Audi A4 oil consumption

PauloMN

I've already asked this question to a dealer, but thought I'd get the opinion of the good folk here also.

I bought an Audi A4 1.8T a few months ago. Last service according to the log was done late last year. About a month after buying it, the low oil level light came on - had to stick a litre of (expensive VAG) oil into it.

Now the light has come on again, so I assume it'll need to be topped up again. Is this normal for the 1.8T petrol engine? I asked the dealer the last time and he said it was, but coming from my last car where I literally never had to top up the oil, it seems a bit strange to me.

My next question - where's the best place to buy a 5L can of VAG spec oil? Might as well have some on the ready rather than paying dealer prices for 1L topups. :eek:

Edit: by the way, I don't do high mileage - probably only put 2500 miles on the car myself, and I don't drive it hard. Much. :-)

crosstownk

The Audi manual will advise that oil consumption of up to 1 litre per 1000km is normal and that the oil should be checked every time you fill the tank. So Audi will not entertain an oil consumption problem until you reach that level of consumption. If you feel you have an issue with oil consumption you should keep a record of when you top up - quantity of oil, mileage, etc.

I've seen plenty of Audi's need topping up between services, but tbh, 2500 miles sounds very frequent - especially on a petrol.

gyppo

Cant speak regarding Audi's or any other VAG cars, but I was in the same situation a few years ago with an Opel Vectra. I had the car a month, when the oil light came on going around a roundabout.
Pulled in, checked the oil level, and the dipstick was practically dry:eek:
The car had been fully serviced when I bought it, and had burned about 2.5l in just over a month.
Anyhow, was told by the garage that the valve oil seals had hardened due to lack of use (the previous owner did very little miles), and that this was the reason for the high oil consumption. They were changed, and it alleviated the problem. It was always a problematic car, and I traded it in after a years ownership.
Maybe its something similar in your case? Or maybe its just a characteristic of the engine.

The car I had before was a mega-miles mazda 626, which never used any oil between services. This car probably made me lazy about checking levels at the time - ultra relaible, and levels were always exactly the same.

PauloMN

crosstownk wrote:

The Audi manual will advise that oil consumption of up to 1 litre per 1000km is normal and that the oil should be checked every time you fill the tank. So Audi will not entertain an oil consumption problem until you reach that level of consumption. If you feel you have an issue with oil consumption you should keep a record of when you top up - quantity of oil, mileage, etc.

I've seen plenty of Audi's need topping up between services, but tbh, 2500 miles sounds very frequent - especially on a petrol.

1L per 1000km? :eek: Holy fook!

I don't really have an issue with it TBH, just find it strange with a modern engine. Last time I was regularily topping up oil was in my father's '81 Datsun Cherry and I don't think it was even that often!!!

My last car was an Astra 1.8 petrol and I serviced that every year on the button and not once in 5 years did I ever have to top up the oil.

Must read the Audi manual in future but thanks anyway.

Actually it might not need a full litre, I'll get the oil today and check anyway.

@ Gyppo - I don't think it's related to under-use, it's a 2003 with around 58k miles on it. Not huge mileage, but definitely used on a daily basis, and regularly serviced.

Thanks lads.

Anan1

My A8 uses quite a bit of oil too, and apparently always has. The car has under 60k miles, pulls like a train and emissions are perfect. I've made enquiries on various A8 owners websites, the general consensus appears to be that "they're really two-strokes";) I top-up with Castrol Edge 5w-30, apparently it's the stuff recommended by Audi. €60 for 4 litres from JPS in Dún Laoghaire.

PauloMN

Anan1 wrote:

My A8 uses quite a bit of oil too, and apparently always has. The car has under 60k miles, pulls like a train and emissions are perfect. I've made enquiries on various A8 owners websites, the general consensus appears to be that "they're really two-strokes";) I top-up with Castrol Edge 5w-30, apparently it's the stuff recommended by Audi. €60 for 4 litres from JPS in Dún Laoghaire.

Good man Anan, thanks. Yes, the car passed the NCT a couple of weeks back and the emissions were way under the limit.

That oil is exactly what I'm looking for, I paid €20 for a litre :eek: from the local dealer. Is that JPS as in JPS Motors, the Volvo dealer? Bit far out for me as I'm in D15, but I'll check the local Halfrauds for the same stuff.

Thanks again.

Anan1

PauloMN -
It's JPS motor factors, at the bottom of York Rd. Just to be clear, i'm not sure exactly how much the oil cost. I bought a 4l container, a 1l and two Bosch wiper blades, the total cost was €100. I'm guessing the 4l was €60, and the 1l and the wiper blades were €20 each. I'd say Halfords should have it. By the way, Halfords do a 15% discount for AXA insurance customers. I'm not sure whether you have to show proof, but you can download the voucher here: http://ww.axaplus.ie/halfords_index.htm

zilog_jones

Halfords do have it. Just make sure it's the 5W-30 for VAG engines as there's a special Ford 5W-30 too. I dunno what the difference is, but there must be something...

Anan1

zilog_jones wrote:

Halfords do have it. Just make sure it's the 5W-30 for VAG engines as there's a special Ford 5W-30 too. I dunno what the difference is, but there must be something...

As I remember, the Ford stuff is called Castrol Magnatec, the VAG oil is Castrol Edge. I almost bought the wrong stuff myself, but the guy on the counter asked me what it was for. Dunno whether they'd do that in Halfords.;)

zilog_jones

Yeah I realised that after posting.

JHMEG

Savage price for oil lads. I pay 4.50 per 1-litre bottle (can't get it any bigger) of Honda's own 0W20.

How does the Castrol etc stuff compare to VW's own oil, price-wise?

abbs07

try changing the engine oil,
topped up oil will usually burn off faster than old engine oil already in there

Anan1

If you change the engine oil then it's all 'topped up oil' though, no?:)