Tarmac_Terrorist Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Every time I have a service the dealer is using a different brand oil, obviously the same grade though. First I had Castrol, then it was Shell and this time it's Total. If I had to guess a price for the above brands I would put Castrol top, then Shell and then Total. If i'm guessing correctly then I assume it is all about cost cutting rather than sourcing the best quality oil perhaps? I there isn't always a direct link between oil price and quality but it does make me wonder! Is it just the grade of oil which makes it longlife or does it contain a certain ingredient / detergent in addition? If I remember correctly, Castrol actually brand their oil as longlife but what about these others VW use? What oil did your dealer use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuprabob Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 My dealer uses Shell. I had expected Castrol but done some research and the Shell oil they used met the same standards and was branded as longlife. From what I understand now, is that most oil manufacturers now have longlife oils meeting the VAG specs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 I would have thought they'd use Quantum as that's VW's own oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuprabob Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 My local Audi dealer used Quantum Synta when they serviced my Dad's 5 yr old 1.2 Polo and gave me what was left in the bottle. Surprised me because it only cost £68 for the service including MOT I guess periodically VW put out the supply to tender and the best price while meeting the specs will win Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemod Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Yep, Mine uses Quantum Longlife III, I thought that was what they all used as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 I would have thought they'd use Quantum as that's VW's own oil. Nope, not for servicing. They'll buy whatever comes into them at the best price for 50 gallon drums. As long as they get the right grades, it's a simple business decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bodger00 Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Don't trust the drum! It could be anything that they are throwing into your pride and joy. I now do my own (as its out of waranty) and make sure its Castrol! The last time I took the car in for an oil change they stuck a long hose down the dipstick pipe and sucked it out. In my mind this leaves a lot of muck in the sump that should really come out. I timed my last oil change and im no expert mechanic and I did it in 40 minutes. This includes 10 minutes to clean up. In comparison to other cars I have worked on the Golf is very easy to work on. Take off the plastic cover underneath, undo the drain plug. While this is draining push up the oil filter drain nipple and let this drain. Now unscrew the oil filter. Insert new filter screw back on and then put in the drain plug both to specified torque settings. Cover back on, job done. There is even a guide with pictures on how to do it available. Do it yourself and give yourself piece of mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt R Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Its all down to the dealer, the choice is theirs not VW's as long as it meets the required specs for the vehicle, we use Quantum branded Longlife which is actually made by Castrol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 The last time I took the car in for an oil change they stuck a long hose down the dipstick pipe and sucked it out. In my mind this leaves a lot of muck in the sump that should really come out. What?! And why does it have to be Castrol? As mentioned in this thread, Quantum is VW's own oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt R Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 What?! And why does it have to be Castrol? As mentioned in this thread, Quantum is VW's own oil. All Quantum oil is manufactured by Castrol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Well there's no point in paying the premium for Castrol branded stuff then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Se5aScott Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Is it just the grade of oil which makes it longlife or does it contain a certain ingredient / detergent in addition? If I remember correctly, Castrol actually brand their oil as longlife but what about these others VW use? It is all in the additives, the grade numbers just show how thick the oil is at certain temperatures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted May 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Hmm. The thing is you just don't know which oil is best and which worst. Are there any independent reviews anywhere? Is Castrol better than Totals or Shell better than Fuch's for example? Prices vary hugely and I suspect that much of this is just in the marketing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt R Posted May 13, 2009 Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 Well there's no point in paying the premium for Castrol branded stuff then Exactly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted May 13, 2009 Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 Well there's no point in paying the premium for Castrol branded stuff then It depends where you buy it from. You can get Castrol for less than Quantum at GSF if you buy it from Opie Oils for engine oil, car oil, motorbike oil, gear oil, motor oil, race oil, brake fluid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted May 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 So can anyone tell me the difference in oil grade between the standard time & distance service oil and the longlife? I believe they are both fully synthetic, I assume the grade is different? When I was phoning around for service prices, one VW service centre told me that they use loglife oil now even on cars which come in for time & distance services. I couldn't believe this and had to double check with them. I didn't use this dealer as it was a little out of the way but it got me thinking. :confused: Although I have time & distance service schedule, I always upgrade to longlife oil for added protection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuprabob Posted May 13, 2009 Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 As someone else said it's not the grade of the oil that makes it longlife it's the additives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted May 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 If that's the case then I'd like to know what additives are in the Total oil which has been put in my car. As far as I can see, Total only offer one type of oil at this grade. I'm beginning to think what started out as two different oils which Castrol and Quantum offered for the Time & Distance and Longlife service schedule has now become any old shite with the correct grade on the tin that the dealer can buy cheaply. More transparency is needed - especially as I pay more for 'Longlife' oil on my Time & Distance service! :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted May 13, 2009 Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 Time/Distance is usually Quantum Synta 10w/40. The Quantum Longlife III I have in the garage is 5w/30 IIRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted May 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 Time/Distance is usually Quantum Synta 10w/40.The Quantum Longlife III I have in the garage is 5w/30 IIRC. OK, thanks Shark. I'm guessing the 10w 40 is Semi synthetic perhaps? So Longlife is a different grade as well as possibly additives contained in the oil. That would make sense although I am surprised that VW would put semi synthetic oil in a turbo charged engine these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted May 13, 2009 Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 Don't quote me as I don't have a bottle here to confirm but I'm pretty sure it'll be fully synthetic as it's suitable for turbocharged cars etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ludwig Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 T-T, over three years, the dealer has used a different make every time the car went in! Last time it was Total - I try not to buy anything french, but I had no choice ...ha-ha! Ludwig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ludwig Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Bodger, thanks for this - I might give it a go. Re. "There is even a guide with pictures on how to do it available." Can you point us to this guide please? Ludwig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ludwig Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Matt-R, that's interesting to know. Thanks. Apparently Halfords is made by Comma, at the moment. Ludwig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapdragon Posted May 25, 2009 Report Share Posted May 25, 2009 Comma is owned by Esso (Exxon Mobil) so the Halfords should be good stuff, albeit rather expensive for an 'own brand'. The Quantum oil is probably made by Castrol as stated above, I also notice that the own-brand GM oil the Vauxhall dealer sells is packaged in the same design and colours of moulded bottle and the label looks like it was just adjusted to suit the maker. Now I buy this Vauxhall oil on special offer. They do a deal for trade/taxi where 4 x 5 litre bottles are very cheap. The 5w30 Long Life Full synthetic retails at £36 but you can get four bottles for £56 which is only £14 a bottle. The 4 bottles come sealed in a cardboard box and when I opened the box, one bottle was not labeled GM oil, it was labeled Delphi oil and met VW504.00 and VW507.00, ACEA A3 B3 B4, API SL/CF and various BMW long life. This begs the question as to whether this £14 oil is 507.00 in which case it is an outstanding price. I presume the labels were changed on the production line but the oil is the same. There is also a date and serial number printed in dot matrix on the plastic and these suggest that is true. The GM oil says Made in the EU, the Delphi oil says Made in Belgium. Where does the Quantum oil say it was made? Does anyone have a barcode with which we can decipher the origin code? Castrol has a lubricants facility in Belgium! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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