Used Audi A3 - Oil Question - HELP

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Hi Everyone: I've got my heart set on an Audi A3. I found a 2015 at a used car dealer (1.8T version) with 30,000 miles. I looks great with the options I want at a decent price. So...I checked the carfax and it had oil changes at 5K and then at 15K (which is per the maintenance schedule), but no reported oil change until 30K. It should have had an oil change at 25K.

It was a leased vehicle, so my suspicion is the person went 5K miles over without an oil change. Audi schedule is 10K per oil change and they went 15K. The oil changes were done at an audi dealer so it seems it was probably a full synthetic change with good oil however. The used car dealer has already changed the oil now, so I can't test the oil that was in there.

My question is what do people think - is it a dealer breaker?? What kind of damage if any result from going 15K (as opposed to 10K) on an oil change? Thanks!
 
No, although I'd never personally buy a leased car for other reasons... especially a car like an Audi a young male who probably drove insanely aggressively leased.
 
I wouldn't call running 5k over a deal breaker if I knew it wasn't ran low on oil.

Do you know if the used car dealer used the correct VW/ Audi approved oil though?
 
That would be a deal breaker for me. The maintenance history on a leased car only 1-2 yrs old should be bullet-proof. I don't see that here. Are you sure that Audi Service History doesn't have that oil change listed? There are always other cars that will have been meticulously maintained. It would be nice to know if a young turk beat the car or it was a sedate 55 year old woman. I'll probably never own a former lease as I'd want to see the former owners for a low mileage car like this. If this were a V8 big boat Lincoln or something at least I could be reasonably sure the last owner was over 50 yrs of age.

If the car was abused to the 10K OCI, and then abused for another 5K miles. I'm not too good with that. They had the engine warranty to protect them despite any abuse they might have done, even running the oil down low. Never assume a vehicle was taken care of. At least there's reason to believe this had a large percentage of highway miles.
 
I'd not sweat it a bit. A car that new likely no harm done, and IMO good maintenance from here on out and you'd be golden. Now a pattern of multiple years of neglecting oil changes would be another matter.
 
Not everything gets onto a car fax. Call the dealer and give them the VIN and see what pops up. Also ask them if any TSBs or recalls were performed and if there are any outstanding TSBs to be performed for the car. Good info to have before purchasing any car.
 
Good idea to call Audi dealer with the VIN as maybe it was not reported. Seems unlikely with the other oil changes reported, but possible.

I have not grilled the used car lot on what oil they just put in. I'm thinking it was not VW/Audi spec synthetic as it is a chevy dealership. Not a huge deal as no real miles have been driven since they changed at 30k. Just sitting on lot. I can always swap out right away with something decent.

I appreciate concerns about a lease and who knows what the prior user did to it. Seems most 2-3 year old Germany type cars out there are coming off leases - not much else to choose from.
 
Originally Posted By: Beep
My question is what do people think - is it a dealer breaker?? What kind of damage if any result from going 15K (as opposed to 10K) on an oil change? Thanks!

Going over the recommended OCI once would not be a deal breaker for me in itself. However, it makes you wonder, if the owner was negligent about basic things like oil changes, then what else was he/she negligent about during the course of the ownership? I'd be concerned the vehicle was not well cared for in general.
 
you like the car, you decide.

A few Kreen treatments and some short OCI's will get what can be got as far a varnish and such. Then just drive on
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Beep
Hi Everyone: I've got my heart set on an Audi A3. I found a 2015 at a used car dealer (1.8T version) with 30,000 miles. I looks great with the options I want at a decent price. So...I checked the carfax and it had oil changes at 5K and then at 15K (which is per the maintenance schedule), but no reported oil change until 30K. It should have had an oil change at 25K.

It was a leased vehicle, so my suspicion is the person went 5K miles over without an oil change. Audi schedule is 10K per oil change and they went 15K. The oil changes were done at an audi dealer so it seems it was probably a full synthetic change with good oil however. The used car dealer has already changed the oil now, so I can't test the oil that was in there.

My question is what do people think - is it a dealer breaker?? What kind of damage if any result from going 15K (as opposed to 10K) on an oil change? Thanks!

Would not worry about it. Though US gas has high sulfur, those engines in EU are on 20-25K OCI schedule.
If car is OK, buy it. My take, keep OCI between 5-7.5K and use Castrol 0W40 NOT 5W40 that dealership uses.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Kamele0N
Why not 5w40? Because 0w is PAO or...?

You in Slovenia have different 5W40 then we in the U.S.
U.S. version has higher NOACK, not PAO, and does not meet MB 229.5 (only 229.3).
Plus, 4.78ltr (5 quarts) of Castrol 0W40 in Wal Mart is $25, while VW sells liter of 5W40 for almost $10.
So you get better oil for less money!
 
Can't do much with search - question: Has the 1.8T Oil Pressure Survival Guide been posted here ?
Interesting read and charts.
 
My thoughts on leased vehicles is this...

You have to ask yourself just how much abuse a car can take in 30,000 and how will that effect the car for the rest of its life? Because most lease vehicles have been abused - not all - but when you actually see the vehicle service history and it clearly states that it's been neglected...you found yourself one that's been abused. So you have to ask, what will this mean for this vehicle long term? On this particular vehicle we are talking about a small turbo engine, which was probably driven hard...driven with a lot of "fun" in mind, yet not cared for. I'd pass.

I know it's only "one" missed oil change, but I know people that would do three oil changes on an engine like this in that time frame - those are the people you'd want to buy a car off of - not some person that didn't care for it. I see this with BMW's a lot...customer thinks, well I only missed one oil change...well that's 30,000 miles on a BMW! Next thing you know they're replacing the engine at 50,000 miles. Maybe Audi engines are much more durable, but I doubt it.
 
Some Audi engines are pretty durable ... In my experience Euro turbo motors are some of the most durable because, like diesels, they are over-built to start with compared to most NA engines.

And an engine is not the most expensive part of a car. Used engines can be had all day long if this one goes south. So what is the rest of the car like? Look underneath for curb climbs, stone hits, and broken or scraped areas and shields missing, etc. That will tell you about "abuse"...

If it's all clean and intact, it points to neglect more than abuse. Still not 100% right. But may in fact be quite a nice car with a decent motor after a bit of Kreen and/or BG109
smile.gif
 
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