My 08 TT purchased with 23K miles about one year ago has needed to add oil once and yesterday I got another low oil light at 28K miles. When I checked the oil, I was down about one quart again. I checked for any leaks and everything looked fine on top and bottom. Is this normal to burn 2 quarts of oil between oil changes (5K) with my generation TT with less than 30K miles?

Also was does a oil change cost at the Porsche dealer? I found a independent Porsche shop that has the computer to reset the service light for $300.

Thanks in advance for your replies to my thread.

 

$300 is high! My Indy shop charged me $180. 9 quarts of Mobil 1 and a filter should cost just under a hundred bucks and it should be no more than 1 hour labor. As far as consumption goes - I added 1 quart twice during a year and 6k miles of driving on my 2004 turbo. I hear that's about normal, and my truck runs beautifully without any leaks. - Hope this helps...

 

$300 seems to be the going rate for most dealers in our area... definetly high for an indy shop. The consumption is normal.

 

I was told by my dealer (one I REALLY trust) that it is NOT uncommon, and within spec to use a quart of oil every 600 miles. Yes every 600 miles! That is straight from the mouth of Porsche NA.

I have the 4.5 though so maybe the 4.8 might have improved efficiency but it is an inherent design of these engines that they use oil unfortunately. I keep two quarts in the back myself

 

Perhaps the Turbo is different from the plain S 4.5 engine - mine has used no oil whatsoever since I've owned it. It completed a 10,000 mile trip around the entire US this summer, frequently at speeds > 80MPH, and the oil level remained exactly on the full mark.

It might be turbo engines aren't babied much during break-in or the higher combustion pressures cause some blowby.. but a Cayenne engine doesn't always use oil. That's a feel-good statement by owners who have engines consuming oil.

 

My 03 Turbo has drank 2 quarts of oil since its last complete oil change a year ago and ±3K miles ago. Thing that worries me is that one of those quarts was added back in June of this year, and the other was added yesterday! I got the "service now" light and as per my mechanic, it comes on regardless of miles, so at least the "internal clock" is keeping time as to when the truck needs service!

My bill was $267 (oil included, as well as labor to replace the $570 battery!)

 

Turbos inherently are accustomed to using more oil due to the cooling and lubrication needed to accommodate the higher temps the oil is exposed to. Additionally how the turbos vent oil back into the system may lead to the loss of some oil (particularly on the driver's side of the block in the intercooler piping and venting).

Also keep in mind the basic architecture of the Cayenne engine is based off of the GT1 block and technology which might have some influence on what the engine consumes as well. ALL cars use oil, some just use more than others. It might not present itself between oil changes, but oil is being used and expelled with other exhausted gases.

 

2 quarts in 5000 miles is normal. On my CTT it's about one quart every 2000 miles, depending on how it is driven.

 

My '05TT burns 1 quart every 1000 miles. I buy the stuff by the case and keep a couple in the rear side compartments. Oil changes only needed every 20k miles in the '05TT according to dealership. Costs about $250 for the oil change if I remember correctly.

 

Can someone confirm that the oil change is not required on a yearly basis regardless of mileage (assuming only done 3K miles in a year with 2 quarts added in that time period)? My service now light is on and I was told that it is due to the required yearly maintenance service, among which an oil change is part of it.

 

See the attachment.

 

Thanks Paulycw! I wonder why then I have this light on... Guess another trip to the shop to hook up the reader it is.... Maybe it's because of the column that says Annual Maintenance (but indicates nothing?!)

 

When I checked the Porsche users guide, I did find a note about the 1 qt per 600 miles and suggestion to check every time you fill up.

I found shop in Campbell, Ca to change my oil - top off my fluids - quick inspection and reset the light for $140. Great deal and only took 45 minutes.

Thanks for the replies...

Irwin

 

1Qt per 1000 or so miles is common for me. Does anyone use anything other than Mobil 1 0W40?

 

The first customer prejudice to overcome is the perception that well-made engines consume no oil. Thirty years ago, aging engines with worn rings and valve guides started up with a puff of blue smoke, and consumed oil by the gallon – leading to the perception that an engine's newness and precision were directly comparable to the rate of oil consumption. The old-time mechanic's highest praise of a new engine was "she didn't burn a drop of oil in 10,000 miles”.

Remember, however, that a Seventies engine was most probably a low-revving behemoth filled with molasses-thick petroleum-based oils, being pumped at modest oil pressure, with much of the lubrication distribution occurring through simple splashing. Today, engines are higher-revving and harder-working, with higher-pressure oil circuits and a much more challenging job to do. Synthetic oil is also vastly more "slippery" and yet also more "clingy" than the oils of thirty years ago. Result? Modern high performance engines are designed to consume a calculated amount of oil, from passage through seals and metal interstices, and as the oil film clings to cylinder walls and other surfaces.

To resume the oil basics: In a modern, high-performance engine using synthetic oil, actual oil consumption depends to a degree on driving habits and style. It is in fact normal for a Porsche engine to consume oil, with the rate of consumption dependent upon the viscosity of the oil, the speeds at which the engine is operated, the climate, road conditions — in short, all of the factors that influence dilution and oxidation of the lubricant.