Audi A1 and oil changes

[K87]

My wife's car and new in 2024. she doesn't do many miles and the car will be three years old before the service indicator says its time for an oil change, I prefer to change the oil at the main dealer on my cars and do it every 12 months.


The Audi dealer has said that she should wait, the oil will be fine. I think they are wrong.

I would welcome your opinions.

[Panamax]

Well, let's say she does about 2,000 miles a year. Is that,
(a) a mile to the station every morning and a mile back from the station every evening? (Cold engine, oil getting significant fuel contamination and water condensation.)
or
(b) 100 miles on the motorway once a month? (Not many cold starts and and a nice, hot engine.)

There's a massive difference.

Use cycle is IMO they key to oil change interval on low mileage cars. I don't rush to frequent oil changes but 2 years has been my maximum time interval on any car.

If she's on (a) you can IMO improve the situation by taking the car for a good hot run every now and then.

[Dr G]

You're right, they're wrong.

For light use an annual oil change is correct.

1 year: Oil service
2 year: Oil & inspection
3 year: Oil service
4 year: Oil & inspection

...and so on.

[K87]

Thank you both for your helpful replies.

The car is going on for a cracked washer fluid container, I will ask for an oil change on 0-20 oil.

[normalbloke]

K87 said:

Thank you both for your helpful replies.

The car is going on for a cracked washer fluid container, I will ask for an oil change on 0-20 oil.

0-20? Jeez, I’d be doing it every month…

[K87]

normalbloke said:

K87 said:

Thank you both for your helpful replies.

The car is going on for a cracked washer fluid container, I will ask for an oil change on 0-20 oil.

0-20? Jeez, I d be doing it every month

That is the rec'd oil, it pours like water.

It is a worry, I have a classic bike that takes straight 50W, the difference is unbelievable

[ampwhu]

Id be using 5W30 in the car. Not 0-20.

[K87]

ampwhu said:

Id be using 5W30 in the car. Not 0-20.

I understand and agree your point but 0-20 is the recommended oil and as the car is under warranty I had better keep to the 0-20 oil.

Edited by K87 on Monday 1st December 19:52

[stevemcs]

ampwhu said:

Id be using 5W30 in the car. Not 0-20.

It’s the horrid green 0w20 in these, Toyota have a 0w8 for their hybrids…………

[Dr G]

K87 said:

I understand and agree your point but 0-20 is the recommended oil and as the car is under warranty I had better keep to the 0-20 oil.

Edited by K87 on Monday 1st December 19:52

Also correct; stick to the factory oil specification. Check and top it up as required, change it every year. Will be spot on.

[K87]

Thanks all, your comments are appreciated

[Magnum 475]

Thinner grade oil is appropriate with auto-stop/start and turbo technology. The components get lubrication much faster that they would with thicker grade oils. Problems start when rings / stem seals wear and you have to choose between thicker oil or faster lubrication...

I'd echo what's been said - change oil at least every 12 months on anything with a turbo. My Q5 gets oil every 8000 miles / 9 months, regardless of mileage - it's in warranty so goes to an Audi dealer. Effectively over-serviced based on the schedule, but that's not going to break the warranty. Similarly, my 987 that should me 'minor' every 2 years, 'major' every 4 years gets a minor every year, and a major every 2 years.

Modern service schedules are designed to bring down the cost of a fully maintained lease deal, nothing more. They are not good for the mechanical life of your car.

[Dr G]

Only by 1k; fixed interval (that most private drivers should be on anyway, by the book) is 15,000km or 1 year for oil changes (9300 miles).

[K87]

I appreciate that mine is an old fashioned view but I like the idea of running in a new engine and then changing the oil, following the manufacturers spec and then adhering to the service intervals with due regard as to how the car is used.

At the end of the day, I play safe, I would rather have fresh and clean oil in circulation rather than listen to a service receptionist tell my wife that she is not going to book the car in for an oil change because the service light has not lit up and that Mrs K87 should therefore wait as the oil will be fine.

[Polome]

Been reading this with interest as I recently bought my first ever new car. Audi RS3 ,now completed just over £1k miles. When I dipped the oil it looks like new , golden and translucent on the stick. I know “looks” don’t tell the full story and I will monitor the colour closely but at the min I expect one year (roughly 3k miles) before change is nessessary. Audi recommend yearly/9K changes so well inside recommendations so little to be concerned about. Good luck with car.

[K87]

Polome said:

Been reading this with interest as I recently bought my first ever new car. Audi RS3 ,now completed just over £1k miles. When I dipped the oil it looks like new , golden and translucent on the stick. I know looks don t tell the full story and I will monitor the colour closely but at the min I expect one year (roughly 3k miles) before change is nessessary. Audi recommend yearly/9K changes so well inside recommendations so little to be concerned about. Good luck with car.

Thank you.

Not particularly relevant but when we collected the new car I checked the oil level, it needed a litre to bring it up to level.

Mrs K87 had a Golf before the audi and I was in the habit of checking the oil every two weeks, the Audi used oil for the first 2000 miles and needed a litre or so, it has now settled down, if I could give you a piece of advice on the RS3 it would be to get into a routine of checking the oil with the car on level ground and to have a quality oil of the right grade ready for any top up.

I really don't like oil spills on an engine block and the 0-20 oil flows too easily, Fairy Max Power washing up liquid has a non drip cap, a sort of one way valve, a thoroughly washed and dried bottle can be filled with oil and be drip free over the oil filler and squeezed when needed.

[Polome]

Thanks for advice… I’m old school and check our cars ..tyres , oil/water etc every couple of weeks. Audi not changed from max oil level but not given it the beans yet..cheers.