil.......the design team must have been having a tea break.

The last time I had to top up oil it was on a car with a loose rocker cover! So I knew (from the loose rocker cover) that it needed some oil. I have never owned one of these cars that needs regular top-ups between annual services.

Never put any oil in since new - now on 47k. Big improvement on my old Sierra 4x4, used to have to fill up engine, gearbox, and transfer box once every month! Oil everywhere

Last time i had to top-up my oil was shortly after the last C&F meet... must have burnt off a fair bit that day somehow!

Never owned a car where I've needed to add oil, but isn't the light on the dash an oil pressure light rather than an oil level light and by the time the pressure is low enough to trigger that you need to stop the engine ASAP and then add some oil there and then?

Chris

I thought the Octy used it dual purpose; level on switch on, and pressure when running?

I wait for the AMBER oil warning light to appear and as soon as it does, the oil goes in. I keep a 1 litre bottle of 507.00 in the rear door pocket.

As far as Skodas are concerned;

Amber = Oil level is getting low, top up or open the bonnet to clear it for 100 miles

Red = Pretty obvious - low oil pressure, pull over and kill engine immediately before it eats itself

So yes, I am a lazy b-stard :P who relies on the 'electronic dipstick' and not that crap orange handled thing under the bonnet.

very rarely do i ever need to top up the oil , as it is never in the engine long enough , oil change every 2.5k miles , bit overdue at present though (500 miles)

I check my oil every week, just to be on the safe side

I check my oil every week, just to be on the safe side

Coowee

Am guilty of not checking as often as I should. Used to be weekly when my living depended on it.

Now probably every 2nd or 3rd week - was surprised one time because the level had dropped to the 'low' mark so, since then, have checked more frequently.

Never owned a car where I've needed to add oil, but isn't the light on the dash an oil pressure light rather than an oil level light and by the time the pressure is low enough to trigger that you need to stop the engine ASAP and then add some oil there and then?

Chris

I thought it was like the Audi's where the light will come on amber if the level gets low and red if the pressure is down?

It came on on my cousins A3 on the motorway so we pulled in and topped it up.

I put about 500mm per 10,000 miles since about 40,000 miles.

Diesels will tend to use oir during their lifetime.

Ben

Does the Fabia have an amber warning for level as the engine is the same as the octy or is it a software thing again?

Ben

can't understand why there isn't an 'oil gauge' like a petrol gauge fitted in cars rather than just a low pressure warning light! That way you be able tell easily if the engine required oil..

Perhaps its not possible to this?

I have only ever checked the oil, due to the fact that the EU (even tho I never voted for any of them) made us include it in the drivng test.... have never had a warning light on, have never needed to top up, 80k in the fabia vRS (50k with cheap resistor mod) , and 34k so far in the fiat... never seem to loose oil, I think its due to running it in properly, i.e driving it normally, and not babying it....

80k in the fabia vRS (50k with cheap resistor mod)

Hmmm is that saying what I think it's saying? :confused:

Hmmm is that saying what I think it's saying? :confused:

Dunno, but if you wear a red hair net all your problems seem to disappear

i havent checked mine yet, should really do it, covered 10k so far in the 7months of having the car, but the light has never came on so it cant be that bad yet.

I check my oil and washer fluid once a week, it only takes 2 minutes, so what's the big deal?

Tyre pressures get checked when I top up with fuel if it's not raining.

I sometimes check my tyre pressures if ( like today ) I seem to encounter road planing everywhere, with 'ramps' and raised manholes, which can slightly deflate tyres if encountered unexpectedly ( when going the nsl in the dark, with no bloody warning signs:mad: )

I check at least once a week, but that could be every 1000 miles. I did 57k in the Fabia and it never needed topping up once. My Golf needed a top up twice in 120k.

Our Punto has a oil level indicator which is displayed when you start the engine. That hasn't needed any oil top ups in the two years we have had it either.

Tyres get check weekly on both cars as does the washer fluid.

Charles, the "Oil level gauge" sounds like a good idea, but where would you set it to? The only time you can get a true reading using the "required contents" method on a wet sump car (almost everything except "supercars") is with an engine that's not been running for at least an hour, when parked on level ground.

Mr G, what's the point in checking every week, when, barring leaks, you know that you'd use more oil checking the level weekly than you'd otherwise lose between services?

I check at least once a week, but that could be every 1000 miles. I did 57k in the Fabia and it never needed topping up once. My Golf needed a top up twice in 120k.

Our Punto has a oil level indicator which is displayed when you start the engine. That hasn't needed any oil top ups in the two years we have had it either.

Tyres get check weekly on both cars as does the washer fluid.

yeah my GP has the oil level check when you start up hasn't needed any yet either...

I always check the tyres... visual check every time I get in the car, pressure check every weekend, or before a long run... (meet ect)

I've check the oil everytime I clean the car but no real issues with it.

My last car a focus had to be topped up with oil at least three times in the year and a half I owned it, the first time I topped it up was a routine check after a couple of days of it being serviced to find the dealer had not topped the oil up.

Always been into a habit of checking the oil on all of my cars on a 2 weekly basis.