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Car Forum / Audi Cars / March 2008Audi A3 oil change every 5K or 10K?
I have 10, 500 miles on my 07 A3. The oil low indicator came up and I added a quart of oil (the indicator went away). Here is the confusion I have: I called an Audi Dealer and asked if an oil change is needed and they said Yes! one needed every 5000 miles becasue "it's a small engine generating lots of horsepower". Called another dealer with the same question and they said it's not unusual to have to add a quart after 5000 miles and I should wait till the 15000 mile service for an oil change since that is the "recommended" interval. So, is the dealer #1 after my money or does the A3 engine really need an oil change? >I have 10, 500 miles on my 07 A3. The oil low indicator came up and I > added a quart of oil (the indicator went away). Here is the confusion [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > oil change since that is the "recommended" interval. So, is the dealer > #1 after my money or does the A3 engine really need an oil change? Audi engines do use oil, this topic has been discussed regularly. More so when newish. The service is due when the instrument panel tells you. Just keep an eye on the dip stick. Where or who did you buy the car from............cos you do not appear to imply the dealership you purchased it from. > I have 10, 500 miles on my 07 A3. The oil low indicator came up and I > added a quart of oil (the indicator went away). Here is the confusion [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > oil change since that is the "recommended" interval. So, is the dealer > #1 after my money or does the A3 engine really need an oil change? I would imagine that an 07 A3 has the variable service indicator. Therefore, as well as keeping an eye on the oil level (and topping up as necessary), it really only needs changed when it tells you. There's no harm in changing it sooner, but it's really just throwing your money away. Wait until the service indicator says a service is due and then get it done, but be aware that a "service" is much much more than just an oil change. Consequently, if you just change the oil and call that a "service" then you're setting yourself up for issues further down the line. Your manual and service book will give you all the details on what is required and when. On the dashboard, the left hand stalk can be pulled out to give details on when the next service is due. >I have 10, 500 miles on my 07 A3. The oil low indicator came up and I >added a quart of oil (the indicator went away). Here is the confusion >I have: I called an Audi Dealer and asked if an oil change is needed >and they said Yes! one needed every 5000 miles becasue "it's a small >engine generating lots of horsepower" No. All current Audis have a service interval display which will tell you when the car needs an oil change. You may have to fill in some oil between changes; Audi officially state that up to one litre per 1000 km (do the math yourself for quarts per 1000 miles) is normal, though most engines use considerably less. My 07 A3 turbo diesel needed one half litre after 10000 km and another half litre 5.000 km later. I'm at 18000 km and the display tells me to have the car serviced in 12000 km, i.e. at 30000 kms (18600 miles). An oil change after only 5000 miles is definitely not needed unless the display (not the dealer) tells you so (which it would probably only do if you had the habit of driving around at full RPM and cold starting the engine very often). > I have 10, 500 miles on my 07 A3. The oil low indicator came up and I > added a quart of oil (the indicator went away). Here is the confusion [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > oil change since that is the "recommended" interval. So, is the dealer > #1 after my money or does the A3 engine really need an oil change? So do the new Audis come with synthetic oil from new? And does the display tell you that you have a certain percentage of oil life left? My '04 A4 doesn't have that, but my '07 Honda Odyssey has it - and I'm still getting used to it. Honda doesn't recommend synthetic (or, at least, they don't mandate it). Dan D '04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6 Central NJ USA In message <9507c5f9-dfac-4f2c-89a5-599820ca44ce@s8g2000prg.googlegroups.com>, Dano58 <dan.dibiase@gmail.com> writes >> I have 10, 500 miles on my 07 A3. The oil low indicator came up and I >> added a quart of oil (the indicator went away). Here is the confusion [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >So do the new Audis come with synthetic oil from new? Yes, at least the A3 (8P series) model does. >And does the >display tell you that you have a certain percentage of oil life left? Not the percentage, but the display does tell you how many miles left and also the number of days before the next service is due. The service interval is based on time as well as distance. The interval is calculated from the duty-cycle of the engine measured by sensors, so when the service becomes due depends upon how the car is used day-by-day. Short journeys in stop-go heavy commuter traffic will bring the service up sooner than long distances travelled at cruising speed.  SignatureDave N > In message > <9507c5f9-dfac-4f2c-89a5-599820ca44ce@s8g2000prg.googlegroups.com>, Dano58 [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > in stop-go heavy commuter traffic will bring the service up sooner than > long distances travelled at cruising speed. And this Variable servicing has been around on Audi's since 2001, when you have the first service done (at indicated) then you can change to 10k mile intervals or long life depending on the type of driving you do, to change it's as easy as just telling the service dept wheat type of driving you do when they reset the counter. Long life services can go as far 30k miles before needing a service but can also go far shorter if as explained before you do lots of short trips. So to sum up, if you do lots of short trips, change to a 10k/1yr interval, if you do mostly motorway work, then keep with the long life. >So to sum up, if you do lots of short trips, change to a 10k/1yr >interval, if you do mostly motorway work, then keep with the long life. Why change? It is called "variable servicing" not "long life", and it does exactly what it says. If your car needs servicing more often, the display will tell you. Arbitrarily changing to 10k service intervals is unnecessary and wasteful. The option to revert to fixed service intervals is intended primarily for those using inferior quality oil. Variable servicing requires the use of fully-synthetic oil which conforms with the specified standard. It is not recommended for those using mineral or semi-synthetic oil. It's explained in the owner's handbook. SignatureDave N > And this Variable servicing has been around on Audi's since 2001, when you > have the first service done (at indicated) then you can change to 10k mile [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > So to sum up, if you do lots of short trips, change to a 10k/1yr interval, > if you do mostly motorway work, then keep with the long life. Well, my 2004 car has a 'service due' indicator that flashes on the DID at start-up... But it won't tell me miles left etc. Just counts down from about 1500 miles (i.e., Service Due in 1500 miles, Service Due in 1000 miles, etc). I always assumed it was just a rote count- down. My Honda Odyssey has an 'oil life' indicator 0 right now, it says 'Oil Life 30%'. I follow that indicator for oil changes, but I have always done 5,000 mile intervals on the Audi, using Mobil1 0w-40 as recommended by Audi. Dan D '04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6 Central NJ USA In message <f65594c4-ac74-421d-aeea-e40f18ef5ff5@p73g2000hsd.googlegroups.com>, Dano58 <dan.dibiase@gmail.com> writes >Well, my 2004 car has a 'service due' indicator that flashes on the >DID at start-up... But it won't tell me miles left etc. Just counts >down from about 1500 miles (i.e., Service Due in 1500 miles, Service >Due in 1000 miles, etc). I always assumed it was just a rote count- >down. It appears that your car is on fixed interval servicing. What does your handbook tell you about servicing options, and about the display? I'm not sure that all Audi models were provided with variable servicing at the same time. I can confirm that the A3 (8L) I bought in 1999 only had fixed intervals, and that the A3 (8P) models I bought in 2004 and 2005 had variable servicing. I can't speak for other models or years. It is also conceivable that Audi used different servicing regimes at other times in different countries, and I am only speaking for UK models. The definitive answer can only come from the Audi HQ in your own country. SignatureDave N > Well, my 2004 car has a 'service due' indicator that flashes on the > DID at start-up... But it won't tell me miles left etc. You need to press one of the buttons on the dashboard (can't recall which one) during startup or when the engine is off to see the number of miles left before service is due. At least that's how my '01 A4 1.8Tq behaved. > Just counts > down from about 1500 miles (i.e., Service Due in 1500 miles, Service > Due in 1000 miles, etc). I always assumed it was just a rote count- > down. My Honda Odyssey has an 'oil life' indicator 0 right now, it > says 'Oil Life 30%'. It's a matter of unit display. Instead of 30%, Honda could have displayed "3000 miles", and instead of 1500 miles, Audi could have chosen to display "15%". I don't see a big difference, but I think the "miles" is more useful. My current 530i can display "liters" of fuel consumed since last reset. When a specified amount of fuel is consumed (2375 liters in my case), the service is due. Pete >> Well, my 2004 car has a 'service due' indicator that flashes on the >> DID at start-up... But it won't tell me miles left etc. > > You need to press one of the buttons on the dashboard (can't recall which > one) during startup or when the engine is off to see the number of miles > left before service is due. At least that's how my '01 A4 1.8Tq behaved. They changed it to having to pull the left hand stalk next to the rev counter. Gives days and miles left to next service, whichever comes first. You usually get a warning when 1000 miles are left. > >> Well, my 2004 car has a 'service due' indicator that flashes on the > >> DID at start-up... But it won't tell me miles left etc. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Gives days and miles left to next service, whichever comes first. You > usually get a warning when 1000 miles are left. It's all really a moot point for me, as I change the oil every 5k miles. But I do need to whip out the OM so I can reset the service indicator. Dan D '04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6 Central NJ USA
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