2009 Audi A4 Avant: Gimme Some Oil, Expensive Oil

I like how Scott is making this long-term test as "real-world" as possible by topping-off the engine oil with an unapproved oil.

Mobil 1 5w-30 isn't VW 502.00 approved, but it's still better than dumping in the nearest quart of conventional oil.

Stupid question... But how can you tell from this screen that you needed almost a quart?

Why the hell does something as antiquated and poorly engineered as a VWAG engine require such high grade oil?

On what page did the manual indicate that ANY 5W-30 is acceptable?

The approved 5W-30 oils have a higher HT/HS viscosity (usually around 3.5~4.5) than the Mobile 1 5W-30, which is ~3.

Way to reinforce one's image of being a reckless idiot. What are you going to do next? Pump gasoline into a diesel engine because it is cheaper?

@mikeolan: Poorly engineered? The 2.0T is pretty brilliant for a 4 cylinder engine. The high temperature operating oil is mainly necessary because of the turbocharger.

Strangely enough I was looking at the VW 502 approved list last night and while M1 was not on it Valvoline SynPower 5W-30 was (or M1 0-40 european formula).
I've never seen engines eat oil like the VAG FSI (prior gen VW and A4), but not sure about the newer TFSI. You can buy, however, 5qts of M1 at Walmart for 20-25 bucks pretty regularly so I find the difference in cost pretty marginal over non-synthetic.

"Why the hell does something as antiquated and poorly engineered as a VWAG engine require such high grade oil?" - while this is presumably sarcasm of some sort I'll assume it was serious. The modern VAG engines are not primitive and are probably the epitome of turbo lag-less small displacement engines. They also seem to be quite robust past the FSI generation (TSI/TFSI). I have a love/hate relationship with them (love the response, hate the periodic gremlins and oil usage).

@acbayard: It may just be part of Scott's personality-- posting images of himself driving over 100mph, screenshots of playboy radio, dumping Syntec 10w-40 into a M3, strapping a 10' X-Mas tree onto the roof of the M3, etc.

I remember that I once told him Mobil 1 0w-30 is the wrong oil for the 750, but apparently he disagreed:

http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2009/05/2009-bmw-750i-oil-please.html

@t10, acbayard : Honda makes the only good four cylinder engines- they don't even need a Turbo as they have VTEC.

@ sodaguy:

don't forget running down to gas fumes in the 750. just for fun. guess it doesn't take much to become Editor in Chief...

I look at it this way; it's not my car. And it's not really anyone's car except Edmunds'. They do stuff like this so that you don't have to. How else are you going to find out how a 7-series rides at 100 MPH, or how far it can go on empty, or if putting an unrecommended oil in your car's engine causes problems? I'd rather hear about it from a website rather than buy a car and find out for myself.

Then again, my name is Scott, too, so I'm a little biased.

@vt8919: I get what you're saying in re car magazines testing, but I think it takes a special kind of reckless idiot from NJ to take a 7-series to 100mph on public roads, photograph it and lie about it; or take the Smart car wayyy past the speeding flow of traffic, videotape it, lie about it; or consistently mistreat/abuse vehicles entrusted to him.

Oldham is a lawsuit waiting to happen - let's just hope he doesn't take Edmunds down with him. He already allowed the Inside Line website to get trashed by this "redesign." Who knows what's next.

Up next for Scott: handling comparison after a few drinks.

For the love of God, would you automotive journalist types please stop whining about cars requiring "expensive" synthetic oil or premium gas. It's a $40,000 car. If you can afford a $40,000 car you can afford the oil and the gas. If you can't buy a Honda Fit or a 10 year old Civic or whatever you can afford. Paying very small premium for premium doesn't make a bit of difference - and if you do feel it in your wallet then you need a different car. There are so many other things to worry about! Jeez.

$8 a quart is no big deal really, that would only buy you two gallons of premium gas or two overpriced coffee drinks. And the long interval between changes definitely makes up for it. I have a question though. Does the interval grow because it knows that new oil is being added periodically? Or would it go the same distance between changes even if it didn't consume any?

Dear Scott,

Dont be sad by all of the personal attacks, evidently oil is a very sensitive subject. I dont ever post on such threads because I have boring, reliable cars that take 10-30. You seem to be the target of pent up anger of some sort, so I will make you a deal. If you tell me what happened to the Edge I will defend all of your marginal decisions and bring you something nice for Christmas.

Yours,

Santa-blue

Does the computer buzz when you enter enough oil? Or do you fill up the approximate amount, turn the car on, and see what the verdict is? I'm wondering how easy it is to overfill.

Yeah, thas a good question jederino, answer it scott.
Santa blue, thank God u appeared here....LOL

Mine went through a quart before the first (5k mile) change.. now about 2k miles into the next cycle it's down just a bit.

I believe that the manual recommends adding a full quart when the system warns you that your oil is low, rather than trying to top off before it's all the way down to warning level.

Yeah, that's not the right oil for the car, but there is some text in the manual about what to use if you CAN'T find VW 502.00 oil -- maybe this fits under that rule. Not that it's hard to find approved oil in socal.

@ mikeolan : having moved to an A4 Avant from an Acura TSX with one of Honda's finest VTEC 4 cylinders (and having owned a CRX back in the day, and learned to drive on a classic Accord), I'd take this engine over the torqueless Hondas ever single day of the week. At least for driving normally, on normal streets. Still love Honda engines, but they're not quite what they used to be as the cars get fatter.

How can you all be so simple. Like a quart of Mobil 1 is going to hurt that car in Los Angeles, where it is always 70 degrees outside. It just doesn't matter and Scott knows it.

No wait, actually you're all right, he should have gone home looked up on the internet which oil companies paid to be on VW's 502 list of approved oils, then gone to three stores until he found one of them. Or more likely the local VW dealer. Wake up. It's a scam.

And as for you acbayard. If you hate Oldham and this website so much why do you keep coming back? You seem to know every post the guy has ever written. You must like something about his work or you would have been gone long ago.

Atleast Oldham tries to keep it interesting. If you guys want boring consumer reports go read boring consumer reports.

Inside Line and this blog aren't perfect (neither are the editors) but it is the best on the web I think. But if all you monkeys do is complain about it, maybe Oldham and his staff will stop trying so hard for us. Ever think of that?

I agree about the oil.....I cant imagine Mobil 1 hurting anything in 70 degree weather....and that list is a scam.

Writing any sort of blog is not for the faint hearted or sensitive (say a bad thing about the GT-R and one poster has to take a Prozac) so I dont feel too sorry for the IL folks. They knew what they were getting into when they started it.

When they pull stupid crap like not responding to a simple request like the status of the Edge then they deserve what they get, but overall I love this blog.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE EDGE?