Dang, my VW needs an oil change!!!

[wavinwayne]

I was going through my maintenance logs for both my vehicles, and I realized it's been over 10k miles since I changed the oil in "Little Red" aka my 2000 GTI 1.8T. I'm running "Q" HP 10W30, and a Pure One filter. I checked under the oil filler cap just to make sure I hadn't created a sludge monster, and was pleasantly surprised to see that everything looks normal, with no apparent buildup of varnish, and absolutely no signs of sludge. I should be good until the weekend rolls around.

I knew I'd been busy lately, but I didn't think I would let something as "important" as an oil change slip by. Does this ever happen to any of you? I'm guessing no, as most of us tend to be OCD to a certain extent, or we wouldn't be BITOGers.

 

[addyguy]

A used oil analysis on a 'weaker' synthetic in that engine at 10k miles would be awesome!

ANY chance of that?

What will you be installing next?

 

[wavinwayne]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
A used oil analysis on a 'weaker' synthetic in that engine at 10k miles would be awesome!

ANY chance of that?

What will you be installing next?


I don't plan on a used oil analysis. I've done used oil analysis out to nearly 7k miles in the GTI previously, and the results showed virtually no wear. I can't imagine that a used oil analysis at 10k miles would look drastically different, so I'm not going to spend the $$.

I plan to run either Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 or Pennzoil Platinum 10w30 next.

 

[Drew99GT]

I'm right there with my Corolla. It's now been over 1 year and approaching 6,000 miles with Maxlife 10w30. Mostly highway driving with lots of top ups - probably 2 full quarts. I haven't really been busy, just don't find it that fun to lay on a cold garage floor anymore!

Since the cold weather has arrived in Colorado, I'm planning on changing the oil this weekend hopefully.

 

[andyd]

Dont beat yourself up too hard. Your VW prolly gets more attention than a VW owned by a mon- BITOGer.

 

[bruno]

Is that a VW 502 oil ?

 

[wavinwayne]

Originally Posted By: bruno
Is that a VW 502 oil ?


Negative. I don't worry about VW 502 anymore.

 

[wavinwayne]

My maintenance log also smacked me with the fact that I need to change the copper plugs that I've been running for the last 30k miles. Dooooh!!!

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: wavinwayne
My maintenance log also smacked me with the fact that I need to change the copper plugs that I've been running for the last 30k miles. Dooooh!!!


Guilty as charged on that one as well for me! I replaced the NGK coppers when I did the timing belt on my car 50,000 miles ago!

It still runs fine, so I'll probably just wait until I'm going to do the timing belt again in 20,000 or so miles.

I used to be so anal about car maintenance, but I'm just not into it so much anymore. I know my car is still getting better care then the vast majority of cars out there!

 

[wavinwayne]

I feel the same way as you, Drew. I'm just not as excited about working on my car as I once was. Now it's sort of like mowing the lawn, or cleaning the house.

 

[Tosh]

An oil change is as likely to sneak up on me as Xmas: I'm looking at the dipstick and counting down the months!

 

[The Critic]

It happens all the time. If the car needed an oil change, I usually wait until I need to repair another component so that I will only need to work on the car once, if you understand what I mean.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: andyd
Dont beat yourself up too hard. Your VW prolly gets more attention than a VW owned by a mon- BITOGer.
Espeically if it is my neighbours... He drives the living snot out of his VW and uses a Fram filter and generic no name oil and it might see a change in 15K KM (9K miles)...

 

[wavinwayne]

Truth be told, with my driving style, I could probably go 20-25k miles between oil changes with any decent synthetic, and not kill "Little Red". I won't be testing that theory, though.