How many miles before oil changes?

[digitalputty]

Originally Posted by bockegg

Hi. I have a suggestion. Take a highway joy-ride once a week. This will help your car a lot. Get the car up to 70 MPH on an interstate one time per week.
Mike

Yeah. Just get out and drive your bug. Get it up to a nice sexy speed and stay there. Our bugs don't like to be cooped up inside just sitting there.

[sarahschultz]

Originally Posted by crissycut2

I have a 2.0 Beetle and I could hardly keep up with the Oil consumption. I put at least a quart per month cuz it eats oil. No leaks, new belts, everything clean, maintained and still loses oil. I also heard that this is normal for new beetles to eat oil which I'm disgusted to hear. So for all of you, do you mean that you keep the oil for 10k and not adding anything at all? In my case, I probably could do that cuz I'm adding fresh oil every month.

I add about a quart a month to mine too... Last time it was 2 quarts. I found out about that when I went around a corner and my oil light came on. I can't believe how much oil my car eats

[wawalker]

Originally Posted by sarahschultz

I add about a quart a month to mine too... Last time it was 2 quarts. I found out about that when I went around a corner and my oil light came on. I can't believe how much oil my car eats

This could be a warranty issue depending on your mileage--check into it. Many have had their engines reworked because of excessive consumption.

[bockegg]

Originally Posted by wawalker

This could be a warranty issue depending on your mileage--check into it. Many have had their engines reworked because of excessive consumption.

This is correct. This seems to be a problem that is covered under the new vehicle warranty

[greenbastard]

I think it also highly depends on the engine. We have 3 cars right now. My old beater, '98 Chev Lumina 3.1L V6 (276K), my wife's '00 VW Beetle 2.0L (115K) and our '03 Nissan Altima 3.5L (75K). I do 5000Km changes on all 3, and none leak any oil. At change time the Lumina oil is much cleaner looking than either the Nissan or the VW. It also takes no extra oil between changes. The Nissan oil seems less clean, and depending on how hard I drive it, it takes between .5 and 1 liter between changes. The VW oil is always filthy, and takes about 2 liters between changes.

I use the same brand synthetic in all 3, and Fram filters. Funny thing is that the VW filter is more than twice the size of the Nissan, and 1.5 times the Lumina (guess size doesn't matter after all. I use 5w30 in all 3 as well, and I know that the VW calls for 5W40...but it is nearly impossible to get at a reasonable price.

Originally Posted by ackman

Funny I saw this, I just picked up new oil and filter yesterday.
I use synthetic 10w-30, usually castrol.
On the filter note, Ive used K&N, Bosch and even Fram. I usually change my oil about every 3k to 4k miles so the filter life is not really an issue.
While Im sure some filters will provide better protection than others, all of the oil Ive drained looks equally dirty. The engine still looks great, even after 53k on my bug and 120k on my audi.
I think it depends on prefernce and pattern of oil changing.

[Moviequill]

we have an 06 automatic, had her first change at 5.000, the dealer slapped a sticker on it to bring her back in at 10,000 (which is only another 5,000 miles), but I have been reading the newer engines take synthetic and should be ok at every 10,000 (meaning bring her in at 15,000 on the odometer). What would you do?

[digitalputty]

I would change teh oil myself at 10,000.

[Moviequill]

Originally Posted by digitalputty

I would change teh oil myself at 10,000.

when it hits 10,000 you mean, or EVERY 10,000

[digitalputty]

lol
Change it every 5,000. :P But, Im picky like that. :P I just dont know how well the oil filter would hold up if you changed it every 10,000

[Moviequill]

thanks. the wife and I are arguing right this minute ha... we brought it in a bit early the first time, 4200 on the odometer (because we were going on a long trip) so she wants to bring it in at 9,200 (it is there now) but I am saying wait until after 10,000 minimum so we get back on schedule, it is synthetic oil so that little bit over is not going to hurt your baby, and in fact we could go thousands of miles on it and still be ok... but we'll bring her in soon

[digitalputty]

A few over wont hurt. I went 6,000 one time ... the oil was uber dirty and driving Zoomer felt sluggish and not very smooth. It wont hurt you if you do it once in a while but everytime ... I wouldnt trust it.

[kcfoxie]

The first schedule is:
0-5,000 Factory-installed Break in Oil.
5,000-10,000 - First use of Dealer-approved Synthetic oil
10,000-20,000 - Second, and perm. Oil Change Interval oil change
30,000 - change oil
40,000 - change oil

10,000 is the 'end' of the break in period.

[digitalputty]

:O
You could do what your manual says. ;P That is what I do.
:P

[Kender]

It's funny, my VW dealer does my oil changes now (I used to use Valvoline Instant - but after the first time they did my NB and they ended up putting one of the engine cover pieces on backwards, I won't ever go there again.) and they keep putting 3 month/3,000 mile stickers on my girl.

I usually push that to between 3-5k, depending on driving habits. I'm due in May, but I'm going to wait til June and have it done before a long (800 mile round-trip to PA) road trip to make sure everything's nice and clean.

Is there anything wrong with doing these EARLY? Other than probably wasting money.

[bockegg]

Originally Posted by Kender

It's funny, my VW dealer does my oil changes now (I used to use Valvoline Instant - but after the first time they did my NB and they ended up putting one of the engine cover pieces on backwards, I won't ever go there again.) and they keep putting 3 month/3,000 mile stickers on my girl.

I usually push that to between 3-5k, depending on driving habits. I'm due in May, but I'm going to wait til June and have it done before a long (800 mile round-trip to PA) road trip to make sure everything's nice and clean.

Is there anything wrong with doing these EARLY? Other than probably wasting money.

Money is all. Mine goes 10K with Elf with no problem. And I've been told that doing it early is really not necessary.

[JuicyBug]

i get my bugs oil changed every 3 months.

[cessna000]

My 98 now has 225k it. Just replaced the rubber seal on my oil cooler because it has been leaking for a while. I have changed with mobil 1 synthetic every 5k. My car still uses no oil between changes and I'm wondering who out there has more than 300k on the AEG. I'm very pleased with the longevity of this car and would purchase another one like it.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by cessna000

My 98 now has 225k it. Just replaced the rubber seal on my oil cooler because it has been leaking for a while. I have changed with mobil 1 synthetic every 5k. My car still uses no oil between changes and I'm wondering who out there has more than 300k on the AEG. I'm very pleased with the longevity of this car and would purchase another one like it.

I bet your car has a Manual Transmission