pehealey
Guest
The following only applies to tdi pd engines that require fixed 10,000 mile servicing - or so I was told).
I spent ages today on the phone to numerous SEAT dealers, VW dealers, SEAT HQ, VW HQ, Castrol and Millers. The bottom line is total confusion everywhere.
I rang 12 SEAT dealers - all but one (I'll come back to which one)said that VW 505.01 must be (and is)used. Half of those said that this oil is only available in fully synthetic form. The others said its available in both synthetic and part-synthetic form. One said it is mineral oil. But, all stressed that VW505.01 MUST be used. The same applied to the 6 VW dealers I rang. All said that they use VAG sourced oil. This includes the SEAT used Quantum brand (I think this is supplied by Castrol). The VW dealers I spoke to use Castrol. Both HQ's confirmed that 505.01 MUST be used. VW said synthetic must be used, SEAT said "don't know".
I also rang Castrol's technical department and spent about 20 mins chatting with a very helpful guy who explained why this oil must be used. Basically, the camshaft driven injector pumps run at an extremely higher pressure on pump dusse TDi engines than they do on the 'older' design TDi's, and therefore require an oil that will offer a far higher degree of sheer(breakdown)resistance. The VW 501.01 (or higher)spec oils offer this and oils that fail to meet this spec must not be used. He even went as far as to say that engines run on non 505.01 spec oil are a time bomb waiting to go off and WILL be damaged (what!!!). He also said that 505.01 is only availble in synthetic form.
Millers now do an oil that meets the 505.01 spec. It's called XFE PD, but strangely, it's part synthetic and retails for about £20.00.
The SEAT dealer who didn't follow suit with the others was the one who's serviced my car (it would be wouldn't it). They told me that in my car (Arosa 1.4 tdi pd)they used Castrol magnatec. I was told I could use 505.01 but it wasn't neccessary. They also said that a leasing company who uses them to service their Alhambra's won't pay the extra cost for 505.01, so magnatec is also used for those as well. As a side note, the price quoted for 505.01 at all the dealers I spoke to was no more than the price my dealer quoted for magnatec.
This evening I went to the dealer where I purchased my car. They are part of the same group as the dealer who originally supplied and serviced it for the first owner. The car was transfered to them for my purchase.(Incidentley, the dealer I purchased the car from uses the correct oil). I spoke to the General Manager and explained the above re. the use of magnatec. He spoke to the service manager at the dealer who's done the servicing to find out what oil had been used. Although he was aware that 505.01 should be used for PD engines he thought that the 1.4 tdi pd was a non pump dusse engine. He checked the engine code which confirmed it was in fact a pd. He then confirmed that magnatec had been used on both the 10k and 20k service. (Great!!).
As a result, these are the options I've been offered:
1.An oil cange to the correct oil and a free 4th year warranty.
2.A full refund of my money.
3.A brand new car, and I pay the difference.
4.Try to locate another used car of same price, age, mileage etc.
Option 4, apparently, is as likely as finding rocking horse ****, as used 1.4 tdi's are very rare. Option 3 will cost me loads, option 2 leaves me with no car and loads of hassle, option one leaves my with doubt and worry (I planned on keeping this car for a few years).
Moral - Make sure you know what oil being put in your car.
I spent ages today on the phone to numerous SEAT dealers, VW dealers, SEAT HQ, VW HQ, Castrol and Millers. The bottom line is total confusion everywhere.
I rang 12 SEAT dealers - all but one (I'll come back to which one)said that VW 505.01 must be (and is)used. Half of those said that this oil is only available in fully synthetic form. The others said its available in both synthetic and part-synthetic form. One said it is mineral oil. But, all stressed that VW505.01 MUST be used. The same applied to the 6 VW dealers I rang. All said that they use VAG sourced oil. This includes the SEAT used Quantum brand (I think this is supplied by Castrol). The VW dealers I spoke to use Castrol. Both HQ's confirmed that 505.01 MUST be used. VW said synthetic must be used, SEAT said "don't know".
I also rang Castrol's technical department and spent about 20 mins chatting with a very helpful guy who explained why this oil must be used. Basically, the camshaft driven injector pumps run at an extremely higher pressure on pump dusse TDi engines than they do on the 'older' design TDi's, and therefore require an oil that will offer a far higher degree of sheer(breakdown)resistance. The VW 501.01 (or higher)spec oils offer this and oils that fail to meet this spec must not be used. He even went as far as to say that engines run on non 505.01 spec oil are a time bomb waiting to go off and WILL be damaged (what!!!). He also said that 505.01 is only availble in synthetic form.
Millers now do an oil that meets the 505.01 spec. It's called XFE PD, but strangely, it's part synthetic and retails for about £20.00.
The SEAT dealer who didn't follow suit with the others was the one who's serviced my car (it would be wouldn't it). They told me that in my car (Arosa 1.4 tdi pd)they used Castrol magnatec. I was told I could use 505.01 but it wasn't neccessary. They also said that a leasing company who uses them to service their Alhambra's won't pay the extra cost for 505.01, so magnatec is also used for those as well. As a side note, the price quoted for 505.01 at all the dealers I spoke to was no more than the price my dealer quoted for magnatec.
This evening I went to the dealer where I purchased my car. They are part of the same group as the dealer who originally supplied and serviced it for the first owner. The car was transfered to them for my purchase.(Incidentley, the dealer I purchased the car from uses the correct oil). I spoke to the General Manager and explained the above re. the use of magnatec. He spoke to the service manager at the dealer who's done the servicing to find out what oil had been used. Although he was aware that 505.01 should be used for PD engines he thought that the 1.4 tdi pd was a non pump dusse engine. He checked the engine code which confirmed it was in fact a pd. He then confirmed that magnatec had been used on both the 10k and 20k service. (Great!!).
As a result, these are the options I've been offered:
1.An oil cange to the correct oil and a free 4th year warranty.
2.A full refund of my money.
3.A brand new car, and I pay the difference.
4.Try to locate another used car of same price, age, mileage etc.
Option 4, apparently, is as likely as finding rocking horse ****, as used 1.4 tdi's are very rare. Option 3 will cost me loads, option 2 leaves me with no car and loads of hassle, option one leaves my with doubt and worry (I planned on keeping this car for a few years).
Moral - Make sure you know what oil being put in your car.
