Oil Dilema!... HELP...

[J@mes]

Dilemma!

Right… basically I want ur peeps advice on oil (yes iv searched and searched!)

For my first service@10k I supplied my own oil; Mobil 1 fully synthetic 0w 40, which meets VW503.01 specification.


4 months later I am now just over 15k miles and since my first service I have had my car remapped and have done one track day at brands hatch!


In those 5k miles I have used the 0.5L of oil I had left for topping up, and the last time I topped up I noticed the colour of the oil was very dark brown (I was expecting light/medium brown!)


I have decided to give my car an oil change myself at the 15/25k intervals and then supply the oil to the dealer for the 20/30k services… so in other words have an oil change every 5k!

Due to the fact that I have another track day coming up at the end of August (at Lyden) and that my car is stage 2 (280bhp) I thought this time I should maybe get something different to the Mobil One 0w 40 fully synthetic oil that I have in it at the mo…

I was thinking I should go for a 5/10w 50 fully synthetic oil due to the higher temps from track use/high speed runs etc.

I went to local shops today and found these….

Mobil One 15w – 50 formula one motorsport (fully synthetic, 5 litres for £50)

Carlube Tripple R Motorsport 15w 50 (fully synthetic, 5 litres for £43.65... recommended by Lotus Sport)

And this Halfords own brand…

Its 5w 50 fully synthetic, 5litres for £33



The guy working there said Esso make the Halfords oils.


Unfortunately none of the above oils meet the VW503.01 specification.


Im not sure wat to do?!

Im thinking I should maybe go for the Halfords performance/track day oil as its 5w 50 and fully synthetic and £33 for 5 litres!

And ok u may say it wont be as good quality as the others, but surely it should be good quality if its fully synthetic? And also if im changing it every 5k will it be that much of a problem?

After all the majority of SEAT dealers use 10w 40 semi synthetic in LCRs!

I know there are better quality oils out there such as Motul 15w 50 fully syn. but I don’t want to pay out top dollar for an oil that will be changed every 5k, I want an oil that will be good enough so to speak (not sh*t!)


What should I go for?!


Thanks!

James

 

[redcupratdi]

its a good thing to chage every 5000 highly recommended, and i should think tthat oil would be ok if only used for 5000 miles and then the full spec oil used by the dealer! every other one.

 

[J@mes]

well thats not the idea really!

i wanted to find a "good" oil that was up to the job taking all the above into account!

in other words if i use this Halfords fully syn. 5w 50 motorsport oil now, then as long as im happy with it in 5k time then il prob carry on using it!


wat u think?!

 

[YerMother]

If your changing your oil every 5,000 miles you don't really need to be spending money on these expensive oils, as they are designed to last! Mobil 1 fully synthetic 0w 40 for example is classed as a long life oil in that it offers protection for longer for up to 20,000 miles IIRC so after 5,000 it your not really getting your moneys worth!

I can see where you're coming from doing the odd trackday and all, and it's for piece of mind! But it is more important to let your engine warm up and cool down!

I too change my oil every 5k but just use 5W30 Semi Synthetic stuff!

Just trying to save you abit of money mate! £100 for 10k miles

 

[J@mes]

If your changing your oil every 5,000 miles you don't really need to be spending money on these expensive oils, as they are designed to last! Mobil 1 fully synthetic 0w 40 for example is classed as a long life oil in that it offers protection for longer for up to 20,000 miles IIRC so after 5,000 it your not really getting your moneys worth!

I can see where you're coming from doing the odd trackday and all, and it's for piece of mind! But it is more important to let your engine warm up and cool down!

I too change my oil every 5k but just use 5W30 Semi Synthetic stuff!

Just trying to save you abit of money mate! £100 for 10k miles

ur right bro... it is mainly for piece of mind!

as for the mobile one being long life...


il still change it anyways as the higher viscosity (5/10w 50) will be better for track days and high speed runs etc


so if ur using semi then the halfords stuff should be fine!

 

[J@mes]

bump

 

[Scotty_b]

I use Fuchs Silkolene Pro R 15w-50. Its race stuff but only at £35 for 5l. Great stuff, ive never heard anyone say a bad word about it and i know loads of people who use it in the trade. I really noticed the difference in engine noise etc when i used stealer stuff for one service
Its red too so when you give it to a stealer you know they have put it in!

 

[BIGGUTS]

i phoned many seat dealers and Castrol themselves - Castrol (EDGE) 5w-30 Fully Synthetic oil comes highly recommended. £50 for 4l, however you will need 4.5L to fill the sump etc. it supersedes vw 50400/50700. I have done 14,000 miles within a year and have changed my oil twice. I drive my car hard sometimes and always let it heat up before using full power. When changing the oil it has still held its viscosity and no gunge has been found during oil changes. two times out of 7days a week i travel to work at a distance of less than 1/4 of a mile. i.e. cold starts do not cause gunge to build up on the oil cap etc like other oils that i have used over the years. I will continue to use this oil

 

[cupra fan]

Shell ultra 5-40 fully synthetic! very good spec , reasonable price, matches the handbook spec and easily available from shell garages! used to use 0-40 mobil, but seemed way to thin!
(some seat dealers are using this oil as standard stock) which is nice to know!means you are still fully covered under warranty

 

[J@mes]

I use Fuchs Silkolene Pro R 15w-50. Its race stuff but only at £35 for 5l. Great stuff, ive never heard anyone say a bad word about it and i know loads of people who use it in the trade. I really noticed the difference in engine noise etc when i used stealer stuff for one service
Its red too so when you give it to a stealer you know they have put it in!

where u get this from scotty? trade?

 

[J@mes]

just went and bought...

got a right result... the price sign said £32.99 and at the till i got charged £25.59 (over 20% cheaper!)

the receipt says fully synthetic £31.99 reduced to £25.59... they told me the Halfords motorsport oil was a new product... i recon they have used the same barcode by accident! either that or they put up an inccorect price sign!


so all in including an oil filter this oil change is costing me £30 so not too sad!


i went for this oil as its Fully syn. and its 5w 50 which is the viscosity i wanted due to being stage 2 and doing the odd track day etc.

and as il be changing it every 5k i think/hope it should do the job nicely!

il keep my eye on it (colour etc) when i check the level every so often, and if im still happy with it il prob carry on using it i guess.


i better go do an oil change now!


adios!

 

[Scotty_b]

Sorry i missed your call fella. Could you not get any in the end or was delivery too much?

 

[J@mes]

Sorry i missed your call fella. Could you not get any in the end or was delivery too much?

tbh scott i didnt bother phoning them!


because i want to do the oil change today as i have a lot of driving coming up!

and also because i wanted a 5w or 10w start up viscosity rather than 15w.


thanks for ur text anyways! appreciate it!

 

[Scotty_b]

Yeah its a hard choice between turbo life and engine life. I know i will be getting a new turbo soon so ive gone for the stuff thats slightly better for teh engine as that will be staying

 

[J@mes]

Yeah its a hard choice between turbo life and engine life. I know i will be getting a new turbo soon so ive gone for the stuff thats slightly better for teh engine as that will be staying

fair enough!

i better get cracking and do this oil change, time is getting on!

gotta be at jp polishing in canvey for my alloys by 4!

 

[Scotty_b]

Look out for the thunder storm heading your way! Rocked our building it wa so loud!

Have you done one before? Would like to nkow how long it takes as i get seat to do mine.

Ow shiney shiney? What you driveing around on then?

 

[J@mes]

Look out for the thunder storm heading your way! Rocked our building it wa so loud!

Have you done one before? Would like to nkow how long it takes as i get seat to do mine.

iv done loads of oil changes before, but this was my first on a LCR.

weather was raing but i did it under my garage!

took me an hour all in... i never rush jobs on my car lol

plus i had to drive my car onto bits of wood so i could fit my trolly jack under it, and then i removed the under tray for the first time, i alos used 2 axel stands so i could get under the car safely etc.

one thing tho... thankfcuk i have a forge FMIC cos the standard SS intercooler linking pipe would be right in the way of the oil filter... can only imaging it being a right pig to remove!

Ow shiney shiney? What you driveing around on then?

standard at the mo, didnt end up goin!

im getting my rims either dimond cut or powder coated bright metalic silver... i really want them to be highly polished but no one wants to do it for me as they cannot garanty a good finish!

 

[J@mes]

oh yea lol...


went for a drive and the car seams stronger and also seamed to pull ever so slightly harder! lol.... must be me?!

 

[J@mes]

a pic for you scott....

u can see in the three circled areas where my car can often scrape if goin to fast over bumps!


once at 110mph over a really bad bump 3 up!


i think from memmory mike at jabba said to me that i could get a thick ABS sump gard to help protect it, and it was only about £20 or £40... i keep meaning to call jabba up but havnt yet!

 

[Scotty_b]

Think i will leave it to seat, cost £30 and only takes 30min. Take me longer to get my jack out!

Yeah mine are going to lap tap as soona s they reply to me!