Normal Oil Use

[tbc]

my mothers 2006 VW Polo was serviced in May and topped up with 5 litre of LONG LIFE OIL

move forward to today after around 5000 miles and the oil light came on, check the dip and it's nearly empty

car is on 75k miles and has been serviced on the dot every year since new

is it normal for such a small engined car to use so much oil

car drives like new but wondering if it could be a underlying problem yet to rear it's ugly head

[sherman]

Is there an oily stain under the car where it parks. It could just be something as simple as something not being tightened up correctly.
Get under the car and feel around for something covered in oil. Follow the trail to your leak.

[Ozzie Osmond]

These days several manufacturers say that anything up to 1 litre per 1,000 miles can be considered "normal". Sounds a lot to me but I guess it's a case of "if it ain't bust don't fix it".

At that consumption I'd be getting someone to watch the back of your car when you start the engine after the car's been stood for a while. Blue smoke?

Then I'd get someone to drive behind you and say if there's any smoke/smell when you accelerate hard.

[davepoth]

1 litre per 5,000 miles (that's the usual calibration between the top and bottom marks on a dipstick) is really not that bad - I've had cars with that sort of mileage that would use that much oil in 500 miles.

The oil is going one of two places - leaking or burning. If it's leaking it should be reasonably obvious, even at that low level of leakage, especially if the car is usually parked in the same spot.

If it's burning then it's a bit more problematic. There are four effective failure modes I can think of, which are below in rough order of good to not so good.

1)Crankcase ventilation issue
2)Valve stem seals
3)Head gasket fissure
4)Piston rings

[tbc]

appears from what i've said it is 'normal'

no drie way is sealed so an oil stain would show up like a silver button

[jamoor]

its fine.

[vit4]

Is it a TSi engine?