AVS oil is there an alternative

[Banwell]

This castrol slx stuff looks okay, but surely there a better performance oil that will do the job.

Afterall we drive fast cars and our priority must be condition of engine first and foremost, so why do we stick with AVS oil? If we wanted cost effective cars we'd have bought something more mundane.

I am uncomfortable with changing oil every 16000 miles.

 

[mramage]

[ QUOTE ]
Lees3 said:
I am uncomfortable with changing oil every 16000 miles.


[/ QUOTE ]

The thought did pass through my mind as well Lee. If my car was chipped then I'd go for every 10K or maybe more often. Thing is though, modern oils are so damn good that with "noraml" driving there's really no reason they shouldn't last 20K. From what I've read they're capable of going nearly triple that before needing replaced.

AVS does, after all, work out when the car needs the oil changed. It's worth remembering that although we drive the cars hard sometimes when warm, it's also folks like us who let it warm up, cool down etc.

On that note I've decided to stick with AVS.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[Ess_Three]

[ QUOTE ]
Lees3 said:

I am uncomfortable with changing oil every 16000 miles.


[/ QUOTE ]

Me too.
There is no way on earth I'm going to do 10-16000 miles on the same sumpfull of oil...regardless of how smart the electronics think they are.

Have you ever seen the state of the oil that comes out on an AVS service? Yeuk!

I only do about 5-6000 miles per year, and I change the oil every 6 months.

I ran it in, then went onto the fully synthetic stuff...this gets changed as I said, at 6 months (about 2500-3000 miles) and it's absolutely filthy when I change it. I can only imagine the state of the long life oil if used in my engine.

I guess it all comes down to your peace of mind...for the cost of a filter, copper washer and tub of quality fully synthetic oil and an hour or so in the garage, I prefer to change more frequently.

I adopt the same principle on my other engines too.

 

[Cobstar]

With Ess_Three on this one. Our precious S3 had her first oil and filter change at 5,000 miles - using Castrol Formula SLX. Also requested the car go on fixed interval servicing. Just had a 10,000 mile service. Only an oil change but we asked for the 12 month check too - which picked up a leaking cambelt gasket cover, which was replaced under warranty. Asked them to use Formula SLX although invoices gives a ref no ending 503 01 Longlife. Do you think they used the right oil?

 

[Banwell]

I am gonna try an supply my own oil. It s a common thing in BMW dealers.

 

[Banwell]

[ QUOTE ]
Ess_Three said:

I only do about 5-6000 miles per year, and I change the oil every 6 months.

I ran it in, then went onto the fully synthetic stuff...this gets changed as I said, at 6 months (about 2500-3000 miles) and it's absolutely filthy when I change it. I can only imagine the state of the long life oil if used in my engine.

I guess it all comes down to your peace of mind...for the cost of a filter, copper washer and tub of quality fully synthetic oil and an hour or so in the garage, I prefer to change more frequently.

[/ QUOTE ]

So I take it from this you do the job yourself?

Which fully synthetic oil do you use then?

 

[Banwell]

My service indicator is wrong. I've done 13.5k and it's indicating that a service isn't due for another 16k! This can't be. Just had a chat with my audi technician and he strongly advised against an oil. Change. May have to ditch this AVS stuff and go back to regular servicing.

 

[Ess_Three]

[ QUOTE ]
Lees3 said:

So I take it from this you do the job yourself?

Which fully synthetic oil do you use then?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I do it myself.

I use genuine parts, but use Quantum Synta Gold oil...the stuff VAG sell.
I have them use it when they service it too...so they are happy with it, and so am I.

 

[RizS3]

After my first AVS service my dealer has now put me on Mobil 1 oil which exceeds the VAG specification for AVS longlife service! Im my opinion if its better then Castrol SLX and now i have maybe a better chance of buying it from Halfords etc its a bonus! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[MOSSY]

ESS THREE

Is your car still on the AVS Service? I didn't want to go and change the oil and ****** up the service indicator.

Basically I want to carry on with the AVS and just do my own 3000 mile service in between, but I dont want it buggering up the computer and then Audi finding out and refusing me any waranty claims

Hope you understand what iam asking

 

[Ess_Three]

[ QUOTE ]
MOSSY said:
ESS THREE

Is your car still on the AVS Service? I didn't want to go and change the oil and ****** up the service indicator.

Basically I want to carry on with the AVS and just do my own 3000 mile service in between, but I dont want it buggering up the computer and then Audi finding out and refusing me any waranty claims

Hope you understand what iam asking

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I get you.
Mine is not on the AVS setting...I had it set up for normal servicing so I get annual reminders on the service indicator not AVS related indications.
That way I could oil change it every week and not mess up the settings.

The handy thing about having a good mate as a VW Mastertech, and having a VAG Com, is that I can set it to what I want!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Nogaro]

<font color="blue"> </font> I have just changed the oil on my S3. The car is on AVS and I wanted to change it at the half way point. I have just checked the service indicator and it continues to show the same projected mileage to the service as it did before the oil change. I assume that the car works out the service interval based on driving data, so there's no way that the car 'knows' that the oil has been changed.

For me this is the ideal compromise - Keep the car on AVS and change your own oil at half time (or more frequently if you wish...) It will take just minutes to do. The plug is on the rear edge of the sump, you'll need a 19mm socket. If you leave the filter on it'll take exactly 4l (And leave about 500ml of old oil in the engine)

Incidentally there is no problem with supplying you own oil to the Audi Centre when the service comes up. I have been doing this now for three years on my last two cars, using Mobil 1 and paying less for it at a motor factors than Audi charge for the lesser stuff.

And if you're a real cheapskate (I'm a Yorkshireman!!) you can get your Mobil 1 in France much cheaper - Go for a booze cruise!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif

 

[munkey]

Cheers for this info.. will get my tools out, anyone know the cheapest place to get 5l of Mobil 1


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[Ess_Three]

[ QUOTE ]
Nogaro said:
<font color="blue"> </font>
For me this is the ideal compromise - Keep the car on AVS and change your own oil at half time


[/ QUOTE ]

...which kinda removes any benefit of having AVS enabled, does it not?
Surely easier to simply disable it and change the oil twice yearly.


[ QUOTE ]

If you leave the filter on it'll take exactly 4l (And leave about 500ml of old oil in the engine)


[/ QUOTE ]

So, am I picking this up right? You change the oil but not the filter?
Surely some strange logic at work there if that's the case.

 

[Nogaro]

I disagree. It is easier to keep the AVS on and change my own oil at half time. This then saves me having to go to the Audi dealership more frequently (To keep the warranty up) and pay their prices for non-AVS servicing. I benefit from more frequent oil changes but I don't have to pay Audi through the nose. The best of both worlds.

With regards to the filter, you have two choices.. Either replace the filter (Best option) or don't replace it, but change the oil. If you do nothing more than change the oil it is still better than not changing it at all. Where's the strange logic in that?

 

[Ess_Three]

[ QUOTE ]
Nogaro said:
I disagree. It is easier to keep the AVS on and change my own oil at half time. This then saves me having to go to the Audi dealership more frequently (To keep the warranty up) and pay their prices for non-AVS servicing. I benefit from more frequent oil changes but I don't have to pay Audi through the nose. The best of both worlds.


[/ QUOTE ]

I guess it is somewhat dependant on the miles you do each year.
Even with AVS, you still have to have an anual inspection if you do very few miles..in order to satisfy the warranty conditions..and if you're going there anyway for an inspection the whole AVS thing just doesn't offer any advantages price wise.


[ QUOTE ]

With regards to the filter, you have two choices.. Either replace the filter (Best option) or don't replace it, but change the oil. If you do nothing more than change the oil it is still better than not changing it at all. Where's the strange logic in that?


[/ QUOTE ]

I guess changing the oil is indeed a good thing...but I see no logical thinking in putting spotless oil into a dirty filter...when a replacement filter will cost you a fiver and the job takes 5 minutes.

It just seems false economy to me...yes, there are advantages in such that the oil is cleaner...but if the filter is still full of contaminents, then the advantage is lost.

Each to their own...