VW 502.00 needed for warranty?

[Spitty]

Do you really have to use a VW 502.00 spec oil in order to protect your warranty on a 2.0L Golf?
Very few oils state they meet the VW 502.00 requirement, but many state that the meet the warranty rquirements for ALL new Vehicles.
How do I stand if I use, say, Shell Rotella or Wallmart 15w40 and develope an engine problem?

 

[Gene K]

If VW says "Oil Must meet VW502.00" then if they claim the engine problem is related to a lubrication failure..... Well they can afford better lawyers than you...

Castrol Syntec (German) 0W-30 and Mobil 1 0W-40 meets VW502.00. I think the Castrol is available at Canadian Wal-Marts.

Gene

 

[Audi Junkie]

Unless the dealer is providing synthetic oil for free during the warranty period, you do not need anything except API SL oil. The only low-range cars getting synth as required now are the '04.5 and up Audi A4 1.8ts.

 

[pitzel]

Warranties are really only as good as the people writing them, and the legal costs involved with enforcing a warranty are generally tremendous.

Personally, I would buy a case of Esso XD-3 0W40 synth and be done with the problem. Its pretty much indistinguishable from 5W-40 from a UOA point of view, and the specs are similar to Delvac-1, Mobil1 0W-40, Mobil1 5W-40, and GC at a fraction of the price.

 

[Lugosi]

^^ That's good advice. Just be done with the problem. Also, oils that meet the 502/505 spec are generally darned good; good for your warranty and good for your car.

 

[Lugosi]

quote:

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Originally posted by Audi Junkie:
Unless the dealer is providing synthetic oil for free during the warranty period, you do not need anything except API SL oil. The only low-range cars getting synth as required now are the '04.5 and up Audi A4 1.8ts.

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I bet you're right, but he does live in Canada. I'm not sure if they have the equivalent of the USA's Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Anybody know?

 

[ekpolk]

Realizing that this is a Canadian situation, don't forget that there is an exception to the "tie-in sales" prohibition under Moss-Magnuson. If the car maker applies and can prove to the FTC that a specific product is functionally necessary (and not just a money maker), then they can require the use of that specific product without providing it free. This is how GM manages to get away with requiring the use of Mobil-1 in Corvettes AND making customers pay for it. But again, this is US law, not Canadian.

 

[Brikhead]

TTBOMK, the only NA Golf engines requiring specific oils for warranty compliance are the TDIs. I know my local dealership uses Mobil DC 5w30 for all schedualed maintanences and OCs on all 2.0s. I use Shell Rotella T 5w40 in our `03 Golf 2.0(5k OCIs).

[ December 30, 2004, 10:14 AM: Message edited by: Brikhead ]

 

[dlw744]

I suggest looking at it this way. You have a German car, designed in Germany by German engineers who expect the use of Euro/VW spec’d fluids. Like they say, "This is not your Father’s Buick".

And make no mistake about it, any 502.00 spec oil is very good stuff.

 

[2KBMW]

Spitty. Check your local Canadian Tire store.
Castrol Syntec 5w40 is available here in my
city for the same price as the other grades.
This will meet your spec.

 

[Spitty]

I agree, the next change will be Syntec, it's the only oil in our Cr@ppy Tire that states it meets VW 502. But I hate the Idea of being tied to one Brand of oil. I do feel that an oil related problem ariseing within the warranty period is very remote, if the car were mine I would just let my conscience be my guide, but it's not, I just pay for the oil