Servicing - Oil grades

SteveGSXR600K1

Active Member
May 6, 2017
572
187
I took my Leon 184FR TDi to the local SEAT dealer for it 3rd LongLife service. I mentioned to the them not to forget about the free breakdown cover. I've mentioned this every year an assumed all was ok. Yesterday I was told you don't get the free breakdown cover with LongLife services. As I do approx 13,000 miles a year, they put me on the 'Normal' service schedule of 10,000 miles/12 months so I can get the free breakdown cover.
Now getting to the point of my post! Before I've always used Castrol LongLife 5W30 and have bought some for top-ups. Now with the new service schedule, they used 'LongLife3 0W30'. My question is, can I top-up with the LongLife 5W30 if needed before the next service?
 

black_sheep

Active Member
Mar 10, 2013
1,256
585
The oil companies advise:

Mixing different grades of oil of the same brand is ok; however, mixing different brands isn’t recommended as the additives may react with one another, although it’s ok to do this in an emergency without any other option.
 

Legojon

I only wanted a remap
Staff member
Moderator
Jul 7, 2015
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Well, how much do you usually top up? I probably put in 100-200ml max a year. Mixed in with 4.8L such a small amount wouldn't really make that much of an impact. But as the saying goes, any oil is better than no oil.
 

Invertigo

Active Member
Nov 19, 2019
169
77
I took my Leon 184FR TDi to the local SEAT dealer for it 3rd LongLife service. I mentioned to the them not to forget about the free breakdown cover. I've mentioned this every year an assumed all was ok. Yesterday I was told you don't get the free breakdown cover with LongLife services. As I do approx 13,000 miles a year, they put me on the 'Normal' service schedule of 10,000 miles/12 months so I can get the free breakdown cover.
Now getting to the point of my post! Before I've always used Castrol LongLife 5W30 and have bought some for top-ups. Now with the new service schedule, they used 'LongLife3 0W30'. My question is, can I top-up with the LongLife 5W30 if needed before the next service?

VAG dealers all use the 'Quantum' oil brand as it's OEM (Made by and identical to Fuchs oils, if anyone cares!), however there is no 'Longlife 3 0w30'. LL3 is 5w30 and LL2 is 0w30.
 

BigJase88

Jase
Apr 20, 2008
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RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
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South Scotland
VAG dealers all use the 'Quantum' oil brand as it's OEM (Made by and identical to Fuchs oils, if anyone cares!), however there is no 'Longlife 3 0w30'. LL3 is 5w30 and LL2 is 0w30.

Are you really sure about this, first every motor group will have its own consumables sourcing and so supply contracts with suitable lubricating oils companies agents, so it can vary group to group and geographical area to area, secondly, I think that you will find Quantum products are use in the aftermarket outside the VW Group workshop area, Fuchs are currently, I think the supplier of oils to the VW Group factories, but I'm not sure who is currently supplying Quantum who is only a VW UK company name for aftermarket "bits" and inevitably none of their parts are supplied by VW AG.
 

BigJase88

Jase
Apr 20, 2008
3,767
1,069
Are you really sure about this, first every motor group will have its own consumables sourcing and so supply contracts with suitable lubricating oils companies agents, so it can vary group to group and geographical area to area, secondly, I think that you will find Quantum products are use in the aftermarket outside the VW Group workshop area, Fuchs are currently, I think the supplier of oils to the VW Group factories, but I'm not sure who is currently supplying Quantum who is only a VW UK company name for aftermarket "bits" and inevitably none of their parts are supplied by VW AG.
Quantum is just a re-brand.

was originally Castrol now its Fuchs.
 

BillyCool

Active Member
Jan 16, 2020
645
244
Leicestershire, UK
I've always run VW 507.00 LL oil (5W30) in my 184, even though it is no longer on the longlife service regime. I now also change oil and filter every 5,000 miles. The car seems to prefer it and it and fairly regular DPF regens soon mess the oil up. I initially thought that a 20,000 mile oil change was a great idea in terms of cost but now I'm dead against it. An oil and filter change costs me about £22 to do it myself.

I have also used Quantum oil, Castrol (when I can get it at a sensible price) and I'm currently using a large tub of Mannol which works out at £2.50 per litre.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mannol-2...524677&hash=item46939f8cec:g:eBcAAOSw2CFcsHEl

Agree with above comments that you won't do any harm topping up with 5W30.
 
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Woody_72

Active Member
May 10, 2020
502
251
Northwest England
Agreed. I bought my 184 second hand and I service it myself. It gets Castrol Edge titanium every 6,000 miles and I do the oil and fuel filter every second one, so 12,000 miles. In the UK, people think it's amazing to get 100,000 miles out of a car. In the US and canada, where they think every 3- to 5,000 miles is the ideal change interval, they think nothing of getting 250- 300,000 miles.
 

BigJase88

Jase
Apr 20, 2008
3,767
1,069
Agreed. I bought my 184 second hand and I service it myself. It gets Castrol Edge titanium every 6,000 miles and I do the oil and fuel filter every second one, so 12,000 miles. In the UK, people think it's amazing to get 100,000 miles out of a car. In the US and canada, where they think every 3- to 5,000 miles is the ideal change interval, they think nothing of getting 250- 300,000 miles.
12k miles is rather excessive on the fuel filter

i’m all for maintenance but thats just pointless
 

SteveGSXR600K1

Active Member
May 6, 2017
572
187
Thanks all for your replies. I didn't want an unopened 4ltr Castrol Edge Titanium 05w30 LL to go to waste!!

[QUOTE="Invertigo, post: 4924720, member: 122987"however there is no 'Longlife 3 0w30'. LL3 is 5w30 and LL2 is 0w30.[/QUOTE]
That is what was shown on the invoice. Did find this pic, so maybe they used this oil, or it was a typo on the invoice.
upload_2020-6-16_8-3-27.png

I don't know if it was the Placebo effect, but having the fuel filter changed after 43,000 miles, it felt great, much smoother and effortless when overtaking in 6th gear.

When I had a Ford CMax 1.6 TDi, Ford recommended that I changed the fuel filter every year. This was because every Winter, I had low fuel rail pressure issues due to the waxes in the diesel collecting in the fuel filter and then solidifying, causing a flow restriction. The fuel filter change was included in a Ford Motorcraft major service, and only cost something like another £30 over the interim service. I'd liked to have seen what the Leon's fuel filter looked like after 43,000 miles.
 
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