Huey52

If the engine isn't broken in at 1k miles or so it never will be.

It's certainly not absolutely necessary to change the oil prior to the initial Audi 5k service, but I do enjoy the peace of mind as well as the new vehicle "bonding" of my first hands on change.

And I do feel a drain is better than a vacuum, although not as clean. "Where have all the cowboys gone?"

To each their own.

HX_Guy

My question for the people who change their oil more often then Audi recommends is...where do you get the idea from? I know that car manufacturers used to recommend every 3,000 miles and then we found it was really a marketing thing to get people to spend more money. Now some are saying every 10,000 miles...but are people still stuck on the old 3,000 and figure 5,000 is a good middle point? Basically what makes you believe that 10,000 is too long and 5,000 is ok?

gunsmoker

Yeah, now that you are at it, why don't you change all fluids at 5k? That's some serious bonding

lewvsal

It freaks me out too...is this a new practice or has this been around for a long time? is the idea that the oil/filters used today are so much better?

I've got a 996 tt and the book calls for scheduled oil change every TWO years. Kinda freaks me out but at the same time the car burns approx 1quart/4000.

Jeff-AudiUSAParts

I came from working Porsche parts for the last 8 years. And I'm not doubting what you read about the 2 year service but I know our service department sold a lot of "low mileage services". It was an oil and filter change because even the mighty Mobil 1 synethic can't go over a year without changing it. Are you sure you didn't see 2 year change in regards to the brake fluid?

S5nirvana

Your sales guy was missing a few things... you are responsible for wearable items like tires/brakes etc.

But Audi care does cover things like brake fluid (I believe at the 2 yr mark) and some guys with the DSG's say it covers the DSG fluid change too that's worth a lot of $$.

QUA77R0

Just pulled this from an old post I made....
So to answer your question, I got my info from Audi Driver International. A European magazine and technical forum that has many of Audi's own engineers as members.

BTW, without going into the full article on long-life servicing, the conclusion was that the long service intervals had more to do with getting fleet contracts (aka a bean counter decision) than properly maintaining your car for longevity.

Moviela

Audi Drive International is really a group of UK based clubs that meet for a day to take hot laps at a race track. I doubt many Audi engineers are part of this group. Many of the drivers and organizers have some connection to aftermarket modifying and servicing Audi's. Some of the vehicles represented are 40 and fifty years old and do not have the benefit of modern materials and manufacturing techniques necessary for extended service intervals.

The people on the panel are in effect racing street cars. If you operate your car near red line for several hours, your service needs are far and away greater than the daily driver. The suggestion that extended service intervals are a selling point for the sharp pencil boys (accountants) is a talking point from independent service people. They benefit from you changing your oil more often.

There is no reason for sludge to be present in an engine serviced with proper materials at specified intervals. The problem is mechanics that through lack of education or unscrupulous practices use conventional oils and or incorrect filter media when servicing the car for their economic advantage.

Modern synthetic oils do not have varnish and wax in them. They do have an additive package mixed with the base oil. The base oil never really "wears" out. It is often re-refined in the manufacture of new base stocks. The additives do become depleted from wear and exposure to the products of combustion. Synthetics like Mobil 1 0W-40 have about 50% more of these additives than other synthetics. This allows them to meet the specifications of VW 502 and VW 505 for use in your Audi.

The only way to know if you are taking good care of your engine is to have an objective oil analysis performed. If you are using the specified oil for 3000 miles, send a sample to Blackstone, you will shocked at how much money you are throwing away. My own results show that at 10,000 miles the additive package still has 20% to go.

quality_sound

What qualifications do the panel members hold that let them make that suggestion? I mean, if I was on the panel would you take my word for it?

I've said it more than once and people keep ignoring it. The ONLY way you'll know if your service intervals are too short and wasting money, too long and hurting the engine, or just right, is by having your used oil analyzed.

You would never follow manufacturer recommendations because you track the car but 99% of Audi owners have no idea if they're doing their services at good intervals. I have a little over 2000 miles to go until my first change and then the next one after that will be at 10K (a 5K change) and a sample will be sent to Blackstone and I'll let the tribologists there tell me if 5K is good or not.

We have a tribologist on the staff over on PassatWorld and she's been following synthetics and the accompanying change interval recommendations VERY closely sine about '98. She's also the one that turned a lot of us on to M1 diesel formula. Anyway, in her experience 10K is a valid interval for some drivers. Most are in the 5K-7K range. Almost no one needs a 3K change, even on performance engines, unless you regularly track the car.

I sent Blackstone a sample of my M3 oil (it varies but the computer had me changing oil at about 15K) and they said they detected no extra contaminants or metals and the viscosity was still good. The repost also said I could have stretch the interval if I needed to for some reason with no issues but even if I tracked it I could have been around 10K intervals. Of course, that car held 9 god damned liters of BMW spec Syntec as apposed to 5 qts of whatever we can find that meets 505.

The point of all of this rambling was that all of this arguing is pointless without data to back it up. 3K, with the oils that are available nowadays is, IMO, ****ing retarded and a gargantuan waste of money unless you track...a lot.

I will post the results of my break-in and 10K analysis so we can at least have SOME data instead of all of this conjecture.

a4-bob

That will be greatly appreciated! Thanks for getting this done & offering to share - I'm very curious to see the results.