New polo owner looking for some help.

[Jpich85]

Hi everyone we've just picked up our new polo test it's a 2014 polo 1.2tsi bluemotion and I really love it, after owning a lot of boring cars all my life it was great to finally own something I've wanted for a while.
I'm just looking for some information on it which I couldn't find in the manual.

I want to top up the oil a little but can't find want oil it takes, can anyone tell me what type of oil will be suitable for this engine?

What tyre pressures do people run with these tyres?

Also I've researched that the timing chain can be a pain on these cars but I'm not sure if mine has the cambelt instead, how can I tell for sure?

Any help would be great, cheers

[iichel]

some pictures of your car so we can determine the type would be great. we always like pictures.

[Jpich85]

Ok mate I'll try and post one now

[Jpich85]

Not the best pic but it's the only one I have atm.
It's a 64 1.2 tsi se bluemotion

[iichel]

so you have a nice Polo 6C (facelifted 6R) and your engine has a timing belt. you'll probably need 5W30 oil with VW longlife spec

[SRGTD]

What tyre pressures do people run with these tyres?

There should be a sticker inside the fuel filler flap showing the recommended tyre pressures.

[Jpich85]

Thanks guys I appreciate your help, I've read in the manual about a flexible and fixed service intervals, would anyone know which one mine would be, I think from what I can tell it's fixed but wanted to be 100%?
Also I've researched that there was a problem and a recall on the 1.2tsi about a cambelt pulley bolt that can come loose but I've checked on the vw website and there's no outstanding recalls on my car?

[RUM4MO]

I'd think that the VW website would provide you with safety related issue recalls, everything else will be taken care of very quietly as and when you complain about them.

I've had a look at the pulley on my wife's August 2015 Polo and it looked okay, I'll probably check that once a year as time goes on, all you need to do is to remove a bolt at the top, maybe that was to move something or pipes out of the way, unclip two clips then ease the cover to the left enough for you to shine a light in and see if it looks okay and is still free of leaking oil.

Edit:- maybe I even took that top section of cover off the car completely, I've forgotten!

Another Edit:- if you get a "beep beep beep" noise from the engine under certain conditions, like when it has warmed up and is not under load, ie light throttle inputs, that will be the EVAP purging pipe causing noises as the solenoid is getting pulsed to flush out the fumes from the EVAP container. If you look at the engine LHS facing into the engine bay, you will be able to see the EVAP solenoid and the pipe going to it from the EVAC container, I'd guess that on your car, that pipe will still be a plastic ribbed pipe, that pipe got changed later in time to a smooth preformed rubber pipe, and these noises disappear. I demanded that change under warranty and VW eventually discovered that it was possible and changed that pipe for me, beeping noises have now vanished. BTW, it was the design construction of that pipe that lead to it being "tuned" and causing these noises

[veteran]

Jpich85,

Here's a tip concerning engine-oil refilling: be very cautious indeed as to the amount you pour into the filler opening. The difference between optimumly-full (centre of the dipstick marking) and over-full is only a few tens of millilitres. If you over-fill, you'll have to get under the car, remove the undershield, and undo the sump-plug to let the excess out. Overfilling could cause oil to be burnt in the catalyser, which won't do it much good, and various seals could blow too. So the best strategy is always to put less into the filler initially (say, three-quarters of the offical sump capacity), pop the cap back on, then start the car and let it idle for a minute. Allow the oil to then drain back into the sump over a period of, say, 30 mins. Then re-check the sump level with the dipstick. Top up as necessary, adding small amounts at a time, and leave the oil to drain through to the sump each time, cap off. Keep the car on level ground when you're filling and checking, as otherwise the dipstick will be giving you a false indication. The little owner's manual for the vehicle has a short section on DIY oil refilling and has a picture of the dipstick markings. Keep the level within the shown central portion of those markings.

[SRGTD]

Thanks guys I appreciate your help, I've read in the manual about a flexible and fixed service intervals, would anyone know which one mine would be, I think from what I can tell it's fixed but wanted to be 100%?

As you’ve got a 6c Polo, you’ll be able to tell from the service information that you can access from your infotainment unit. Your dealer should also be able to tell you.

Press the ‘Car’ button at the side of the infotainment screen. On the screen, press the double cog wheel symbol in the bottom right hand corner which will display the car settings sub-menus on screen. Scroll down to ‘Service’ and select it.

Details of when the next oil change and oil and inspection services are due will be displayed.

If you car is on flexible long life servicing, it can be reset to annual time and distance servicing. I personally don’t like long life servicing. I know that there have been technical advances in engine design and oil formulation, but I wouldn’t want to leave the oil in my engine for up to two years.

[Jpich85]

Wow thanks guys that's some great help there and I really appreciate it, I'll definitely be checking the cambelt regularly and be careful when topping up the oil, I've never spend this much on a car before so I want to look after it, it's strange I thought finally having a vw and with the price it's cost us that you wouldn't really have to worry much about it lol, I just hope it'll be a good car for us.

Rum4mo I'll check that pipe, is that something you would recommend changing if you were me? I'm new to the engines but looking forward to getting to know it better.

Are there any other things or tips you have for my car? I'd really appreciate it.

Also do you think my car is on the fixed service interval times?

Cheers

Edit: sorry I've just seen your post about the servicing information, thank you.

[veteran]

Jpich85,

If the Polo came straight from the dealer as a brand new car then it'll almost certainly be on flexible (longterm) service interval. On the dash, you'll get a visual reminder, when the time's almost up, of the need for a standard service. But, as another poster has advised, you yourself can see and change the basic frequency at which you (If you prefer to do the servicing yourself) replace the engine oil by going into the Car menu in the Infotainment system and selecting the shorter, fixed period. That will then give you reminders at the new service interval. Do appreciate that you can change the oil whenever you like, if you wish. The visual (and sometimes audible) reminder is simply that - a reminder.

I've a 2017 version of your vehicle, it appears. I plan to use Mobil 1 ESP Formula 5W-30, which definitely meets the VW 504-00/507-00 specs. That's longlife stuff anyway, but I've always used Mobil oils in my cars and have always changed the engine oil every year, in late summer, particularly as I've mostly done short journeys. VW themselves have hitherto tended to promote Castrol Edge Professional Longlife-3 5W-30 for the Polo, but that's quite tricky to get hold of, I've found. I thought I heard a few months ago that VW was now advocating a thinner oil (0W-30), probably simply to help the mpg figures that little bit more. However, I myself am going to stick with 5W-30, as anything thinner than that might leak past gaskets more easily. The oil at VW dealerships is sold under the name Quantum and I think there's contention over who makes that - some people say it's Castrol, others Fuchs, etc. etc., and it may well now be just the thinner stuff. I suggest you buy Castrol or Mobil from Halfords. Initially, for the top-up you'll need only a litre, at the very most.

I'm not sure if you're going to be doing full services yourself but, if you are, don't forget about a new oil filter as well. It's at the front of the engine block, fairly low down, a black or grey canister that unscrews (it'll probably be an all-in-one type). From underneath the car, that's easily accessible, but only after you've removed the undertray. Various of us in these forums can advise on the different but identical filters purchaseable from other manufacturers in the wider market, though for the oil filter I always tend to buy mine from the VW dealer.

[Jpich85]

Thanks veteran I appreciate your information I would like to service it myself but I'm not use to these new engines lol, I'm usually more of an old school man use to working on old gsxr engines for some time.

Do you recommend getting it serviced at a vw garage? What prices would I expect for the 35000 mile service there?
It's already been serviced twice at the vw garage and says I'm due for an oil change in 150 days I think.

Cheers

I think the code on the information sticker for the polo says QC1 I think? Does that mean it's flexible?

[veteran]

It's already been serviced twice at the vw garage and says I'm due for an oil change in 150 days I think.

By that, do you mean that the car was bought secondhand, or do you mean that you yourself have been allowing it to be serviced under warranty by the VW dealership?

150 days is about 6 months, so there's a long period to go yet.

I've no idea what a VW dealer's workshop would charge for a 35,000-plus service, as I've never allowed my cars ever to be serviced by a dealer. I've always done servicing and maintenance myself. With the complexity of cars now, however, that's less easy to do.

The so-called PR sticker label in the Service Schedule booklet: are you not sure that 'QC1' isn't actually 'QG1'? Mine says QG1. Page 2 of that booklet has a table showing that, generically, 'QI1' is a 5000km/3000 ml or 1-year service interval.

Post warranty, if you decide to do your own servicing on this car, I'd advise that, at the appropriate times, you fill in your own brief record of what you do, when, and with precisely which components, in the Service Schedule. There's nothing compelling you to not do your own servicing within the warranty period, incidentally, if you wish to take that risk. The dealership can't force you to have them do the servicing during warranty, unless you don't wholly own the car from the outset.

[Jpich85]

Sorry mate yes it second hand and was previously serviced twice at the main deal before I owned it, do you think that means it's a fixed service term?

Yes sorry again I did mean QG1 so I refer to the manual with that code and it represents Ql1?

Is there a list of things to check and at which service interval? I know there was with a clio that I owned.

Cheers