Oil Change Recommendations?

So I am almost at 1000 miles. I know the manual says to change the oil at 5000 miles, but I feel this is excessive for the particles from breakin to be roaming about in my engine.

This is my first german car. What are your recommendations for oil? I understand that the GTI ships with synthetic motor oil, and I would not consider running anything but synthetic, but, should I stick with the VW oil? I have had good experience with Mobil 1, but I am also considering AMSOIL as I have heard some pretty phenomenal experiences with it. What are your thoughts on either of these as well?

The oil filter: I understand that the VW GTI uses a element that is seperate from the outer housing. I know that availability may be an issue from aftermarket sources, but what is the recommendation for a new oil filter?

Many thanks for your recommendations and info. I hope to keep this car running perfectly for many years.

Newcastle

Newcastle said:

So I am almost at 1000 miles. I know the manual says to change the oil at 5000 miles, but I feel this is excessive for the particles from breakin to be roaming about in my engine.

This is my first german car. What are your recommendations for oil? I understand that the GTI ships with synthetic motor oil, and I would not consider running anything but synthetic, but, should I stick with the VW oil? I have had good experience with Mobil 1, but I am also considering AMSOIL as I have heard some pretty phenomenal experiences with it. What are your thoughts on either of these as well?

The oil filter: I understand that the VW GTI uses a element that is seperate from the outer housing. I know that availability may be an issue from aftermarket sources, but what is the recommendation for a new oil filter?

Many thanks for your recommendations and info. I hope to keep this car running perfectly for many years.

Newcastle

Click to expand...

5000 miles is quite acceptable for synthetic oil and turbo engines.
If you are really concerned, then have the oil analyzed at a Pep Boys or Autozone or a NAPA.
If you can't find those look on the web to find a place where you can send your oil.
You can analyze at 3000 and at 5000 and you'll get a much better sense of how well the oil is holding up and how well your engine is doing as well.
1000 miles is much much too early to throw out your perfectly good oil.

Mobil1 is an excellent synthetic. Use the manufacturer recommended viscosity grade and range for the season. I like the Mobil 1 synthetic oil filters, but they are expensive.
Autozone carries Bosch oil filters which I've used for years and they've worked just fine.
With synthetic I usually run to at least 7000 miles on the oil and filter in turbo engines, longer in NA engines. I'm sure the VW OEM oil filter will work well too.

If you "feel" better changing your oil sooner, then it's of course your choice.
However, if you're going to do 3000 miles oil changes, then do yourself and your wallet a favor and use non synthetic oil. If you're going to change oil so soon at 3000 miles, there is no need to waste synthetic oil for that. Non synthetic will work just fine and easily last the 3000 miles.

The extra cost of synthetic has value in that it is a longer drain interval oil. It's a bit more than double the cost, but as I said, I run it to at least 7000 miles to get some real use from it's superior construction.

TT

Having been into porsches for the last 5 years mobil and bosch filters are exactly the same units just labled acourdingly, K&N seem to be the favorate pick just cause they are easy to get in and out of the cramped engine bay. Also the engine used for the first 3k is often a "break in" formula that has some organic oil to aid the rings in seating properly unless it was done on a dyno bench.

I don't understand why the oil needs changing so frequently. I bought my old Audi TT from new and didn't change the oil until 19000 miles (and this was on a variable servicing program). I checked the oil frequently up to this point and didn't notice any problems.

Thanks for the feedback.

5000 miles is quite acceptable for synthetic oil and turbo engines.
If you are really concerned, then have the oil analyzed at a Pep Boys or Autozone or a NAPA.
If you can't find those look on the web to find a place where you can send your oil.
You can analyze at 3000 and at 5000 and you'll get a much better sense of how well the oil is holding up and how well your engine is doing as well.
1000 miles is much much too early to throw out your perfectly good oil.

Mobil1 is an excellent synthetic. Use the manufacturer recommended viscosity grade and range for the season. I like the Mobil 1 synthetic oil filters, but they are expensive.
Autozone carries Bosch oil filters which I've used for years and they've worked just fine.
With synthetic I usually run to at least 7000 miles on the oil and filter in turbo engines, longer in NA engines. I'm sure the VW OEM oil filter will work well too.

If you "feel" better changing your oil sooner, then it's of course your choice.
However, if you're going to do 3000 miles oil changes, then do yourself and your wallet a favor and use non synthetic oil. If you're going to change oil so soon at 3000 miles, there is no need to waste synthetic oil for that. Non synthetic will work just fine and easily last the 3000 miles.

The extra cost of synthetic has value in that it is a longer drain interval oil. It's a bit more than double the cost, but as I said, I run it to at least 7000 miles to get some real use from it's superior construction.

Click to expand...

So you are saying its fine to leave the original oil in for several thousand miles? It was my understanding that the filter can't catch all the particles from breakin.
Please understand I am not talking about after breakin - I understand about the synthetic oil lasting a lot longer, but just after the breakin process - you wouldn't change the oil? Many thanks.

Newcastle said:

Thanks for the feedback.


So you are saying its fine to leave the original oil in for several thousand miles? It was my understanding that the filter can't catch all the particles from breakin.
Please understand I am not talking about after breakin - I understand about the synthetic oil lasting a lot longer, but just after the breakin process - you wouldn't change the oil? Many thanks.

Click to expand...

No, I wouldn't change the oil this soon. The engine was broken in when it was built.
The engines are built and filled with oil formulations to aid in the break-in. Once the engine was broken in at the factory, that oil was drained and factory fill was added.
I don't believe your manual says to dump that oil that soon.

I wouldn't think it a bad decision to change the original oil at 3000 miles. My point was that if you follow the 3000 mile interval from then on, then you can stick with a non synthetic.
However, synthetic has some excellent properties that are beneficial for all engines and especially turbo engines, such as low ash content which helps prevent "coking", a residue that can get on bearings and increase their friction and heat and early death.

But, to keep it simple, no I wouldn't change the oil at 1000 miles. That oil will finish the break in process started in the factory, and if the manufacturer doesn't tell you to change it that soon then there is no reason to do so.

T